NS Class 6400
Encyclopedia
The NS Class 6400 is a type of 4 axle diesel-electric freight locomotive. 120 were built by MaK
and ABB between 1988 and 1994 for Nederlandse Spoorwegen
.
to replace Nederlandse Spoorwegen's old medium power locomotives.The NS Class 2200 and NS Class 2400 The design is based upon the MaK DE 1002
with modifications; the locomotives are 1.4m longer to incorporate additional equipment, in particular an auxiliary diesel generator, as well as ATB
equipment; the bogies are longer than on the DE 1002 to incorporate tread brakes instead of disc brakes.
The locomotives became the property of NS Cargo, and then Railion Benelux when the company merged with DB Cargo in 2000. The locomotives subsequently became the property of the successor companies; Railion Nederland, then DB Schenker Rail Nederland (part of the DB Schenker group
).
Some locomotives have had PZB
(Indusi) or Memor
safety systems installed to allow operations in Germany or Belgium.
The class can be seen over the whole country, with many to be found at Amsterdam Westhave, Kijfhoek Yard, Roosendaal, Tilburg, Emmerich am Rhein (Germany), Amersfoort, Venlo, Zwolle and many other places. The locomotives often work in pairs or in threes on heavy trains.
Many of the locomotives carry boys names; these are from the names of Dutch notaries, often directors of companies and businessmen; e.g. 6401 was named Mijndert after Mijndert Pon, director of the Pon company.
In November 2010 two units were sold to Eurotunnel
in 2010 to operate alongside the existing Class 0001
locomotives.
Due to the economic downturn of the late 2000s, in 2011 numbers 6401-6410, 6419, 6420, 6443-6460, 6462, 6471-6475, 6480-6494, 6496, 6498 and 6501-6503 were out of service.
(NSB) for assessment. On 3 October 1993 locomotive 6454 ran away downhill 5 km outside Nordstrand Station; it collided with a stationary passenger train in the station, resulting in the death of five people. As a result of the apparent brakes failure all the class were taken out of service; it transpired that mechanical failure was not the cause and that the brakes had been rendered inactive by a control valve closed in the wrong position.
On 24 September 2009 locomotives 6415 and 6514 were involved in a head on collision with an EMD 66
locomotive of ERS
(No. 6616) near Barendrecht
close to the point the line passes under the A15 motorway
.Map position : 51°51′54"N 4°32′38"E , source One of the drivers was killed, the other seriously injured. Further collision with a passenger train was avoided when the driver braked heavily, though some passsengers were injured. As of 2010 investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing. In March 2010 both the locomotives 6415 and 6514 were scrapped.
Locomotives 6424, 6429, 6430, 6442, 6444, 6465, 6491, 6493, 6497, 6499, 6516 6520 also have been damaged in collisions, 6437 was damaged by run away wagons, 6501 was involved in a crash with a tram.
locomotives received a red Railion sticker on the side, later some locomotives received a red railion livery. A small number of units also received RailPro livery and branding. The locomotive names are carried on the cab fronts between the roof and top of the windows.
Maschinenbau Kiel
Maschinenbau Kiel GmbH designed, manufactured and marketed marine diesel engines, diesel locomotives and tracked vehicles under the MaK brand name. The three primary operating divisions of Maschinenbau Kiel GmbH were sold to different companies in the 1990s.Rheinmetall acquired the military...
and ABB between 1988 and 1994 for Nederlandse Spoorwegen
Nederlandse Spoorwegen
Nederlandse Spoorwegen , or NS, is the principal passenger railway operator in the Netherlands.Its trains operate over the tracks of the Dutch national railinfrastructure, operated by ProRail, which was split off from NS in 2003...
.
Design and description
The locomotives were the result of a contract won by MaK and Brown, Boveri & CieBrown, Boveri & Cie
Brown, Boveri & Cie was a Swiss group of electrical engineering companies.It was founded in Baden, Switzerland, in 1891 by Charles Eugene Lancelot Brown and Walter Boveri who worked at the Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon. In 1970 BBC took over the Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon...
to replace Nederlandse Spoorwegen's old medium power locomotives.The NS Class 2200 and NS Class 2400 The design is based upon the MaK DE 1002
MaK DE 1002
The MaK DE 1002 is a class of 4 axle Bo'Bo' diesel electric locomotives built by Maschinenbau Kiel in association with Brown, Boveri & Cie .-Design and operation:...
with modifications; the locomotives are 1.4m longer to incorporate additional equipment, in particular an auxiliary diesel generator, as well as ATB
Automatische treinbeïnvloeding
Automatische TreinBeïnvloeding or ATB is a Dutch train protection system developed in the 1950s. Its installation was spurred by the Harmelen train disaster of 1962....
equipment; the bogies are longer than on the DE 1002 to incorporate tread brakes instead of disc brakes.
Operations and operators
For Nederlandse Spoorwegen 120 of these locomotives were built, numbered 6401-6520.The locomotives became the property of NS Cargo, and then Railion Benelux when the company merged with DB Cargo in 2000. The locomotives subsequently became the property of the successor companies; Railion Nederland, then DB Schenker Rail Nederland (part of the DB Schenker group
DB Schenker
DB Schenker is a logistics company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn AG. The company, created by reorganisation and rebranding of various Deutsche Bahn subsidiaries, comprises a logistics division encompassing air, land and sea freight, and a rail division made up from a variety of...
