Trolleybuses in Bologna


The Bologna trolleybus system is part of the public transport network of the city and comune of Bologna, in the region of Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy. In operation since 1991, the current system comprises five urban routes: 13, 14, 15, 32 and 33. Additional routes are presently under construction.
Bologna has had two earlier trolleybus systems. The first one opened in 1940 and lasted only until 1945.
The second earlier system, which was more extensive than the present one, opened in 1955 and was closed in 1982. At the time of its maximum extent in the 1960s and 1970s, it had a total of six routes.
The current trolleybus network reaches beyond Bologna's territory, extending into the neighbouring municipalities of San Lazzaro di Savena and Pianoro.

History

The first Bologna trolleybus system was opened in October 1940, to integrate with the tramway, as in many other Italian cities. This system, however, lasted only a few years until closed in 1945, as a result of damage sustained to its infrastructure during World War II.
The second trolleybus system was opened in 1955, in anticipation of the total replacement of trams. However, the second system never reached a large extent, always remaining a minor network compared to the diesel powered bus network.
At the time of its maximum extent, the second system was composed of two circular and four radial lines:
Line 42, with an outer terminus in Casalecchio di Reno, was the only one to exit the municipal area; it provided a service that was integrated with the Casalecchio–Vignola railway.
The radial lines had reversing loops at intermediate points on the route:
As in other Italian cities, the trolleybus system experienced a decline in the second half of the 1970s, with the phasing out of the lines, with line 46 closing on 1 August 1977; followed by lines 32, 33 and 43 on 30 September 1979; and line 42 on 30 September 1981. The final closure was of line 41 on 1 June 1982 — a "temporary" withdrawal of trolleybuses for the summer which was made permanent on 16 September 1982. Another source gives the last day of service as 14 June 1982. The fleet was eventually disposed of.

1990s revival

The overhead wires, however, were left intact, so as to allow for a possible future decision to reopen the system. By 1985, it had been tentatively decided that trolleybus service in Bologna should be revived, with a new fleet of vehicles. In 1988, orders were placed for a fleet of 20 new trolleybuses: 10 from Menarini and 10 from Breda. It was decided that the first line of the reactivated system would be line 13, which was a union of the old lines 41 and 46, with some changes in the city centre portions to connect the two — in particular, new wiring along Via San Felice, Via Rizzoli, Via Santo Stefano and other streets for eastbound trolleybuses. Line 13 would now be a cross-city radial line from Borgo Panigale to San Ruffillo via the city centre. The long-disused overhead wires along former routes 41 and 46 were refurbished in preparation for a planned 1990 reopening. By spring 1990, delivery of both types of new trolleybuses had begun. A ceremonial "inauguration" event took place on 20 April 1990, in connection with a transport conference being held, with one trolleybus of each type running over a short section of the route that was temporarily energised for the occasion.
The first passenger service on the reopened trolleybus system, on new line 13, began on 4 January 1991 or 2 January. Route 13 remained the only trolleybus line until 2002.
On 14 October 2002, the second stage of expansion was reached, with the reactivation of the circular lines 32 and 33, following the same routings as in the previous trolleybus system, but with refurbished overhead wiring.
Another 10 years passed before the next trolleybus line was opened. This occurred on 24 September 2012, with the partial conversion to trolleybuses of bus line 14, Piazza Giovanni XXIII – Due Madonne Depot via the city centre. The western half of line 14 had been line 43 of the previous system, so this was a reactivation of former line 43, now as part of line 14. The eastern half of line 14 had never previously been a trolleybus line. Initially, service on line 14 remains mostly operated with motorbuses, with trolleybus serving only about one-quarter of its trips. This is due partly to there being too few trolleybuses available in the fleet and partly to the fact that line 14 has three branches at its eastern end, two of which are not equipped with trolleybus wiring. The trolleybuses in the current fleet have diesel engines enabling them to operate away from the trolley wires, but only to a limited extent. The 11 newest trolleybuses, delivered in 2010 by Solaris Bus & Coach, have more powerful diesel engines, and initially they are the only trolleybuses being used on line 14, along with many diesel buses for the time being.
On 1 February 2012, ATC transferred operation of Bologna's public transport system to TPER, a new entity formed by the merger ATC's operations division with Ferrovie Emilia Romagna.

Services

Overview

The six routes comprising the present Bologna trolleybus system are:
Currently, all lines in service are equipped with special devices located on the same remote to transmit a "wire fall or break alarm" resulting in a precautionary tripping of power switches. It is also planned to raise the line voltage from 650 to 750 V.
During Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays, the City Council of Bologna has implemented a policy closing Via Ugo Bassi, Via Rizzoli, part of Strada Maggiore and half of Via Indipendenza to regular traffic, with routes 13 and 14 travelling through Via Ugo Bassi, Via Rizzoli and Strada Maggiore. As a result, route 13 is divided into two branches, one starting in Via Lame to Borgo Panigale and the other one starting from Piazza Cavour to San Ruffillo and Rastignano. Trolleybuses are used only on the branch between Via Lame and Borgo Panigale, with the trolleybus poles being lowered for the short distance between Via San Felice and Via Lame. Route 14 is diverted on its eastbound routes through Via Marconi, Via dei Mille and Via Irnerio, and therefore cannot use trolleybuses due to the potential damages these vehicles can face when running on their own engines for long distances.

