The Dutch Transport Museum has taken over the ownership and care of the beautiful TEE train, the Dutch Trans Europ Express, from the TEE Nederland Foundation. The train has been waiting for better times in Amsterdam for years. The NTM sees it as a great challenge to preserve the train as an icon for international passenger transport in the light of European cooperation. The museum wants to make the train safe, together with many enthusiasts and organizations from the historical railway world. The motto is 'Together-strong': various foundations and private individuals are already helping.
The TEE: a Dutch initiative
Former NS director Den Hollander took the initiative in the 50s for an international network of fast and luxurious trains to connect seventy major European cities. The Dutch and Swiss railways decided to work together for the connection between Amsterdam and Zurich. The train was ahead of its time: completely first class and air-conditioned. Werkspoor asked the Dutch designer Elsebeth van Blerkom to give the train “a tough face” that radiated speed, luxury and reliability. Werkspoor then built the motor cars and the Swiss SIG passenger cars. In the 50s the Trans Europ Express had to compete with another transport icon, the Fokker F-27 Friendship. For the NTM, the TEE train forms a link between the Fokker F-27 and the Utrecht express tram recently donated to the museum, the builder of which is the Swiss SIG.
The train entered service in 1957 and operated as a TEE train until 1974. More than a hundred people were able to take a breathtaking journey through the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany and Switzerland in great luxury. In 1977 the remaining TEE trains were sold to Canada. Twenty years later, a Swiss foundation bought the remaining bins to make nostalgic rides. Unfortunately, the plan died a silent death. In 2006 the TEE Nederland Foundation took over the train and brought it back to the Netherlands.
Walking pace
The museum takes this very large project step-by-step: first the museum wants to transport the train to a place where it is safe, hopefully covered. The museum then wants to stop further deterioration and try to conserve the train. Further plans will be announced once the museum has a good idea of the (costs of) the restoration.
To cover all costs, the museum is launching a fundraising campaign to finance the various phases. An amount of 25.000 euros is required for the first phase, the securing. An action has been started through the fundraising program 'GoFundMe'. The link is: www.gofundme.com/f/aankoop-teetrein- fase-1. There is also a TEE page on facebook (https://www.facebook.com/TEEtreinNTM).
