[NL] Design fix for NS’ ICNG – a more fluid color transition

We have not been paying attention – recently the design of NS’ new ICNG trainsets changed, slightly. Alstom and NS have found a solution to fix that little, but very visible flaw in the livery design of these trains.

We thank Arnold Verhoef for his support!

The black>blue mask, around the front and side windows, always was a bit “bumpy” in the transition from front to side. True, it is not easy to get these fluid shapes exactly right, but as these trains will run in these designs for a long time, it is important to do it right, we think.

The newest sets that have arrived in the Netherlands, for example 3110, 3112 and 3119, have a more fluid mask:

NS ICNG 3110 in Meppel on 07.10.2021 © Arnold Verhoef

Compare this to the black>blue on 3108 in 2020, you see this one has a “knick” between the cab door and the first window. 3110 also has a tiny extra line of blue above the side windows compared to the train below:

Rail Expert’s 9901 with ICNG 3108 of NS as train 13400 Braunschweig – Watergraafsmeer near Swifterbant (NL) on 23.05.2020 Photo credit: Steven Oskam

In a different perspective, the design flaw is better visible. Below you see 3202, that shows that also the bottom line of the masking is not so fluid :

NS ICNG 3102 in its final livery Photo: Nederlandse Spoorwegen

We are happy this is solved. And yes, details are important to us 😉