Dutch Railways puts interior of iconic trains up for grabs
Have you always wanted a train seat, window, coat hook, luggage rack, PA system or train uniform in your office? Well, now is your chance! Businesses can come and look at these items during the SGM sprinter trains’ viewing days. Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) is putting objects from the interior of these trains up for sale.
After more than 40 years of faithful service on the Dutch railway network, the SGM Sprinter is being taken out of service from the start of 2020.
New life
The objective of NS is to give 100 per cent of the trains a new life. If they are not successful in selling the trains, the rail operator will sell interior items so they can be upcycled into new products. In the past, says NS, train floors have been made into table tennis tables, litter bins have been turned into plant pots, and train seat covers have been reborn as bags. By making these items available for upcycling, the NS will save 11.7 million kilos of waste.
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Seats of SGM Sprinter train, source: Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS).
SGM trains have been in service as Sprinters on the Dutch rail network since 1978. Around 2005, NS modernised the trains and replaced various interior items. From the end of 2019, SGMs will slowly be replaced by more modern, more fuel-efficient trains. The expectation is that the first new trains will be running from the start of 2020.
Viewing days
On 2-3 September, NS is organising ‘viewing days’ for the SGM trains. Businesses that are interested in train items will get a chance to see what is possible and what items are available. They will also get an opportunity to walk through the train, guided by a ‘catalogue’, which can be downloaded here.
By organising these viewing days, NS is breathing new life into old train hardware. The aim is to not to make a profit from selling old items from the train, says the rail operator. Buyers will only have to pay essential costs, such as for disassembly and logistic arrangements. That’s why, for each item, a minimum price per unit and a minimum number of units have been set.
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