Class ICM-1 "Koploper" Electric Rail Car Train

The Netherlands shines with many special features. This also holds true for railroading in the neighboring country of Germany. The railroad placed special value quite early on its own locomotive and car creations, which often attracted attention outside of Holland with unusual designs. When the Dutch State Railways (NS) wanted to modernize its intercity service in the Seventies, it developed a rather unusual powered rail car train in cooperation with the German car builder Talbot. This train featured panorama cabs above the car connection corridors. This gave the ICM, as the NS designated its new train sets, a really massive appearance. Since passengers could go into the next unit at the end units, these modern but quaint units were called "Koploper". The 144 "Koploper" trains built soon left an impact on modern intercity service in the Netherlands. When the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport was connected to the railroad network in 1986, the NS painted two "Koploper" trains in the colors of the two national airlines. ICM-4011 received the paint scheme for the Royal Dutch Airline Company KLM. The brawny end shape of this train reminded people of the famous jumbo jets. ICM 4012 ran across the country at that time in the white/red Martinair design and also attracted a lot of attention - as a sleek jetliner on rails.

Prototype: Dutch State Railways (NS) class ICM-1 three-part "Koploper" Intercity electric rail car train. Version in the design for "Martinair Holland". 1 motor car as a type mBk end car, 2nd class, 1 type AB intermediate car, 1st/2nd class, 1 type sBk cab control car as an end car, 2nd class. Train road number 4012. The train looks as it did in June of 1986.