Heritage Association Heemschut | Netherlands Mobile Collection Foundation: Steam Fairytale falls to pieces

The Netherlands Mobile Collection Foundation (MCN) has commented in a press release about Efteling’s announcement to electrify the Efteling steam train. “Valuable cultural heritage, three historic steam locomotives, each more than a hundred years old, are being damaged to such an extent that they can no longer be regarded as mobile heritage,” said MCN. They call on Efteling to exhibit the historic locomotives on its own grounds or to house them at one of the Dutch museums in this area.

The MCN is concerned about what the interventions will mean for the authenticity of the locomotives. “A steam locomotive can only be powered by steam and not by an electric motor; the heart of the locomotive is gone, the smells and sounds that belong to a steam locomotive have disappeared and the craft of engineer and stoker is no longer visible. The authenticity of the locomotives will be lost with these interventions.”

In any case, the MCN is calling for the name Efteling Stoomtrein Maatschappij to be dropped. Efteling wants to continue to maintain this name. The MCN thinks the name Efteling Electric Railway Company is more appropriate. “Soon there will be no more steam trains.”

Exhibition, donation or steam train day

MCN also states that there are other options besides converting the locomotive: “The Netherlands Mobile Collection Foundation and the Historical Rail Transport Netherlands association have proposed to omit the conversion and opt to have new electric locomotives built with a nostalgic appearance so that the steam locomotives can be preserved, but unfortunately Efteling has taken a different path. MCN is in favor of making mobile heritage more sustainable, but not in favor of electrifying historic vehicles that affect their authenticity. The Netherlands Mobile Collection Foundation is calling on Efteling to do so choice and exhibit the historic steam locomotives on its own grounds or house them at one of the Dutch museums in this field.”

Heemschut mainly wonders how Efteling wants to electrify the steam trains and whether it is possible to do this in a way that does not violate the steam mechanism. Exhibition also seems to Heemschut to be a good option. If the original locomotives are retained, Efteling can also run the steam train once a year or on special occasions.