| Watch the on-ride POV |
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| Moortje making her rounds on the track | |||||||||||||
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| Manufacturer | Self-built | ||||||||||||
| Product | Miniature Railway | ||||||||||||
| Builder | Orenstein & Koppel Alan Keef Efteling | ||||||||||||
| Designer / calculations | Anton Pieck Karel Willemen Ton van de Ven | ||||||||||||
| Hourly capacity | 400 | ||||||||||||
| Cabins | 3 locomotives with 9 cabins each | ||||||||||||
| Track length | 3000 metres | ||||||||||||
| Animatronics | 0 | ||||||||||||
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Efteling Stoomtrein Maatschappij is a Miniature Railway currently located at Efteling in Kaatsheuvel, North Brabant, Netherlands.
History
The concept of a train ride at Efteling dates back to 1959, when ideas were passed around for such a ride at the park, how it would look and how it would have to be built. Efteling were already negotiating with Dutch track manufacturer Spoorijzer during this time. These negotiations fell through in 1960, due to the high costs quoted. Multiple manufacturers were considered, but none of them were chosen. The eventual manufacturer of the track would be a unknown Belgian manufacturer.[1]
Efteling eventually bought the first steam locomotive on may 8, 1968. This was one of two last operating steam locomotives, making its rounds at the Brick-factory in Arnhem. This train was named Aagje. The construction of the track started around this time, later opening in 1969, with Aagje making her first rounds on the new track. Aagje was built by German manufacturer Orenstein & Koppel in 1911.[2]
The original official name of the attraction was Miniatuur Stoomtreintraject no. 1, which translates to Miniature Steam train line number 1. The track covered half of the park at opening, shuttling between a station at Sprookjesbos and one at the north side of the park, now known as Reizenrijk. The train would turn around after boarding from a station, making its way back on the same track it came from.
The station in Sprookjesbos was removed in 1974, and replaced with the current station in Marerijk, on the same square that Droomvlucht and Villa Volta currently reside.[1] Efteling also bought a second locomotive; Moortje. Just like Aagje, Moortje was manufactured by German manufacturer Orenstein & Koppel, but Moortje is even older, with a build year of 1908. Her last day of operation was around 1951. She was eventually bought by Efteling in 1970, but was in a bad condition after around 20 years of sitting dormant. Efteling worked a year and a half to completly restore the old locomotive.[3] The track also recieved a switch track during this renovation, to allow the two trains to run on the tracks at once.
1980 saw the addition of a third locomotive; Neefje. This locomotive was built by Dutch manufacturer K.A. Neve and originally constructed in 1914. Neefje got a big renovation after being bought by Efteling, and started her operation on Efteling's tracks in 1981. Neefje had to cease operation in 1991 due to large structural issues. She was sent away for repairs, but the problem couldn't be fixed, and after being gone for quite some time, the train returned as a piece of theming in 2001, where it was set up in front of the Marerijk station.[4] After the departure of Neefje, Efteling quickly bought a new locomotive. This one was called Trijntje and was brand new from the factory, being built by UK manufacturer Alan Keef.[5]
In the 1970's, riders could board and disembark the trains at four different points, only one of these stations is still in use today. The trains were still shuttling despite these many stations however, but that would change, because 1984 marked the year where the tracks would meet eachother, making a loop of track. This ment that the trains no longer had to shuttle after reaching the end of the tracks, but they would instead end back up at the first station. Station north got removed in this process, not only because of a rearrangement of the track's layout, but also because a storm took apart the entire station.
Design
The ride utilities track made by an unknown Belgian manufacturer, along with three different locomotives; Aagje, Moortje and Trijntje. The first two locomotives were built by German manufacturer Orenstein & Koppel, with the last built by UK manufacturer Alan Keef. The ride features two stations, one in Marerijk, on the opposite side of Villa Volta and one in Ruigrijk, next to Python. The Marerijk station was designed by Anton Pieck, with the Ruigrijk one by Karel Willemen. The ride also features one showscene when riding next to Sprookjesbos. This scene features various fairytale creatures in a train station, waiting for their train to arrive. This showscene was designed by Ton van de Ven.
Trains
3 trains with 9 cars per train. In each car, riders are arranged 2 across in 6 rows, for a total of 108 riders per train. The last two cars only have two rows, but these rows fit 5 riders each, which makes for a total of 104 riders, not 108.
Location
The ride's stations are located in the Marerijk and the Ruigrijk areas of the park, roughly translating to Story Realm and Thrill Realm, respectively.
Etymology
Efteling Stoomtrein Maatschappij is Efteling Steam Train Company in Dutch.
References
| Articles on Efteling | |||||||||
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