HSL 4
The HSL 4, also referred to as Hogesnelheidslijn 4, the Belgian part of the high-speed railway route Schiphol- Antwerp, Amsterdam ( Netherlands) and Antwerp (Belgium ) together. The Dutch part is referred to as HSL Zuid. On 15 June 2009, the regular operation was - on a section between Noorderkempen and Antwerp - was added.
- 2.1 Operating
Course
Paris -Antwerp
The French part of Paris- Amsterdam is called LGV Nord and runs from Paris Gare du Nord via Lille to Belgium. There is, the new HSL 1, which leads to the Brussels South train station. North of Brussels, the existing railway line is used to Antwerp; there is a newly built tunnel station is approached under the Antwerp Central Station, so that the trains no longer have to turn in above-ground railway terminus, but the city can pass under direct ( see article Antwerp Central Station ).
Antwerp - Dutch border
North of Antwerp starts the new line HSL 4 and follows the highway E 19 on the Dutch border at Hazeldonk she goes on in the HSL -Zuid and continues to Rotterdam. In Brecht ( Belgium), the new long-distance traffic station Noorderkempen was built.
History
1986 at a Ministerial Conference, a policy decision was taken to a high- speed line. In 1996, the HSL -Zuid was decided as a major project by the Parliament and reached an agreement with Belgium concerning the extension.
In spring 1999, the Dutch Government, high-speed rail agreed to as part of a Public Private Partnership. While the government wanted to fund the construction of the line in full ( eight billion guilders ), private partners for the equipment type and maintenance requirements should be. From the winner of the tender seed funding in the amount of about 1.5 billion guilders was expected.
In March 2000, construction began.
The end of 2000, the four candidates were announced for the concession:
- Arriva Nederland and the German railway
- Connexxion, CGEA Connex and SJ International
- NS Reizigers, NV Koninklijke Luchvaartmaatschappij ( KLM ) as well as
- Stagecoach Holdings
On 11 May 2001, a Memorandum of Understanding between the Dutch Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure and the Infraspeed consortium was signed in The Hague. For the provision of infrastructure over a period of 30 years (five years construction and 25 years of maintenance), therefore performance-related payments of more than 2.5 billion euros were provided. It was the biggest PPP contract, which was awarded by then by the Dutch government. The opening section of the Rotterdam -Antwerp was then scheduled for mid- 2005. The signing of a management contract for the period 2006-2020 had been expected for 12 October 2001. The route should go into operation in autumn 2006; An hourly train pair should run from Amsterdam to Brussels, half of these traits on to Paris. More rapid transit relations should be established between The Hague and Brussels, as well as between Breda and Brussels.
In spring 2004 the SNCB announced that they intend to offer any traffic between Antwerp and Breda after completion of the HSL Zuid due to lack of profitability.
Numerous difficulties, in particular with the ETCS train control system, led to multiple delays.
In the context of testing provided the Thalys PBKA unit 4305 with 331 km / h on February 26, 2006 set a new speed record for rail vehicles in the Netherlands. The tests with the Thalys began on February 14.
On 29 May 2009 the long-distance traffic station Noorderkempen the regular operation was put into operation on June 15 received from there to Antwerp.
Operation
The high speed train Thalys, connecting Amsterdam with Brussels and Paris, transits the route since December 2009, full-length, the maximum speed is 300 km / h Since December 9, 2012 also use 10 Fyra trains the route per day in each direction.
Technology
The Elektrizierung the track was supported by the SNCF, under a fixed technology transfer.