Railways - Luxembourg: Books - History and Rolling Stock

Benelux Railways

The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg are three separate European countries that have their own railway systems, with much integration between each other. They are united by all running regular passenger train services, mostly hourly or more frequent, within each country and beyond.

Nederlandse Spoorwegen supplies the principal rail service within the Netherlands, supplemented by other operators such as Arriva and Syntus, who run a few local lines.
All the passenger services within Belgium are operated by NMBS/SNCB (Nationale Maatschappij der Belgische Spoorwegen or Societe Nationale des Chemins de Fer Belges), uniting the Flemish and Wallonian parts of the country.
CFL (correctly called Societe Nationale des Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois) has a surprisingly large rail network, with frequent internal services and innumerable cross-border operations, including those from Germany and France.

John Law has been visiting the railways of this part of Europe since the early 1970s and has travelled on nearly all the lines opened to passenger traffic.
He has photographed the changing scene over the years and has compiled a huge number of images, the best of which are within these pages.

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Benelux Railways - Locomotives & Multiple Units (7th Edition)

This guide offers a comprehensive overview of locomotives and multiple units in service on the railways of Belgium, The Netherlands, and Luxembourg.
Key features include a brief historical background, detailed fleet lists, and information on international high-speed trains. It covers the organizational structures of Belgian National Railways (SNCB), Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS), and Luxembourg Railways (CFL), along with private operators and maintenance companies.

The guide provides tips on fares, travel from the UK, detailed railway network maps, numbering schemes, livery details, depot allocations, and technical data for each class. Additionally, it lists preserved steam, diesel, and electric locomotives, along with museum information and over 90 color illustrations.
Compiled and updated by David Haydock, former editor of Today's Railways Europe, this guide is the result of extensive research with contributions from contacts across the Benelux countries, making it the most comprehensive resource on rolling stock in the region.

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Benelux Rail 1970-1980

This tenth volume reaches back into days long gone.

Packed with pictures of forgotten liveries, station buildings, semaphores, lay-outs and rolling stock. Significant technical, economical and socials aspects are described.
A publication addressing developments long before privatization began. The latest edition on this long running series may therefor inspire historians, travelling photographers, geographers and railway modelers alike.

English and Dutch text.

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Charly Schmalspurbahn Luxemburg - Echternach 1904 - 1954

The narrow-gauge railway, affectionately known as "Charly", connected the capital of Luxembourg with the abbey town of Echternach from 1904 to 1954, crossing the picturesque Mullertal valley.
The nickname comes from Charles Rischard, a member of the government at the time who campaigned for the construction of the railway. The line was built because of the scenic beauty of the Mullertal valley and the demand for a fast connection between the capital and Echternach.

The construction of the "Charly" was delayed until 1904 due to disagreements over the cost of the Adolphe Bridge. The railway was built by the state and operated by the Luxembourg Secondary Railways (LSB). "Charly" became an important link between homes and workplaces, especially for the inhabitants of the Black Ernz and Sauer valleys.

The book, richly illustrated with over 700 photos, historical maps and technical drawings, highlights the challenges that the railway faced in operational, technical and political terms.
It offers a fascinating insight into a nostalgic but also rough time and is aimed at technology lovers, railway enthusiasts and history buffs. It documents the story of two world wars, takeovers by various companies and the eventual loss of the legendary narrow-gauge line.

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