HSL 3
The HSL 3 ( Dutch: Hogesnelheidslijn 3, French: Ligne à grande LGV 3 or vitesse 3) is a Belgian high-speed line that runs from the Belgian city Chênée the German -Belgian border near Aachen. The route is part of the high-speed line Paris -Brussels- Cologne.
Route description
From Liège- Guillemins to Chênée station use on the new line trains traveling at a length of 4 km, first the old Wesertalstrecke. In Chênée begins with the tunnel of Soumagne then the new line. This topographically related, 6530 m long tunnel at Soumagne is the longest rail tunnel in Belgium. In addition, the route to yet another nine tunnels are between a few tens of meters and 1.2 km long.
Between the villages Soumagne and Herve the track meets the highway E 40 (or A3) and then runs parallel to it in traffic routes bundling up Walhorn. Behind Walhorn, about 24 km away, the new line ends and turns into a passable five kilometers long and 140 km / h speed rail line to the Belgian- German border. The existing line ( Wesertalstrecke ) is achieved at Hauset ( Geulvallei ).
Of the total 56 km of HSL 3 42 km of new track and 14 km rail line.
Together with the HSL HSL 1 and 2 forms the railway line, the Belgian East-West axis, with connections to Lille ( and London) and Paris. Unlike on the HSL 2 does not operate intercity trains from Ostend to Eupen about them, but continue to use the Wesertalstrecke about Verviers and Welkenraedt.
The maximum speed limit on the new line is 260 km / h only in the double-track tunnel Soumagne the speed of the trains is limited to 200 km / hr.
The construction costs for the new line amounted to 830 million euros.
Operation and history
After an agreement made in 1989 of the Minister of Transport involved in the project PBKA the Brussels -Aachen section should be completed in 1998.
In the fall of 2000, however, the lines of the track was still open. Topics discussed included a route along the highway and a crossing of the railway station Welkenraedt. The SNCB wanted to make building applications for both lines by year end. Based on the results of the environmental impact assessment, the route should then be determined. Favorited this was the highway variant.
In early 2001, the survey work had been completed. Construction of the track began in the same year. For the tunnel of the route in mid-2002 has a length of 6.2 km was planned; with the commissioning of the new line was expected for 2005.
The track has been structurally completed by 15 December 2007. Since the ICE and Thalys trains were not equipped at this time with the ETCS Level 2 signaling systems installed on the track, the commercial operation was delayed.
Only since June 2009 using the ICE trains the route, the journey time between Aachen and Liege is since then only 21 minutes instead of the previous 47 minutes, between Cologne and Brussels, 1 hour and 43 minutes. The Thalys is running on the track since the timetable change on 13 December 2009; the travel time between Cologne and Paris has thereby reduced to about 3 hours and 13 minutes. The top speed is 250 km / h
In connection with the Streckenbau the Liège train station of Liège - Guillemin has been rebuilt to designs by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava.
Technology
The track is consistently fitted with a ballasted track with monobloc concrete sleepers and UIC -60 rails.
Gallery
Ruyfftalbrücke the HSL 3 and E40
HSL3 at Walhorn
Walhorn Tunnel west portal
Walhorn Tunnel East Portal
Railway bridge Hauset
HSL 3 at Baelen
Hammerbrücke