Trolleybuses in Modena

The Modena trolleybus system (Italian: Rete filoviaria di Modena) forms part of the public transport network of the city and comune of Modena, in the region of Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy.

In operation since 1950, the system has undergone several phases of expansion and contraction over the decades, including a re-launching since the start of 2000. It presently comprises three lines, and is one of the largest trolleybus systems in Italy.

In 1949, the comune of Modena decided to replace the city's tram network with a trolleybus system, believed to be more efficient and modern. The first two lines of the planned system (3-barrato Centro - San Faustino and 5 Viale Buon Pastore - San Cataldo) were opened on 22 January 1950. In the following months, the system was expanded gradually at the expense of the trams, with all of the initial lines (1 to 5) opening by 21 October 1950. Lines 1 and 2 were an "inter-station" service, between Modena FS railway station and Modena Piazza Manzoni railway station [it] (or Stazione Ferrovie Provinciali), with the southern portion configured as a two-way loop, line 1 running clockwise and 2 counterclockwise.

In 1952, after almost two years of service, it became necessary to revise the system, in light of observed traffic flows. Line 5 was extended, and there was a new line 6.

On 30 September 1954, a new line 7 was opened (Piazza Torre - Via Farini - Sacca), to provide a proper service to the new Sacca district, located north of the Milan–Bologna railway. This line remained in operation for little more than one year; the comune lacked the resources to extend the line westward to the village of Madonnina (and in particular to equip the homonymous overpass with overhead wires). The line was therefore operated by conventional buses until 1959, when the Madonnina extension was finally electrified, and the opportunity was taken for a second reorganisation of the system.

In later years, new extensions came into service, but were accompanied by the first closures. Conventional buses were starting to be seen as more flexible, at intersections as traffic became chaotic, and in enabling Modena's transport network to cover urban expansion without the need for new infrastructure.

Specifically, on 8 December 1963 line 6 was extended to the Sacca district, to serve the new INA Casa public housing district, and on 14 June 1965 line 4 was "temporarily" suspended, to allow the construction of the Crocetta overpass (on which it was planned to install the overhead wire to extend the line). Then, on 24 July 1965, the line was diverted to the new hospital (Policlinico). The line along la Crocetta was abandoned, and later permanently deleted (on 18 June 1966) and replaced by the new line 7, routed via Largo Porta Sant'Agostino to Modena railway station, and following the new routing at Viale Monte Kosica. Also, line 4 to Madonnina was abandoned.

On 2 October 1967, an extension of line 6 was inaugurated from Viale Buon Pastore to Via Conco, including a level crossing over the SEFTA line to Sassuolo. This extension was constructed from scratch. The following years saw only contraction of Modena's trolleybus system. The closure in 1964 of the railway to Mirandola, and the planned closure (implemented in 1969) of the railway to Vignola, reduced the importance of Modena's "little station" (Modena Piazza Manzoni railway station), and trolleybus lines 1 and 2. Both lines were therefore closed on 21 August 1968, together with line 3, which was transformed into a conventional bus line and extended. Finally, on 2 October 1972, under the pretext of converting Viale Fabrizi to one-way traffic, line 5 was closed.