Sicilia 2026- Trenitalia Regionale R12897 Cefalù-Palermo, with Hitachi Blues HTR412-010. 19/09/26

This was my first run on a Trenitalia Hitachi Blues HTR412 hybrid 3Kv DC, MTU diesel and battery multiple unit. The route was Cefalù-Palermo on the Sicilian north coast Messina-Palermo line. From Lascari, this has all been upgraded to 160km/h double track. A new section with an underground station for Cefalù is under construction now. I have ridden the Hitachi Rock double deck EMU before and had an enjoyable journey, but can't remember much about the train interior (although it rode well!) I have also had a journey on the Trenord version, the Caravaggio, which seemed nicer. The Blues is also a member of the Hitachi Masaccio family and has the similar (and rather magnificent) front end styling. However, it is in a three or four car (HTR312 or HTR412) single level config with articulated bogies. I found the interior really pleasant and comfortable- it gives the general feeling of an MDVE coach replacement. I was actually hoping to catch the new InterCity variant to try that out (and bought a first class ticket), but unfortunately it was delayed by 2hrs at Paola due to weather related problems (you would think it is only the UK rail network that has these!). Whilst I feel that the regionale config blues is an OK medium distance unit, I suspect that the InterCity version may be a poor replacement to UIC-Z and gran confort coaches. I could be wrong, but it will have to wait for another time. Another "blues" factor was the weather! It was tipping it down! I was only on a long weekend escapade, so didn't have much choice about what day I travelled. Also, trains in Sicily are usually very well used, so I wasn't able to switch from side to side, so I had to stick with the seaward view. Index points: 00:00 Hitachi HTR 412-010 arriving at Cefalù with R12897 S'Agata di Militello to Palermo 00:38 Leaving Cefalù 01:09 We run by the Tyrrhenian Sea for the whole journey 01:58 Construction site for new double track section to Castelbuono, which joins on other side 02:12 Double track from the 2017 Lascari cutoff and Monte Poggio Maria tunnel 02:50 Unknown platform just outside the tunnel portal 03:13 Site of Lascari-Gratteri (closed 2016 and demolished) 03:35 Lascari new station (2016), crossing Torrente Piletto just before station 06:38 Torrente Roccella 07:42 Campofelice new station (2014) 09:43 Running on the 2011 double track Buonfornello cut off 09:58 Running by E90- old line joins on other side 10:19 Fiumetorto (closed 2009)- Catania and Agrigento line joins on other side 10:49 Crossing the Fiumetorto 11:07 E90 passes over- spur to huge Fiat factory (closed 2011) leaves here 13:15 View of Termini Imerese and ferry GNV Spirit, which runs the Civitavecchia route 13:57 Termini Imerese 15:40 Looking back up the coast, with Monte San Calogero coming into view 16:03 Termini tunnel 16:17 Monte Catalfano and Irice come into view, which are N of Bagheria 16:29 Fiume San Leonardo 17:29 Trabia 19:30 S. Nicola Tonnara 20:16 Torre Colonna and Torre Normanna tunnels 22:06 Altavilla Milicia- used in Michelangelo Antonioni 1960 film L'Avventura 22:33 Fiume Milicia 23:06 Casteldaccia 24:23 S. Flavia 25:54 Bagheria 26:13 Pair of Minuettos looking smart in Rebel Revolution colours 27:20 Mount Pellegrino on the right and the twin peaks of Mounte Cuccio on the left 28:14 Double viaduct over fiume Eleuterio 28:29 Ficarazzi (closed 1966) 28:40 Ficarazzi (new station, 2009) 29:07 Villabate-Ficarazzelli (closed 2005) 29:23 views of Mount Pellegrino 30:25 The Corleone narrow gauge line passed over around here somewhere 30:41 Palermo Roccella 31:26 Brancaccio 31:43 Loop to Trapini line leaves on other side- ghost station Maredolce is on this 34:20 Trapani line and Palermo depot on other side 34:53 Fiume Oreto 35:14 Palermo C.LE 25:24 RFI Tipo 4 diagnostics bi-mode railcar