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From 1903 to 1913
Here is
a description of railway line; it started from Olivi Station,
uphill of Pugliano Sanctuary, in an area with olive plantation;
the first track is simple adhesion, with a gradient varying from 0 % to 8 %.
Starting station Olivi
After
getting over motorway across an underpass, where there was a
facultative stop, railway followed the coast of Bosco Catena
place, that is the highest part of Portici's royal wood. Then it
crossed a zone became famous for production of apricots, and
after a little time reached San Vito hamlet and the homonymous
baroque church
 , and then the "Novelle di Resina", a
zone became famous for wine and fruit production. The next stop
was the Power Station
, a building of exquisite workmanship,
still extant. After
getting over power station, a rack rail
type Strub started, because of the
steep slope (20%). A rack locomotive with two engines of 85 H.P.
each one was
added in support of the single carriage, maintaining in this way
a constant speed of 7 km/h.
Where the rack-rail started a a powerful push-engine was added to the carriage
(Postcards collection E.Bevere)
Here started the most exciting part
of the trip. The slope was flanked with chestnuts, olives, pears,
sorbs, figs, apricots and vines that accompanied travellers
until the next stop, a verdant and very healthy oasis, nominated
"Eremo". Here, there were and are still the
church of
Saint Salvatore
and
hotel Eremo
. In this point, the
rack-locomotive in
support was uncoupled, and the other carriage continued its run,
passing near Vesuvius Observatory
and
Carabineer's barracks
. A
short way 2,1 km long separated the Eremo from lower station.
In 1904 the new tract Napoli-Poggiomarino of Circumvesuviana Railway
(S.F.S.M.) was inaugurated, with a stop
in Resina, too.
From 1913 to 1955
The need to reduce further
travelling times, induced Cook company to add a new tract of
rail, connecting in this way, Olivi Station with Resina stop of
Circumvesuviana Railway; in front of Resina Station, in fact,
was built the new Station
called "Vesuvio" inaugurated in 1913.
The new Vesuvio Station and the sanctuary of
Pugliano
The
new tract of railway began with a steep slope of 8%; an iron
bridge, not more existing, permitted overpassing the below Trentola
Street. Further on, on the left, passengers could just catch a
glimpse of the Vesuvian aqueduct, which provides the surrounding villages with
the clear fresh waters from Serino springs. After passing below another iron
bridge, that served the Napoli-Trentola
tramway, the little train overpassed a masonry bridge over the
provincial road Resina/Observatory, and entered a deep trench excavated in the
lava from 1631.
The masonry bridge over the provincial Resina/Observatory
At the exit it was already arrived to an area planted with
olive-trees, where there was the old Olivi Station. But the next tract until
funicular lower station remained unchanged.
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