Trains that had been suspended for hours due to icing on the overhead lines are back in operation, and train traffic has resumed Instagram VTM News

Since 8:10 am, trains have not been able to move between Hull and Ruisbroek on the express line that runs from Brussels to France. A Thalys car and a TGV stopped near Ruisbroek due to icing on the overhead wires. More specifically, it concerns the Thalys aircraft with 250 passengers and the TGV with 350 passengers.

Since 08.45 Thalys was also standing still between Machelen and Mechelen, which was on its way to Amsterdam. The train had left with about 260 passengers on board. In the end, the travelers were able to transfer to another international train around 1 p.m., which then continued in the direction of the Netherlands, Infrabel says. The defective Thalys is now being towed to Vorst.

But the railway network in West Flanders also suffered from the bitter cold. For example, there has been no train traffic between Ypres and Bobring since 08:00. According to Infrabel, there is damage to the top line which is now being repaired. It is not clear when trains between Poperinge and Ypres will be able to run normally again, but replacement buses will be running.

Trains between Brussels and France have now resumed. “The movement of trains has been possible again since 10:50 am, and the two trains in Ruisbroek were able to continue their journey on their own,” said Infrabel spokesman Frederic Petit. He also confirms that the passengers had been waiting on the train all this time and therefore it was not necessary to evacuate them. Heating was provided, of course, on stationary trains.

“The problems were with a build-up of ice on the overhead line, which meant there wasn’t a good connection with the pantographs of the trains, which meant they couldn’t continue,” explains Beatty.

Infrabel has a winter plan, which means that overhead tracks and lines are extra scrutinized. The extreme cold didn’t cause any problems all week. According to Infrabel, the fact that there were three accidents today may have something to do with the fact that it’s a little wetter than the past few days.