Line 13

This line was born from the union of the previous lines 41 and 46 and was activated for testing in 1990 on the route San Ruffillo – Borgo Panigale, with regular public service being introduced on 4 January 1991.
The line was initially powered by five electrical substations. In 2005, the Avesella substation was dismantled, and the electrical sections Timavo–Centro and Centro–Porta Santo Stefano were combined into a single Timavo–Porta Santo Stefano section.
In 2003, work began on the extension of the line by about to Via Pavese, with the consequent shifting of line 13's San Ruffillo terminus from Ponte Savena to Via Pavese, and the construction of a new electrical substation at Via Pavese to provide power for the extension. The work was completed during the first half of 2007, and the extension was opened for service on 13 September 2007, to coincide with the introduction of the new winter schedule.
After 3 years of work, line 13 reaches the new terminus of Rastignano.
The evenings extensions to Carteria di Sesto and Lavino di Mezzo, which operate in both directions during weekdays and to Via Lame or Piazza Cavour on weekends, are operated by motor buses. Route 13A's last departure at 1.30 am from.Piazza Cavour on weekends is extended to Pianoro Vecchio to serve the latter when route 96 finishes to operate.
During the weekends, trolleybuses on route 13 are operated only on its western branch, where they have to run on battery for a short while between Porta San Felice and Via Lame, as the wires continue straight to Via Ugo Bassi. It is not possible to use trolleybuses on the eastern branch due to space concerns, as articulated trolleybuses are too wide to manoeuvre in Piazza Cavour.

Line 14

This line is a union of pre-1982 trolleybus line 43, west of the city centre, with a new route east of the city centre to form a double-ended radial route, between the Barca district and the San Vitale district. It existed in this form as a bus route for many years before the start of its phased conversion to trolleybuses in 2012. The eastern half was built from scratch, having never previously been a trolleybus route. Along the western half, to Piazza Giovanni XXIII in the Barca district, the old trolleybus wiring was completely renewed, but the support poles were re-used. Most works were completed in 2006, but the line's opening was delayed. In the meantime, the planned line 14 had been extended, by the addition of two branches on the eastern section: 14A to the end of Via Due Madonne and 14C to the end of al Pilastro.
After a delay of several years, caused in part by a shortage of trolleybuses, a limited use of trolleybuses in service on line 14 finally began on 24 September 2012. Trolleybuses operate on the route on weekdays only, and most scheduled journeys continue to be operated by buses, until additional trolleybuses are acquired. The B and C branches are not equipped with wiring. At the time of opening for trolleybuses, the A branch was also not yet equipped with wiring along its outermost section, from Rotonda Paradisi to Via Due Madonne, but construction work was under way. Initially, trolleybuses used to enter the bus depot to turn around, pending completion of construction along the roundabout. As of 2020, trolleybuses and buses on line 14A eventually turn around at Dispersi del Naufragio del Piroscafo Oria roundabout, so that line 14A is fully wired.
Line 14 is fed by six substations.
While only the branch 14A is completely equipped with trolleybus infrastructures, trolleybuses are still being used sometimes on branches 14A and 14C, where they run on battery between Rotonda Paradisi, Zona Roveri and Pilastro.
in 2011

Line 15

Line 15 was launched on July 1, 2020.

Lines 32 and 33

These two lines run along the ring boulevards, and represent the ATC's circular external network. They are electrically connected and are powered by two electric substations. Route 32 does not operate on public holidays and, in such events, route 33 is operated by motor buses. In the past years, both routes were not operated by trolleybuses due to improvement and re-adaptations to the network for the Crealis NEO and to remove the voltage differences between routes 13-14 and 32-33

Fleet

Past fleet (1991–2015)

When the current Bologna system opened, in 1991, it was operated by ATC. The fleet included 20 trolleybuses:
In 1996–1997, ATC added 20 Autodromo/MAN articulated trolleybuses, and in 1999–2000 a second series of the same type, 15 vehicles numbered 1041–1055.
In 2010, eleven Solaris articulated trolleybuses were added to the fleet, and they began to enter service in December of that year. The last Breda trolleybus was retired in 2012, and the last Menarini vehicles – the last two-axle vehicles in the fleet – were retired in March or April 2013. From that point, the fleet comprised only articulated trolleybuses.
Crealis Neo trolleybuses, which entered service in 2016–2017.
In October 2003, ATC awarded a contract for the construction and equipped for a network of new trolleybus routes that would use optical guidance, and the contract's fleet component was an order for 49 Civis-model articulated trolleybuses, to be built by Irisbus. A prototype was delivered in May 2005, and eventually all 49 vehicles were delivered, but none was ever placed in service. During testing of the first vehicles, ATC identified what it considered to be technical deficiencies with the Civis trolleybuses. It ultimately concluded the vehicles were unsatisfactory. After a period of negotiation, ATC reached an agreement in autumn 2012 with the manufacturer, which by then had been renamed Iveco Bus. Under the agreement, Iveco Bus would replace the entire series of 49 Civis trolleybuses with 55 trolleybuses of a newer model, the Crealis; the quantity was later reduced to 49. The first three were delivered in spring 2015.

Present fleet (2016–)

Since 2012, the trolleybus system has been operated by TPER. In 2017, the fleet includes 95 trolleybuses:
The order for 49 Crealis Neo trolleybuses, to be built by Iveco Bus, was placed in 2012. The first three were delivered in spring 2015. The first few Crealis trolleybuses entered service in February 2016.

Depots

The system has three depots. Due Madonne Depot, in the east; Battindarno Depot, in the west; and Ferrarese Depot, in the north. Only the Due Madonne depot is connected to the trolleybus route network with overhead wires; for other depots, trolleybuses use their diesel-powered generators to run to and from the depots. Ferrarese Depot is relatively new, having opened in 2013. Deposito Battindarno kept its trolleybus connection, but its wires have been inactive since 1981.