Belgium 2014

[Garfield]

Hi folks,

 

Just back from a trip to Belgium which involved a bit of train travel, so I duly took some photos...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DiveController]

Great continental shots. What's that huge black 'doughnut' on the end of 481?

[Riversuir226]

Lovely shots Garsfield, how did ya get on with the duvel?

Spent a month in Belgium in 1998 lovely country with lots of variety in the train department.

[Garfield]

Great continental shots. What's that huge black 'doughnut' on the end of 481?

 

It's a gangway... the units can be run in multiple, with the yellow cab end folding away, similar to the Danish IC3: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IC3

[Dunluce Castle]

Great pics

[Garfield]

Lovely shots Garsfield, how did ya get on with the duvel?

Spent a month in Belgium in 1998 lovely country with lots of variety in the train department.

 

Had a few Duvels alright... and quite a few other Belgian beers, too!

 

Something I only learned after I returned home is that Belgium has the densest rail network in the world.

[leslie10646]

Not just the densest railway network but one which receives a massive subsidy. Or, at least it used to.

 

About twenty years ago, they had so much money to spend that they put their streamlined Atlantic through Leuven Works, together with four period coaches. They then ran about eight trains over a couple of days on a circuit from Brussels Nord out to Mechelen and back. A seriously lovely loco. They had TWO ex Caledonian designs in preservation - the "Dunalastair" (4-4-0) still exists, but the 0-6-0 goods, based on a McIntosh design was SCRAPPED in 2002!

 

Yes, nice pics - mind you some of their stock is pretty vile, but those emus (like 481 above) are very nice (especially in First Class!). However, lots of loco hauled still, which makes a visit, or even a transit, quite enjoyable.