Western Rail Corridor (all disused sections)

westtip

eastwest wrote: »

Two entirely different animals, and depends entirely on the design. You could fabricate a decent enough footbridge for about 50k and drop it into place on the existing or new buttresses, but I'd imagine that a heavy rail bridge would start at a million and upwards.

EW depends who is responsible for building the greenway - if it is done in the usual piecemeal fashion and left up Galway coco, then 50K probably won't pay the architects fee. If the greenway however from Athenry to Collooney is put out to tender with the councils having no nose in the trough then yes it will be built for a competitive price....if only eh?
As for the replacement railway bridge, no point even speculating it won't happen.

serfboard

what_traffic wrote: »

http://galwaybayfm.ie/design-underway-restoration-ballyglunin-railway-bridge/

Galway Bay FM wrote:

design works are underway to rebuild the bridge when the roadworks are completed.

So the bridge will not be rebuilt as part of the current (funded) roadworks.

So where is the money going to come from to re-build the bridge?

NiallBoo

serfboard wrote: »

So where is the money going to come from to re-build the bridge?

no-no.

You're not supposed to ask questions like that. Not until the thing is down and everybody can safely wash their hands of it.

serfboard

NiallBoo wrote: »

You're not supposed to ask questions like that. Not until the thing is down and everybody can safely wash their hands of it.

Locals: Aw, don't knock down our railway birdge!
Council: It's alright - we're designing a new bridge.
Naive locals: Oh, that's alright then.

Cynical locals: And when is it going to be re-built?
Council: ...

joeysoap

Sam Russell wrote: »

The Free Travel Pass needs to be reviewed as it is distorting services - particularly on rail. Anytime I travel on a train (IC), I get the impression that the majority of passengers are on the FTP.

Now would a small fee (like 10% of the fare) would not go amiss.

I have the FT, and would be quite willing to make a payment for travel, say €5 for train, and €2 for bus. Maybe cap it at a payment of €10 per person per day.

eastwest

serfboard wrote: »

what_traffic wrote: »

http://galwaybayfm.ie/design-underway-restoration-ballyglunin-railway-bridge/

Galway Bay FM wrote:

design works are underway to rebuild the bridge when the roadworks are completed.

So the bridge will not be rebuilt as part of the current (funded) roadworks.

So where is the money going to come from to re-build the bridge?

It will be part of Sean Canney’s 'red line' conditions for a space at the trough next time around.
Well, he got us the report on the wrc in the six months, like he promised, so we'll definitely get a bridge.

Carawaystick

what_traffic wrote: »

Any Civil Engineers here? What would the difference in cost be, between a Greenway Bridge and a Railway Bridge?

At least 2 orders of magnitude

Muckyboots

"Galway Bay fm News ‏@Galwaybayfmnews 4m4 minutes ago
More
Also at 9am
There are calls for a Luas line to connect Northern Ireland with Sligo and Donegal."

No. I checked the date.

JCX BXC

A "Luas Line"?

MayoForSam

JCX BXC wrote: »

A "Luas Line"?

Here you go: https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/luas-from-north-to-donegal-proposed-440002.html

I guess if they put a ram on the front, it will be able to break through any border wall after Brexit and also leap over any gaps where the bridges have been blown up by Nua-IRA (might be a handy trick for the N63 also)?

Budget airline-style fares? Obviously Michael O'Leary will be taken on as the ticket inspector.

NiallBoo

I think it's a ploy:
Build a Luas.
Close a Luas.
Open a greenway.
Profit.

Really though, why a tram? It's obviously the least suitable rail option.
Because Dublin has one? (where it was a terribly inadequate choice anyway...)

(Edit: that said, I think a tram within Derry* itself would be an ok idea)

*or whatever the preferred title is currently.

marno21

Saw the word "Canney" and stopped reading.

There's a tram track between Tuam and Collooney if they want to launch a tram there. Not sure who's going to pay the electrification costs though.

eastwest

marno21 wrote: »

Saw the word "Canney" and stopped reading.

There's a tram track between Tuam and Collooney if they want to launch a tram there. Not sure who's going to pay the electrification costs though.

Unfortunately the track between Collooney and charlestown is less than intact, apart from the fact that Irish rail have apparently described the remaining track as having scrap value only.
Does anyone know who the other five signatories are?

