The Coast Tram (Dutch: Kusttram) is a public transport service connecting the cities and towns along the Belgian (West Flanders) coast between De Panne, near the French border, and Knokke-Heist, near the Dutch border. At 67 kilometres (42 mi) in length, it is currently (as of November 2023) the world's longest metre gaugetram line in service,[1] and the second-longest light rail service in the world after the A Line of the Los Angeles Metro Rail system,[2] as well as one of the few interurban tramways in the world to remain in operation. The line is fully electrified at 600 VDC.
What is now the coast line started out as part of the extensive Belgian Vicinal tramway, a network of interurban trams that once covered the entire nation. The first section of the coast line between Ostend and Nieuwpoort was opened in 1885. Although the original route was further inland than the modern one, only short parts of the original section in Ostend and Nieuwpoort centres are still in operation. On its creation, the line was managed by the NMVB (Nationale Maatschappij van Buurtspoorwegen), that operated an interurban tram system throughout Belgium. In 1991, the NMVB/SNCV was broken into two regional companies, one Walloon and the other Flemish, with the Flemish successor company, Vlaamse Vervoermaatschappij De Lijn taking responsibility for operation of the coastal tram.
Characteristicsedit
A CAF Urbos "Zeelijner" unit at Domein Raversijde
The service makes 67[3] stops along the almost 67 km (42 mi) line, with a tram running every 10 min during the peak summer months (every 20 min in the winter months), and it is used by over 15[4] million passengers per year. In 2021–22, 48 new CAF Urbos "Zeelijner" trams entered into service to replace all the older BN series 6000 (similar to the Métro Léger de Charleroi LRV fleet and to a lesser extent, the LRTA 1000 class of the Manila Light Rail Transit Systemyellow line, retired on 23 September 2023) and HermeLijn trams (the latter mainly loaned from Ghent and Antwerp in the summer from 2006–2022). They are completely low-floor and longer than the old trams.
All trams, except the loaner HermeLijn Ghent trams, are unidirectional and have to be turned on a loop in order to reverse direction.
Notable features are the sea-view between Ostend and Middelkerke, the tracks through the dunes at De Haan, the fast speed, the two alternative routes that exist around both ends of the Leopoldkanaal locks, and the similar single track diversion around the inland end of the Boudewijnkanaal lock.
The maximum speed is officially 70 kilometres per hour (43 mph). This speed is common between the villages.
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The Coast Tram Dutch Kusttram is a public transport service connecting the cities and towns along the Belgian West Flanders coast between De Panne near the French border and Knokke Heist near the Dutch border At 67 kilometres 42 mi in length it is currently as of November 2023 the world s longest metre gauge tram line in service 1 and the second longest light rail service in the world after the A Line of the Los Angeles Metro Rail system 2 as well as one of the few interurban tramways in the world to remain in operation The line is fully electrified at 600 V DC Coast TramMap of the routeOverviewNative nameKusttramStatusIn ServiceOwnerDe LijnLocaleBelgian coastal towns from Knokke Heist to De Panne Websitehttps www dekusttram be en De KusttramServiceSystemDe Lijn formerly National Company of Light RailwaysDepot s Adinkerke De Panne Nieuwpoortsesteenweg Ostend Knokke HeistRolling stock48 CAF Urbos Zeelijner HistoryOpened1885 138 years ago 1885 TechnicalLine length67 km 42 mi Track gauge1 000 mm 3 ft 3 3 8 in metre gaugeElectrificationOverhead line 600 V DCRoute mapLegendKnokke stationDuinbergen WatertorenDuinbergenHeist HeldenpleinHeist DijkZeebrugge ZeesluisPierre Vandamme lockZeebrugge KerkVisart lockZeebrugge VaartZeebrugge StrandwijkDuinse Polders loopBlankenberge Duinse PoldersBlankenberge Sealife FlorealBlankenberge PierBlankenberge stationBlankenberge MarktHarendijke wyeWenduine HarendijkeWenduine ManitobaWenduine CentrumWenduine MolenWenduine KonijnenpadZwarte Kiezel loopDe Haan Zwarte KiezelDe Haan WaterkasteellaanDe Haan aan ZeeDe Haan PreventoriumDe Haan VosseslagBredene RenbaanBredene CampingsBredene aan