Taranto was one of the southernmost stations on the 4 days round trip around Italy with the fast electric railcar ETR # 252 "Arlecchino" of the Fondazione FS Italiane, organized by the IGE Erlebnisreisen from Hersbruck/Germany. Head of the company, Armin Götz, is picturing "his" train. The train journey this day was from Bari via Taranto-Metaponto-Potenza-Battipaglia-Salerno-Napoli-Frosinone to Roma Termini. The four-car multiple unit with a maximum speed of 160 km/h (formerly 180 km/h) and 1490 kW power from the 3000 V direct current overhead line was built in 1960 by Breda in Milan for the Italian state railroad Ferrovia dello Stato (FS) and was in service until 1998. Four trains were delivered in 1960, when the Olympic Games were held in Rome, ETR # 251 to # 254. The trains were initially used on the Milan-Rome-Naples route as Freccia del Vesuvio. Two units ran coupled between Milan and Rome, one of which continued on to Naples. The three sister vehicles had been broken up by 2001, the ETR 252 has been in operation again since 2019, perfectly refurbished. There is a round viewing platform at both ends, each with 8 freely rotating seats. The driver's cab is located in a cupola above.
