Milan–Vimercate Tramway
The Milan–Vimercate tramway was a line of the Milan interurban tramway network that connected the Lombard metropolis of Milan to the Brianza town of Vimercate from 1880 to 1981.
History
Granted on 21 March 1880 to the Società Anonima del Tramway Milano-Gorgonzola-Vaprio (MGV), the tramway was activated on 1 July 1880 through the interest of the municipalities of Brugherio, Concorezzo and Vimercate, which committed together with the Provincial Administration to pay an annual contribution.
On 22 June 1881, the short Brugherio–Monza branch was opened, which constituted a second route between Milan and Monza after the direct horsecar line operated by the SAO; in the Brianza provincial capital, the line connected to the line to Barzanò.
In 1882, MGV was incorporated into the Tramways a Vapore Interprovinciali di Milano, Bergamo e Cremona (TIP).
From 1890, the terminal station in Vimercate became an interchange with the Monza–Trezzo–Bergamo tramway, allowing passengers to travel by tram, with one transfer, from Milan to the Orobic city.
In 1918, the increase in suburban traffic on the section shared with the line to Vaprio prompted TIP to electrify the Milan–Crescenzago section at 600 V (common to the urban network), establishing an electric suburban service.
In 1926, the line passed to STEL, which quickly began work on electrifying the entire line at 1200 V; electric operation was activated in 1929. At the same time, a large car depot was built near the Vimercate terminus. The following year, the Brugherio–Monza branch was also electrified.
Following these upgrades, the line survived the 1930s unscathed—a period in which many tramways (particularly steam ones) were closed—and after World War II, the demographic growth of the Milanese hinterland ensured high traffic levels despite competition from cars. An exception was the Brugherio–Monza branch, which was closed in 1952.
Given the unfavourable climate for tramway investment and the significant expenditures already incurred for the rapid transit network, the line was closed on 7 June 1981, coinciding with the opening of the Cascina Gobba–Cologno Nord branch of Line 2 of the Milan Metro. The section between Cologno Nord and Vimercate was replaced by a bus route, although an extension of the metro line has been proposed multiple times over the years.
Characteristics
The line was an interurban tramway electrified at 1,200 V DC. It originally measured . The length was subsequently reduced following the relocation from the original terminus at Viale Montenero to Via Benedetto Marcello in 1931, and subsequent shortenings to Piazzale Aspromonte and Piazzale Sire Raul in 1957 and 1968, respectively.
The Brugherio–Monza branch measured .
The average gradient of the line was 3.6 per mil (0.36%), peaking on the bridge over the Naviglio della Martesana in Cologno Monzese; there were few curves, located near Sant'Albino, Concorezzo and Vimercate, all with large radii.
See also
- List of town tramway systems in Italy
- Milan Metro Line 2
- Milan–Gallarate Tramway
- Milan–Saronno–Tradate Tramway
- Milan–Gorgonzola–Vaprio Tramway