Car traffic to the port of Zeebrugge has been booming in recent months. Many car trains drive to and from the port 24 hours per day, operated by almost all freight operators present on Belgian rails. On one of the few dry days we’ve had in weeks, I ventured out into the fields to flash some trains. Besides a Railtraxx and a Crossrail train, I … Continue reading Empties under a starry sky
Wednesday august 10th I went chasing trains along the Antwerp – Aachen freight corridor. Those days off, with nothing to worry about but the photos, are rare, so I wanted to stand along the tracks at sunrise. Which meant waking up really early, but which also meant fluid traffic. Still dozy from the long ride I had to prepare for action quickly as a first … Continue reading A busy summer day
It was, again, a very hot day and I didn’t feel like sitting at the pool from early on. I’m sure my son, if he could speak, would have said exactly the same thing. So I took him to Rouffach with the airconditioned car, where we set up gear and a playing blanket under a large umbrella. It was a day in France that felt … Continue reading France with a Belgian sauce
The first week of august was hot, incredibly hot, in the Alsace region. After a short night I decided that it was time to get up early and enjoy the cool morning temperatures along the tracks. Well, a little before 7am I was standing next to the tracks in only a t-shirt. At least temperature was still bearable.Of course I got to see some trains: … Continue reading Cool morning
Today I did something that I haven’t done in a long time: take a day off to make photos of passenger trains. Passenger. Trains. Really. The intercity trains between Schaarbeek and Kortrijk are still hauled by vintage 21 and 27 series locomotives. These machines are about my age and as such I’ve known them all my active railfanning life. They are being gradually withdrawn though, … Continue reading Chasing passengers
Because respect will take you the furthest.An evening LKW Walter train from Crossrail is seen near Sint-Martens-Latem in the setting light of a Sunny day on Saturday 14th of May. Continue reading No plants were harmed during the making of this photo
Last Easter vacation, we spent a family holiday in Coussac-Bonneval, south of Limoges. There weren’t many local trains to watch, but there is some interesting diesel action near Limoges. Inspired by the excellent picture of BramTrains, I made a plan to go after SNCF’s Infrastructure operation to the quarry of Verneuil-sur-Vienne. I only knew approximately when the first of 2 train pairs would return to … Continue reading All about parenting
Spreading like a virus in the rail photographer community, it seems, and after resisting for a long time it caught me as well: the use of a light stand for getting your camera higher up there. Light weight and capable of towering above the many bushes along the tracks, I must admit I’m sold. Below the first 2 shots using this new tool. Continue reading Up in the air
Last Sunday was worth getting outside. It was dark and cold, but dry, a recipe for a quiet evening photoshoot. The two freight trains that I could photograph happened to be both loaded with GTS containers. One coming from Switzerland and heading to the Belgian coastal port, the other one doing exactly the inverse. Continue reading To and from the mountains
The daily banana train from the port of Antwerp to Aachen and beyond is seen here in Remersdaal, crawling up line 24 toward Montzen. This train was a daily visitor to this line, and always a pleasure to see. Wishing everyone a fruitful 2022! Continue reading Bananski
Railscapes 