The inauguration of the Adriatic Railway

Modernity arrived in Val Vibrata on 17 May 1863, when the Adriatic Railway was inaugurated, which connected Ancona to Pescara. Not long after, the first Vibratian station was also installed, namely that of Tortoreto. The infrastructure favored the rapid development of the area, which soon became the important district of Tortoreto Stazione and which, in 1956, was elevated to the rank of autonomous municipality, with the name of Alba Adriatica.

The Tortoreto station alone served the entire Val Vibrata, until the early twentieth century, when the Tortoreto Spiaggia and Martinsicuro stops were equipped. Its definitive name became, over the years, Tortoreto-Nereto-Controguerra (today Alba Adriatica-Nereto-Controguerra).

Among the salient events of the Decade there was the Third War of Independence, fought in 1866, which saw Italy, an ally of Prussia, against Austria. Some counter-guerrillas took part in this war, which between ups and downs led to the annexation of Veneto and part of Friuli, who served in the ranks of the Royal Army: corporal Fortunato Giuseppe Cataldi, bersagliere Beniamino Conti and the infantryman Bernardino (or Berardino) Medoro.