| Series | NS1600/1800 1601-1633, 1834-1858 | |
| Traction | Electric | |
| Power | 4540Kw (6088hp) | |
| Axle formation | Bo-Bo | |
| Wheel diameter | 1250 mm | |
| Length of loco | 17.64 m | |
| Maximum speed | 180 km/h | |
| Weight | 83 ton | |
| Number built | 58 | |
| Built by | Alsthom/Atlantique | |
| Year entered service | 1980-1983 |
The NS1600/1800 is derived from the French BB7200 locos. They are designed for intercity trains, double-deckers (DDM-1) and good trains.
Before the 1600s were ordered, there were tests carried out with two trial locomotives. These were the SNCF BB7000 (the test model for the later BB7200), and the 1600P from the German Henschell company. The 1600P (DB202.002) was fitted with AC motors. Eventually, the BB7000 was chosen despite many small changes being requested by the NS. The first round saw 'only' 20 locomotives ordered from Alsthom. This order later grew to 48. Later still, another 10 locomotives were requested to run the DDM-1 train sets in push-pull mode. Eventually, all the 1600's were converted for this duty.
One noteworthy feature is that this was the first NS locomotive where the driver sat on the left. The first 1600 entered service in 1981.
On the 6th April 1982, the 1601 was named 'Amsterdam' and was painted with the city shield. Since then, all the locomotives have been named after cities, and now carry the appropriate shields. Here's a list of the various numbers and cities that are assigned to the locomotives:
| 1601
Amsterdam 1602 Schiphol 1603 Zutphen 1604 Dordrecht 1605 Breda 1606 Harderwijk 1607 Vlissingen 1608 's-Herthogenbosch 1609 Hoofddorp 1610 Hengelo 1611 Venlo 1612 Goes 1613 Roermond 1614 Schiedam 1615 Zandvoort 1616 Oldenzaal 1617 Assen 1618 Almelo 1619 Maastricht 1620 Arnhem |
1621
Deventer 1622 Haarlem 1623 Hilversum 1624 Alkmaar 1625 Sittard 1626 Meppel 1627 Gouda 1628 Apeldoorn 1629 Ede 1630 Zwolle 1631 Voorburg 1632 Nijmegen 1633 Bergen op Zoom 1634 Almere 1635 Enschede 1636 Heerenveen 1637 Amersfoort 1638 Groningen 1639 Leiden 1640 Steenwijk |
1641
Lelystad 1642 Weert 1643 Heerlen 1644 Roosendaal 1645 Middelburg 1646 Leeuwarden 1647 Delft 1648 Valkenburg 1649 Oss 1650 Den Haag 1651 Tilburg 1652 Utrecht 1653 Den Helder 1654 Geleen 1655 Eindhoven 1656 Hoogeveen 1657 Rotterdam 1658 Zaandam |
Since privatisation in May 1999, NS-Reizigers, the passenger division, and NS-Cargo, the freight division, needed to divide up the rolling stock and locomotives. Because of this, locomotives numbered 1638 and higher became renumbered the 1800 series, so that the two could be told apart.
In honour of the transfer of locos 1601-1637 to NS-Cargo, 1637 was repainted into NS-Cargo red with the white NS/Cargo lettering, and delivered into service on 7th January 1999. It's the intention that each other class 1600 will get repainted into the red/white colours at it's next scheduled major service.
In May 2001, four of those 1600s were given back to NS-Reizigers (1634 to 1637), and hence were also renumbered to the 1800 series. 1637 then lost it's NS/Cargo lettering, but remained red.
The NS Class 1800 is available in 4 colour schemes as part of the same download:
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NS1800 | This is the familiar grey and yellow colour scheme. 1800s wearing these colours are seen all over the NS network. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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NS1637 | NS Cargo now own several of the Class 1800s. This one is painted in the 1637 colour scheme. | |||
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NS1637 Heineken | This version of the NS Cargo 1637 colour scheme appeared for a while as a mobile advert for Heineken beer. | |||
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NS1606 | This is the Class 1800 is painted in Railion colours - an independant freight operator. | |||