#2617· Klassiek Belgisch elektrisch treinstel
Belgian Railways Classical twin EMUs
🇧🇪 Belgium ·built by Ateliers de Constructions Electriques de Charleroi· from 1939· Belgian classic electric multiple unit trains
5 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. SNCB EMU196 R01: Marc Ryckaert· CC BY 3.0
- 2. AM 174 Liège Guillemins: François· CC BY 3.0
- 3. MS62: Marc Ryckaert· CC BY 3.0
- 4. Grafitti Klassiek Motorstel: Snipersnoop· CC BY-SA 3.0
- 5. Train doors by SNCB Classical EMU: Mark Ahsmann· CC BY-SA 3.0
what is it?
NMBS/SNCB Classical twin EMUs (also referred by their construction year – AM39 for "Automotrice 1939" up to AM79 for the last units from 1979; or MS39 to MS79 for the Dutch-language equivalent "Motorstel") were electric multiple unit trains operated by the National Railway Company of Belgium (NMBS/SNCB). They were the standard equipment for local trains under the Belgian standard 3000 Volts DC overhead lines, until they gradually replaced by the Class 08 Desiro Mainline EMU's starting from the early 21st century. Classical EMUs were originally painted in dark green, with small yellow stripes surrounding the front lights.
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 87 years ago, in 1939.
- Top speed is 1.1× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
- 840 kW is about 10 family cars (~85 kW each) flat out.
- Weighs about as much as 16 African elephants (~6 t each).
- 44.4 m long: about 10 cars parked nose to tail.
- Seats 118: 2 full city buses (~50 seats each).
- Served for 85 years (1939–2024).
multiple unit: A self-propelled train: motors are spread under the passenger cars, so no separate locomotive.
spec sheet
- built
- 1939
- in service from
- 1939
- retired
- 2024
- status
- retired
- number built
- 497
- kind
- multiple unit
- traction
- electric
- origin
- 🇧🇪 Belgium
- builders
- Ateliers de Constructions Electriques de Charleroi, Ateliers Germain, Ragheno, La Brugeoise et Nivelles
- operators
- SNCB/NMBS
- top speed
- 140 km/h
- power
- 840 kW
- gauge
- 1,435 mm standard gauge
- electric system
- 3000 V DC, 1500 V DC (Netherlands), Catenary
- wheel arrangement
- (A1)(1A) + (A1)(1A)
- formation
- EMC-EMS
- length
- 44.4 m
- weight
- 98.5 t
- capacity
- 118 passengers
- Dutch name
- Klassiek Belgisch elektrisch treinstel
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q1900774, Wikipedia: Belgian Railways Classical twin EMUs (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.