ZeeOostende Duin en ZeeOostende Weg naar Vismijnlock to VlotdokOostende stationOostende Marie JosepleinOostende KoninginnelaanSportstraat wyeto Nieuwpoortse Steenweg depotOostende RenbaanOostende NorthlaanMariakerke BadOostende RavelingenOostende RaversijdeRaversijde Domein RaversijdeMiddelkerke De GreefpleinMiddelkerke CasinoMiddelkerke VerhaeghelaanMiddelkerke KrokodielWestende Belle VueWestende BadWestende Sint LaureinsLombardsijde ZeelaanLombardsijde SchoolstraatNieuwpoort StadNieuwpoort CardijnlaanNieuwpoort YsermondeNieuwpoort BadNieuwpoort ZonnebloemZonnebloem wyeOostduinkerke Groenendijk BadOostduinkerke DuinparkOostduinkerke BadOostduinkerke SchipgatKoksijde LejeunelaanKoksijde BadKoksijde Ster der ZeeKoksijde Sint IdesbaldDe Panne GolfstraatDe Panne CentrumDe Panne EsplanadeDP wye terminus to De Panne depot museum De Panne KerkDe Panne Moeder LambicDe Panne PlopsalandAdinkerke loopAdinkerke depotDe Panne station Contents 1 History 2 Characteristics 3 Gallery 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory editWhat is now the coast line started out as part of the extensive Belgian Vicinal tramway a network of interurban trams that once covered the entire nation The first section of the coast line between Ostend and Nieuwpoort was opened in 1885 Although the original route was further inland than the modern one only short parts of the original section in Ostend and Nieuwpoort centres are still in operation On its creation the line was managed by the NMVB Nationale Maatschappij van Buurtspoorwegen that operated an interurban tram system throughout Belgium In 1991 the NMVB SNCV was broken into two regional companies one Walloon and the other Flemish with the Flemish successor company Vlaamse Vervoermaatschappij De Lijn taking responsibility for operation of the coastal tram Characteristics edit nbsp A CAF Urbos Zeelijner unit at Domein RaversijdeThe service makes 67 3 stops along the almost 67 km 42 mi line with a tram running every 10 min during the peak summer months every 20 min in the winter months and it is used by over 15 4 million passengers per year In 2021 22 48 new CAF Urbos Zeelijner trams entered into service to replace all the older BN series 6000 similar to the Metro Leger de Charleroi LRV fleet and to a lesser extent the LRTA 1000 class of the Manila Light Rail Transit System yellow line retired on 23 September 2023 and HermeLijn trams the latter mainly loaned from Ghent and Antwerp in the summer from 2006 2022 They are completely low floor and longer than the old trams All trams except the loaner HermeLijn Ghent trams are unidirectional and have to be turned on a loop in order to reverse direction Notable features are the sea view between Ostend and Middelkerke the tracks through the dunes at De Haan the fast speed the two alternative routes that exist around both ends of the Leopoldkanaal locks and the similar single track diversion around the inland end of the Boudewijnkanaal lock The maximum speed is officially 70 kilometres per hour 43 mph This speed is common between the villages Gallery edit nbsp Tram in Ostend Henegouwenstraat stop abandoned nbsp Ostend old tramstation demolished in 2019 nbsp Tram in Oostende station Ostend demolished in 2019 nbsp Tram leaving De Haan station nbsp De Haan station in service in 1902 nbsp A couple of trams in De Haan station nbsp Tracks between De Haan and Wenduine nbsp Depot at Adinkerke nbsp Classic tram in 1980s Blankenberge nbsp In 1986 Nieuwpoort nbsp Ostend in 1982 nbsp Also in 1982 Oostende station Ostend See also editDe Lijn List of town tramway systems in Belgium NMVB SNCVReferences edit Facts amp Figures Yarra Trams Archived from the original on 29 May 2014 Retrieved 16 April 2013 Morino Douglas 2023 06 23 L A Opens Its New Light Rail Link The New York Times Retrieved 2023 07 26 website de lijn see Kusttram on Wikipedia External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Coastal tram Belgium in English De Kusttram Official site in English De Lijn Official site in Dutch Buurtspoorweg foto archief in Dutch TRAMANIA Buurtspoorweg sponsoring in English UrbanRail net page Cab Ride video of the entire line 51 15 54 N 3 00 20 E 51 26495 N 3 00544 E 51 26495 3 00544 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Coast Tram amp oldid 1181207217, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
