Belgium: electric trains to Hamont

[gysev]

Today (14.06) electric trains started to run on the 33 km Mol - Hamont line. However, due to delays with the homologation of the new M7 sets, about 50% of the services will continue with DMU's. Electric services are:

Antwerpen - Hamont: IC's 4308, 4309, 4312, 4313, 4316, 4317, 4320, 4321
Hamont - Antwerpen: IC's 4327, 4328, 4331, 4332, 4335, 4336, 4339, 4340

These trains are push-pull with a class 27 and M5-coaches

On weekdays, there is an additional train between Neerpelt and Brussels in the morning that returns in the evening: P7209/8209 (class 27 + 9 coaches: 7 I10 and 2 M4).

In 2022, electric traction will start on the Mol - Hasselt line and the freight-only Genk - Bilzen line. About 90% of the Belgian network will be electrified at that time.

 

[MarcVD]

Bets are open as to what line will follow next. It probably won’t go very fast as there are still about 90 DMUs on the roster that are only 20 years old but totally outdated. They still have at least 10 years of life ahead of them. But anyways, Belgium will probably be the third European country to fully electrify its network, after Switzerland and Luxembourg.