Question about train traffic controlling?

BlackandGreen

I noticed there's only 4 tracks going in/out of Dublin Surely this doesn't handle all the rail traffic Dublin bound from half the country?

How frequently can trains travel the main lines?
I'm thinking of it in terms air traffic control landings.


I presume rail signalling has some minimal separation they have to do? I'm guessing it would have to be a train every 20minutes maximum in places like adamstown?


Can 4 trains operate past each other at once or does that throw a spanner in the works?



Does railfreight from the south of the county ever bypass the city or are they all forced to go through it?

goingnowhere

The 4 track section should be good for 3 minutes minimum headway

Jamie2k9

BlackandGreen wrote: »

I noticed there's only 4 tracks going in/out of Dublin Surely this doesn't handle all the rail traffic Dublin bound from half the country?

How frequently can trains travel the main lines?
I'm thinking of it in terms air traffic control landings.


I presume rail signalling has some minimal separation they have to do? I'm guessing it would have to be a train every 20minutes maximum in places like adamstown?

Can 4 trains operate past each other at once or does that throw a spanner in the works?

Does railfreight from the south of the county ever bypass the city or are they all forced to go through it?

All 4 lines are controlled separately so yes 4 trains could pass one another. Apart from Sligo, Belfast and Rosslare it handles everything else into Dublin.

You will see at peak times using one example the 17.00 to Cork, 17.05 to Tralee and 17.10 to Athlone overtake the 16.28 and 16.41 from Grand Canal Dock.

South of Portarlington/Portaloise is where longer separation happens, not 20 minutes.