Italy's Super-Train

Italy last week put into daily service between Milan, Rome and Naples the most modern train in Europe. Known as the ETR 300, it gives passengers the thrill of "riding with the engineer" at 60 m.p.h. in a radically different locomotive that is also an observation car. The passengers actually ride ahead of the engineer; he runs the electric train from a dome behind them (see cut).

Designed primarily for the tourist trade, the seven-car ETR 300 can carry 160 reserved-seat passengers in luxury--a dining car that seats 56, a bar, souvenir shop second observation car in the rear and three hostesses, who speak four languages between them. Each compartment has a radio and earphones; a "services" car features seven hot & cold showers.

To keep the going smooth and silent, the tram has 240 rubber shock absorbers that cut jarring to a minimum, provide a ride almost completely free of vibration. Cost of a Milan-to-Naples oneway ticket: about $21.40--$3.50 more than other fast trains.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.