Charleroi Metro
Charleroi Metro is a light rail network in Belgium, consisting of a loop line around central Charleroi and three branches towards the suburbs of Gilly, Anderlues and Gosselies. Another branch to Châtelet was partially built but never entered service.
The current system was opened in seven phases ranging from 1976 to 2012, which included 28 stations, of which 24 were in service as of 2012 along with 6 regular tram stops in Anderlues. On 22 June 2013, 18 more stations were added to the metro system when line M3 to Gosselies went into service.
The original plans for the network were much more extensive with 8 branches radiating from the central loop, but had to be abandoned due to high costs and low prospective ridership rates.
Operations
, the network consists in a central loop running around the centre of Charleroi and comprising 8 stations, from which three branches radiate towards suburban areas:- A branch with 10 stations and 6 tram stops runs west to Anderlues. This branch runs on the street as a normal tram after Pétria station, following a line of the old Vicinal network.
- A branch with 6 stations runs northeast to Gilly.
- A branch with 18 tram stops runs north to Gosselies.
- A branch running east towards Châtelet was built during the 1980s. A first section comprising 4 stations was completed but never entered service, while further sections are in various stages of completion.
Lines
The completion and opening of the central loop in 2012 led to a significant reorganization of the premetro/tram lines previously operating on the system. The five former premetro lines – 54, 55, 84, 88, and 89 – that operated on the network were replaced on 27 February 2012 by three new lines ; a fourth line went into service on 22 June 2013.| Line | Route | Opened | Length | Stations |
| M1 | Anderlues-Monument — Ouest — Sud — Parc — Waterloo — Beaux-Arts — Anderlues-Monument | 27 February 2012 | 28 + 12 tram stops | |
| M2 | Pétria — Beaux-Arts — Waterloo — Parc — Sud — Ouest — Beaux-Arts — Pétria | 27 February 2012 | 29 | |
| M3 | Gosselies-Faubourg de Bruxelles — Beaux-Arts — Waterloo — Parc — Sud — Ouest — Beaux-Arts — Gosselies-Faubourg de Bruxelles | 22 June 2013 | 11 + 27 tram stops | |
| M4 | Soleilmont — Waterloo — Beaux-Arts — Ouest — Sud — Parc — Waterloo — Soleilmont | 27 February 2012 | 21 |
Line numbers are used alone on maps and station signage, while the prefix "M" is added on timetables and on destination indicators of trams, to avoid confusion with similarly numbered bus lines.
The system is run by TEC Charleroi, a subsidiary of the Walloon public transport operator. Intervals between trains depend on the period. The standard interval is 30 minutes for lines M1 and M2, ensuring a 15 minutes interval on the common Charleroi - Pétria section. This interval becomes 60 minutes on weekends and holidays, and during the July–August period. On line M4, the standard interval is 10 minutes ; similarly, line M3 also runs with 10-minute intervals.
From 2012 on, all trams have been equipped with orange colored LED destination indicators, displaying the line number and final station. Prior to that, mechanical destination indicators were used, using various layouts. The most common display showed two distinctly colored rectangles indicating the most important stations of the line, with the line number displayed on a white square between both rectangles. Rectangle color used the following code:
- Pale yellow : used on lines originating/terminating in Anderlues.
- Bright yellow : used on lines originating/terminating at Gilly.
- Dark blue : used on lines originating/terminating at Sud.
- Dark green : used on lines originating/terminating at Parc.
Trams drive on the right track, except on the Soleilmont branch and the not operated Châtelet branch. Some small sections on the street in Anderlues are single track. Theoretical maximum speed on the network is, but actual speed is generally lower, especially in curves. Speed limits are displayed on panels along the track and can take one of the following values :,,,,, and. An onboard system warns the driver in case of overspeed, and will stop the tram abruptly in absence of reaction. A similar system will stop the tram immediately in the event of a red signal being ignored. Rail switches are controlled directly by tram drivers using a remote control unit sending a signal to a receiver along the track.
Stations
, the Charleroi Metro network comprises 48 metro stations served by the four Charleroi Metro lines. There are also 3 unused stations on the unfinished Châtelet branch.Station entrances are marked with a stylized white "M" on a blue background, identical to the symbol used by the Brussels metro. Access to the platforms is unrestricted and most stations are not staffed. Some stations are equipped with automatic ticket vending machines, otherwise tickets are sold by machines inside the trams.
Rolling stock
Passenger cars
Charleroi's LRV cars are reversible articulated trams which were supplied by La Brugeoise et Nivelles from 1980 to 1982. They are similar to the trams operated on the Belgian coast tram line and, to a lesser extent, to the first generation trains of the Manila Light Rail Transit System yellow line.According to an official statement by TEC Charleroi, 44 of these trams are operational, the future network with the completed downtown loop and the Gilly branch extension requiring 22, then 35 when the Gosselies branch opens.
