Infrabel

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Infrabel
SNCB-Holding [fr], state of Belgium
DivisionsInfrastructure, network, network access
SubsidiariesTUC Rail, Brussels Creosote Centre
Websitehttp://www.infrabel.be

Infrabel is a Belgian

government-owned public limited company. It builds, owns, maintains and upgrades the Belgian railway network
, makes its capacity available to railway operator companies, and handles train traffic control.

Infrabel was created on 1 January 2005 from the split of the once unitary

EBT
to €69.61 million. The balance sheet total as of 31 December 2009 was €13.8 billion.

By 31 December 2009, Infrabel oversaw 3,578 kilometres of

SNCF Fret, TrainsporT AG and ERS Railways BV. In the following year, 492 freight and 4,132 passenger train paths per day were delivered by Infrabel.[1] Since 1 January 2014, Infrabel has been an Autonomous Public Company and is no longer owned by SNCB-Holding.[2] The company has two direct subsidiaries: TUC Rail NV/SA and the Brussels Creosote Centre (Creosoteer Centrum Van Brussel/Chantier de Creosotage de Bruxelles NV/SA). Additionally, Infrabel is a partner in the EuroCarex high-speed railway freight
project.

History

During the early to mid 2000s, the National Railway Company of Belgium (SNCB/NMBS) was substantially reorganised, partially in order to comply with relevant legislation set out by the European Union; the railway infrastructure management company Infrabel was created in January 2005 as one of several new railway companies established at this time.[3] SNCB continued to exist as an operator of both passenger and freight trains upon the Belgian railway network, while Infrabel took on the construction, modernisation, maintenance, traffic management, and safe operation of the Belgium rail infrastructure. In addition to regular operations, the new entity was quick to involve itself in multiple public–private partnerships to bring about a variety of improvements.[3] One early focus area for investment by Infrabel was the various ports across Belgium, such works were largely focused on electrification, new signalling systems, and the installation of additional tracks to better facilitate intermodal freight movements.[4]

Between 2005 and 2007, the organisation's first two years of operations, Infrabel allocated 27 percent of its €3.314 billion investment budget into maintenance activities, while 20 percent was expended on infrastructure expansion. Modernisation efforts at this time included the renovation of existing signal boxes as well as ten separate major projects primarily aimed at capacity expansion.[5] During late 2006, a new communication centre for Belgium's railways, simply referred to as Traffic Control, came into operation, integrating the former national and regional dispatching centres to guide trains through all lines of the Belgian rail network in real time; this involved the phased replacement of aging electromechanical apparatus with computer-controlled EBP-PLP (Elektronische Bedieningspost – Poste à Logique programmée) counterparts that has allowed for a drastic reduction in the number of signal boxes required, from 368 to 31 modern control centres.[6]

In 2010, Infrabel CEO Luc Lallemand publicly voiced his support of new railway operations legislation produced by the

ICE, the latter being operated under licence from SNCB; furthermore, in excess of 200 private companies were using the network to move freight, much of which was going between major logistical hubs at ports.[8]

One of Infrabel's earliest investment programmes was the Diabolo project, which involved the construction of a direct underground rail link to

heavy goods vehicles at level crossings.[15]

During the late 2000s and 2010s, Infrabel undertook the necessary infrastructure work to facilitate the commencement of the

Brussels Regional Express Network, a new suburban commuter rail service serving the capital; the project was financed via a separate budget to Infrabel's regular activities.[16] Infrabel was also responsible for delivering the HSL 4 high-speed rail line running between Brussels and the country's northern border with the Netherlands to connect with HSL-Zuid, permitting international high speed train services to be operated between the two countries.[17]

Throughout the 2010s, multiple broad programmes aimed at modernising railway infrastructure were enacted. Specifically, Belgium's overhead electrification, covering 3,024km (roughly 85%) of the 3,592km of rail lines in the Belgian network, was progressive modernised, standardised, and (in some places) converted from 3kV direct current to 25kV (25,000 Volt) alternating current.[18] Infrabel has also been deploying the European Train Control System (ETCS) along strategic corridors, replacing obsolete and less effective signalling apparatus in the process; in August 2015, a €510 million contract to install such equipment along 2,200 km of track was issued to Siemens and Cofely-Fabricom.[19] by 2016, the 429km Antwerp–Athus route has been fully converted, in the process commissioning the longest ETCS railway line on a conventional rail line in Europe.[20] In 2016, it was announced that two additional tracks would be built to expand the capacity of the Brussels–Denderleeuw line, which was the busiest route in Belgium.[21] Furthermore, where reasonable to do so, Infrabel has also been eliminating level crossings, often by building new roads, bridges, or tunnels, with the twin aims of reducing accident rates and improving punctuality.[22]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Infrabel.

References

  1. ^ "Right On Track". Infrabel. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
  2. ^ On 1 January 2014, the SNCB-Holding merged with the SNCB company, (which disappeared) and took over the name SNCB.
  3. ^ a b c d "Bright future for Belgium". globalrailwayreview.com. 14 February 2006.
  4. ^ "Strong port investments to create efficient Intermodal links". globalrailwayreview.com. 26 September 2007.
  5. ^ "Infrastructure maintenance and extension". globalrailwayreview.com. 14 February 2006.
  6. ^ "Investment in improved safety and regularity". globalrailwayreview.com. 29 January 2008.
  7. ^ "Rail Infrastructure Managers welcome overhaul of European railway laws". globalrailwayreview.com. 17 September 2010.
  8. ^ "Infrabel's client oriented strategy in a liberalised railway market". globalrailwayreview.com. 15 February 2011.
  9. ^ "Strong investments to improve Brussels Airport rail accessibility". globalrailwayreview.com. 29 January 2008.
  10. ^ "Infrabel is putting the finishing touches to its Diabolo project". globalrailwayreview.com. 6 February 2012.
  11. ^ "Infrabel tests new Diabolo railway infrastructure". globalrailwayreview.com. 25 April 2012.
  12. ^ "The Liefkenshoek rail connection PPP". globalrailwayreview.com. 23 January 2009.
  13. ^ "Infrabel feverishly continues working on Liefkenshoek rail link". globalrailwayreview.com. 28 January 2010.
  14. ^ "Official opening of the Liefkenshoek rail link". globalrailwayreview.com. 10 December 2014.
  15. ^ "Infrabel launches new safety campaign at level crossings in the Port of Antwerp". globalrailwayreview.com. 10 April 2013.
  16. ^ "On track for greater mobility". globalrailwayreview.com. 6 February 2007.
  17. ^ "Belgian high-speed: project completion in sight". globalrailwayreview.com. 6 February 2007.
  18. ^ "Infrabel continues overhead line modernisation work". globalrailwayreview.com. 12 February 2014.
  19. ^ "Belgian railway network to receive ETCS Level 2 modernisation". globalrailwayreview.com. 4 August 2015.
  20. ^ "Infrabel's recent ETCS milestones". globalrailwayreview.com. 2 July 2016.
  21. ^ "Two new tracks for Belgium's busiest railway line". globalrailwayreview.com. 25 May 2016.
  22. ^ "Infrabel's replacement, renewal and awareness-raising strategy". globalrailwayreview.com. 13 October 2015.

External links

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