Trams in Antwerp

The tram runs Antwerp since 1902 as an electric tram in the Belgian city of Antwerp. In addition to Brussels, Charleroi, Ghent and Ostend Antwerp operates one of five Belgian tram systems. The network comprises twelve lines serving seven urban districts and three neighboring communities. Since 1991, the tram is operated by the Flemish public transport company De Lijn. From 1929 to 1964 also added the trolleybus Antwerp tram.

• 3.1 line network before 31 August 2012

• 5.1 Implemented plans
• 5.2 Master Plan
• 5.3 Pegasus plan

History

The history of the tram Antwerp begins on May 25, 1873 the opening of the first horse-drawn tram line. The first electric trams in regular service wrong on 2 September 1902. During the first half of the 20th century Antwerp tram network was much more extensive than today, so wrong line 1 along the road from De Leien Noorderplaats the then South Station. Gradually many tram lines were shut down and converted to bus operation. Until 1990, the Antwerp Tram Maatschappij voor het by the intercommunaal Vervoer te Antwerpen was ( German: Society for the inter-municipal transport in Antwerp, MIVA ) operated. On 1 January 1991, the MIVA was ( German: the line ) together with the Ghent MIVG and the Flemish part of NMVB the Flemish transport company De Lijn merged. In 1996, the first tunnel section, the section Premetro Central Station ↔ Sportpaleis was opened.

The first lines (1913 )

In 1913, most of the existing lines in operation today, although sometimes in slightly different lines. A card from this year called the following lines:

Contrary to later practice meant the crossed out numbers longer trips, no shortening.

Interurban railways

The railways that the province of Antwerp have since Umspurung on meter gauge in 1920, the same gauge as the trams. Therefore, the railways that have to be used on some routes and the tracks of the tram. Since 1935, drove cross-country tracks through to Rooseveltplaats. Among other things, on the streets and De Leien Turnhoutsebaan also drove overland trams. During the subsequent extension of the line 3 by Keizershoek the central street track body of a former interurban streetcar line was again used.

Premetro

Antwerp had at the beginning of the 1970s, far-reaching plans to build a metro system. First, an underground tunnel between stops Groenplaats and Plantin with underground stations, Meir, Opera and diamond was opened on 25 May 1975. First run had trams in the tunnels, and later tunnels and stations as in Brussels should be converted for the use of full - metros. These plans for the underground operation have been abandoned, but there were more tram tunnel drilled with smaller stations. The tunnel under the Turnhoutsebaan and Kerkstraat remained under construction and are not used. Later, the tunnel of diamond was built by Schijnpoort and sports and taken for the tram lines 3, 5 and 6 in operation.

The big breakthrough for the underground rail came with the extension of the tunnel under the Scheldt through the district Linkeroever. Many visitors to the city center of Antwerp park their cars in large parking lots on the left bank of the Escaut and take the tram to the city center.

Developments since 2000

Line 3 was extended twice in 2002. On 16 February 2002, the 4.3 km long route between Antwerp and Linkeroever Zwijndrecht Melsele was opened. On 1 September 2002, the line was 3 again extended by 1.6 kilometers from Merksem after Keizershoek. At both terminals large free parking were created ( park and ride ).

On 4 March 2006, a new tram line was opened: Line 5 This runs between the Wim Saerensplein in Deurne and the Katwilgweg in Linkeroever. On the route between Sportpaleis and Linkeroever the new line uses the light rail tunnel. This had Antwerp since 2006, eleven tram lines, four of which are frequented by the tunnel.

This also had an impact on the tram lines 12 and 24, the line 12 was reduced to the distance between the Sportpaleis and the turning loop Montignystraat ( South Station ), the former terminus of the line 24 Line 24 took over the route to Schoonselhof in Hoboken from line 12.

On 29 April 2006, a new route on the Amerikalei the new terminal Bolivarplaats was opened, which is located at the new courthouse. This terminal was operated by the line 12 Sportpaleis ↔ Bolivarplaats. This is not is a completely new route: to the year 1965, she was serviced by lines 1 and 3, but was then in the South Station at this point.

On 2 May 2007 the line was extended to 8 Palace of Justice on Bolivarplaats.

On October 27, 2007, the power to the line 6 between Luchtbal ( Metropolis ) and Kiel ( Olympic Port ) has been extended. New infrastructure was not required for this line, since it is almost completely parallel to other tram lines. Only the course of the Groenendaallaan was originally a working link for inputs and Ausrückfahrten to the depot Punt aan de Lijn. The line 6 runs between the stations sports and Plantin by the light rail tunnel.

Since 15 May 2009, the line 8 stops on the Dascottelei and Herentalsebaan to Deurne Silsburg and is therefore up to the end point of the line 24 has been extended.

On 14 April 2012, the extension was taken after Wijnegem in operation. On this route, on lines 5 and 10

On 2 May 2012, the tram service was interrupted in the Nationalestraat. The lines were 4 and 8 cut.

On Monday, August 13, 2012, the extension of the line was taken over 15 Mortsel out to Boechout in operation.

Line network before 31 August 2012

= *** No direct comparison possible because line change compared to 2005 figures

The tram Antwerp promoted in the year 2010 120 million passengers (from 547 million in Flanders and 208 million in the province of Antwerp).

Line network since 1 September 2012,

On Saturday, September 1, 2012 different tram lines were modified, combined or closed down. It creates a new line 9 was introduced.

And 4 East - to a long line ( Hoboken - Silsburg ) - On February 4, 2013, since 1 September 2012, trains running under the same line number lines 4 South ( Marnixplaats Hoboken ) were ( Groenplaats Silsburg ) combined.

