NS 1200

The NS locomotive series 1200 is an electric locomotive that was used by the Dutch Railways between 1952 and 1998, was used by ACTS Nederland BV from 1999 to 2009 and at EETC from 2010 to 2015. These locomotives are of an American design by Baldwin / Westinghouse, but just like the 1000 series built largely in the Netherlands. As with the other locomotives that were delivered in the years after the Second World War, an existing design was used here. The locomotives were built by Werkspoor in Utrecht, except for the bogies, which were manufactured in the United States. Financing took place in the context of the Marshall Plan. The electrical installation was supplied by Heemaf.

The 25 series 1200 locomotives were ordered in 1949 and delivered in 1951-1953. Just like the other locomotives from this period, they were painted turquoise on delivery, but the 1215-1225 turned red-brown, the color in which the new diesel locomotives also roamed in the 1950s. From 1954 they were repainted in Berlin's blue and from the 1970s they were painted gray-yellow in the new NS corporate identity colors.

In the early 1980s, the 1200s underwent a lifetime extension, so that they could last for at least another ten years.

During the service period at the Dutch Railways, none of these locomotives was written off after accidents, so that all 25 cars reached the age of more than forty years. They served for various train types, but especially for the heavier passenger trains.

The 1200s were known as reliable and reliable locomotives. This good reputation was mainly achieved thanks to the simple design of the electrical installation, without the usual quick switch. With the 1200, a simple but thick fuse was applied in order to protect the entire high-voltage installation against excessive current.

In 1998 the last 1200s went out of service at the Dutch Railways.