The NS DE-4 and SBB-CFF-FFS RAm TEE is a series of five (A1A)(A1A)+2'2'+2'2'+2'2' (One powered car with two bogies that have three axles of which only the centre one is powered, followed by three cars with two four-axle bogies each) diesel multiple units for the Trans Europ Express (TEE).
 | |
| RAm | |
|---|---|
| by Supersnel11 | |
| Price | 400 Robux |
| Gamepass | Trans Europ Express |
| Statistics | |
| Train type | Diesel |
| Top Speed | 140 km/h |
| Weight | 229 tons |
| Capacity | 146 first class |
| Comfort Rating | Excellent |
| Length | 97,4 meters |
Liveries
The RAm TEE is only available in TEE red/beige.
Historic details
The design
The trainsets were designed as a cooperative effort between the Netherlands and Switzerland as a part of the larger cooperative network of international trains in Europe that was created in 1957 to compete with the increasingly popular airplane. DB (Germany), CFL (Luxembourg), FS (Italy), NMBS (Belgium), SNCF (France) and later RENFE (Spain) were also a part of the network.
NS requested a design from the Dutch Werkspoor and the French Alsthom in 1953, which they provided the same year. The following year, their plans were cut short because NS began cooperating with the SBB, which would result in proper plans in 1955. These were in Werkspoor's favour, as they would be the main contractor for the trainsets. They would design the powered cars and the motors, whilst the Swiss Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft (SIG) produced the other three cars.
NS, SSB and TEE services
Werkspoor finished the first powered car in early 1957 and SIG finished the first three standard cars around that time. The cars would be sent to the Netherlands and be coupled to the first powered car to create the NS DE4 1001, which was used for trial runs throughout March. During this time, the SIG would finish another three cars, so DE4 1002 would start her trial runs in early April. Also in April, the powered car of the 1001 was trailed without its other cars and was able to reach a speed of 180 km/h.
The other three units would enter service as NS DE4 1003 and SSB TEEI RAm 501-502.
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Their official service began on 2 June, 1957, on the day the TEE network was launched with 11 pairs of trains (A to B and B to A). From 1957 to 1963, the five trainsets followed a five day rotation schedule. The RAm 501 was replaced by a German locomotive pulling Dutch Plan D coaches in 1961 after fire damage put it out of the rotation.
| Day | TEE number/name | Route |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | 30 'Edelweiss' | Zurich - Amsterdam |
| Day 2 | 128 'Etoile du Nord'
145 ' l'Oiseau Bleu' |
Amsterdam - Paris North
Paris North - Brussels central station |
| Day 3 | 108 'l'Oiseau Bleu'
125 'Etoile du Nord' |
Brussels central station - Paris North
Paris North - Amsterdam |
| Day 4 | 31 'Edelweiss' | Amsterdam - Zurich |
| Day 5 | N/A, maintenance at Zurich |
In June, 1963, a new schedule was made that allowed the four remaining trainsets to drive it without the need of other rolling stock. Besides not having a fifth RAm, it also did not have a fifth day. This schedule lasted until May of 1964, when one of the TEE routes (Etoile du Nord) was given to a locomotive with wagons. The RAms were put on the TEE Arbalète route instead. Then, the TEEs entered a three day rotation for three trainsets, presumably so the fourth could act as reserve. The first rotation they kept for only a few months whilst the second three day rotation lasted much longer.
| Day | TEE number/name | Route |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | 30 'Edelweiss' | Zurich - Amsterdam |
| Day 2 | 128 'Etoile du Nord'
145 'l'Oiseau Bleu' |
Amsterdam - Paris North
Paris North - Brussels central station |
| Day 3 | 108 'l'Oiseau Bleu'
125 'Etoile du Nord' |
Brussels central station - Paris North
Paris North - Amsterdam |
| Day 4 | 31 'Edelweiss' | Amsterdam - Zurich |
| Day | TEE number/name | Route |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | 30 'Edelweiss' | Zurich - Amsterdam |
| Day 2 | 122 'Etoile du Nord'
125 'Etoile du Nord' |
Amsterdam - Paris North
Paris North - Amsterdam |
| Day 3 | 31 'Edelweiss' | Amsterdam - Zurich |
| Day | TEE number/name | Route |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | 30 'Edelweiss' | Zurich - Amsterdam |
| Day 2 | 31 'Edelweiss' | Amsterdam - Zurich |
| Day 3 | 8 'Arbalète'
7 'Arbalète' |
Zurich - Paris East
Paris East - Zurich |
However, this second 3 day rotation would end once the trainset that was used on the Arbalète route would be put on the TEE Bavaria route instead. This would create a third, 3-day rotation that would only last two years as the RAm 501 would have an accident in early 1971 and cease their usage on the Bavaria route, leaving only the TEE Edelweiss services. This created a 2-day rotation for two trainsets, which allowed one to be in maintenance and a fourth to undergo repairs at any given time. They kept this rotation until 25 May, 1974, when the trainsets would drive their last services.
| Day | TEE number/name | Route |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | 31 'Edelweiss' | Amsterdam - Zurich |
| Day 2 | 30 'Edelweiss' | Zurich - Amsterdam |
The first to be withdrawn was RAm 501 after its accident in 1971. That very year it was also scrapped. The others followed in 1974, though these were not scrapped. They were rather well maintained for a possible sale due to a high interest in the trainsets; at least six countries requested information about them. Eventually, the Canadian Ontario Northland Railway (ONR) bought all four in 1976.
ONR
Prior to the shipment to Canada, the trainsets would be entirely revised in the NS workshop Tilburg and Switzerland, including a livery change to the yellow-blue style of the ONR. The 1001-1003 and 502 were renumbered to 9000-9003 respectively.
Immediately after arrival, the ONR renumbered the trainsets to 1980-1983 with the to avoid duplicate numbers with the rest of their rolling stock. They would be renumbered again in 1980 to 1984-1987.
The ONR used the trainsets on the line Toronto - North Bay and the line Toronto - Kapuskasing. After 1984, they would use their own locomotives for this as they scrapped the powered cars that year. The coach cars would be used until 1992, when the ONR put them up for sale. Scrapping began in 1997, though five of them could be saved by a Swiss organisation focussing on TEE-related rolling stock. To this day, some cars remain at a storage site in North Bay.
Preservation
The three coach cars and two control cars are currently owned by the Nederlands Transport Museum (Dutch transport museum), which has repainted and maintained them. They don't own any track, nor any locomotives, so the control cars are not operational.
Technical details
Trivia
- The RAm is the only DMU with only a low horn tone.
- In version 0.5.12, the RAm was able to plow snow during the winter season of 2022.
- This is because the front bogie resembles a plow.
- The destination boards in the spawn menu reads Voorlem and Dokmuiden Airport, which is a route not possible currently.
- In version 0.5.32 the TEE logo was removed and replaced with a similar styled logo after a 2 year contract expired.
- The RAm has been available since the TEE gamepass' release in version 0.2.1.