19/03/2023: Open day at La Spezia Migliarina DORS (Deposito Officina Rotabili Storici - Depot and repair shop for Historical rolling stocks), managed by Fondazione FS.
Fondazione FS Italiane looks after and manages the Italian State Railways vast historic heritage: it oversees a fleet of over 400 pieces of historic rolling stock, around 200 of which are in full working order.
It also oversees the archives and libraries, both the Pietrarsa and the Trieste Campo Marzio Museums as well as some dedicated Depots (like La Spezia Migliarina DORS).
La Spezia Migliarina DORS is mainly devoted to Electric Locomotives.

FS classic Electric loco E.646-085.
The FS E.645 and E.646 are two classes of similar electric locomotives used on Italian railways. They were introduced during the 1950s and they were retired in 2009.
The E.646 and E.645 locomotives project was started in 1953, with a new model engine that was to be installed on the modified chassis of the already-existing six-axle locomotive E.636.
The first prototypes were delivered in October 1958. The first thirty-seven individual locomotives differed only in their livery: twenty built for passenger traffic were painted in grey-green, while seventeen built for goods were painted in "Castano e Isabella" auburn colors.
Later, the freight locomotives were reclassed E.645. The total number of locomotives built amounted to 295 units.
Initially, the class E.646 was assigned to fast and heavy passenger trains while the class E.645 was assigned to heavy cargo trains, though it occasionally pulled also passenger trains.
With the availability of newer locomotive types the E.646 were replaced for fast passenger trains by E.444 and later by E.656 in long range passenger trains. Eventually most of the class E.646 was converted to FS Trenitalia push-pull services, while the remaining others were converted in E.645 and assigned to goods services until 2009.

Unit 646-085 belongs to the second series with flat front cabs. Here it shows the "classic" grey and green colors.

Photo by Guido Allieri (guido@allieri.com)