Each unit has a length of for a width of, and is capable of carrying 44 seated and 148 standing passengers, totalling 192 passengers. It is powered by two electric engines providing a total power of. Their maximum speed is. They can theoretically be coupled to form trains of up to three trams, however the single tram configuration is the preferred one on the Charleroi network, with only a few peak hour services on line M4 being operated by 2 trams coupled together.
Most trams wear the distinctive bright yellow, red and grey livery of TEC Charleroi and are identified by a 4 digit number starting with 74. Six trams wear a temporary special livery to celebrate the new lines created on 27 February 2012. Prior to that date, several trams were still wearing the old SNCV livery with an orange bottom and beige top separated by a blue line.
Work cars
- Type S - SNCV Hainaut - work car
- Type SJ - SNCV Hainaut - passenger cars - acquired 1984
- Esslingen/Schorling tram - track scrubber - acquired 1981
History
In the 1960s, Charleroi already had an extensive tramway network, operated by both SNCV and STIC, but trams were starting to be replaced by buses as those offered better flexibility, were cheaper to operate and were perceived as more modern. The pre-metro network was meant to offer trams a second life by providing a fast and comfortable mass transit system, while removing them from the street.
Full completion of the initial project was envisioned between 1992 and 1994. As a general rule, plans called for tracks to be at ground level, on dedicated infrastructure. If not possible, priority was given to viaducts, and tunnels were considered as the last option, except in Charleroi downtown or in densely populated areas.
The first section opened on 21 June 1976, between Sud and Villette. These were served by what would eventually become line 89 of the original premetro system.
Piges and Ouest were opened 4 years later, on 30 June 1980. Each time a new section was inaugurated, trams would transit through it before going back to the street for the remainder of their journey.
Stations Beaux-Arts, Dampremy, and the section between Morgnies and Paradis were opened on 24 May 1983. Pétria followed on 24 May 1986. The same year, works were completed on a first section of the Châtelet branch, however this branch has never been put into service.
The remaining stations on the Anderlues branch were opened on 22 August 1992. One week later, on 28 August, a first section of the Gilly branch ) was inaugurated, along with the Waterloo station on the downtown loop. At the time, infrastructure beyond Gilly to Soleilmont was in various stages of completion, but not in service. 54 was created to serve the new branch.
On 30 August 1996, two additional stations were opened on the downtown loop. Lines 55 and 88 were created to duplicate the two existing lines while using the northern part of the unfinished loop.
2008 and 2009 saw the resumption of metro construction, following a 75 million euro loan from the European Investment Bank, out of a total estimated cost of 150 million euro. Work to complete the downtown loop started on 20 October 2008, building of the Gosselies branch on 16 March 2009, and the lengthening works on the Gilly branch toward Soleilmont started on 30 March 2009.
The finished downtown loop was put in service on 27 February 2012 with the completion of the Sud to Parc section. The same day saw the opening of the Soleilmont extension of the Gilly branch. The completion of the downtown loop involved a comprehensive reorganization of the lines and the introduction of new numbers and colors, and the inauguration of the now "Charleroi Metro".
Expansion plans
Gosselies branch (Line M3)
This project created a new branch starting at Piges station and running as a regular tramway line toward Gosselies. A large section of the line already existed to the Jumet tram depot, but as it is only used by empty trams going to and from the depot, and was not equipped for commercial passenger transport, it had to be completely rebuilt. The Jumet to Gosselies section is new, although it is built on the site of former SNCV tramway lines.The project included full renovation of the Chaussée de Bruxelles which is used by the new line.
Because of the narrowness of some streets in Gosselies, the line uses single track in different streets for each direction.
The Gosselies branch was scheduled for completion in 2011, however multiple delays have delayed its opening until 2013.
The fourth line of the Charleroi Metro thus entered service on 22 June 2013. This Gosselies branch is served by a new line, dubbed "M3", which is how it is now depicted on official maps and on station signage.
Châtelet branch
The original pre-metro project envisioned an eastern branch from Waterloo station to Châtelet, comprising eight stations. Construction of this branch began in the 1980s and resulted in a first section in various stages of completion.Sometimes specials journeys are organized to the station Centenaire on the ghost metro, like on 19 March 2017.
The Waterloo to Centenaire part has been finished, but was never put into service. As a result, the finished Neuville, Chet, Pensée and Centenaire stations remained closed and were vandalized. Somewhere in the 2010s the station building of Centenaire has been demolished.
Only structural work was completed on the Centenaire to Corbeau part, with no tracks installed. The rest of the branch has never been built.
Although there are no immediate plans to put the Châtelet branch into service, preliminary estimates give a cost of 5 million euros to refresh the Waterloo-Centenaire section, and another 20 million to complete the line to Corbeau.
Currently, there are no plans to go ahead with the intended line to the Châtelet terminus.