NMBS cancels 34 peak hour trains on Tuesday

The railway company does not want to use the trains that are parked outside in full sun during the day, or the train stock that is too sensitive to extreme heat. “It concerns trains that run to Brussels in the morning, for example, and are parked there all day. These peak-hour trains are often also older trains, which are more sensitive to heat,” explains spokesperson Dimitri Temmerman.

They are therefore preventively deleted. The breakdown teams are also being strengthened as a preventive measure, with extra personnel specialized in ventilation and air conditioning. In addition, the ventilation and air conditioning systems are additionally checked. This also applies to the tracks, switches, overhead wires and the climate control of the electrical installations and data centers. This allows the metal of the tracks to expand due to the heat.

Due to the extreme heat, the NMBS also expects a lot of traffic on the trains to the coast. She advises travelers to avoid the peak hours for a day trip to the sea. They are located on the coast on arrival between 11 am and 2 pm and on departure between 5 pm and 8 pm.