Trans Europ Express

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The Trans Europ Express is a former international train network in Europe.

[edit] Origin

The TEE (Trans Europ Express) network was set up in 1957 following an idea of Ir. F.Q. den Hollander, president-director at that time of the Dutch railways company (NS). It was a network jointly operated by the railways of Germany (DB), France (SNCF), Switzerland (SBB-CFF-FFS), Italy (FS) and, of course, the Netherlands. Although some trains operated through Belgium from the beginning, the railway company (NMBS/SNCB) joined only in 1964. Luxembourg (CFL) also did join at a later date.

Initially, the system was a completely diesel network. Because of the many different kinds of electrical specifications (voltages and current types - alternating current and direct current) used in the different countries it was thought at that time that this would greatly speed up border crossing.

Moreover, at that time many border crossing sections were not yet electrified. In 1961 with the introduction of the Swiss trainsets that accepted 4 kinds of current this principle was abandoned.

[edit] Trains

TEE leaving Munich in 1986

The TEE network led to the development of several special trains. The German DB built the streamlined DB Class VT 11.5, the Swiss SBB and the Dutch NS developed the RAm / DE, both diesel trains. Later the DB used the 160 km/h E 10.12 and the 200 km/h DB Class 103.

[edit] Modification of service

Originally the idea was to promote only international routes as TEE routes. This idea was abandoned in 1965 with the introduction of the French le Mistral and the German Blauer Enzian. The reason to abandon this principle is very clear — there are many much longer national routes than some of the international TEE routes.

[edit] Growth

The network grew in the course of the years, adding three more countries: Spain (RENFE), Denmark (DSB) and Austria (ÖBB) until its height in 1974. But of these three only RENFE became a TEE member, the other two countries had TEE's running through them but the rail administrations never were members. From that time more and more former TEE trains got replaced by other trains giving the same kind of service but allowing also 2nd class. In 1979 DB completely restructured the network with the coming of the new national IC services, resulting in successively less TEE services and more IC services in the course of time.

[edit] The end

By 1984 most services were abandoned, leaving only some national services in (mostly) Italy and France and a very few international services. Most trains were replaced by a new international intercity network with the name EuroCity which provides both 1st and 2nd class service.

[edit] List of the TEE-trains

• Train numbers and times of services represent the last day of service
• City names are in their respective country language

[edit] External links

• Online-Video Trans Europ Express leaving Cologne central station (about 1990)

[edit] References