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The metro

A M2 train coming from Famagosta is approaching to Cimiano station. M2 is the only line with open air sections, most of them created absorbing an interurban light rail. The un-electrified track in the foreground was part of a now removed link to Officine Generali Teodosio. March 22nd 2003.

The network today

The system at a glance
Company	Azienda Trasporti Municipali (ATM)
System	Metro
Service	Urban, suburban and interurban
Gauge	1435 mm
Lines	3
Lenght (lines)	69.3 km
Voltage	750 V (M1) 1500 V (M2 and M3)
Depots	Deposito Cologno Nord (M2) Deposito Famagosta (M2) Deposito Gallaratese (M1) Deposito Gorgonzola (M2) Deposito Precotto (M1) Deposito San Donato (M3)
Opening of the first line	1964
Last extension	1995: Sondrio – Zara
Cars in regular service	714 (2002)

The lines are distinguished by colours, too: M1 is red, M2 is green and M3 is yellow. There are two service interconnections between the three lines: from Pasteur (M1) and Caiazzo (M2) and from Caiazzo (M2) and Repubblica (M3).

Milano metro lines on April 11th 2002
Line	Stations	Notes
M1 LINEA ROSSA	Sesto I Maggio FS – Sesto Rondò – Sesto Marelli – Villa S. G. – Precotto – Gorla – Turro – Rovereto – Pasteur – Loreto (M2) – Lima – Venezia – Palestro – S. Babila – Duomo (M3) – Cordusio – Cairoli (M2) – Conciliazione – Pagano – [ Buonarroti – Amendola Fiera – Lotto Fiera 2 – QT8 – Lampugano – Uruguay – Bonola – S. Leonardo – Molino Dorino ] / [ Wagner – De Angeli – Gambara – Bande Nere – Primaticcio – Inganni – Bisceglie ]	–
M2 LINEA VERDE	(Abbiategrasso from 2004) – Famagosta – Romolo – P.ta Genova FS – S. Agostino – S. Ambrogio – Cadorna FNM Triennale (M1) – Lanza Brera Piccolo Teatro – Moscova – P.ta Garibaldi FS – Gioia – Centrale FS (M3) – Caiazzo – Loreto (M1) – Piola – Lambrate FS – Udine – Cimiano – Crescenzago – Cascina Gobba – [ Vimodrone – Cascina Burrona – Cernusco S. N. – Villa Fiorita – Cassina De' Pecchi – Bussero – Villa Pompea – Gorgonzola – Cascina Antonietta – Gessate ] / [ Cologno Sud – Cologno Centro – Cologno Nord ]	–
M3 LINEA GIALLA	(Maciachini from December 8th 2003) – Zara – Sondrio – Centrale FS (M2) – Repubblica – Turati – Montenapoleone – Duomo (M1) – Missori – Crocetta – P.ta Romana – Lodi TIBB – Brenta – Corvetto – Porto di Mare – Rogoredo FS – S. Donato	–

M1, Linea Rossa

The first section of route M1 was opened in 1964 and it connected Sesto Marelli with Lotto. In 1966 a branch from Pagano to Gambara was added to the main line. In 1975 both west legs were extended from Lotto to QT8 and from Gambara to Inganni. In 1986 the line was extended northward with a suburban extension to Sesto I Maggio FS and westward to Molino Dorino. Finally in 1992 the station Bisceglie was added to the line. In October 2003 works started on a suburban extension from Molino Dorino to Pero and Rho. An interurban link between Sesto and Monza is in the planning stage.

At present trains follow two different routes:

Sesto I maggio FS – Molino Dorino
Sesto I maggio FS – Bisceglie

The voltage of line M1 is 750 V and it is equipped with third rail with the exception of depot areas in which there is overhead. All the line is in subways with the exception of depots. These are two: Precotto and Gallaratese (also know as Molino Dorino).

M2, Linea Verde

Line M2 was opened in 1969 with the section Caiazzo – Cascina Gobba, soon extended westward to Centrale FS (1970) and Garibaldi FS (1971). On December 3rd 1972 M2 absorbed the Linee Celeri dell'Adda (i.e. High Speed Adda Lines), an interurban light rail that since May 5th 1968 linked Milano with Gorgonzola and prosecuted eastward as simple tramways to Cassano (closed on December 3rd 1972) and Vaprio (closed in 1978). In 1978 the section Garibaldi FS – Cadorna FNM was opened on the west end. On June 7th 1981 another interurban section was added from Cascina Gobba to Cologno Nord, replacing the interurban tramway Milano – Vimercate. In 1983 the urban section of M2 reached Porta Genova FS and in 1985 Romolo. In the same year the interurban section to Gorgonzola was extended to Gessate. Finally in 1994 the new Romolo – Famagosta section was opened. A new extension from Famagosta to Abbiategrasso is now under construction, while a suburban section from Famagosta to Assago is in project.

