Alstom Ferroviaria

Alstom Ferroviaria S.p.A.

Company type	Division (of Alstom)
Industry	Rail transport manufacturing
Predecessor	Società Nazionale Officine di Savigliano, Fiat Ferroviaria S.p.A.
Founded	1880
Defunct	2002 (fully integrated into Alstom)
Fate	Acquired and fully integrated by Alstom
Successor	Alstom Rail
Headquarters	Italy , Italy
Area served	Worldwide
Products	Tilting trains (Pendolino), rolling stock, train components
Owner	Alstom
Parent	Alstom

Alstom Ferroviaria S.p.A., previously known as Fiat Ferroviaria S.p.A., serves as the rail transport division of the Italian company Alstom. Established in 1880 under the name Società Nazionale Officine di Savigliano, the firm commenced locomotive manufacturing during the 1930s and became part of Fiat in 1970. In 1995, Fiat Ferroviaria expanded by acquiring the Swiss rail company SIG, resulting in the formation of the subsidiary Fiat-Sig. Until 1998, it held ownership of the Argentine enterprise Materfer. Alstom obtained a majority 51% share in June 2000 and completed full integration by 2002.

Overview

During the 1960s and 1970s, Fiat Ferroviaria was at the forefront of developing active tilting train technology, marketed under the brand Pendolino. This innovation began with Italy’s ETR train series starting in 1976, including models such as ETR 401, ETR 450, ETR 460-65, ETR 480-85, and later Alstom-manufactured ETR600. These trains significantly improved travel speed and passenger comfort on winding routes.

The introduction of the ETR 450 in 1988 marked a milestone that spurred international demand for tilting train components—encompassing bogies, traction systems, and electronic controls—from various countries. Notable adopters include Germany (ICE T), Finland (VR Class Sm3, VR Class Sm6), Switzerland (Cisalpino), Spain (Alaris), Portugal (Alfa Pendular), Slovenia (SŽ series 310), and the Czech Republic (ČD Class 680).

In February 1999, Virgin Trains West Coast placed an order for Class 390 trains from Alstom, which incorporated Fiat Ferroviaria’s tilting mechanism. This technology has since been implemented in rolling stock across eighteen nations globally, including markets such as the United States and China.

See also

• Pendolino tilting trains developed by Fiat Ferroviaria
• Materfer, Argentine manufacturer producing licensed Fiat rolling stock
• Fiat Materfer 7131, railcars designed for urban transit services in Argentina