Emmerich (Germany - Netherlands)

Because Emmerich was mainly used for a inner German trains and only a few freight- and passenger-trains passed the Dutch border, Deutsche Bundesbahn decided to divide the freight-tracks (5-9) into two voltage sections. Single-voltage locos coach into the "foreign" section with pantograph(s) lowered and are hauled away and pushed back by diesel shunters. Voltage of the three tracks (2-4) used for intl. passenger trains can be changed between 15kV 16,7Hz AC and 1,5kV DC.

contents Operation after the opening of Betuwelijn related articles border lines Germany - Netherlands map of German network map of Rhein-Ruhr area map of Benelux network related links Betuweroute - official homepage

Two changes of locos at Emmerich in May 1987 © Langs de rails

locos of Railion Benelux heading southbound		Railion 241 697-2 on its way to Amersfoort		several class 232 next to Zevenaar
special train arriving at Emmerich with NS 1731...		...and leaving to Cologne hauled by DB class 110		last EC to Interlaken has arrived at Emmerich
all pictures ©2003 Mark Olthof

For a long time it was unknown how the operation at through Emmerich will look after the opening of the Betuwelijn to Rotterdam port. To keep investments down at least initially, the new Betuwelijn to Rotterdam port will consist of two sections powered at 1500 V, and two powered at 25 kV! Therfore multi-voltage motive power (or diesel locos) will be needed for through running; there will be changeovers to and from 1.5 kV at the eastern end, for the existing few km of track between Zevenaar and Emmerich and where the line enters and leaves the Kijfhoek shunting yard again. Since ICE3 units are also capable for 25kV AC traction, a "coast-through" change-over between the two AC systems somewhere near the border might have been installed, too.
In march 2003 Railion Benelux stated that irrespective of all the questions raised about the efficiency of the Betuwe Route, even the most conservative forecasts conclude that the generated income will eventually prove sufficient to cover practically all the maintenance costs. As stated in a letter by the Dutch Minister of Transport and Water Management to the Lower Chamber (February 2003), the minimum overhead cover will rise from some 30% in 2007 to 95% in 2025. These figures are in sharp contrast to an overhead cover of less than 10% for the existing network, which is used predominantly by passenger trains (5.500 passenger trains per day, as opposed to 350 freight trains). Nevertheless, the Dutch Minister or Transport wishes to cut investment in the Betuwe Route, for example by not laying an overhead contact line and opting for the established Dutch ATB (automatic train control) system instead of the new European system. However, if the Betuwe Route is not made accessible to electric locomotives, carriers, according to Railion Benelux, will have to revert to slower and less powerful diesel locomotives, which also have greater impact on the environment. This would make operation of the Betuwe Route commercially unattractive, both for carriers and the infrastructure manager.