I really didn’t feel looked at while taking this picture. Sun was finally standing high enough in order to not get too many shadows, and on Friday evening there’s an interesting train running at the exact right time. The passage under the tracks was refreshed a couple of years ago, and artists were asked for their assistance. I really appreciate this kind of revamping older … Continue reading What are you staring at?
Day 3 in this country that we were getting to know and appreciate better every day. We spent the night in Settat, in a hotel that we will remember for a long time. We got to sleep, that’s what counts. At the beginning of the vacation we had still hope to see a French Astride locomotive. After 2 days and some calculated guessing, we realized … Continue reading Morocco day 3: from phosphate to passenger trains
Since a few days, BLS Cargo / Crossrail is using their Vectron locomotives on the GTS trains to and from Zeebruges. Before, they were exclusively used on the Ambrogio trains to and from Muizen.In nice evening light, Vectron 475 423 slowly enters De Pinte, as to explore its new territory. More variation on the line from Ghent to the French border, as about all active … Continue reading New territory
This location was once known as the “vegetable garden spot”. Before the start of work on the third and fourth tracks, you could make nice pictures with a vegetable garden in front. Quite a few hours were spent there, with friends and alone.Today, catenary poles are placed such that the original spot doesn’t look so nice anymore. I had to look for an alternative. The … Continue reading Vegetable garden
Just an hour before curfew, we see Crossrail’s 186 496 conquering the steep slope towards Montzen. It’s hauling intermodal train 43511 from the port of Zeebrugge towards Basel. Continue reading Before curfew
Rurtalbahn’s Vectron is a nice-looking, and often seen, guest on Belgian tracks. Even on Easter it was adding mileage, with a car train towards Gent. After an on-time notification, I was able to make it to Argenteau. Freight traffic from Germany towards the Belgian ports is rerouted through the Meuse valley due to important infrastructure works between Hasselt and Aarschot. Continue reading Rerouted beauty
Interesting as they may be, I wasn’t in Quenast only to make photos of SNCF logos. The ballast train that SNCF hauls to Quenast for a refill is quite nice to see, and not only for the traction used. So we left right on time to drive to this photo spot near Soignies. Everything was there: a nice photo location, the train, sun, we, fully … Continue reading Ballast, spot on
SNCF Fret has started up ballast traffic to the Quenast quarry again. Very likely it’s the last season that SNCF will use BB67400 locomotives for this service, as the Infrabel network is gradually equipped with ETCS. Needless to say that many Belgian rail enthusiasts find opportunities to enjoy these beautiful locomotives while we still can. Now that we can’t cross the borders, it makes it … Continue reading The SNCF logo
We continued the bicycle trip into the port of Ghent, up until Gent-Noord. The old branch of line 77 that once connected Zelzate to Sint-Gilis-Waas was still in use for seasonal beet traffic to Moerbeke. Full trains were hauled from Poperinge to Moerbeke with a mighty class 51 diesel locomotive.On this picture, we see an empty train approaching the Gent-Noord shunting yard. It has left … Continue reading Vintage beets
Although I believe for the freight operators it’s not the best habit, for railfans it’s interesting when freight traffic to and from Antwerp is rerouted over Mechelen and Gent. Same again this weekend due to works in Ekeren. We found ourselves with several people making photos of the freight trains, but for this photo I was still alone.Wheather was so and so, and traffic was … Continue reading It’s becoming a habit
Railscapes 