Coal Railway As

After the last passengers are transported by rail in 1983 , it becomes quiet here.

Until the non-profit association Kolenspoor brings life to the brewery again in 2000 . Station As will be the place where the Kolenspoor will store historic trains and from where all kinds of tourist activities will be undertaken. Sleeping in a nostalgic night train, football trips to Genk and a fixed tourist timetable.

However, the coal track will lose its concession in 2015 , partly because the track is poorly maintained and can no longer be used safely. The foundation is dissolved. The historic trains? They stay behind and are still here. And where old love doesn't rust, that clearly doesn't apply to train sets.

If you like street art , you can also indulge yourself in the old trains at Station As. At the initiative of the municipality, a number of Dutch and Belgian graffiti artists have let off steam on a number of train sets . It was the first graffiti jam on trains in Belgium, enriching Station As with a gigantic work of art .

It now looks like an urbex location , with the old rusting trains. But then an urbex-light variant. Real urbex fanatics will quickly get bored in As. The trainsets are all not accessible to the public . Except for the train set of the visitor center during opening hours, but we can't really call that exciting either.

But those who just want a special location for a photo shoot with an old industrial touch will certainly find what they are looking for here.

Willem Vandenameele