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Issue 1 2011 / 15 February 2011 /
Infrabel, manager of the Belgian railway infrastructure, has developed a variety of products and services for railway operators and its industrial clients. This initiative fits into the strategy of a client-oriented account management that caters to all individual needs. In an interview with European Railway Review, Luc Vansteenkiste, Director General Rail Access, discusses the challenges Infrabel faces within the context of a liberalised railway market. (more…)
Rail industry news / 1 February 2011 /
SNCB Logistics has today become operational as an autonomous company and rail operator. The SNCB Group has provided its new subsidiary with all the necessary means and resources to run freight trains in Belgium and in neighbouring countries. This constitutes an essential step in the reorganisation of the SNCB freight activity. SNCB Logistics is a public limited company of private law and has a structure with its own national rail production, commercial subsidiaries (IFB and Xpedys) and international corridors. The group has a solid base to become profitable and competitive and to develop into an independent, efficient, international logistics concern. SNCB Logistics will continue to call on SNCB for shunting operations, a part of the traction and the maintenance of the rolling stock.
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Issue 1 2010, Past issues / 28 January 2010 /
This year, Belgium will commemorate the 175th anniversary of the inauguration of the country’s first main line between Brussels and Malines.
However, it has not always been a time for celebration on Belgium’s railway network due to the harsh fact that it experienced an undeniable slump in growth, first seen in the 1950s. The network suffered under the increased development of road transport.
Even in the 1970s concerns about the environment and the rational use of energy were not enough to make the railways recover a competitive position.
It wasn’t until the 1970s that the improvement of Belgium’s railway network finally emerged as a strong notion in order to make the country’s railway sector a front-runner in opening up markets and strengthening its internal competition. In acting like this, the rail industry was soon to follow the same trends experienced by the road, airline and naval industries. (more…)
Issue 1 2010, Past issues / 28 January 2010 /
Infrabel, the Belgian railway infrastructure manager, is busy working on building a direct rail link between the Left and the Right Bank in the Port of Antwerp: the Liefkenshoek rail link. In mid-January 2010, the project company LOCORAIL NV started boring the first of two tunnel shafts. In a conversation with European Railway Review, Luc Vansteenkiste, Infrabel’s Director General of Access to the Network, explains this spectacular work, the safety aspects and the importance of this prestigious project for Infrabel and the Port of Antwerp. (more…)
Issue 1 2009, Past issues / 23 January 2009 /
Infrabel, the infrastructure manager of the Belgian railway network, is committed to investing strongly in the extension of the railway capacity towards the port of Antwerp. An important project in this respect is the construction of the Liefkenshoek rail connection, which will be realised with private capital by the special project company LOCORAIL NV, which was set up for this purpose. In an interview with European Railway Review, Luc Lallemand, CEO of Infrabel, speaks about the challenges, strategy and Infrabel’s investment related to this Public Private Partnership (PPP).
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Issue 1 2008, Past issues / 29 January 2008 /
Infrabel, the infrastructure manager of the Belgian railway network, has invested strongly in the extension of the railway capacity towards Brussels Airport. An important project in this respect is the construction of the Diabolo, which will be realised with private capital by the specifically set up project company, Northern Diabolo NV. In an interview with European Railway Review, Luc Lallemand, CEO of Infrabel, speaks about the challenges, strategy and Infrabel’s investment related to this Public Private Partnership (PPP).
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Issue 1 2008, Past issues / 29 January 2008 /
Infrabel, the Belgian railway infrastructure management company, is investing in the modernisation of its network control centres in a number of stages. The new Traffic Control centre and the concentration of signal boxes are two important projects in this context. In an interview with European Railway Review, Eddy Clement, Director General of Infrabel Network, talks about Infrabel’s planning, strategy and investment regarding this modernisation project.
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Issue 1 2008, Past issues / 29 January 2008 /
Within SNCB, B-Cargo is the division that is responsible for commercialising rail freight transport. In cooperation with the other companies of the SNCB Group, we provide customers with global logistics solutions that are at once competitive and attractive. With 2,160 miles (3,454km) of track, Belgium’s rail infrastructure is among the highest-density networks in the world.
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Issue 5 2007, Past issues / 26 September 2007 /
Infrabel, the infrastructure manager of the Belgian railway network, is investing strongly in the extension of a competitive, suitable railway infrastructure in various Belgian ports. These extensions support the development of the ports and will improve intermodality between rail and water. In an interview with European Railway Review, Luc Lallemand, CEO of Infrabel, speaks about the challenges, strategy and Infrabel’s port investments.
According to various studies, freight traffic at various Belgian ports is on the increase. This increase concerns not only the ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge but also the smaller ports of Ghent, Brussels, Ostend, Liège and Athus. For this reason, Infrabel is involved in various infrastructure projects in order to extend railway capacity and to support the expansion of the ports. By means of well-considered investment planning, the aim is to increase the share of the railways in the ports by making full use of existing and future railway potential. To follow is an overview of the most important infrastructure projects and investments in the various ports. (more…)
Issue 1 2007, Past issues / 6 February 2007 /
Belgium, at the heart of Europe’s railway network, is a key link in what is to become a vast interoperable network of high-speed lines covering Europe. Infrabel intends to take every advantage of the opportunities this will offer. The high-speed line between Brussels and the Dutch border will be put at the disposal of the operators in April 2007; the link between Brussels and the German border is scheduled for December 2007. European Railway Review spoke to Jean Marie Raviart, Director-General Infrastructure of Infrabel, about the final phase in the Belgian high-speed project.
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Issue 1 2007, Past issues / 6 February 2007 /
Every day, approximately 360,000 commuters travel into and out of Brussels and a further 50,000 or so are forecast to join their ranks by 2008. Against this background of increasing commuter numbers, and as road networks become increasingly congested, the Réseau Express Régional is undoubtedly the best solution for ensuring long-term mobility in and around Europe’s capital. European Railway Review met with Luc Lallemand, CEO of Infrabel, for an open talk about the RER project, the challenges and the investments.
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Issue 1 2007, Past issues / 6 February 2007 /
Operating a small rail network has its moments. Instead of being forced to go after huge parts of the European market to maintain competitiveness and thus being expected to operate a fleet of thousands of locomotives and coaches, a comparatively small railway company, such as CFL, enjoys the luxury of being able to invest into a few select areas, allowing them to micromanage and thus excel in them.
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