Mechelen–Terneuzen RailwayMechelen–Terneuzen RailwayRailway line 54 Mechelen - Terneuzen Railway line 54 is a Belgian-Dutch railway line between Mechelen and Terneuzen that is over 67 kilometers long in total. Only the parts of the connection with railway line 55 at Terneuzen to the Axelse plain and from Mechelen to Sint-Niklaas are in use. Mechelen–Terneuzen Railway History Railway line 54 was built and operated by the private railway company Société Anonyme du Chemin de Fer International de Malines à Terneuzen, or MT for short, founded in 1861. The aim of this north-south connection was to increase the sales of coal from the Charleroi basin on the one hand, and to promote international transport through Belgium on the other. The railway played a very important role in economic and social life, and was of decisive importance for the development and mobility of the provinces of East Flanders and Antwerp, in particular the regions of Waasland and Klein-Brabant. That is why the city and municipal authorities of Sint-Niklaas (where the company's headquarters were located), Temse, Bornem, Puurs and Willebroek also contributed (significantly) to the financing of the railway. In the Netherlands, the railway was mainly important for the development of the port of Terneuzen and the expansion of the sales area for Zeeland agricultural products. To bridge the 67 km between Hombeek (Mechelen) and the connection to the Ghent-Terneuzen line, 3 bridges had to be built: in Willebroek, Temse and Sluiskil (Netherlands). The bridge in Temse - the most difficult task in the project - was designed by the French engineer Gustave Eiffel, the man who would later also build the Eiffel Tower. The first bridge over the Scheldt between Temse and Bornem was 343 metres long and was completed in 1870. The first passenger service between Mechelen and Temse was established in 1870. The railway experienced significant growth and prosperity and underlined its great socio-economic importance. During World War I, the bridge suffered serious damage (especially the movable part), but it continued to function and was completely restored in 1924. The company continued to grow and enjoy success until the 1920s. The economic crash in the 1930s led to a turnaround, followed by World War II. In May 1940, the Temsebrug was blown up for strategic reasons by Belgian and (mainly) French engineers. The Second World War was the death blow for the MT company. In 1948, the operation of the line was transferred to the NMBS in Belgium and to the NS in the Netherlands. The Mechelen-Terneuzen company was officially dissolved in 1951. Mechelen–Terneuzen Railway Possible Closure In September 2021, it leaked that Infrabel was considering closing the line, along with three other railway lines. This was said to be due to the savings that the federal government wanted to impose on the railway company. Due to the many criticisms from local authorities, it was announced that Infrabel would not close the section after all. Mechelen–Terneuzen Railway Current Status The line is single-track and electrified from Mechelen to Sint-Niklaas, with the possibility of crossing at every station, except that of Bornem. As far as the Sint-Niklaas - Terneuzen section is concerned, passenger traffic was discontinued on 6 October 1951 (Hulst - Terneuzen) and on 18 May 1952 (Sint-Niklaas - Hulst). Freight traffic on the Sint-Niklaas - De Klinge section (border with the Netherlands ) was discontinued in October 1975. On the bed of the Sint-Niklaas - Hulst route (previously up to De Klinge) there is a cycle and walking path (the route) in asphalt that is part of the cycle route network of Waasland and Zeeland, it runs perpendicularly from a bend named Mechelen-Terneuzenwegel west of Sint-Niklaas station along the Stationstraat of Sint-Gillis-Waas to another bend in Hulst, south of the Buitenvest and east of the Stationsplein. The section from Sint-Niklaas to the Dutch border is cycle highway F411. The Dutch part of the route still exists partly as a non-electrified, mostly single-track freight line from Terneuzen to the Sluiskil -Oost industrial estate and from there to the industrial estate in the Axelse Vlakte. Freight traffic on the De Klinge - Axel-aansluiting section was discontinued in July 1968. This eastern part of the route to the border with Belgium was removed in 1984. Its location is partly recognisable in the landscape, usually as borders between fields but also by some street names such as the Oude Spoorbaan and the Stationsstraat in Axel and the Stationsplein in Hulst. Mechelen–Terneuzen Railway Train Services The NMBS provides passenger transport with L and P trains Series Connection Comments
In the following places there is or was a connection to the following railway lines:
Mechelen–Terneuzen Railway Route: (Mechelen) Y Heike - Terneuzen Mechelen–Terneuzen Railway Total Length: 62.5 km Mechelen–Terneuzen Railway Track Gauge: standard gauge 1435 mm Mechelen–Terneuzen Railway Created By: Société Anonyme du Chemin de Fer International de Malines à Terneuzen Mechelen–Terneuzen Railway Opened: Y Heike - Bornem: 28 July 1870 Bornem - Sint Niklaas: 30 November 1870 Sint Niklaas - Terneuzen: 10 April 1871 Mechelen–Terneuzen Railway Originaly Closed: Sint-Niklaas - Hulst: May 18, 1952 Hulst - Terneuzen: October 6, 1951 Mechelen–Terneuzen Railway Closed: Sint-Niklaas - De Klinge: October 1975 De Klinge - Axel connection: July 1968 Mechelen–Terneuzen Railway Current Status: Y Heike - Sint Niklaas: in use Sint Niklaas - Axel connection: broken up Axelse Vlakte - Terneuzen: in use Mechelen–Terneuzen Railway Electrified: Y Heike - Saint Nicholas: 1985 Mechelen–Terneuzen Railway Number of Tracks: 1 Mechelen–Terneuzen Railway Track Section Speed: 120 km/h Mechelen–Terneuzen Railway Train Service Through: NMBS Mechelen–Terneuzen Railway Route Map line 53 from Leuven 0.0 Y Heike line 53 to Schellebelle 2.0 Reads 5.0 Tisselt 6.9 Blowing field Iron Bridge Brussels-Scheldt Sea Canal line 61 from Aalst dismantled 8.3 Willebroek line 61 to Kontich dismantled 10.2 Calffort line 52 from Antwerp-South 13.6 Pure line 52 to Dendermonde museum line 17.5 Bornem Temsebrug, Scheldt border Antwerp - East Flanders 21.0 Temse 24.6 Own line 59 from Y East-Berchem 29.2 Saint Nicholas line 56 to/from Y Grembergen dismantled line 59 to Ghent-Dampoort 32.7 Saint Paul's 33.2 Saint-Gilles-Waas line 77 to Zelzate 35.2 Calf 37.5 The Klinge 39.2 43.4 border Belgium - Netherlands Tram line from Walsoorden / Perkpolder dismantled 47.9 Holly 52.8 Look out Kloosterzande tram line dismantled 57.5 Axel tram line to Drieschouwen dismantled Axel Plain line 55 from Ghent-Sint-Pieters dismantled 63.0 Lockskil line 55 from Ghent-Sint-Pieters 66.7 Terneuzen | |||||
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