Index points:
00:00 Dramatic telephoto shot with Lima Expert E464.134 DTS facing
01:23 Ground level panoramic shot with Lima Expert E464.134 DTS facing
02:57 Telephoto shot with Lima Expert Vivalto Pilota facing
03:42 Overhead tracking shot of the two Lima Expert E464s in DTS
04:43 Overhead tracking shot of ViTrains E464.564 pushing train
06:08 Overhead shot with ViTrains E464.564 pushing train facing
07:13 Panning shots of the trains
07:48 Ground level telephoto shot with E464.134 facing
09:13 Overhead view of the trains passing on the straight
09:36 Panning shots of the trains
10:02 Final panoramic shot of the trains learning around the long curve
I was not a great fan of the E464 locos originally, as they replaced classic machines like the lovely E646 Bo-Bo-Bos. However, around 2008, I had a journey between Firenze SMN and Lucca with a pair of locos in Doppio Trazione Simetrica (DTS- "top 'n tail" in the UK), with 5 Vivalto coaches. This was quite a pleasant, sporty experience and this is when I began to warm to the locos. It also made me enthusiastic when they began to be used on InterCity work (and DTS E464s with four InterCity coaches is a pretty sporty experience).
I have recreated my DTS Vivalto experience in HO, using two Lima Expert 1st series E464s. They are both numbered E464.134 at the moment, but I was more interested in matching the mechanisms for DTS work. I will renumber one eventually. You can tell a 1st series as the number will be 134 or lower, the destination board on the loco is low level and the number is between the headlights. There are also some differences in the under body kit.
The Lima Expert is an absolute joy of a loco- it is everything you could want, doesn't drop parts everywhere and isn't massively expensive. I have also discovered that there is a switch to turn off the shunting cab lights, which aren't usually on. I have only seen the inner cab in used for a shunting movement at Villa SG and also (more rarely) a loco running on its own on line to Chiusi.
The coaches are three series2 ViTrains Vivalto coaches leading, with two series1 Lima Expert coaches following.
Here is an XMPR liveried rake of Vivalto coaches in DTS: • Vivalto con doppia tra...
The other train is a regular formation of 5 Lima Expert series 1 Vivalto coaches in current regional livery, being pushed by second series ViTrains E464.564 in XMPR colours.
Here is an example of a similar consist at Lucca:
• Incrocio tra regionali...
And an identical consist:
• Supero un ViValto con ...