Plan X, earlier: stock DE1 and DE2, better known as the Blue Angel, was a series of Dutch diesel-electric railcars used by the Dutch Railways from 1953 to 1998. The name was derived from the bright blue colour these trainsets originally had. A connection with the famous 1930 feature film Der blaue Engel has often been suggested, but never established.
The trainsets
This rolling stock was built in 1953-1954 by Rotterdam rolling stock manufacturer Allan (in full: Allan & Co's Koninklijke Nederlandsche Fabrieken van Meubelen en Spoorwegmaterieel NV) on behalf of the Dutch Railways. 30 motor coaches DE1 (numbered 21-50) and 46 two-part trainsets DE2 (numbered 61-106) were built.
A DE1 had only two compartments (smoking and non-smoking). There was no separate 1st-class compartment, instead eight seats in the non-smoking compartment had different seat covers and these counted as 1st class. The whole series was built under the name Plan X, but this designation was only really used for the sets that were modernised and painted yellow from 1975-1981. They were also given new numbers: 161-186.
The Blue Angels have not been in service since 2002, but several examples have survived.
The series also includes, at least in technical terms, number 20, nicknamed Camel, the NS management's inspection vehicle, which is, however, completely different in appearance.
My motto is: I am not a talker but a picture taker.
Love to go out with a camera and gradually take beautiful pictures for different purposes.
But also on my way to work, an appointment or holiday, I see shots everywhere that work well 'on the wall', online..
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