Erasmus(train)
 Vista-dome car (ADm), interior | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Service type | Trans Europ Express(TEE) (1973–1980) InterCity(IC) (1980–1987) EuroCity(EC) (1987–2000) |
| Status | Discontinued |
| Locale | Netherlands Germany Austria |
| First service | 3 June 1973 |
| Last service | 2 November 2000 |
| Successor | ICE |
| Former operator(s) | Deutsche Bundesbahn |
| Route | |
| Termini | The Hague München |
| Distance travelled | 915 km |
| Service frequency | Daily |
| On-board services | |
| Observation facilities | ADm vista-dome |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm(4 ft8+1⁄2in) |
| Electrification | 1500VDC(Netherlands) 15 kV 16,7 Hz (Germany & Austria) |
TheErasmuswas anexpress trainthat linkedThe Hague,the Dutch seat of government, withMunichinGermany.The train was named for the DutchRenaissance humanistDesiderius Erasmus.[1]
Trans Europ Express
[edit]TheErasmuswas launched on 3 June 1973 on request of theNederlandse Spoorwegenin order to provide a direct TEE service betweenThe HagueandGermany.[2]TheDeutsche Bundesbahnwanted to have an extra TEE service linkingCologneandMunich,using the same intinary as the formerTEE Rheinpfeil.[3]Although theRheinpfeilwas relabeled from TEE to IC already in 1971, a time-consuming exchange of coaches, includingvista-dome cars,with theTEE RheingoldinDuisburgwas upheld until May 1973.[4]The newTEE Erasmuswas scheduled to have timed connections with theTEE Prinz Eugenin both directions inWürzburg.[5]From 1973 on there were no exchanges of coaches in Duisburg any more betweenRheingoldandRheinpfeil(theRheinpfeileven was rerouted to Basel instead of Munich in 1979). However, the maintenance of the vista-dome cars (class ADm) had to take place in the DB-works in Münich, which was not on theRheingold'sroute at that time. In order to include the regular maintenance in the normal operation, theErasmuswas allocated vista-dome cars as well. The formations ofTEE RheingoldandTEE Erasmuschanged places,Hook of HollandandThe Hague,during the night so every vista-dome car could be serviced in Münich every 5 days.[6]Initially, the service started in The Hague HS (Holland Station) on the Amsterdam–Rotterdam railway, using a connection track to the Hague–Utrecht–Germany railway to go eastbound.[7]In Germany, the train was running viaCologne,Mainz Hbf,Frankfurt HbfandWurzburg Hbfto Munich.
On 30 May 1976, the vista-dome cars were withdrawn from service in all trains and replaced by class ARD (bar/business) coaches.[8][9]From the same date, after the completion of The Hague Central Station, the western terminus of the Hague–Utrecht–Germany railway, theErasmus'swestern terminus was changed to Central station instead of Holland Station, thus abandoning the connection track.[10]The train's route was also changed on its southern section, between Mainz and Munich, to runMannheim Hbf–Stuttgart Hbf–Augsburg Hbf.[11]However, from 27 May 1979, the train reverted to serving Frankfurt but was curtailed to terminate, the section to Munich being largely discontinued.[9]The only remnant of the latter was that, on Fridays only, the northboundErasmusstarted inNuremberg(and this followed the pre-1976 routing, via Wurzburg),[9][11]which lasted until its discontinuation as a Trans Europ Express.[12]Also on 27 May 1979, the train's Dutch terminus was changed toAmsterdaminstead of The Hague.[9][13]
TheErasmus'slast day as a TEE was 31 May 1980. On the following day it became a two-classInterCitytrain, extended toInnsbruck.[9][12]
Two-class train
[edit]In June 1980, theErasmuswas converted to InterCity class, and thereby began carrying second-class coaches in addition to first-class ones, and at its southern end it was re-extended to Munich and beyond, to terminate atInnsbruck,in Austria.[9][12]
TheErasmuscontinued asInterCityservice until 30 May 1987. On 31 May 1987, theErasmusbecame part of the initialEuroCityservices. On 2 June 1991, the route was shortened to Amsterdam –Cologneand eventually replaced by ICE services on 3 November 2000.[14]
References
[edit]- ^La Légende des TEEp. 334.
- ^TEE Züge in Deutschlandp. 125.
- ^La Légende des TEEp. 335.
- ^Das grosse TEE Buchp. 82
- ^La Légende des TEEp. 336.
- ^TEE Züge in Deutschlandp. 125.
- ^Das grosse TEE Buchp. 87
- ^TEE Züge in Deutschlandp. 126.
- ^abcdefMertens, Maurice; Malaspina, Jean-Pierre (2009).TEE: Die Geschichte des Trans Europ Express[TEE: The History of the Trans Europ Express] (in German). Düsseldorf: Alba Publikation. pp. 244–245.ISBN978-3-87094-199-4.
- ^La Légende des TEEp. 335.
- ^ab"Editorial" (news and service changes).Thomas Cook Continental Timetable(May 30 – June 30, 1976 edition), p. 6. Peterborough, England:Thomas Cook Publishing.
- ^abcThomas Cook International Timetable(March 1 – April 5, 1980 edition), pp. 67, 588. Peterborough, England:Thomas Cook Publishing.
- ^"Table 10 – Trans-Europe Express Services".Thomas Cook International Timetable(May 27–June 30, 1979 edition), p. 67. Peterborough, England:Thomas Cook Publishing.
- ^La Légende des TEEp. 337.
Works cited
[edit]- Hajt, Jörg (2001).Das grosse TEE Buch(in German). Bonn/Königswinter: Heel Verlag.ISBN3-89365-948-X.
- Mertens, Maurice; Malaspina, Jean-Pierre (2007).La Légende des Trans Europ Express(in French). Vannes: LR Presse.ISBN978-29-036514-5-9.
- Goette, Peter (2008).TEE-Züge in Deutschland(in German). Freiburg: EK-Verlag.ISBN978-3-88255-698-8.
