View source for Rheingold (train)

{{Short description|Named train which operated along the Rhine}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:{{lang|de|Rheingold|cat=no}} (train)}}
{{Infobox rail service
| box_width       = 
| name            = {{lang|de|Rheingold}}
| logo            = 
| logo_width      = 
| image           = Rheingold, 1928, Friese.jpg
| image_width     = 
| caption         = 
| type            = Long-distance [[Express train|express]]<br>[[Schnellzug#Fernschnellzug (FD)|{{lang|de|Fernschnellzug|cat=no}} (FD)]]<br>(1928–1939)<br>[[Schnellzug#Fernzug (F)|{{lang|de|Fernzug|cat=no}} (F)]]<br>(1951–1965)<br>[[Trans Europ Express]] (TEE)<br>(1965–1987)
| status          = Discontinued
| locale          = [[Netherlands]]<br>[[Germany]]<br>[[Switzerland]]
| predecessor     = 
| first           = {{start date|1928|05|15|df=y}}
| last            = {{end date|1987|05|30|df=y}}
| successor       = {{Interlanguage link multi|Rembrandt (train){{!}}EC ''Rembrandt''|nl|3=Rembrandt (trein)}}
| operator        = 
| formeroperator  = [[Nederlandse Spoorwegen|NS]]<br>[[Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft|DRG]] / [[Deutsche Bundesbahn|DB]]<br>[[Swiss Federal Railways|SBB-CFF-FFS]]
| ridership       = 
| start           = [[Amsterdam Centraal railway station|Amsterdam CS]] /<br>[[Hoek van Holland Haven railway station|{{langr|nl|Hoek van Holland|cat=no}} Haven]]
| stops           = 
| end             = [[Basel SBB railway station|Basel SBB]] /<br>[[Genève-Cornavin railway station|{{langr|fr|Genève-Cornavin|cat=no}}]]
| distance        = 
| journeytime     = 
| frequency       = Daily
| trainnumber     = 
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| class           = 
| access          = 
| seating         = 
| sleeping        = 
| autorack        = 
| catering        = 
| observation     = 
| entertainment   = 
| baggage         = 
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| stock           = 
| gauge           = {{RailGauge|sg}}
| el              = 15 [[Volt|kV]] [[Alternating current|AC]], 16.7 [[Hertz|Hz]]<br>(Germany / Switzerland)<br>(1962–1987)
| speed           = 
| owners          = 
| routenumber     = 
| map             = [[File:TEE Rheingold direct services.svg|thumb|250px|center|Map showing the route of the [[Trans Europ Express]] (TEE) {{lang|de|Rheingold}} in red, with other colors denoting routes over which first-class TEE {{lang|de|Rheingold}} [[through coach]]es were conveyed by other trains.|alt=Map showing the route of the TEE {{lang|de|Rheingold}} in red, with other colors denoting routes over which first-class TEE {{lang|de|Rheingold}} through coaches were conveyed by other trains.]]
| map_state       = show
}}
The '''{{lang|de|Rheingold}}''' ('Rhinegold') was a [[Lists of named passenger trains|named train]] that operated between [[Hook of Holland]], near [[Rotterdam]], and [[Geneva]], Switzerland (or [[Basel]] before 1965), a distance of {{convert|1,067|km|mi}}, until 1987. Another section of the train started in [[Amsterdam]] and was coupled to the {{lang|nl|Hoek}} cars in [[Utrecht]].  The {{lang|de|Rheingold}} ran along the [[Rhine River]] via [[Arnhem, Netherlands]], and [[Cologne, Germany]], using special luxury coaches. It was named after {{langrlink|de|Richard Wagner}}'s ''{{langrlink|de|Das Rheingold}}'' opera, which romanticized the Rhine. From 1965 until the train's discontinuation in 1987, the {{lang|de|Rheingold}} was a [[Travel class#Trains|first-class-only]] [[Trans Europ Express]] (TEE) train.