M2 trains follow three different routes:

Famagosta – Gessate
Famagosta – Cologno Nord
Famagosta – Cascina Gobba

The voltage is 1500 V with overhead. The urban section from Famagosta to Udine is in underground, while the outer section from Cimiano to Gessate and Cologno as well the depots are in open air, on elevated or in cutting. M2 has three depots: Gorgonzola (a former interurban tram depot), Cologno Nord and Famagosta.

ATM_M2_Cimiano_220303_(2).jpg (84518 byte)

A Famagosta-bound train leaving Cimiano station.

Until 1984, M1 and M2 trains were repaired in the Officine Generali Teodosio. To reach them, the metro trains ran on the interurban tram tracks that once stood in via Palmanova, pulled by interurban cars and later, from 1981, by a diesel locomotive. Now this link is disappeared but some hundred metres of this un-electrified spur track that branches off from the main line in Cimiano station. Both images March 22nd 2003.

M3, Linea Gialla

M3 is the newest line of the system. It was opened in 1990 from Centrale FS to Duomo and then to Porta Romana. An year later and the line was extended from both end to Sondrio and San Donato. Finally in 1995 another short section was added, from Sondrio to Zara. The section Zara – Comasina is now under construction; the first stretch (Zara – Maciachini) will be inaugurated on December 8th 2003.

The voltage is 1500 V with overhead. All the line is underground with the exception of the Deposito San Donato, the only depot of the line.

	A train resting in the Deposito San Donato on June 2nd 2002. Photo © Alessio Pedretti.
	The tunnel Zara – Maciachini under construction on November 9th 2002. Photo © Alessio Pedretti.

Rolling stock

At present only M1 cars are listed.

Milano M1 metro cars on April 21th 2000
	Lot	Series	Axles	Amount	Year	Mechanic	Electric equipment	Notes
Motor cars	1st	101-130	4	28	1962-63	Breda	Marelli	1
	1st	201-230	4	30	1962-63	OM	Ansaldo	–
	2nd	131-142	4	12	1965-66	Breda	Marelli	–
	2nd	231-242	4	12	1965-66	OM	Ansaldo	–
	3rd	143-155	4	13	1968-69	Breda	Marelli	–
	3rd	243-255	4	11	1968-69	OM	Ansaldo	2
	4th	156-175	4	19	1973-74	FIAT	Marelli	–
	4th	256-282	4	27	1973-74	FIAT	Ansaldo	–
	7th	601-614	4	14	1986	Socimi	Ansaldo	–
	7th	701-714	4	14	1986	Stanga	Marelli	–
	8th	615-626	4	12	1988	Stanga	Ansaldo	–
		715-718	4	4		Socimi	Marelli	–
		719-726	4	8		Stanga	Marelli	–
	9th	627, 628	4	2	1989	Socimi	Ansaldo	–
	9th	727-734	4	8	1989	Stanga	Marelli	–
Cab-less motor cars	3rd	6216-6218	4	3	1976	OM	Ansaldo	3
	6th	6101-6115, 6201-6215	4	30	1981-82	Stanga	Marelli	–
	6th	6116	4	1	1981-82	Breda	Marelli	4
Trailers	3rd	1101-1106	4	5	1968-69	Breda	–	5
		1107-1113	4	4		OM	–	6
		1114-1128	4	15		SIAI	–	–
	4th	1129-1138	4	9	1973-74	Cittadella	–	7
	5th	1139-1158	4	18	1975	Cittadella	–	8
	7th	1301-1314	4	14	1986	Socimi, Stanga	–	–
	8th	1315-1326	4	12	1988	Socimi, Stanga	–	–
	9th	1327-1331	4	5	1988	Socimi, Stanga	–	–
Notes	Cars 127, 128 were demolished. Cars 253, 254 were demolished. Former trailers numbers 1109, 1110, 1112. Former trailer 1106. Trailer 1106 was transformed in cab-less motor car 6116. Trailers 1109, 1110, 1112 were transformed in cab-less motor cars 6216-6218. Trailer 1130 was demolished. Trailers 1145, 1155 were demolished.