| S1/S2 | |
|---|---|
&sq=Qlik&lang=&file=File:J38_122_Bf_Amsterdam_Bijlmer_ArenA,_ET_52.jpg) An S1 unit in the blue GVB livery | |
&sq=Qlik&lang=&file=File:Interieur_Sneltram_Amstelveen.jpg) Interior of unit 67 while in use as express tram | |
| Stock type | Express tram Metro |
| In service | 1990–2024 |
| Manufacturer | La Brugeoise et Nivelles |
| Entered service | 1990 (S1) 1993–1994 (S2) |
| Retired | 2023–2024 |
| Number built | 25 |
| Number preserved | 1 |
| Successor | M7 |
| Fleet numbers | 45–57 (S1) 58–69 (S2) |
| Capacity | 64 (seating) 190 (standing) |
| Operators | GVB |
| Lines served | &sq=Qlik&lang=&file=File:Gvba50.svg){kind=small} 50 (2019–2024) &sq=Qlik&lang=&file=File:Gvba51.svg){kind=small} 51 (1990–2024) &sq=Qlik&lang=&file=File:Gvba53.svg){kind=small} 53 (2019–2024) &sq=Qlik&lang=&file=File:Gvba54.svg){kind=small} 54 (2019–2024) |
| Specifications | |
| Train length | 30.6 metres (100 ft) |
| Width | 2.65 metres (8.7 ft) |
| Height | 3.42 metres (11.2 ft) |
| Maximum speed | 70 km/h (43 mph) |
| Weight | 46.3 tonnes (102,000 lb) |
| Electric system(s) | 750 V DC third rail 600 V DC catenary |
S1 and S2 units, collectively called S1/S2, were electric multiple unit trains used on the Amsterdam Metro in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Built by La Brugeoise et Nivelles (BN), 13 of these units were ordered by the GVB in 1988 (S1), as well as an additional 12 later in 1991 (S2), for a new line from Amsterdam Centraal station to the suburb of Amstelveen. This line, named the Amstelveen Line and later numbered as 51, was initially expected to be a full metro line, but was later changed to a tram-metro hybrid named sneltram (express tram) due to protests against the metro in the preceding decades. From Amsterdam Centraal to Amsterdam Zuid, Line 51 ran as a regular metro on 750 V DC with third rail pick up, used on the regular metro network. At Zuid, the trains converted to 600 V DC via overhead lines, used by the city's tram network and served Amstelveen as a faster tram service. On the latter part of the route, the line shared tracks and stops with a regular tram line and ran on public roads with crossings.
The line was opened on 30 November 1990 with S1 units in service. Problems with the trains started immediately as the majority of the fleet was unavailable at the start due to technical issues, which led to capacity problems. With financial compensation and technical support from BN, as well as the delivery of S2 units from 1993 onward, most issues were resolved and the GVB ran coupled trains on the line. Further issues arose in the Amstelveen section of the route; the high speed and the sharp front profile of the units resulted in several deaths at the level crossings, prompting protests and further safety measures. The complex conversion from metro to tram at Zuid was a persistent issue throughout the years. When the Amstelveen branch of Line 51 was shut down in 2019 and later replaced by a regular tram line, the S1/S2 trains started running on the new Line 51 and also on other metro lines of the system. The first units were retired and scrapped in 2023 after 33 years of service. A farewell event was organized in 2024; one of the units was preserved.