Grandeeod

MayoForSam wrote: »

Here you go: https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/luas-from-north-to-donegal-proposed-440002.html

I guess if they put a ram on the front, it will be able to break through any border wall after Brexit and also leap over any gaps where the bridges have been blown up by Nua-IRA (might be a handy trick for the N63 also)?

Budget airline-style fares? Obviously Michael O'Leary will be taken on as the ticket inspector.

LOL! Nothing surprising in that proposal. Same oul sh1te that's been going on for years. The only difference is they now want a 70kmph electric tram doing the job. I wonder are the same "citizens" behind the scenes.:D

marno21

eastwest wrote: »

Unfortunately the track between Collooney and charlestown is less than intact, apart from the fact that Irish rail have apparently described the remaining track as having scrap value only.
Does anyone know who the other five signatories are?

Irish Times wrote:

However, the submission submitted shows the widespread opposition to any reduction in services. It is signed by Mr Canney, Ministers of State Finian McGrath and John Halligan (both of the Independent Alliance) as well as Fine Gael Ministers of State Pat Breen, Seán Kyne, Joe McHugh and Michael Ring.

Other TDs including Labour TD Alan Kelly and Brendan Ryan, Fianna Fáil TD Frank O’Rourke, Fine Gael TD Brendan Griffin and Independent TDs Michael Lowry, Mattie McGrath, Catherine Connolly and Michael Fitzmaurice signed the submission.

Plus lots of landgrabbing around Kiltimach and Curry.

eastwest

Grandeeod wrote: »

MayoForSam wrote: »

Here you go: https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/luas-from-north-to-donegal-proposed-440002.html

I guess if they put a ram on the front, it will be able to break through any border wall after Brexit and also leap over any gaps where the bridges have been blown up by Nua-IRA (might be a handy trick for the N63 also)?

Budget airline-style fares? Obviously Michael O'Leary will be taken on as the ticket inspector.

LOL! Nothing surprising in that proposal. Same oul sh1te that's been going on for years. The only difference is they now want a 70kmph electric tram doing the job. I wonder are the same "citizens" behind the scenes.:D

Canney is some man! He's going to build a 'walking pace' wrc, and drain the Shannon as well.
We are not worthy!

Muckyboots

"However, the submission submitted shows the widespread opposition to any reduction in services. It is signed by Mr Canney, Ministers of State Finian McGrath and John Halligan (both of the Independent Alliance) as well as Fine Gael Ministers of State Pat Breen, Seán Kyne, Joe McHugh and Michael Ring.
Other TDs including Labour TD Alan Kelly and Brendan Ryan, Fianna Fáil TD Frank O’Rourke, Fine Gael TD Brendan Griffin and Independent TDs Michael Lowry, Mattie McGrath, Catherine Connolly and Michael Fitzmaurice signed the submission."

Implied in this is that there is pressure from Independent Alliance deputies on Shane Ross- makes a mockery of his so called public consultation. Why bother wasting people's time if he is going have his commands whispered in his ear, with an "or else", from his loyal lieutenants. Like flogging a lame duck ! with no apologies for a mixed metaphor.

eastwest

Muckyboots wrote: »

"However, the submission submitted shows the widespread opposition to any reduction in services. It is signed by Mr Canney, Ministers of State Finian McGrath and John Halligan (both of the Independent Alliance) as well as Fine Gael Ministers of State Pat Breen, Seán Kyne, Joe McHugh and Michael Ring.
Other TDs including Labour TD Alan Kelly and Brendan Ryan, Fianna Fáil TD Frank O’Rourke, Fine Gael TD Brendan Griffin and Independent TDs Michael Lowry, Mattie McGrath, Catherine Connolly and Michael Fitzmaurice signed the submission."

Implied in this is that there is pressure from Independent Alliance deputies on Shane Ross- makes a mockery of his so called public consultation. Why bother wasting people's time if he is going have his commands whispered in his ear, with an "or else", from his loyal lieutenants. Like flogging a lame duck ! with no apologies for a mixed metaphor.

Or riding a dead horse.

Muckyboots

eastwest wrote: »

Or riding a dead horse.

