Trains

WishUWereHere

Saw the following today:

https://www.kildarenow.com/news/new-carriages-benefit-passengers-maynooth-kildare-lines/274361

Was kind of elated until I saw that it will take up to 2 years to come on stream.

But is O'Rourke dreaming of electrifying both the Maynooth and Kildare lines, and a service every 10 minutes? Surely both Heuston & Connolly won't be able to handle that?

L1011

The Maynooth line is going to be electrified, as will the line to Hazelhatch but likely no further. The trains won't be every 10 minutes, 15 is more likely. Maynooth line will have significant speed advantages, Hazelhatch realistically won't - down to track alignment.

O'Rourke is months to years late in realising what's happening here - as per usual!

phunks

L1011 wrote: »

Maynooth line will have significant speed advantages,

Any more information on how quicker or timelines?

Rulmeq

phunks wrote: »

Any more information on how quicker or timelines?

Diesels accelerate very slowly (with lots of noise and smoke), electric trains accelerate much more quickly (think Dart, or luas). So after every stop they could knock 15-20 seconds off the time it takes to get up to speed.

L1011

They also brake later as the regenerative braking assists the slowing down process, and the same applies for the braking/acceleration in to and out of the many many bends on the Maynooth line. The Hazelhatch line is almost dead straight in comparison

I could see 7/8 minutes off the run easily.

Design work is underway, the tender for the physical vehicles should go out soon enough and then the tender for the work after that. Some prep work was done when the track was doubled - bridge replacements / heightening

lordgoat

I haven't seen any kind of a timeline fixed for this and had filed it a non runner. Is it actually going ahead?

L1011

Tender for preliminary engineering works went out yesterday. Also includes closing all the level crossings (will improve signalling and may improve runtime but will definitely improve reliability)

Rulmeq

L1011 wrote: »

Tender for preliminary engineering works went out yesterday. Also includes closing all the level crossings (will improve signalling and may improve runtime but will definitely improve reliability)

Does that include the one beside intel? Or just the ones near clonsilla/coolmine?

L1011

All of them.

Rulmeq

L1011 wrote: »

All of them.

Be fascinating to see how the do that for those ones (I hope they don't just close the road)

Seth Brundle

L1011 wrote: »

O'Rourke is months to years late in realising what's happening here - as per usual!

I disagree and think his timing is good given that he's just thinking of a general election!

highdef

Let's hope we get nice 10 foot wide carriages that make best use of the Irish loading gauge. This will increase the capacity of the train due to the increased width compared to any other existing stock currently in use.

L1011

highdef wrote: »

Let's hope we get nice 10 foot wide carriages that make best use of the Irish loading gauge. This will increase the capacity of the train due to the increased width compared to any other existing stock currently in use.

They will be as close to off the shelf as possible (with our almost unique track gauge and increasingly rare traction current) to reduce lead times

wally79

How much disruption to current service will the electrification cause?

boombang

highdef wrote: »

Let's hope we get nice 10 foot wide carriages that make best use of the Irish loading gauge. This will increase the capacity of the train due to the increased width compared to any other existing stock currently in use.

Are the newer DARTs narrower than the 1985 carriages?

Rulmeq

L1011 wrote: »

They will be as close to off the shelf as possible (with our almost unique track gauge and increasingly rare traction current) to reduce lead times

What current does the rest of the world use?

L1011

Rulmeq wrote: »

What current does the rest of the world use?

25kV AC would be the norm for new heavy rail electrification.

1500V DC was a sensible decision at the time and there's plenty of installed base around including nearby Europe but it's now mostly only installed new for metros

L1011

wally79 wrote: »

How much disruption to current service will the electrification cause?

Minimal. Much of the complicated work to raise bridges etc was done during the dualling from Clonsilla outwards already, from there to the city had fewer issues to begin with

There will be overnight track possessions to do most of it

Zaph

L1011 wrote: »

The Maynooth line is going to be electrified

When I moved to D15 15 years ago I was told that would be happening in "the next few years". Still waiting, so I won't be holding my breath that the latest plans will come to fruition any sooner.

L1011

Zaph wrote: »

When I moved to D15 15 years ago I was told that would be happening in "the next few years". Still waiting, so I won't be holding my breath that the latest plans will come to fruition any sooner.

That would have been from FFs promises to buy the 2002 GE. They never made a start on any actual work (but reannounced it for the 2007 GE)

People have been hired, tenders have been issued and the most expensive element - the rolling stock tender - should go out very soon

n97 mini

L1011 wrote: »

All of them.

Would explain why so many are still manually operated. It'll be curious to see how Ashtown, Coolmine and Clonsilla are closed. I suppose in Clonsilla the old bridge can be demolished and replaced with a new one that spans the canal and railway. The other two aren't so simple.

L1011

n97 mini wrote: »

Would explain why so many are still manually operated. It'll be curious to see how Ashtown, Coolmine and Clonsilla are closed. I suppose in Clonsilla the old bridge can be demolished and replaced with a new one that spans the canal and railway. The other two aren't so simple.

NTA have bought some land at Ashtown but I can't find out which land. I'd take a guess that the road may be re-realigned to Mill Lane (which was the original alignment pre-canal I think) but the canal lock makes the headroom needed higher.

Coolmine was proposed to be put in to the housing estate to the West I think, Riverwood Court to Stationcourt Way or a similar alignment. There were drawings for this somewhere but can't find them now.

Porterstown will just be closed; maybe a pedestrian bridge if there's enough votes to try save!

Not seen any plans for Clonsilla, Barberstown or Blakestown but the latter may just be closed up and Baberstown has plenty of land nearby.

n97 mini

Ashtown, I could see that plan working. There is space, and not a lot of residents to object. What about pedestrian access though, over the tracks? Will pedestrians lose access too?

Coolmine is trickier. That's a very busy road, and I can't see residents being happy. Again, what happens with pedestrian access?

L1011

Pedestrians on to the bridge; could allow use of the station footbridge during operating hours if needed.

phunks

L1011 wrote: »

I could see 7/8 minutes off the run easily.

Knowing nothing about trains, the diesel train from Connolly to Bray is only about 2/3 minutes slower than the standard electric Dart. Why do you think would Maynooth see such an improvement?

L1011

phunks wrote: »

Knowing nothing about trains, the diesel train from Connolly to Bray is only about 2/3 minutes slower than the standard electric Dart. Why do you think would Maynooth see such an improvement?

Take a look at how straight that line is compared to how twisty the Maynooth line is

n97 mini

I think it's also down to long dwell times, especially off-peak when they're not necessary.

wally79

If they can sort out the delays getting through Connolly they could take 5 minutes off most services.

Is there any Connolly upgrade included as part of the dart changeover?

L1011

wally79 wrote: »

If they can sort out the delays getting through Connolly they could take 5 minutes off most services.

Is there any Connolly upgrade included as part of the dart changeover?

There is signalling work in Connolly as part of it.