== Route ==
[[Geneva]] ([[Genève-Cornavin railway station|{{langr|fr|Gare de Cornavin|cat=no}}]]) – [[Basel SBB railway station|Basel SBB]] – [[Freiburg im Breisgau|Freiburg]] – [[Baden-Baden]] – [[Karlsruhe]] – [[Mannheim]] – [[Mainz]] – [[Cologne]] – [[Düsseldorf]] – [[Duisburg]] – [[Utrecht]] and then in separate trains continuing (still as the {{lang|de|Rheingold}}) to both [[Hook of Holland]] and [[Amsterdam]]. At Hook of Holland, the train had timed connections for ship service to and from [[Harwich]], England. The Geneva–Basel section was added in 1965 and was discontinued in 1980/82 (see later section for details).

== Pre-World War II ==
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 102-10450, Rheingold-Express, Salon-Wagen I. Klasse.jpg|thumb|left|Interior of a first class coach belonging to the Rheingold in September 1930]]
The first ''Rheingold'', which was classified as a [[Schnellzug#Fernschnellzug (FD)|''Fernschnellzug'' (FD)]] ([[train]]s FFD 101 and FFD 102), started service on May 15, 1928. In the [[Netherlands]] it was pulled by the [[NS 3700]]-3800-3900 [[steam locomotive]] series, in [[Germany]] by the ''Baureihen'' [[Baden_IV_h|DRG Class 18.3]] (Badic IV h, between Mannheim and Basel) and [[DRG Class 18.4-5|BR 18<sup>4-5</sup>]] ([[Bavarian S 3/6]], between [[Emmerich am Rhein|Emmerich]] and Mannheim) and in [[Switzerland]] by [[SBB-CFF-FFS Ae 4/7|Ae 4/7]] [[electric locomotive]]s. In 1930, the [[DRG Class 01|BR 01]] (01 077-181) was used between Mannheim and Basel and permanently from 1935 on, and the NS 3900 in the Netherlands.

The luxurious [[Pullman (car or coach)|Pullman]]-type coaches had a distinct cream/blue livery in 1st and 2nd class, each measuring {{convert|23.5|m|abbr=on}}. At both ends (one behind the locomotive) there was a blue luggage wagon. Some cars had a kitchen, with one kitchen serving two cars. [[Mitropa]] waiters served the passengers. The cars were the most technically advanced the DRG had at that time, but were less advanced than the later (from 1939) ''Schürzenwagen'' (skirted coaches), typical [[World War II]] cars. The interiors were designed by artists and architects of the time, and besides being very luxurious were also very spacious. In total, there were 26 coaches and three luggage wagons per train [[consist]]. In these days, the trip took 11 hours. At first, the cars had the ''[[Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft]]'' and MITROPA inscriptions with the DRG logo. Around 1931 the name RHEINGOLD was printed on the coaches and the locomotive tender, and the DRG logo remained. In the fall of 1939, due to the start of World War II, the train service was cancelled.

== Post-World War II ==
The service was reestablished in 1951 as the [[Schnellzug#Fernzug (F)|''Fernzug'' (F)]] '''''Rheingold Express''''' (train numbers F 163/164, later F 9/10 and F 21/22). Most cars survived the war but nevertheless the coaches in Western Germany were painted over and rebuilt to dining coaches (''Gesellschaftwagen''), long distance coaches (F trains) and short distance train coaches (D trains). The ''Rheingold'' now used skirted coaches and was pulled by the ''Deutsche Bundesbahn'' steam locomotives BR 01, BR 01.10, BR 03 and BR 03.10 and the BR 41 between Cologne and [[Kaldenkirchen]]. In 1954, "Express" was dropped from the train's name.

== TEE ''Rheingold'' ==
[[File:Aussichtswagen innen.jpg|thumb|left|Interior of a preserved ex-''Rheingold'' [[dome car]].]]
In 1962, the ''Rheingold'' became established again as a link between Switzerland and the Netherlands on the pre-war route, and carrying [[Travel class#Trains|first-class cars]] only. In 1965, it became a Trans Europ Express (or Trans-Europe Express).

