This article is classified "Real"
In the Netherlands not all trains in service are brand new, as I expect is
also the case in many other countries. Some older ones are stored in the
Dutch railway museum (NSM [1]) in Utrecht. You can get there from the
central railway station with bus three, and step off at the "Maliebaan".
The trains on display range from a replica of the oldest Dutch train (the
"Arend" - Eagle) to trains out of service since 5 years. Most of them are
beautifully restored, and some are even functional and for hire (as it is
now, for way too much money; thank you NS [2] Charter-trains!)
This article is not about those trains. They are nice (try the ZHESM [3]
car for a change, the sheer luxury it offers!) but they are no fun. No,
this article is about the old trains still in service.
Warning: if you still want to see them in service: be quick! They will
be withdrawn from regular service after the summer of 1997 and then all
you'll have is this article!
The trains were originally built in 1952, and painted in a very fragile
blue colour. Because of this colour they were called blue angels. And
angelic they were! Two Cummins diesel engines of 480hp each, giving them a
top speed of 120 km/h (80 MPH) with ease. And the sound they made! Pure
heaven! Roaring along at top speed was an event. They spent most of their
time on local lines, with top speeds of 60, 80, when you were lucky, 100
km/h, but occasionally they had to go on the main tracks and show what they
could. Ear protectors required!
Later the were re-painted in red. Their nick-name changed to "red devil".
And devils they were! Rescuing local lines from extinction, something our
local train company (NS) is very unhappy with now.
Finally they became old. 30 years is a good age for retirement, but what
do you do if you don't have a replacement? Yes, you give them a thorough
checkup, you strip and rebuild them, and put them into service again.
Yellow this time, with more room for the driver, less comfort for the
passengers, more power to reach a lower top speed (i.e. more acceleration;
a Volvo will still outrun you), and on the whole: new and improved.
So we come to the present time. How are they now.
If you see one, you'll recognise it immediately. The yellow paint and the
plaster underneath has fallen off, or will do so in the near future. The
grey paint on the roof is fading, showing the yellow base-paint. No fancy
push-the-button-and-the-door-will-open thingies, no, you have been given
the chance to be courteous to old ladies and lovely young women: they
won't be able to open the doors themselves.
Once inside the extreme heat immediately grabs you into a strangle hold.
Summer or winter, it's always hot. Why? Maybe because the exhaust pipes
run from the engines under the floor to the cooling system on the roof? Or
maybe because the heating can't be turned off? Anyway, make sure you can
shed some clothes but remain decent.
The ride is an extremely bumpy one. Because the trains are old, the track
they run on is also old. On many places the rails aren't even welded, so
it is "kadeng-kadeng" the whole ride.
Try taking a peek in the cab! The nice speedometer, in the center of the
dials, will constantly be in the red part (i.e. 100-120 km/h). However,
looks are deceiving. If you calculate the speed yourself (using the
kilometer poles along the track) you'll never see the train going any
faster than 100 km/h. They are not allowed to go faster. The reason
that the speedometer frequently measures 115 km/h is because the wheels are
so run-down that they have become smaller and thus spin faster than the
speedometer is calibrated for.
We've come to the end of the ride. Very convenient for impatient people
(and aren't we all!) are the doors. They can be opened long before the
train stops. If you see your connecting train, just jump out and run
towards it. You'll need to practise this because it isn't easy and the NS
will accept no liability for any damage you make doing this.
When you're out of the train, take a good last look at it, because you may
have been the last one to have ridden it. A single part of the train that
fails will cause the train to be scrapped. A pity, because I like them
[4].
[1] NSM - Nederlandse Spoorweg Museum - Dutch Railway Museum.
[2] NS - Nederlandse Spoorwegen - Dutch Rail.
[3] ZHESM - Zuid-Hollandse Electrische Spoorwegmaatschappij -
South-Holland (Holland the province) Electrical Railway company.
[4] Update 19970815: most of the trains have been taken out of
service.
Attached documents:
The "Arend" steam engine
Blue Angel (photo Ben Doedens)
Red Devil in Groningen, NL (photo Ben Doedens)
Yellow diesel train in Apeldoorn, NL (photo Lars Blaauw) 960908
