All Belgium articles
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NewsLineas seeks FAME with biofuel locomotive
BELGIUM: Lineas has unveiled a FAME locomotive, powered by fatty acid methyl ester biofuel produced from non-food raw materials such as used cooking oil. Lineas said this offers a readily available alternative to diesel, and has been used in marine engines but not yet in locomotives. ...
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NewsRail freight service launched following Houthi attacks on shipping
EUROPE: Rail freight operator Lineas has collaborated with container handler CSP Zeebrugge to launch a service between the Belgian port and Graz in Austria for COSCO Shipping Lines, which has had to divert vessels away from the Red Sea because of attacks by Houthi rebels. The ...
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NewsSNCB unveils independently accessible coach
BELGIUM: National operator SNCB has unveiled the first of 130 double-deck coaches to facilitate wheelchair users travelling without assistance.
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NewsInfrabel orders Alstom self-encoding Eurobalises
BELGIUM: Infrabel has ordered an initial batch of advanced Eurobalises from Alstom with a built-in encoding capability for use with ETCS Level 1 Limited Supervision as well as track worker protection. Eurobalises are used to transmit safety-critical data from track to train in ERTMS applications, typically ...
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NewsStart-up announces Amsterdam to London and Paris high speed train ambitions
Source: Nikolay/Pixabay EUROPE: A proposal to launch high speed train services from Amsterdam to London and from Groningen to Paris has been announced by Dutch start-up Heuro, while Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson is also reported to be looking at competing with Eurostar on cross-Channel routes. ...
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NewsCEO sets out how the merged Eurostar business aims to go further
EUROPE: ‘We are opening a new chapter of the Eurostar story’ with ‘our most loyal customers as the main characters’, Eurostar CEO Gwendoline Cazenave said at an event on October 9 marking the launch of an international marketing campaign following the completion of the merger with Thalys.
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NewsMedway Belgium orders electric locos
BELGIUM: MSC subsidiary Medway Belgium has ordered 15 Siemens Mobility Vectron MS electric locomotives for use on cross-border freight services from Belgium. The 6·4 MW locos with a maximum speed of 160 km/h will be used on routes to Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Hungary, the ...
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NewsActive Audio amplifies announcements in Leuven
BELGIUM: The quality and audibility of acoustic announcements at Leuven station has been enhanced through the installation of a set of advanced loudspeakers to a novel design. French supplier Active Audio says the installation is the largest deployment to date of its steerable StepArray SA180S column ...
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Metro Report InternationalMediator proposes revised timetable for Liège tram completion
BELGIUM: Opening of the Liège tram route could be put back to January 2025 under proposals tabled by mediators appointed to review the delays and cost over-runs on the PPP-funded project. The 11·7 km line is being built for Wallonnie public transport operator OTW by the ...
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Metro Report InternationalFunding crisis hits Brussels metro Line 3 project
BELGIUM: Citing significant delays and cost over-runs with the development of the north-south metro Line 3 in Brussels, federal project promoter Beliris has requested guidance from the federal and regional governments by July 15 over the future direction of the complex project.
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NewsQbuzz and Flixtrain plan international open access services from the Netherlands
NETHERLANDS: Qbuzz has applied to competition authority Autoriteit Consument & Markt for permission to operate seven Amsterdam – Berlin and seven Amsterdam – Antwerpen – Brussels – Paris open access passenger services from January 2027, plus two trains per hour from Amsterdam to Eindhoven. The international ...
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NewsNetherlands – Belgium – France open access train service planned
EUROPE: Arriva Nederland has applied for permission to launch an open access passenger service from the north of the Netherlands to Belgium and Paris.
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NewsEuropean Sleeper begins operations with Berlin – Brussels night train
EUROPE: Night train start-up European Sleeper has begun passenger operations, providing an overnight rail connection between Brussels and Berlin for the first time since 2008. The inaugural service left Berlin Gesundbrunnen on May 25, engineering works having prevented the use of Hauptbahnhof. The train comprised 11 ...
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NewsInfrabel takes a greener track
BELGIUM: Infrabel has started a transition to using more environmentally friendly rails, produced using recycled material rather than fresh steel.
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Metro Report InternationalNew generation Flexity tram enters service in Brussels
BELGIUM: Brussels transport operator STIB has put the first of its ‘new generation’ Flexity trams into service on Route 51 between Midi and Stade with effect from April 26. The 100% low-floor Series 3200 vehicles are being supplied by Alstom under a €480m framework contract which ...
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In depthBelgium: SNCB refines its rolling stock strategy
Procurement of a new fleet of single-voltage EMUs including a BEMU variant will enable the Belgian national operator to consolidate its rolling stock fleet into three main types by 2030. Dr Harry Hondius explains.
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NewsDrieland train to link Aachen, Maastricht and Liège from December
EUROPE: Cross-border regional trains connecting Aachen, Maastricht and Liège are on course to begin with the December 2023 timetable change, following the signing of a letter of intent between the Netherlands and Belgium on March 13. The agreement was signed by the Dutch State Secretary for ...
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NewsŠkoda Group acquires ETCS software specialist The Signalling Company
BELGIUM: Škoda Group has bought a majority stake in train control technology specialist The Signalling Company. The Czech company announced on February 21 that it had acquired a 93·9% stake, leaving TSC executives Stanislas Pinte and Frédéric Du Jardin holding the remaining 6·1%. Škoda said TSC ...
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NewsAmsterdam – Barcelona night train plan
EUROPE: Night train start-up European Sleeper has announced details of its proposed Amsterdam – Barcelona service, which has won the backing of the European Commission. The night train is one of 10 proposals selected for a pilot programme which aims to break down practical barriers to ...
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NewsMerged Eurostar and Thalys branding revealed
EUROPE: The branding for the merged Eurostar and Thalys high speed rail businesses was unveiled in Brussels on January 24.