New rolling stock introduced starting in 1962 included [[dome car]]s,<ref name="Haydock-TEE">{{cite journal|last=Haydock|first=David|title=The Second Demise of the TEE|date= June–July 1996|journal=[[Today's Railways Europe|Today's Railways]]|publisher=Platform 5 Publishing|location=Sheffield, UK|issn=1354-2753|pages=22–24}}</ref> one per train, used only on the ''Rheingold'' and ''[[Rheinpfeil (train)|Rheinpfeil]]'' (Rhine Arrow).  In Europe, the use of dome cars was unique to these two trains. After the ''Rheinpfeil'' was integrated into the Bundesbahn's new Intercity network in 1971, the TEE ''[[Erasmus (train)|Erasmus]]'' began using the displaced dome cars, along with the ''Rheingold''.<ref name="cooks1974apr">''Thomas Cook Continental Timetable'' (March 29–April 25, 1974 edition), p. 69, 466</ref><ref name=fodors75>{{cite book |author=Tennant, David D. |editor=Eugene Fodor |editor-link=Eugene Fodor (writer) |editor2=Robert C. Fisher |title=Fodor's Europe 1975 | year=1975 |chapter=Planning Your Trip: Rail Travel in Europe | page=95 |series=[[Fodor's |Fodor's Guides]] |publisher=[[David McKay Publications|David McKay Company]] |location=New York |isbn=<!--none-->}}</ref> The dome cars were withdrawn on 30 May 1976.<ref name="cooks1976jul">''[[Thomas Cook Continental Timetable]]'' (July 1976 edition), p. 75. Peterborough, England: [[Thomas Cook Group|Thomas Cook Publishing]].</ref><ref name="Mertens-Malaspina-de">{{cite book |first1= Maurice |last1= Mertens |first2=Jean-Pierre |last2= Malaspina |title= TEE: Die Geschichte des Trans Europ Express |trans-title=TEE: The History of the Trans Europ Express |page=185 |chapter=TEE Rheingold |location= Düsseldorf |publisher= Alba Publikation |language= German |date= 2009 |isbn= 978-3-87094-199-4}}</ref>

The new cars, together with improvements to the track along parts of its route in the mid-1960s, made the ''Rheingold'' the fastest train in Germany. In 1964, the train was scheduled to cover the {{convert|83.2|mi|km|disp=flip|abbr=on}} [[Freiburg im Breisgau|Freiburg]] – [[Karlsruhe]] section in 59 minutes, working out to an ''average'' speed of {{convert|84.6|mph|km/h|disp=flip}}, which was the "fastest schedule in German rail history"<ref name="trains65">{{cite journal|last=Steffee|first=Donald M.|title=Japan Takes the Blue Ribbon at 86.7 mph!|date=June 1965|journal=[[Trains (magazine)|Trains]]|publisher=[[Kalmbach Publishing]]|location=Milwaukee, Wisconsin|pages=20–31}}</ref> up to that time.

Until about 1972 the train's all-first-class, red-and-cream cars were pulled by [[DB Class E 10|Class E 10.12]] electric locomotives painted in blue-and-cream, but later the red-and-cream [[DB Class 103|Class 103]] locomotives took over.
{{clear|left}}

== The later years ==
[[File:TEE Rheingold Dresden pic01 2007 04 23.JPG|thumb|right|Preserved TEE ''Rheingold'' train set, including [[dome car]], during a special excursion in 2007]]
With effect from the summer timetable in 1979 (on 27 May), the ''Rheingold'' ceased carrying any coaches to and from [[Hook of Holland]], with Amsterdam thereafter being the northern terminus for all ''Rheingold'' service.<ref name="cooks1979may">''[[Thomas Cook European Timetable|Thomas Cook International Timetable]]'' (May 27–June 30, 1979 edition), p. 6. Peterborough, England: [[Thomas Cook Group|Thomas Cook Publishing]].</ref>  The train's [[Bern]]–Geneva section was discontinued on 6 April 1980,<ref>''[[Thomas Cook European Timetable|Thomas Cook International Timetable]]'' (March 1–April 5, 1980 edition), pp. 72, 559. Peterborough, England: Thomas Cook Publishing.</ref> but was reinstated in autumn 1980 as winter-only service.  The Basel–Geneva section was discontinued in 1982. However, during certain times of the year both before 1982 and continuing after, the train carried [[through coach]]es to [[Chur]] and (until 1985) [[Milan]], which were attached to ordinary express trains south of Basel.

