ICMm trainset 4011, better known by its nickname Koploper, has been permanently moved to the Railway Museum in Utrecht. The trainset was the first example that entered service with NS in 1983. The Koplopers were, and still are, iconic on the railways in the Netherlands. Characteristic is the raised driver's cabin that is somewhat reminiscent of a Boeing 747. The 4011 arrived at the Railway Museum on Friday 14 June at 11:20 am, where the trainset was handed over to Head of Collections Peter-Paul de Winter. Peter-Paul is very pleased with the latest acquisition: "The Koploper is an iconic train, it was a revolutionary design at the time with the raised driver's cabin and the walk-through head. That made the train special and is therefore a very valuable addition to the collection of the Railway Museum." New intercity rolling stock Due to the construction of the Schiphol line, a desired increase of the maximum speed to 160 km/h and the impending shortage of rolling stock, NS wanted to purchase new intercity trains in 1974. A completely new concept was chosen: the Koploper. In 1977, the first prototypes came onto the track, in 1983 trainset 4011 was the first of the series-produced Koplopers. They were the successors of the Hondekop (Mat' 54) that continued to operate intercity services until the mid-1990s. Through-head The name is based on the so-called through-head. Under the raised driver's cabin was a passage where passengers and staff could walk to the other trainset via an extendable sluice. There were doors in the nose of the train. However, in 2005, NS decommissioned the through-heads. They were prone to malfunctions and wear, and many passengers also found the dark and narrow passage a bit scary. It was used sparingly. During the modernisation of Koplopers, the through-heads were taken out of service and the two nose doors were replaced by a light polyester plate. In this state, the 4011 is preserved by the museum. Design The design of this train included a number of new concepts. The trains are equipped with a large balcony with space for wheelchairs. In deviation from what is usual for Intercity material, the Koploper does not have a restaurant department. There is a small kitchen for making coffee and tea. One front carriage provides the drive for all four axles. In addition to the disc brakes, the train also has a block brake, to be able to brake faster. The entire train has automatically closing doors that remain locked during the ride and has one toilet. The train is designed for a maximum speed of 160 km/h. Interesting career Trainset 4011 rolled out of the Talbot workshop in Aachen on 14 December 1983. Immediately afterwards, the train was transferred to the climate chamber in Vienna, where the train was extensively tested for its reliability under extreme climatic conditions. The train passed with flying colours at the time. The 4011 has had an interesting career in its forty-year existence. Between 1986 and 2002, the Koplopers were regularly provided with total advertising. This started as an idea of ​​NS to add lustre to the opening of the Schiphol line by providing trains with the same livery as airplanes. It came in handy here that the Koploper's design somewhat resembles a Boeing 747. The 4011 was decorated in KLM colours, the 4012 in Martinair colours. Later, the 4011 drove around for a while in Aegon colours. For an extensive photo report, see: https://www.mp-produktie.nl/2024-06-1...