Line 21A
Information
I visited the railway line in August 2007. The main part of the line is covered by a cycle track nowadays. There are a few bridges, a station and some poles left of the railway history.
History
The line was built by the railway company Hasselt-Maaseyck. The line ran from Hasselt to Maaseik through Genk and As. There were lots of rumours and ideas about a connection with the Dutch rail network, however there were no investors found for the bridge crossing the Maas river. In the second world war the Germans closed the line from Boksbergheide via Genk to As, a few years later they removed the tracks. After the second world war the line wasn't rebuild. In 1959 the passenger traffic was stopped. In 1979 the line from Boksbergheide to Genk was rebuild, the last hundred meters were build as high-build track. On the 26 May 1979 the line was opened. In 1988 the rails were removed from the part from As to Maaseik, later a cycle track was build here.