Limerick - Nenagh - Ballybrophy railway

Jamie2k9

IE 222 wrote: »

I wouldn't be too concerned about the farm crossings. These are usually well sighted and the level of risk is extremely low. As farmers are usually the only user of such crossings it's a lot easier for IE to manage and keep these in line. Keeping gates shut is also within the interests of farmers with livestock. There is many examples of farm crossings along rail lines with much higher line speeds. The Westport line has 10-15 crossings in a relatively short section just outside Athlone with a line speed of 70mph. There is also plenty of private user crossings along the line again they pose little risk and aren't worth the financial cost of upgrading.

Farm crossings with the farm yard in close proximity are not good. Been on a train where a near miss happened and the taught always crosses my mind will it be today. One crossing the gates are always open and I can only assume IE have given up trying to deal with it.

If I was a driver I would prefer to hit a car over a tractor on a DMU…

IE 222

Of course some crossings aren't ideal and some will insist on abusing and flouting the rules but the majority are fairly low risk.

IE 222

Deedsie wrote: »

Just going back to this. Could anyone explain what this entails? Presume it is being done for a good reason.

This might've been done already. I think I may of read of works been carried out here very similar to this on The Wanderer's page recently. It was extending the loop if I remember correctly.

Deedsie

IE 222 wrote: »

Of course some crossings aren't ideal and some will insist on abusing and flouting the rules but the majority are fairly low risk.

Can access be removed in such circumstances? Like the mainline presumably has very few agricultural crossings?

I know this line will never be to that standard just wondering what the precedent is to deal with agricultural crossings.

Deedsie

IE 222 wrote: »

This might've been done already. I think I may of read of works been carried out here very similar to this on The Wanderer's page recently. It was extending the loop if I remember correctly.

I took pic's from the bridges in Roscrea near the station. Someone here might know from looking if those works have already been done. Would have made sense to do it while the line is closed.

Ill upload them later today.

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=116640287&postcount=3369

Thats a link to The_Wanderers recent post in the Photo thread relating to Roscrea. As you say the works may have already been done.

Deedsie

Just outside Roscrea now. Sleepers looking fairly weathered along here too.

I would love to know the year the track was laid around here. I am sure it meets all the required safety standards and I know the line is regularly walked by the staff to make sure all is safe but it just looks weathered and worn.

A road full of potholes is the best comparison I can think of. Its time to remove and replace with CWR

Deedsie

This bridge is within the townland of Townparks, Roscrea. As is the next bridge so I thought it would best to name them by the road rather than the townland name.

Deedsie

Golden Grove Road Railway Bridge in Roscrea. Looking East you can see the beginning of the second track at Roscrea station and some signalling.

Marker 10 1/4.

The jointed track goes all the way to Roscrea station.

One thing I noticed is that around Roscrea the rail line is fenced off quite well. Green fencing. This may be in place elsewhere but I havent noticed it.

Deedsie

Roscrea station and we are finally back to CWR track.

You can see the signalling etc

Nice looking station.

Deedsie

The next bridge on the line is the Rackethall Railway bridge. Its on the old N7 just outside Roscrea. Far too busy and dangerous to attempt to pull in for a picture.

Its beside Roscrea golf course for anyone who knows the area.

But you can actually see it pretty well from Google streetview.

https://goo.gl/maps/XXUubcFefXwLs28u5

Deedsie

Shanboe Railway Bridge. This is the first Bridge in Co. Laois along the R435 road that leads to the M7 just outside Borris - in - Ossory

These pics are not much use. The bridge is very high so I couldn't take a pic from the centre of the bridge. Line is very straight.

Deedsie

Townparks - Shanboe Railway Bridge Co. Laois

The track quality has clearly improved again since Roscrea as can be seen in the pics.

Apparently there is still a section of jointed track somewhere near the Quakers road level crossing about half way between Roscrea and Ballybrophy.

https://goo.gl/maps/gvTDnhxwDufcQvCN8

But the rest of the track around here looks modern.

Deedsie

Doon - Shanboe Railway Bridge Co. Laois.

This is the second last bridge on the line going West to East towards Ballybrophy.

Deedsie

This is the final bridge coming from West to East on the Killonan Junction to Ballybrophy rail line.

There are still a few bridges between Killonan Junction and Birdhill. I will get to them at some stage over the next few weeks.

Not sure if these pics are remotely useful or interesting to anyone. But I enjoyed the process of travelling the line and gathering the pics. After 18 months stuck working from home it was the furthest I have driven a car in well over a year.

It is very clear to see which sections need investment next.

The old jointed track stretch at Cappadine, between Kylenahasgeragh bridge and Roscrea and the short section of jointed track at the Quakers road level crossing.

If these sections are upgraded the line will be 100% CWR.

