HSL 4

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The HSL 4 (Dutch: Hoge SnelheidsLijn, lit. High Speed Line) is a Belgian high-speed rail line currently under construction which will connect Brussels to the Dutch border. 87 km long (40 km dedicated high speed tracks, 57 km modernised lines), it is scheduled for completion by 2007.

Together with the HSL 1 to the French border, the line will greatly accelerate journeys between Brussels, Paris and the Netherlands. HSL 4 will be used by Thalys trains as well as fast internal InterCity and High Speed Alliance (HSA) trains.

[edit] Route

From Brussels-Midi station, trains travel northwards through Central and North stations. At Schaarbeek the line splits in two; the eastern branch continues to Liège and the German border, the northern branch towards Antwerp and the Dutch border. Between Brussels and Antwerp (47 km), trains travel at 160 km/h on the upgraded existing line (with the exception of a few segments where a speed limit of 120 km/h is imposed).

At Antwerp, a tunnel under the city is being constructed to permit high-speed trains to run directly through Antwerpen-Centraal station to the new high-speed line north of the city. Trains will enter the 1.5 km long, two-tube tunnel at 90 km/h.

The line returns to the surface at Antwerpen-Dam station, and after crossing the Albert canal, joins the existing Antwerp-Essen line. At the E19/A12 motorway junction, trains leave the regular line to run on new dedicated high-speed tracks to the Dutch border (40 km) at 300 km/h. The route parallels the E19 motorway until the border, which has required the building of several bridges.

The line passes through Schoten, Brasschaat, Brecht, Wuustwezel, and Hoogstraten, before crossing the border into the Netherlands and connecting to the Dutch HSL-Zuid (currently under construction).

[edit] Stations

Antwerpen-Centraal station is being completely reorganised. A tunnel is being constructed so as to permit the passage of trains under the city, additionally creating a subterranean junction between between Berchem station and Antwerpen-Dam station, passing through Antwerpen-Centraal. When the works are completed, the station will include four levels and 14 tracks:

• level +1 (the current station) will have 6 terminating tracks, arranged as two groups of three and separated by and opening allowing views of the lower levels
• level 0 will contain ticketing facilities and commercial space
• level −1 (7 meters below road level) will have 4 terminating tracks, also arranged as two groups
• level −2 (18 meters below road level) will have 4 tracks, the two central tracks leading to the tunnel under the city (used by high-speed trains and fast internal InterCity services)

The HSL 4 will also be the only high-speed line in Belgium that features an intermediate station at Noorderkempen (Brecht).

[edit] External links

• Belgian high-speed rail site (in French)

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