).
Some locomotives have had PZB
Punktförmige Zugbeeinflussung
PZB or Indusi is an intermittent cab signalling system and train protection system used in Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Romania, Israel and on one line in Canada....
(Indusi) or Memor
Le Crocodile
In French railway signalling a crocodile is a component of a train protection system called Répétition des Signaux...
safety systems installed to allow operations in Germany or Belgium.
The class can be seen over the whole country, with many to be found at Amsterdam Westhave, Kijfhoek Yard, Roosendaal, Tilburg, Emmerich am Rhein (Germany), Amersfoort, Venlo, Zwolle and many other places. The locomotives often work in pairs or in threes on heavy trains.
Many of the locomotives carry boys names; these are from the names of Dutch notaries, often directors of companies and businessmen; e.g. 6401 was named Mijndert after Mijndert Pon, director of the Pon company.
In November 2010 two units were sold to Eurotunnel
Eurotunnel
Groupe Eurotunnel S.A. manages and operates the Channel Tunnel between Britain and France. The Company operates the car shuttle services and earns revenue on other trains passing through the tunnel...
in 2010 to operate alongside the existing Class 0001
Eurotunnel Class 0001
The Eurotunnel Class 0001 Bo-Bo diesel locomotives were built by Maschinenbau Kiel between 1991 and 1992. They are very similar to the NS 6400 Class....
locomotives.
Due to the economic downturn of the late 2000s, in 2011 numbers 6401-6410, 6419, 6420, 6443-6460, 6462, 6471-6475, 6480-6494, 6496, 6498 and 6501-6503 were out of service.
Accidents
In 1993 several locomotives were sent to the Norwegian State RailwaysNorwegian State Railways (1883–1996)
The Norwegian State Railways was a state-owned railway company that operated most of the railway network in Norway. The government agency was created in 1883 to oversee the construction and operation of all state-owned railways in Norway...
(NSB) for assessment. On 3 October 1993 locomotive 6454 ran away downhill 5 km outside Nordstrand Station; it collided with a stationary passenger train in the station, resulting in the death of five people. As a result of the apparent brakes failure all the class were taken out of service; it transpired that mechanical failure was not the cause and that the brakes had been rendered inactive by a control valve closed in the wrong position.
On 24 September 2009 locomotives 6415 and 6514 were involved in a head on collision with an EMD 66
EMD Series 66
The Electro-Motive Diesel Class 66 is a series of Co-Co six axle diesel locomotives built by EMD for the European heavy freight market....
locomotive of ERS
European Rail Shuttle B.V.
ERS Railways B.V. is a railway transport company headquartered in Rotterdam, providing cargo transport, mostly ISO shipping containers.Since 2002 a subsidiary company ERS Railways has been the rail provider for the organisation; the company started operating in the Netherlands in 2001 and holds a...
(No. 6616) near Barendrecht
Barendrecht
Barendrecht is a town in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality had a population of 43,104 in 2007, and covers an area of 21.72 km² of which 1.45 km² is water....
close to the point the line passes under the A15 motorway
A15 motorway (Netherlands)
The Dutch Rijksweg 15 is a set of two motorways in the Netherlands, the A15 and the A18. The map on the right-hand side shows these two parts of this Rijksweg 15.- Connection between A15 and A18 :...
.Map position : 51°51′54"N 4°32′38"E , source One of the drivers was killed, the other seriously injured. Further collision with a passenger train was avoided when the driver braked heavily, though some passsengers were injured. As of 2010 investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing. In March 2010 both the locomotives 6415 and 6514 were scrapped.
Locomotives 6424, 6429, 6430, 6442, 6444, 6465, 6491, 6493, 6497, 6499, 6516 6520 also have been damaged in collisions, 6437 was damaged by run away wagons, 6501 was involved in a crash with a tram.
Liveries
The locomotives were originally in NS grey and yellow, except the last 10 units (6511-6520) which were in a red livery with diagonal white stripe on the front surface. After takeover by RailionRailion
DB Schenker Rail is a European railway cargo carrier. The company was formed from the freight operating section of the Deutsche Bahn DB Cargo with the addition of various European rail freight operating companies.In December 2007 Railion became part of the DB Schenker logistics group, itself a...
locomotives received a red Railion sticker on the side, later some locomotives received a red railion livery. A small number of units also received RailPro livery and branding. The locomotive names are carried on the cab fronts between the roof and top of the windows.
See also
- NSB Di 8NSB Di 8The NSB Di 8 is a class of diesel electric locomotives used by Norwegian railway company CargoNet for freight use.20 engines were built between 1996 and 1997 at the Maschinenbau Kiel plant in Kiel whilst it was part of Siemens Schienenfahrzeugtechnik...
diesel electric locomotives ordered as a result of the NS 6400 trials in Norway. - MaK DE 1004 aka "Eurotunnel Class 0001", similar design locomotives built for eurotunnel as rescue locomotives; fitted with special smoke filtration equipment for tunnel use