Turin VAL system opens
 

The Turin VAL rubber-tyre metro system is due to open this week just before the inauguration of the winter olympics.

Dario,
Have you got your ticket yet, I'm hoping for a good report on the new system with photos
Syd

What does VAL mean?

Good question, Trev. The answer is ... I cant remember it right now.
It surely is a french language acronym for this kind of rubber-tyre metro, but its interesting it is not french anymore: the technology is now owned by Siemens of Germany and its assembled in Eastern Europe.
Give me time to see the Siemens web-site.

Val - Fully Automated Metro System (from the Siemens site)

Developed by Siemens Transportation Systems (STS), Paris, the Val (Véhicule Automatique Léger) is the first fully automated light metro, without driver or attendant on bord the vehicle. From the control center, only a few operators supervise the whole entire system.

Since its introduction in 1983, the Val system is continuously being upgraded and perfected, thus regularly providing a higher level of comfort and safety. Today, the new generation of Val (Val 208 and Val 258) provides the appropriate solution for cities and airports to meet their transportation needs.

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Now, I guess you are disappointed, albeit the VAL isnt a railway and isnt a train, its a mass transportation system better than buses though, and all electric.

Dario,
No I'm not disappointed at all. I think it is the way to go for city transport. Clean, quick and should keep a lot of cars off the road. As it is low in manpower it should also be cheap to staff. Just two questions, Where do they keep the spare wheel and if there is no driver, who will change the wheel when it gets a flat? (grin)
Syd

The Turin Val system, 7.5 km long (less than 5 miles) has been officially inaugurated Saturday 4th last, by the Italian Minister of Transport, the Mayor of Turin, the President of GTT (Group of Turin Transport), and the President and the Vice President of Siemens Transportation.
About a report from me on the spot, dont count on it.
I am not going to quit work for going to the olympics.
I'll see what I can manage from home.
Olympic cheers!

That's what I would like to see, Syd.
Of course, there's got to be a fast service team on call from the Control Room to do just that, and fix any other emergency.

And this is Turin's VAL.
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