Or maybe the rising tide didn't bring the Emperor his new clothes ?

what_traffic

Try and listen to the Playback of Claire Byrne on RTE Radio 13h00->14h00 show on the 21-01-2017. Canney on the show and was getting stuck in the riddles of his own making. Wanted cuts on Buseireann Expressway services but still wants the WRC.

eastwest

He doesn't have to make sense, he just has to promise everything to everybody.

westtip

MayoForSam wrote: »

Here you go: https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/luas-from-north-to-donegal-proposed-440002.html
.

Canney and co get more bizarre by the day.

eastwest

westtip wrote: »

MayoForSam wrote: »

Here you go: https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/luas-from-north-to-donegal-proposed-440002.html
.

Canney and co get more bizarre by the day.

A railway division of the gardai? Sure why not? Also maybe a post office division and a division catering for the marts? After all, unlike railway stations, the number of marts is actually growing.
You can just see the thought process though. Britain has railway police so surely the model is transferable, despite the tiny numbers moved by rail in Ireland.
Still, it's not as daft as a luas for donegal.

Grandeeod

eastwest wrote: »

A railway division of the gardai? Sure why not? Also maybe a post office division and a division catering for the marts? After all, unlike railway stations, the number of marts is actually growing.
You can just see the thought process though. Britain has railway police so surely the model is transferable, despite the tiny numbers moved by rail in Ireland.
Still, it's not as daft as a luas for donegal.

I've been around this **** for a long time. I agree with a lot of what you say. But please don't let Canney and Co. detract from what is a very sensible proposal. A type of transport police for buses and particularly trains is required in certain areas and at certain times. The current security arrangements lack actual powers.

Now carry on.:D

westtip

Yet another report on rural regeneration and development today. It reads pretty much exactly the same as the CEDRA report published three years ago.

The word "rail" is mentioned once in this 71 page report, the word greenway 9 times. There is no direct reference to the Western Rail Trail greenway planned along the route of the closed railway from Athenry - Collooney but being short on specifics is par for the course in these reports.

Who knows maybe the penny will finally drop, that the Western Rail Trail greenway will create jobs from Collooney to Athenry and be affordable, which is the permanent caveat about the railway it is simply not affordable to either build or carry on to subvent.

Muckyboots

what_traffic wrote: »

Try and listen to the Playback of Claire Byrne on RTE Radio 13h00->14h00 show on the 21-01-2017. Canney on the show and was getting stuck in the riddles of his own making. Wanted cuts on Buseireann Expressway services but still wants the WRC.

As she says " AHH Sean!" The sooner he realises that his support for the WRC seriously damages his credibility the better. Every time he opens his mouth in support of sustainability or cuts in any other service he is going to get hammered, as he did here, and rightly so.
He's in realm of they might be your facts- but these are my facts fantasy land and nobody takes that s**t anymore.

westtip

Muckyboots wrote: »

As she says " AHH Sean!" The sooner he realises that his support for the WRC seriously damages his credibility the better. Every time he opens his mouth in support of sustainability or cuts in any other service he is going to get hammered, as he did here, and rightly so.
He's in realm of they might be your facts- but these are my facts fantasy land and nobody takes that s**t anymore.

Yep http://www.rte.ie/radio1/saturday-with-claire-byrne/podcasts/ his lack of understanding of the facts, be they facts or alternative facts is astonishing, he is out of his depth, he needs to get back to the county council. He is drowning in the sea of his own incompetence.

eastwest

westtip wrote: »

Muckyboots wrote: »

As she says " AHH Sean!"  The sooner he  realises that his  support for the WRC seriously damages his credibility the better. Every time he opens his mouth in support of  sustainability or cuts in any other service he is going to get hammered, as he did here, and rightly so.
He's in realm of they might be your facts- but these are my facts fantasy land and nobody takes that s**t  anymore.

Yep http://www.rte.ie/radio1/saturday-with-claire-byrne/podcasts/ his lack of understanding of the facts, be they facts or alternative facts is astonishing, he is out of his depth, he needs to get back to the county council.  He is drowning in the sea of his own incompetence.

He doesn't have to make sense; that's the whole point. He just has to keep saying 'western rail corridor' every chance he gets, and keep delaying the greenway. It's called riding all the horses in the race.

Del.Monte

Will the Athenry - Collooney line ever reopen as a railway?

Muckyboots

Del.Monte wrote: »

Will the Athenry - Collooney line ever reopen as a railway?

Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.