Trams with black line background and yellow letters go to one of the depots. Depots are in the district Luchtbal ( Punt aan de Lijn ) north of the city and in Hoboken ( Zwaantjes ) ​​. A new depot was taken on April 14, 2012 in Deurne near the stop Erdbrugge in operation.

Turning loops are available at all terminals and under the Sportpaleis ( city rail tunnel ) at Hauptbahnhof, on Koninklijkelaan in Berchem, on Leopoldplaats ( National Bank), on Marnixplaats in Antwerp -South, on Lambermontplaats (also in Antwerp South), at the South Station ( Montignystraat ) where Stenennbrug ( Turnhoutsebaan at the beginning of the E313 ), in Berchem Groenehoek ( Borsbeekbrug ) and at Groenplaats. At present, there are also turning loops at the former endpoints of the line 5 ( Wim Saerensplein ) and line 10 ( Schotensteenweg ).

The lines 2, 3, 5, 6, 9 and 15 run through the rail tunnel under the city center and with the exception of lines 2 and 6 also through the tunnel under the Scheldt.

Planning

All projects mentioned are part of the so-called Brabo tram projects.

Implemented plans

• Line after Wijnegem: In 2009, the preparatory work began on the Turnhoutsebaan ( Deurne ) to 10 extend the line to Wijnegem. Line 5 should be connected to the junction with the Ruggeveldlaan. ( Brabo I - taken on 14 April 2012 in operation)
• 2010-2012: Extension of Line 15 after Boechout. ( Brabo I - taken on August 13, 2012 in operation terminal is a turning loop at the eastern corner of the intersection of Liersesteenweg with the Borsbeeksesteenweg )
• 2010-2012: depot Deurne ( following the line Deurne - Wijnegem ) (- taken on April 14, 2012 in operating Brabo I)

Tracks on the Noorderlaan under construction.

The new track triangle at the bus stop Ruggeveld where the lines 5 and 10 come together.

New stop Ruggeveld provisionally used as a bus stop.

New loop at Boechout.

Master Plan

The Transportation Master Plan provides for Antwerp in addition to a number of investments in road and waterway construction, the extension and the construction of new tram lines before:

• 2012 - 2015: tram line to the border Ekeren and tram on the Eilandje and in the Brusselstraat ( between Bolivarplaats and South Station ). Execution of the project Brabo II
• 2012 - 2015: Construction of the Noorderleien, with its own rail body. Execution of the project Brabo II
• 2013 - 2014: Distance to Beveren. The execution is combined with the construction of the N 70.
• 2013 - 2014: Completion of the entire route Sint- Pietersvliet ↔ Havenhuis, so that employees can the just completed Havenhuis the train commuting to work.
• After 2015: extension of line 24 after Hemiksem.
• After 2015: extension of line 15 after Kontich.
• After 2015: Extension of Line 2 to the north of Linkeroever.
• After 2015: Further extension of the lines 5 s 10 to the border shields.
• After 2015: extension of the line 11 via Borsbeek after Wommelgem.
• After 2015: Further extension of line 24 from Schoonselhof after clamp.
• After 2015: Tramway from Bolivarplaats to the still to be built municipality Nieuw -Zuid.
• After 2015: extension of the tram line to Ekeren further Leugenberg.

Pegasus plan

The Pegasus plan for the future of public transport in Flanders from 2004 provides for the commissioning of the unused rail tunnel under the Turnhoutsebaan after Borgerhout Antwerp. About a tunnel ramp on the Herentalsebaan this tunnel is to be connected to the current route of line 24. The new line would then be extended from the current terminal Silsburg the roundabout and P R car park Wommelgem. However, the above-ground tram route on the Turnhoutsebaan should be maintained, as in this plan, only the opening of a tunnel stop Zegel is provided. This is the new underground connection to a real fast tram line. The line 10 is provisionally remain completely above ground.

Vehicle park

The track width of the Antwerp tram network is 1000 mm ( meter gauge ) and the driving chip drying 600 volts. The network is designed for facility Cart: There are no crossovers and the tunnels any signals to the opposite track. Until the introduction of the PCC cars in the 1960s, the power supply via roller pantograph was. It was then converted to scissor pantograph.

Between 1960 and 1974, the MIVA procured 165 four-axle PCC cars ( spread over 5 orders) at La Brugeoise et Nivelles (BN ) in Brugge and ACEC Charleroi. A majority of these tracks was renewed in the 1990s with the introduction of Hermelijn trains, to make it compatible for use in tunnels. This new doors, a clutch system, new seats and a chopper control were installed. These cars are to be used for some time. From the oldest PCC Series 20 were scrapped. The very first car is operable in Vlaams Tram -en bus museum in the Berchem district. The modernized PCC cars operating on the line 24 is always in double traction and occasionally on lines 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 11

In November 2009, there were 229 railcars in use, of which 155 PCC cars and 74 Hermelijn - cars, which are mainly used on lines 2, 3, 5, 8, 11 and 15. These low-floor trams, which are largely identical NGT6DD with the articulated railcar used in Dresden, were manufactured at Bombardier's Bautzen since 1999. On the lines 3, 5 and 15 runs the latest Hermelijn generation, which is equipped with wheelchair lift for wheelchair users and automatic stops announcement.

End of 2011, 13 Hermelijn webs were still supplied, so the last option from the delivery contract has been redeemed. Meanwhile, there are plans for further modernization and expansion of the vehicle fleet. It is, however, another type of car must be obtained, because the type Hermelijn is no longer produced.