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Netherlandse Spoorwagen Koploper near Dordrecht Zuid, September 2013

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A Distinctively Dutch Train.

Koploper
A classic Netherlandse Spoorwagen (Dutch Railways) ‘Koploper’ approaches a pedestrian/cycle crossing at Dordrecht Zuid in September 2013. Appearently, the name loosely translates to ‘Head Walker’, or so I’m told. Does anyone know more about the name?

Earlier this month (September 2013), I traveled with an Irish railway photographer to the Netherlands. We spent a few sunny hours at a pedestrian/bicycle crossing near Dordrecht Zuid on a busy north-south line.

This was one of the most intensely used double-track mainlines that I’ve witnessed in any country. For two hours we photographed a constant parade of local and long distant passenger trains plus a great variety of freight. Trains passed the crossing every couple of minutes.

Bicycles at a Dutch level crossing.
Bicycles are a Dutch national transport obsession. These cyclists had waited patiently for the barriers to lift before crossing the line near Dordrecht Zuid.

For me one of the most interesting trains to photograph are the Netherlandse Spoorwagen (translated as ‘Dutch Railways) ‘Koploper’ style electric multiple unit.

These are distinctively Dutch. As European railways are rapidly moving toward standard commercial train models, it’s nice to still see nationally characteristic equipment on the mainline.

I exposed these photos with my Lumix LX-3.

Koploper
A classic Netherlandse Spoorwagen (Dutch Railways) ‘Koploper’.
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