Mileto
The history of the Vibo Valentia-Mileto railway
The Vibo Valentia-Mileto railway was a narrow gauge railway line built by the Calabro Lucane Railways. The first section opened was the one connecting Vibo Marina to Vibo Valentia Città on July 2, 1917, while the connection with Mileto was opened on October 4, 1923. The aim was to connect the Southern Tyrrhenian Railway of the State Railways to the urban centres of Vibo Valentia, Pizzo and Mileto.
Characteristics of the railway
The Vibo Valentia-Mileto railway was about 35 kilometres long and had a winding track with a steep ascent in the first section up to Vibo Valentia. It was a single track railway and was operated with steam traction, replaced after the Second World War with one-way two-axle railbuses (Emmina).
The route, stations and stops
The route of the railway touched the stations of Vibo Marina, Vibo Valentia Città, Zungri, Maierato, Filadelfia, San Calogero, Pizzo and finally Mileto. Some of the stops along the route were those of San Gregorio, Luzzìs, Rapa, Miletto and S. Angelo.
The end of the railway
After the incident on November 17, 1951, in which a bridge collapsed causing the death of 11 people and injuring 40 others, railway services were suspended between Vibo Marina and Pizzo and replaced by buses. The bridge was never rebuilt and train traffic remained only between Pizzo and Mileto. The railway was finally closed in 1966.
In conclusion, the Vibo Valentia-Mileto railway represents a piece of Calabrian history that saw the construction of a railway line for the connection of urban centres and infrastructure as a means of transport. Despite the end of the railway, memories and testimonies of a bygone era remain.
