 Class 7400/DD-AR |
Number series:
- 270 7001 - 7079 (Bvk, second class driving trailer)
- 280 7201 - 7302 (Bv, second class)
- 380 7501 - 7577 (ABv, first and second class)
Number in service: 76 ABv, 102 Bv and 79 Bvk (January 2009)
Introduced: 1993-1995
Maximum speed: 140km/h
Length: 26.896m (Bvk), 26.400m (rest)
Weight: 51.20 tonnes (Bvk), 46.62 tonnes (ABv), 44.20 tonnes (Bv)
Builder: Talbot (Germany)
Passenger seating: 64 first+60 second (ABv), 140 second (Bv) or 112 second (Bvk)
In the beginning of the 1990s the Dutch Railways were in need of many new
passenger seats. Mainly because of (almost) free travel of students and
soldiers the number of passenger kilometers grew fast, and many trains were
overcrowded. It was chosen to use the design of the double deck coaches class
DDM, but to couple the coaches to fixed formations of 3/4 coaches with a new
locomotive class 1700. In this way these formations could be used as
"trainsets" with almost the same accelleration as the electric trainsets Plan
T/V which they were going to replace.
The outline of the coaches is indeed very similar to class DDM, with the same
dense seating but even less comfortable seats. The pantograph on the driving
trailer is missing because the locomotives are not used for other duties during
the night. A "trainset" can only be decoupled in the workshop. The locomotives
and driving trailers have automatic couplers at the outer ends, such that two
trainsets can be coupled together. The power of the two locomotives in such a
trainset is limited to the power of one locomotive.
The trainsets are not only used for rush hour trains, but operate trains
throughout the day. They can mainly be found in the western part of the country
(the "Randstad"), but also operate in the rest of the country.
Since January 1998 50 locomotives class 1700 (operating with 3-car trainsets)
have been replaced by electric motor cars with passenger seats on the upper
floor and electric equipment on the lower floor. the outline of these motor
cars is similar to the coaches, but they are shorter. The axle arrangement is
rather uncommon: Bo'Bo'Bo'! The first trainset of a motor coach class mDDM and
3 coaches has entered service in July 1997 on the line
Lelystad-Amsterdam-Enkhuizen, and more followed from January 1998 as planned.
The trainsets consisting of a motor car and 3 coaches are numbered as class
7800, the remaining coaches that operate with
locomotives are class 7400. Two of these sets - also mixed - can be coupled.
