#3756· HLE 26
Belgian Railways Class 26
🇧🇪 Belgium ·built by Ateliers de Constructions Electriques de Charleroi· from 1964· class of 35 Belgian electric locomotives
10 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. B 2602 p3: Alf van Beem· CC0
- 2. HLE 2622 Bergen: Niels Karsdorp, Dh3201· CC BY-SA 3.0
- 3. B 2602 p1: Alf van Beem· CC0
- 4. B 2602 p2: Alf van Beem· CC0
- 5. Serie 26 SNCB: Les Meloures at lb.wikipedia· CC BY-SA 3.0 lu
- 6. SNCB Loc 2602 R01: Marc Ryckaert· CC BY 3.0
- 7. SNCB Loc 2602 R02: Marc Ryckaert· CC BY 3.0
- 8. NMBS 2629: Spoorjan· CC BY-SA 3.0
- 9. Brussel Zuid febr 1980 02: Smiley.toerist· CC BY-SA 4.0
- 10. Haren vorming juni 1981 11: Smiley.toerist· CC BY-SA 4.0
what is it?
NMBS/SNCB Class 26 are single voltage (3000 volts DC) locomotives that were designed as freight locomotives. They later started working passenger trains as the electrification was expanded. A batch of five prototypes were delivered in 1964 as Type 126, numbered 126.001-126.005.
who runs it
base stats
Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.
fun facts
- First built 62 years ago, in 1964.
- 2.6 MW is about 30 family cars (~85 kW each) flat out.
- Weighs about as much as 14 African elephants (~6 t each).
- 17.3 m long: about 4 cars parked nose to tail.
- Served for 47 years (1964–2011).
electric locomotive: Draws power from overhead wires or a third rail and pulls separate carriages.
spec sheet
- built
- 1964–1971
- in service from
- 1964
- retired
- 2011
- status
- retired
- number built
- 35
- kind
- Electric
- traction
- electric
- origin
- 🇧🇪 Belgium
- builders
- Ateliers de Constructions Electriques de Charleroi, La Brugeoise et Nivelles
- operators
- SNCB/NMBS
- top speed
- 130 km/h
- power
- 2.6 MW
- gauge
- 1,435 mm standard gauge
- electric system
- 3000 V DC
- wheel arrangement
- B′B′
- length
- 17.3 m
- weight
- 83 t
- Dutch name
- HLE 26
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q222310, Wikipedia: Belgian Railways Class 26 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.