Starting in 1983,<ref name="cooks1983may-june">''Thomas Cook Continental Timetable'' (May 29–June 30, 1983 edition), pp. 6 and 66. Thomas Cook Publishing.</ref> the ''Rheingold'' had a branch to Munich, which separated at [[Mannheim]] from the main train (which continued south to Basel). It provided through TEE service between Amsterdam and Munich, also serving [[Heidelberg]], [[Stuttgart]] and [[Augsburg]], among other cities, en route.  Until 1985, it operated during the summer timetable periods only (circa late May until late September each year).  It was introduced on 29 May 1983 and ran until 24 September of that year.<ref name="cooks1983may-june"/> This variant was repeated the following summer and again in summer 1985, and then became year-round.  During 1985 and 1986, this branch extended beyond Munich to serve one additional city, terminating in [[Salzburg]], Austria.  Although the Mannheim – Munich section became year-round at this time (mid-1985), the new Munich – Salzburg section ran only in summer, operating for the last time on 27 September 1986.<ref name="cooks1986oct">''Thomas Cook Continental Timetable'' (September 28–October 31, 1986 edition), pp. 6, 66.</ref>

Operation of the ''Rheingold'' ended on May 30, 1987,<ref name="cooks1987may">''Thomas Cook Continental Timetable'' (May 1–30, 1987 edition), pp. 51 and 66. Thomas Cook Publishing.</ref> after 59 years and 15 days. The TEE 6/7 was pulled by a BR 103. It was the last train of the TEE-system in Germany.

One set of ''Rheingold'' coaches has been preserved by a private company in Switzerland, which are still used to operate steam-hauled excursions.<ref name="Haydock-TEE"/>

A complete set of locomotive and blue and cream coaches has been restored by the ''Freundeskreis Eisenbahn Köln e.V''.<ref>[https://www.rheingold-zug.com rheingold-zug.com]</ref>

== See also ==
{{portal|Trains|Germany|Netherlands|Switzerland}}
* [[Famous trains]]
* [[History of rail transport in Germany]]
* [[History of rail transport in the Netherlands]]
* [[History of rail transport in Switzerland]]
* [[List of named passenger trains of Europe]]
* [[Rhinegold (1978 film)]], 1978 West German drama film directed by [[Niklaus Schilling]], set on the ''Rheingold'' train.

==References==
===Notes===
{{Reflist}}

===Bibliography===
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last=Ernst |first=Friedhelm |title=''Rheingold: Die Geschichte eines Luxuszuges'' |trans-title=Rheingold: The History of a Luxury Train|year=2003 |publisher=Alba Publikation |location=Düsseldorf |isbn=978-3-87094-362-2 |edition=5th revised |language=de}}
* {{cite book |last= Franzke |first=Jürgen |title=''Rheingold - ein europäischer Luxuszug: Begleitbuch zur gleichnamigen Ausstellung am DB Museum Nürnberg, September 1997 bis März 1998'' |trans-title=Rheingold - a European Luxury Train: Guidebook to the eponymous exhibition at the DB Museum Nuremberg, September 1997 to March 1998 |year=1997 |publisher=Eichborn |location=Nürnberg: DB Museum; Frankfurt a.M. |isbn=3821814810 |language=de}}
* {{cite book |last=Franzke |first=Jürgen |title=''Rheingold - Geschichte eines Luxuszuges'' |trans-title=Rheingold - History of a Luxury Train |year=2005 |publisher=HEEL |location=Königswinter |isbn=389880352X |language=de}}
* {{cite book |last=Goette |first=Peter |title=''Rheingold: Legende auf Schienen'' |trans-title=Rheingold: Legend on Rails |year=2013 |publisher=EK Verlag |location=Freiburg i B. |isbn=978-3882557350 |language=de}}
* {{Malaspina-Mertens-TEE-fr}}
* {{Malaspina-Mertens-TEE-it}}
* {{Mertens-Malaspina-TEE-de}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline|Rheingold-Express}}
* [http://www.heinrich-hanke.de/eisenbahn/reisezuege/rheingold.htm ''Der Rheingold''], personal enthusiast's page giving history by era. {{in lang|de}}

{{Trans Europ Express trains}}

[[Category:International named passenger trains]]
[[Category:Railway services introduced in 1928]]
[[Category:Named passenger trains of Germany]]
[[Category:Named passenger trains of the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Named passenger trains of Switzerland]]
[[Category:Trans Europ Express]]
[[Category:Rhineland]]