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Milan
Although the first part of the metro opened in 1964 the first project dates back to 1848; at that time engineer Mira proposed to deviate the water of the Naviglio Channel around Crescenzago (M2 Crescenzago) in order to operate a horse-drawn tramway in the canal bed (within the city boundaries the Navigli Channels system was almost completely covered in the 1930's!). At the eve of World War I, a metro network seemed to the city council the only way to solve the "increasing traffic problems"(!). An ambitious project from 1925 planned 7 lines, four of which crossing at Duomo, two at Castello Square (M1 Cairoli) and one would be circular. The project was never carried out because the expenses of construction were not justified by the relatively small amount of passengers. The 1938 project was more or less identical to that presented in 1955, on which today's network is based. Work begun at Buonarrotti (M1 Buonarrotti) in 1957, and the first section of the "red line" was finally opened in 1964.
The "green line" opened in 1969 between Caiazzo and Gobba; in 1972 the former interurban and recently modernised tramway from Milano P.zza Sire Raul (close to depot Teodosio) to Gorgonzola was incorporated into the metro network; This interurban tramway network once extended to Vaprio d'Adda and Cassano d'Adda. At that time, this suburban section was the only one of the Milano metro system running above ground. The heavy interurban yellow trams were not withdrawn but kept serving between the new metro terminus Gorgonzola M2 and the former interurban terminus in Vaprio and Cassano. The Cassano branch closed soon in 1972 while the Vaprio route ceased in 1978. In 1985 the metro reached Gessate, following partially the former tram track. The other above ground branch opened in 1981 from Gobba M2 to Cologno Nord also replacing the "yellow tram" from P.zza Sire Raul to Vimercate. When the interurban tram networks were closed, ATM planned to extend the metro in order to serve all areas originally served by the tram. Metro stopped at Cologno and Gessate. After spending some years in the Gorgonzola depot, the yellow trams were repainted in ordinary orange livery and shifted to the Brianza interurban tramways. Contrary to ATM intentions, the Brianza interurban tram network was never integrated with the metro system due to budget shortage and is about to close.
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