Trains in Tuscany. Ferrovia Leopolda: Firenze-Pisa on RV4023 with Trenitalia Hitachi Rock ETR521-032

This is a video I made from the window of Hitachi Rock ETR421-032 on 26/06/2024 as I travelled on the classic 1844 Ferrovia Leopolda from Firenze Santa Maria Novella to Pisa Central (service RV4023). The Rock units are like a futuristic Ansaldo Breda TAF unit on steroids. They go like greyhounds (as you will see in this video). This was my first journey on one- I can't recall much about the comfort levels or interior, as I was enjoying the view and sporty ride so much. The Leopoldo was opened in 1844 before Italy was unified. It was named after Leopold II Johann Joseph Franz Ferdinand Charles of Habsburg-Lorraine, the final Grand Dule of Tuscany before unification. His liberal thinking allowed entrepreneurs to bring the them new railway technology to the kingdom of Tuscany. The line originally ran from the Leopoldo Terminus in Firenze (it is still there https://maps.app.goo.gl/DgTEhUUrgU8wy...) and the Leopoldo Terminus in Pisa (also still there https://maps.app.goo.gl/6m3NoAFNhVkLS.... Subsequently, the line was extended to a Terminus in Livorno (https://maps.app.goo.gl/mVYoX1hyXhGgg..., What is quite impressive is that for a very early line, much of it is very straight, allowing high speeds by modern trains. However, in 2006 a cutoff was opened to bypass a very curvaceous section that runs by the River Arno via Signa. This line is still used for slow trains. Ironically, the slowest part of our journey was on this new line, as we got held up by the preceding stopping service (R18187) as it rejoined at Bivio/PC Samminiatello. The Pop unit which formed this service can be seen in the bay platform at Empoli when we arrive there. Trains now leave Firenze from the Santa Maria Novella station. It was originally named Maria Antonia after the wife of Grand Duke Maria Antonia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. I read somewhere that the famous UK railway engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel was involved with the construction. In the 1930s, the station was renamed and rebuilt in its current form by a group of Florentine architects under Giovanni Michelucci. The design was influenced by the rationalist movement and it was the first station built using the form reflecting function ethos. Although some have linked the design with Fascist triumphalism (and this regime did use and comment on the project), it isn't really that and the clean lines and functional nature of the station are obvious even today. Index Points: 00:00:00 Trenitalia Rock unit arriving at Firenze Santa Maria Novella 00:00:35 Leaving Firenze SMN 00:01:53 Link to lines to Rome leaves here 00:02:11 Bridge over the River Mignone 00:02:23 Firezne SMN depot 00:03:13 Lines from Rome direction join here 00:03:29 High Speed Line underground Firenze Belfiore station under construction on other side 00:04:18 Firenze Rifredi (pass) 00:04:53 Leaving lines to Prato, Pistoia, Lucca and routes north to Bologna 00:05:18 Unknown incomplete station platform 00:05:35 Link line from Prato joins- you can see an aircraft about to take off from Firenze Airport 00:05:56 Link to Firenze Osmannoro depot leaves 00:06:30 That aircraft from before takes off! 00:07:05 Route from the original Firenze Leopoldo terminus joins on other side 00:07:16 Firenze Cascine (closed) 00:08:24 La Piagge 2004 (pass) 00:09:02 A1 road passes over 00:09:35 S Donnino Badia 2008 (pass) 00:10:14 Bivio/PC Renai- old route via Signa leaves here. We are now on new 2006 deviation 00:11:08 Viaduct over old route via Signa and River Arno 00:11:25 Lastra a Signa 2006 00:12:16 Old line rejoins at Bivio/PC Samminiatello 00:12:26 We are being held up by the preceding stopping service (R18187) to Empoli 00:14:08 Montelupo-Capraia (pass) 00:14:23 River Pesa 00:19:01 Empoli- with Trenitalia Pop unit in bay that formed R18187 which delayed us 00:21:54 Line to Siena leaves on other side 00:23:35 Fiume Elsa 00:24:35 Weird unfinished bridge over railway 00:25:19 S Miniato-Fucecchio (pass) 00:28:08 S Romano-Montopoli-Santa Croce 00:31:22 La Rotta (closed) 00:33:07 River Era then Pontedera (site of original station) 00:33:53 Pontedera Casciana Terme 00:35:21 Old line to Lucca left here. It was not rebuilt after bridge damage occurred in WW2 00:37:18 Canale Imperiale 00:38:26 Cascina 00:38:43 Monte Pisano in background 00:39:39 S Frediano a Settimo 00:40:57 Navacchio 00:45:24 Loop line from Livorno and Vada joins 00:45:41 Original Leopoldo Pisa terminus was at right angles to the current line. 00:46:14 Pisa Centrale 00:47:16 Train continues to Livorno- Pismover airport shuttle train arrives