ANPE Intercity New Generation (ICNG) Trains: Performance Updates and Expansion Plans

ANPE An Intercity New Generation train

NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 11:14

They have been transporting travelers since April: the ICNGs, the NS Intercity New Generation trains. Despite the great ambitions, they do not perform much better than the old NS trains did on the high-speed line (HSL).

The new train was 60 percent on time in the first few months. This has now risen to 80 percent. About 3 percent of the trains are canceled.

“We encounter problems that require software updates. Some of those updates are easy, others are more drastic,” NS program manager Maarten Bakker told ANP. He says that drivers sometimes receive messages about, for example, the brakes, even though they work normally.

A previous problem with the doors has been resolved. Due to problems with a sensor, the operator could not clearly see whether the doors were closing.

‘Getting better and better’

The ambition is that the performance of the ICNGs will soon be better than that of the current trains on the high-speed line. To achieve this, a new set of updates will be implemented in November.

“The trains should continue to improve as a result,” says Bakker. He says that operators gain experience in the meantime, which also brings the company closer to its goal.

Once all updates have been made, the ICNG must be reassessed with the help of the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate. The trains can continue to run in the meantime.

99 new trains

The new ICNGs are currently running on two high-speed lines: on the route between Amsterdam and Rotterdam and the route between The Hague and Eindhoven. Ten ICNGs are now used for travelers. Two more were added recently.

It has been agreed with manufacturer Alstom that one new train will be delivered every week from this autumn. All 99 new trains should be in use by early 2026.

Passengers on the high-speed line experience delays more often than average, because problems have been occurring for years. The low point of all the problems was in 2013, when the new Fyra train was taken off the track after a number of months due to numerous complications.

Amsterdam – Brussels

This week also focuses on a test program on the route between Amsterdam and Brussels, carried out by the NS. A special variant of the ICNG will start operating on this route in 2024.

A year later, in 2025, the NS wants to increase the maximum speed there. This should reduce the total travel time between the two capitals by 45 minutes.

2023-10-06 09:14:53
#delays #intercity #trains #improvements