Steam Train Maldegem-Eeklo (Dutch: Stoomtrein Maldegem-Eeklo, SME), formerly Steam Centre Maldegem (Dutch: Stoomcentrum Maldegem, SCM), is a heritage railway association based at the former NMBSstation of Maldegem in northern Belgium. Standard gaugesteam and diesel trains run on the line to Eeklo. A 600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in) narrow gauge line runs from Maldegem to Donk on the former line to Bruges; this was supplemented by the standard gauge line in 1989.
Line 58
Railway line 58 used to run from Ghent to Bruges, but half of it (between Eeklo and Bruges) was closed for passengers in 1959 and for goods in 1962 and 1967. Steam Train Maldegem-Eeklo maintains 10.0 kilometres (6.2 mi) of standard gauge tracks between Maldegem and Eeklo. In Maldegem the organization has acquired the old NMBS station and its buildings. In Balgerhoeke there is a simple station without buildings. In Eeklo, SME has its own simple Eeklo Oostveld station, but the association has also acquired permission to use track 3 of NMBS's Eeklo station, with tracks 1 and 2 still in use for mainline NMBS passenger trains. In Eeklo station SME's preserved line connects to line 58 of the national railway network of Infrabel.
