The first generation of the multi-system ICE 3, the ICE 3M or BR406 series, said goodbye to its international trips last Saturday.
A farewell journey organised by Deutsche Bahn in cooperation with the Dutch NS marked the end of a train’s 25-year presence outside Germany, which has even reached London.
ICE train 13406, consisting of trains 4601 “Europe” and 4651 “Amsterdam”, left Hannover Messe/Laatzen for Amsterdam. During the journey, enthusiasts and fans even waved goodbye from the roofs of houses, as DB employee Robert Thoms-Klein reports.
After a short stop in the Dutch capital, the journey continued as ICE 25 to The Hague, Rotterdam and Aachen, culminating in Frankfurt (Main). A stop at Cologne/Bohn airport was planned but had to be omitted due to a delay.
ICE 3M, 406 series, for sale after the end of international services
The 406 series was a pioneer in connecting Germany with France, Belgium and the Netherlands at speeds of up to 320 km/h (200 mph). Despite its reliability problems, it marked a before and after in German high-speed rail.
In addition, on 19 October 2010, it became the first non-Eurostar high-speed train to cross the Eurotunnel on a test journey to London’s Saint Pancras station. It was part of the operator’s aspirations to link Frankfurt and London with a direct train.
Although Deutsche Bahn finally backed out the idea, as a reminder of this fact, the 4651 trainset carried a commemorative decoration during the journey on the departure day.
After withdrawing from international traffic, the 406 series will continue operating within Germany. DB will continue to use the 407 (Velaro D) and 408 (Velaro MS) series for its trains to France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
However, Deutsche Bahn has offered 14 trainsets for sale without specifying the price. So, the ICE 3M may be seen on the road again outside Germany.