SBB-CFF-FFS RAm TEE I and NS DE4

SBB-CFF-FFS RAm TEE I
NS DE4

The trainsets stored at Utrecht in 1975
In service
  • Europe: 1957–1977
  • Canada: 1979–1992
Manufacturer
Constructed 1957
Number built 5 sets
Number preserved 5 trailers
Formation 4 cars per set
Fleet numbers
  • NS: 1001–1003
  • SBB: 501–502
Capacity 114 first class
Specifications
Train length 98.06 m (321 ft 8 5⁄8 in)
Width 3.00 m (9 ft 10 1⁄8 in)
Height 4.21 m (13 ft 9 3⁄4 in)
Maximum speed 140 km/h (87 mph)
Weight 228.8 tonnes (225.2 long tons; 252.2 short tons)
Prime mover(s) RUHB 1616, 2 off
Power output 1,000 CV (740 kW; 990 hp) × 2
Transmission Diesel-electric
UIC classification (A1A)(A1A)+2′2′+2′2′+2′2′
Braking system(s) Knorr
Coupling system Scharfenberg
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)

The SBB-CFF-FFS RAm TEE I and NS DE4 were a class of five 4-car diesel-electric trainsets ordered for Trans Europe Express (TEE) service. Two were ordered by the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB-CFF-FFS) and three by Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS)

History

In planning the launch of the TEE services, it was decided to use diesel-powered fixed sets for the new trains. While the French and the Italians refined existing designs, the Germans introduced a new design, the VT 11.5. The Swiss and Dutch railways cooperated on a joint development for a new 4-car diesel-electric trainset.

The design comprised:

All 114 seats were first class, with 2+1 seating in the saloons, and 2+2 in the dining section.

The power cars were built by Werkspoor, with electrics by Brown, Boveri & Cie; they were powered by a pair of RUHB 1,000-metric-horsepower (740 kW; 990 hp) diesel engines. A third diesel engine of 300 metric horsepower (220 kW; 300 hp) provided power for heating, lighting, air-conditioning and the kitchen in the dining car.

The trailer cars were built by Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft (SIG); the design was based on the SBB's standard carriage design (Einheitswagan) due to the short time available for design and construction. Only one entrance vestibule was provided at the front end of the cars, doors were of the folding aluminum type, and windows were double-glazed with a passenger-operated venetian blinds between the panes.

The sets were equipped with Scharfenberg couplers, and were geared for a maximum speed of 140 km/h (87 mph).

They were painted in the TEE colours of dark red (RAL 3004 purpurrot) and cream (RAL 1001 beige). Ownership of the sets was down-played in favour of the service – the restaurant cars having TRANS EUROPE EXPRESS letering above the windows, while the owner (SBB-CFF-FFS or NS) and fleet number were only marked by small lettering on the power cars

Service

One of the sets on the Edelweiss at Halfweg-Zwanenburg

From 2 June 1957 to 30 May 1964 the five sets were used in a 3,532-kilometre (2,195 mi) four-day service pool as follows:

One curious feature of this pool was the use of Swiss-Dutch stock on a Franco-Belgian route. When a RAm/DE4 set was unavailable, an SNCF locomotive with a set of DEV Inox coaches was substituted.

From 31 May 1964, the L'Oiseau Bleu went to permanently locomotive-hauled Inox coaches, whereupon the service pool became:

The spare and maintenance sets were stationed ant Zürich and Amsterdam.

From 2 August 1964 L'Étoile du Nord also went loco-hauled; the service pool changing to a 3,048-kilometre (1,894 mi) three-day circuit:

This lasted until 28 September 1969, L'Arbalète became locomotive-hauled Inox coaches; the filling-in turn was then changed:

This 2,524-kilometre (1,568 mi) three-day pool lasted until one trainset was written-off in an accident in February 1971 (see below) whereafter the remaining 4 sets were diagrammed for use only on the Edelweiss until 24 May 1974 which was their last day in TEE service.

Accidents and incidents

End of TEE service

As from 26 May 1974, TEE discontinued the use of diesel trainsets on all its services. The three Dutch and the surviving Swiss set were stored at Utrecht until another use or a buyer could be found. A plan by NS to convert them to electric operation come to nothing. In 1977, all four were sold to the Ontario Northland Railway (ONT) of Canada.

Northlander

One of the sets in Canada, May 1978

The four trainsets were shipped to Canada, and after being modified to make them complient with Canadian railway standards, they entered Ontario Northland service on the Northlander between Toronto Union Station and Timmins.

Unfortunately the power cars proved unsatisfactory - they could not cope with the harsh Canadian winters, and the maintenance crews were unfamiliar with the European equipment. In 1979, the power cars were replaced with standard EMD FP7 diesel locomotives; the driving trailers were not adapted to work with the new power, and so became purely locomotive-hauled stock, and continued in service until February 1992.

Repatriation

One driving trailer has been repainted into red and cream. Zwolle, February 2008

The Swiss foundation TEE Classics bought eight cars to restore a trainset to its original condition. Five cars were repatriated to Europe:

They were loaded onto the Norwegian cargo ship MV Tampa and sailed from Saint John, New Brunswick on 19 October 1998, arriving at Hamburg on 5 November. After standing in Hamburg docks for several months due to having Canadian rather than European wheel profiles, they were moved to Heilbronn. One of the driving trailers was restored and displayed at the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne.

In June 2006 the TEE Netherlands Foundation brought all five cars together at Zwolle for restoration. One of the trailer cars was repainted back into the TEE red and cream livery to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the trainsets introduction. They also plan to construct a new powercar to replace the missing originals, none of which survive.

Models

Models of the RAm have been manufactured by Roco in HO scale and by Trix in both HO scale, and (under their Minitrax brand) in N.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to NS DE4 / SBB RAm.


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