Iron Rhine

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Iron Rhine
Overview
Line number	2524
Service
Route number	485, 487
Technical
Line length	123.2 kilometres (76.6 mi)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Route map Legend km Aachen–Mönchengladbach railway to Mönchengladbach 0.0 Rheydt Köln–Mönchengladbach railway to Köln Krefeld–Rheydt railway to Helenabrunn Rheydt Yard 2.2 Aachen–Mönchengladbach railway to Aachen 3.5 Wickrath 5.2 Mönchengladbach-Günhoven 7.4 Mönchengladbach-Rheindahlen 9.5 Mönchengladbach-Genhausen 12.8 Wegberg 16.1 Klinkum to Siemens test center 18.1 Arsbeck 20.1 Dalheim Jülich–Dalheim railway to Jülich 21.3 102.2 Germany Netherlands border 101.6 Vlodrop 94.6 Herkenbosch A 73 Maastricht–Venlo railway to Maastricht 88.6 Roermond Maastricht–Venlo railway to Venlo Meuse 81.3 Haelen 77.0 Baexem-Heythuysen 73.0 Kelpen Wessem-Nederweert Canal A 2 64.0 Weert Zuid-Willemsvaart Eindhoven–Weert railway to Eindhoven 55.0 Budel 54.0 31.7 Netherlands Belgium border 30.9 Hamont 27.4 Sint-Huibrechts-Lille Winterslag–Eindhoven railway to Eindhoven Bocholt-Herentals Canal 22.8 Neerpelt Winterslag–Eindhoven railway to Winterslag 21.5 Overpelt 18.6 Overpelt-Werkplaatsen 13.8 Lommel 10.7 Lommel-Werkplaatsen 8.7 Balen-Werkplaatsen 4.7 Balen-Wezel Dessel-Kwaadmechelen Canal 2.9 Gompel line 15 to Hasselt 52.0 Mol 49.2 Millegem 42.8 Geel 39.8 Larum 36.7 Olen Bocholt-Herentals Canal to Turnhout 30.7 Herentals 29.1 Herentals-Canal Albert Canal Herentals–Aarschot railway to Aarschot 26.8 Wolfstee A13 24.6 Bouwel 19.0 Nijlen 15.5 Kessel 13.8 Lisp Line 16 to Aarschot Nete River 12.0 Lier to Mechelen & Brussels 8.1 Boshoek 6.6 Vos 5.6 Boechout 4.5 Liersebaan 3.0 Krijgsbaan 2.3 Mortsel Line 25 to Brussels 0.0 Antwerpen-Berchem Line 25 to Antwerpen-Centraal km This diagram: view talk edit

The Iron Rhine or Steel Rhine (Dutch: IJzeren Rijn; German: Eiserner Rhein) is a partially operational freight rail corridor connecting the port of Antwerp (Belgium) and Mönchengladbach (Germany) by way of Neerpelt and the Dutch towns of Weert and Roermond.

The Treaty of London between the Netherlands and Belgium in 1839 recognised the independence of Belgium. As part of the treaty, Belgium had the right to build a road or canal from Sittard to the Prussian border over Dutch territory, with Belgium funding the construction. This right was further established in the Iron Rhine Treaty of 1873. At first, Belgium planned to dig a canal, but in the end it opted for a railway.

In 1868, construction of the Iron Rhine started, and in 1879, the first trains used the railway. Initially, traffic was dense and frequent, but it decreased over time. Currently the railroad is used by some trains between Antwerp and the zinc factory in Budel, and between Budel and Weert. The line Weert - Roermond is part of the Dutch InterCity network, and is used daily by many trains. Between Roermond and the German border, traffic has fully ceased since 1991.