This is really on the other side of the tracks compared to this photo. You’ll for sure recognize the bridge in the background. The red VFLI liveried loco is now running for Captrain France. The stickers could stay on, fortunately, they make this loco look better than the standard grey. Continue reading Red loco
On a sunny day, motivation is high and the travel time seems short to the north of France. Also on July 4th of 2024, when I had a day off to spend chasing trains. The time before noon I spent in Belgium, but in the afternoon I ended up along the Somain – Cambrai line, were the blue sky was. I started in Thun-Saint-Martin on … Continue reading First time between Somain and Cambrai
4th of July 2025 turned out to be an interesting day in the north of France. I started in Achiet and went until Busigny, ending near Cambrai. I summarized the full day on 1 page. Enjoy! Continue reading It was a nice day
After the SNCF infrastructure train I didn’t really know what to do next. I didn’t expect another freight train to Cambrai soon, so I was looking for something else to do. Too late I thought of the Eurocity to Paris, whic would be positioned well for the sun south of Busigny. But there was also a freight from Aalst heading south, so I gave that … Continue reading Busy behind the graveyard
In November ’99, there were no signs yet of the big changes that the Belgian rail freight scene would undergo during the next 5 to 10 years. There’s no sign yet of any private operators, nor any modern traction. Crossrail would only start running 4 years later, and the 77 series diesel locos were still in an early stage of testing & delivery.We see SNCB … Continue reading Steel from the past
Detours are a good means of making photos on lines where usually only few freights run. Seen here, a Transfennica train from Bayonne to Antwerp rerouted via Brugge. The locomotives will run arund here and continue the journey to Antwerp. Seen at Loppem on April 12, 2021. Continue reading Rural detour
Be it in Ghent or Antwerp, you can’t escape Railtraxx and their class 66 locomotives. In recent years the company has their fleet with a lot of these engines. On December 7th I got to photograph two of them. The day was shorter than expected: the Combinant shuttle was still partially hidden by the shadow. The container shuttle from Kalishoek to Antwerpen-Noord was running completely … Continue reading Railtraxx in the ports
Taken during an afternoon spent in Brussels-South at the beginning of my photography journey. The afternoon may not have delivered the same kind of pictures I would make today, but is sure was a lot of fun. It is cool now to see which trains I saw back then. A lot of them have disappeared now. On this picture, the locomotive has been melted in … Continue reading Coal under Brussels
Since a couple of years now, Belgian rail freight operator Lineas is building up a network of train services around Tergnier. I’ve wanted to check this out for a while, and on August 7th of 2020 I finally made it there. We left before sunrise and started the day at Couvron-et-Aumencourt, between Tergnier and Laon. Lineas, Europorte and SNCF Infra made for a good start … Continue reading First time around Tergnier
A bit closer to track level, aiming my telelens through the bushes, I snapped a photo of Railtraxx’ train 42554 from Passau to Antwerp. I discovered this view on a rainy day, and it turns out to be useful on a regular overcast moment too, albeit without the special effects with water involved. Continue reading A view for when it’s overcast
Railscapes 