Coast Tram (Belgium)

The Coast Tram (Dutch: Kusttram) is a public transport service connecting the cities and towns along the entire 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 the world's longest tram/light rail line currently in service,[1] as well as one of the few interurban tramways in the world to remain in operation. The line is built at 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) metre gauge and fully electrified at 600 V DC.

Coast Tram
Kusttram
De Lijn Vicinal Tramways
Map of the route
Operation
LocaleBelgian coastal towns from Knokke-Heist to De Panne.
Open1885
StatusIn Service
Owner(s)De Lijn
Infrastructure
Track gauge1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) metre gauge
Electrification600 V DC
Depot(s)Adinkerke, De Panne, Nieuwpoortsesteenweg, Oostende, Knokke-Heist
StockBN series 6000, + HermeLijn from Antwerp or Ghent.(temporary)
Statistics
Route length67 km (41.63 mi)
WebsiteDe Kusttram
Belgian Coast Tram
Knokke Station
Duinbergen Watertoren
 Duinbergen
 Heist Heldenplein
 Heist Dijk
 Zeebrugge Zeesluis
Bridges over Pierre Vandamme lock
Zeebrugge Kerk
Bridges over Visart lock
Zeebrugge Vaart
 Zeebrugge Strandwijk
 Turning loop Duinse Polders
 Blankenberge Duinse Polders
 Blankenberge Sealife-Floreal
 Blankenberge Pier
 Blankenberge Station
 Blankenberge Markt
Turning wye Harendijke
 Wenduine Harendijke
 Wenduine Manitoba
 Wenduine Centrum
 Wenduine Molen
 Wenduine Konijnenpad
 Turning loop Zwarte Kiezel
 De Haan Zwarte Kiezel
 De Haan Waterkasteellaan
 De Haan aan Zee
 De Haan Preventorium
 De Haan Vosseslag
 Bredene Renbaan
 Bredene Campings
 Bredene aan Zee
 Oostende Duin en Zee
 Oostende Weg naar Vismijn
Bridges over lock to Vlotdok
Oostende Station
 Oostende Marie-Joséplein
 Oostende Koninginnelaan
Turning wye Sportstraat plus track to depot Nieuwpoortse Steenweg.
 Oostende Renbaan
 Oostende Northlaan
 Mariakerke Bad
 Oostende Ravelingen
 Oostende Raversijde
 Raversijde Domein Raversijde
 Middelkerke De Greefplein
 Middelkerke Casino
 Middelkerke Verhaeghelaan
 Middelkerke Krokodiel
 Westende Belle Vue
Westende Bad
Westende Sint-Laureins
 Lombardsijde Zeelaan
 Lombardsijde Schoolstraat
 Nieuwpoort Stad
 Nieuwpoort Cardijnlaan
 Nieuwpoort Ysermonde
 Nieuwpoort Bad
 Nieuwpoort Zonnebloem
Turning wye Zonnebloem
 Oostduinkerke Groenendijk Bad
 Oostduinkerke Duinpark
 Oostduinkerke Bad
 Oostduinkerke Schipgat
 Koksijde Lejeunelaan
 Koksijde Bad
 Koksijde Ster der Zee
 Koksijde Sint-Idesbald
 De Panne Golfstraat
 De Panne Centrum
 De Panne Esplanade
Turning wye DP terminus + track to depot De Panne(museum-tram-depot)
 De Panne Kerk
 De Panne Moeder Lambic
 De Panne Plopsaland
Turning loop Adinkerke
Adinkerke depot
De Panne Station

In 2022, the A Line in Los Angeles, California will supersede the Coast Tram at 79.7 kilometres (49.5 mi) as the longest light rail/interurban line in the world.[2]

History

The first section of the line between Ostend and Nieuwpoort was opened in 1885, although the original route was further inland than the modern one and only short parts of the original section in Oostende 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
The Belgian Coast Tram near Ostend

The service makes 67[3] stops along the ca.67 km 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. The service has been made more accessible by new low-floor centre sections to existing vehicles and a few new HermeLijn low-floor trams.(temporary,in summer) (from Ghent and Antwerp). In 2021, new CAF trams will come into service to replace the old trams. They are completely low-floor and longer than the old trams.

While most of the older trams are unidirectional and so have to be turned on a loop in order to reverse direction, the newer ones are bidirectional, with driving positions and doors on both end/sides.

Interesting features are the sea-view between Oostende and Middelkerke, the tracks through the dunes at De Haan, the high-speed, and the two alternative routes that exist around both ends of the Leopoldkanaal locks, just east of Zeebrugge, and the similar single track diversion around the inland end of the Boudewijnkanaal lock. That avoids delays when the road bridge that the tram line normally follows is raised for boats passing under it. There is a similar feature at the southern end of Ostend station around the lock entrance to the Vlotdok.

The maximum speed is official 78 kilometres per hour (48 mph). This speed is common between the villages.

  • Tram in Oostende Henegouwenstraat stop (abandoned)
  • Ostend(old tramstation, demolished in 2019)
  • Tram in Oostende station (demolished in 2019)
  • Tram leaving De Haan station
  • De Haan station(in service in 1902)
  • A couple of trams in De Haan station
  • Tracks between De Haan and Wenduine
  • Depot at Adinkerke
  • Classic tram in 1980s (Blankenberge)
  • In 1986 Nieuwpoort
  • Oostende in 1982
  • Also in 1982 Oostende

See also

References
  1. "Facts & Figures". Yarra Trams. Archived from the original on 29 May 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  2. Broverman, Neal (2016-10-07). "Metro's Regional Connector Will Change Everything Los Angeles Magazine". Los Angeles Magazine. Retrieved 2020-01-27.
  3. website "de lijn"
  4. see: Kusttram on Wikipedia.

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