Sleeping Cars


Picture from the Railfaneurope.net Picture Gallery, click here for the caption.

Number series:

Number built: Not easy to say, mostly universal European types
Number in service: 5 AB30 and 6 MU (January 2009)
Originally built: 1955 (AB30) and 1973 (MU)
In service for EETC: 2004
Length: 26.400m
Weight: 44(AB30)/55(MU) tonnes
Maximum speed: 160km/h
Number of seats/berths: 30(AB30) or 33(MU)

The AB30 (WLAB-30) coaches were original Wagons-Lits coaches type P, with "Inox" (stainless steel) outline. They were built in 1955, and in 1992 17 coaches were rebuilt for 160km/h and renovated, 5 came to NS. The others went to Belgium (5 coaches) and Austria (7 coaches). The coaches have 10 compartments with 3 berths each. One type MU coach (622) has always been owned by NS, the rest came to NS second-hand after the TEN-pool ceased existing.

At the end of 2002 NS Internationaal decided to stop operating international night trains. After some time of unclarity, it now seems that the mentioned coaches have been bought by EETC.