Ice forces cancellation of trains in and around Amsterdam & Utrecht

Trains around Amsterdam, Utrecht and Flevoland were canceled on Friday due to the formation of ice on the overhead lines, the NS said. This had consequences for travellers on Friday morning, who have had to take detours and longer travel times into account. The NS could not say how long it would take to resolve the issues.

"We are now working very hard to solve it," a spokesperson said. "The frost is disappearing almost everywhere, but the after-effects can still be felt," she continued.

The cold weather has caused frost on the overhead electricity cables, which must be removed, the spokesperson said. "The train makes the connection with the overhead line for the train's power supply. If it is frozen, it will crackle and the resulting sparks can destroy the transformer box on the train that provides the connection."

In colder weather, the NS uses heavier-duty equipment to drive along affected routes, effectively stripping the frost from the overhead catenary. "An Intercity, for example, uses more power and can then drive off the frost more easily," said the spokesperson.

Railroad manager ProRail said that normally, if necessary, the process of driving off the frost takes place at night. This is done through consultation with all carriers, including the regional ones. "The final decision is up to the carrier," said a spokesperson.

According to the NS, it was decided on the basis of the weather forecast that none of these driving journeys were necessary, but the weather situation turned out to be different than anticipated by Friday morning. "We only use scraper trains if there is serious frost formation. That was not the case on Thursday evening, but it certainly was this morning."

The minimum temperature is used to determine when these journeys are made. That differs per day and location, because it does not freeze equally everywhere in the country. It is a process which has to be customized daily, the spokesperson said.