 Class ICK (Intercity Coaches) |
Number series:
- 50 84 12-37 001 - 036 (A)
- 50 84 22-37 901 - 996 (B)
- 50 84 82-37 051 - 068 (BD)
Number rebuilt for NS: 36 A, 96 B and 18 BD
Number in service for NS: 6 A, 24 B and 3 BD (February 2009)
Introduced: 1978 (Bm235)
In service for NS: 2002 (ICK)
Maximum speed: 140/200km/h
Length: 26.400m
Weight: 38 tonnes
Bogie type: MD36
Passenger seating: 54 first (A), 72 second (B) or 42 second (BD)
At the end of 2000 NS has bought 150 coaches type Bm235 in Germany.
These were rebuilt by PFA in Weiden (Germany) into 36 first class
coaches, 96 second class and 18 second class with luggage space and
toilet for the handicapped. The first of these have entered service
in February 2002. These replaced a.o. the 24 coaches that were hired from DBAG,
and will probably also replace the remaining Plan W coaches.
Complete sets of ICK coaches can be found on Den Haag - Venlo/Heerlen and rush
hour trains Amsterdam - Utrecht - Eindhoven - Maastricht, while
some coaches are used for strengthening InterCity trains on Haarlem - Eindhoven
(- Maastricht) and operate combined with class K4 on Den Haag - Venlo/Heerlen.
In autumn 2004 too much hauled coaches were available, such that the decision
was taken to store 47 of them from December 2004. 23 were already taken out
of service in September and October 2004, 21 more followed in early 2005.
Another batch followed in June 2005, such that now almost half of all coaches
of this class have been stored.
In December 2005 25 coaches were reactivated to provide spare stock during the
winter months. In May 2006 eleven more followed, and also the rest was
taken back into service before the timetable change in December 2006. The
coaches now normally operate the Den Haag-Venlo InterCity trains, but there
are some appearances on Arnhem-Utrecht-The Hague (with locomotives at the
front and at the back).
In 2008/2009 these coaches need major overhaul, but instead NS has started to
withdraw them. In February 2009 only two 11-coach sets (with one spare)
operate on The Hague-Venlo. It is planned to withdraw these sets in April
2009. Many coaches are stored and may be sold.
