Efteling Steam Train Company

The Aagje locomotive

The Efteling Steam Train Company (Dutch: Efteling Stoomtrein Maatschappij) is a 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) narrow gauge passenger railway line at the Efteling theme park, in the Netherlands.[1]

History

The track of the steam train through the wooded park area

Efteling Steam Train Company
Bus transfer
(via short walk outside park)
 Marerijk
Locomotive shed
(not open to public)
Ruigrijk

The line was constructed in 1968 using Second-hand Cockerill rails in a U-shaped track around the park with a station at each end. It opened to the public for the first time in March 1969. Both stations had a wye or rail triangle enabling the locomotives to run chimney-first at all times. In 1984 the line was extended to a circular track around the park, with a total track length of 3 kilometres (1.9 mi). Nowadays, the line has stations located in the Adventure and Fairy realms, plus one station for the fairy characters to board.

Locomotives

Over the Gondoletta pond
  • Aagje (1911): The first locomotive bought, 'Aagje' an Orenstein & Koppel, was, at that time, still in operation at the IJsseloord Brickworks in Arnhem. Aagje started her ‘fairy duty’ in 1969.
  • Moortje (1908): After hard labor in a Belgian coalmine she became operational in the Efteling in 1974
  • Neefje (1914): Originally a fireless steam locomotive. Operational in the Efteling in 1979- retired 2001. This particular locomotive is named after Kees Neve, who rebuilt and delivered Aagje, Moortje and Neefje for The Efteling. He was a well-known person among Dutch narrow gauge enthusiasts.[2]
  • Trijntje (1992): Built by Alan Keef,[3] operational in the Efteling in 1992. She is 3.90 metres (12 ft 9 1⁄2 in) long and 1.53 metres (5 ft 1⁄4 in) broad. She weighs about 7,000 kilograms (15,432 pounds) and her colour is 'Anton Pieck Red'.
  • A Diepholzer Maschinenfabrik Fritz Schöttler (Diema)[4] (German locomotive manufacturer) diesel locomotive for maintenance purposes.

Each locomotive pulls six carriages which were designed by Anton Pieck. He also designed the locomotive tenders, not an original feature on this type of small locomotives.

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.efteling.co.uk/EN/EN-Home/thepark/thepark-Attracties/Attracties-Stoomtrein.html
  2. ↑ http://www.nicospilt.com/index_neve.htm 'Locomotieven van de heer Neve' or 'locomotives from mister Neve'
  3. ↑ http://www.industriespoor.nl/Hoofdstuk29.pdf ALAN KEEF, Ross-on-Wye GB Keef K38 type Bt bwj. 1991 spw. 600 mm, 1991- De Efteling Kaatsheuvel
  4. ↑ http://www.interlok.info/Diemae.htm Diema

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