Hopefully the line will survive, but to do so it needs investment.

It also needs an honest review of the speed limits on the sections that have already been relayed with CWR.

tabbey

Deedsie wrote: »

Roscrea station and we are finally back to CWR track.

You can see the signalling etc

Nice looking station.

Yes, Roscrea is a lovely looking station. Being a junction station for the Birr branch, it needed to be a bit better than the average station building. It's speculation, but I would not be surprised if the Parsons family, benevolent landlord of the Birr area, might have given money to have decent facilities for Birr passengers awaiting their connection.
Incidentally, the Birr branch opened ahead of the Nenagh extension, 1862 compared to 1863, I think.
The only drawback to Roscrea station is the rotten smell from the meat factory or rendering plant.

esposito

Deedsie wrote: »

This is the final bridge coming from West to East on the Killonan Junction to Ballybrophy rail line.

There are still a few bridges between Killonan Junction and Birdhill. I will get to them at some stage over the next few weeks.

Not sure if these pics are remotely useful or interesting to anyone. But I enjoyed the process of travelling the line and gathering the pics. After 18 months stuck working from home it was the furthest I have driven a car in well over a year.

It is very clear to see which sections need investment next.

The old jointed track stretch at Cappadine, between Kylenahasgeragh bridge and Roscrea and the short section of jointed track at the Quakers road level crossing.

If these sections are upgraded the line will be 100% CWR.

Hopefully the line will survive, but to do so it needs investment.

It also needs an honest review of the speed limits on the sections that have already been relayed with CWR.

Great pics, especially the ones at Roscrea. Indeed it's a lovely station and the orange semaphores make it even better.

tabbey

Deedsie wrote: »

Just outside Roscrea now. Sleepers looking fairly weathered along here too.

I would love to know the year the track was laid around here. I am sure it meets all the required safety standards and I know the line is regularly walked by the staff to make sure all is safe but it just looks weathered and worn.

A road full of potholes is the best comparison I can think of. Its time to remove and replace with CWR

While continuous welded rail on concrete sleepers is the modern standard, it doesn't necessarily follow that jointed rails on timber sleepers is defective or dangerous. Remember, Mallard did 126 mph (203 km/h) on this type of track. Timber sleepers always look weathered long before they need replacement. The main problem with jointed rails is that modern trains are not designed to run on jointed track and consequently have a poor ride on it.
I have no idea when the old rails were laid or when they were manufactured. Traditionally they were cascaded down from mainline to branches and finally to sidings. I suspect that the newly laid cwr may have come from the Cork line, but can't be sure.
Other factors determining the standard of track are the weight of the rail in terms of kg per metre, formerly pounds per yard. The newest rail on the Cork mainline is 60kg per metre, I doubt if this is on the Nenagh line. The spacing of sleepers is also important, the gap has narrowed over the decades. The depth and quality of ballast is perhaps even more important, as it stabilises the track. When laid, ballast is clean, allowing efficient drainage. As the years go by, dirt and seeds get into it and vegetation sprouts. We are lucky now to have mechanical ballast cleaners, as it was enormously labour intensive digging out the ballast by hand. Last but not least, drainage ditches have to be maintained, to avoid track becoming water logged.
The track on the Nenagh line looks generally of a high standard, let's hope that Irish Rail management can see their way to making good use of it.

Deedsie

esposito wrote: »

Great pics, especially the ones at Roscrea. Indeed it's a lovely station and the orange semaphores make it even better.

I agree they are visually appealing.

It would be good however to see the signalling upgraded and modernised throughout the line and operated from one of the control centres I think in Dublin or Mallow.

Deedsie

tabbey wrote: »

While continuous welded rail on concrete sleepers is the modern standard, it doesn't necessarily follow that jointed rails on timber sleepers is defective or dangerous. Remember, Mallard did 126 mph (203 km/h) on this type of track. Timber sleepers always look weathered long before they need replacement. The main problem with jointed rails is that modern trains are not designed to run on jointed track and consequently have a poor ride on it.
I have no idea when the old rails were laid or when they were manufactured. Traditionally they were cascaded down from mainline to branches and finally to sidings. I suspect that the newly laid cwr may have come from the Cork line, but can't be sure.
Other factors determining the standard of track are the weight of the rail in terms of kg per metre, formerly pounds per yard. The newest rail on the Cork mainline is 60kg per metre, I doubt if this is on the Nenagh line. The spacing of sleepers is also important, the gap has narrowed over the decades. The depth and quality of ballast is perhaps even more important, as it stabilises the track. When laid, ballast is clean, allowing efficient drainage. As the years go by, dirt and seeds get into it and vegetation sprouts. We are lucky now to have mechanical ballast cleaners, as it was enormously labour intensive digging out the ballast by hand. Last but not least, drainage ditches have to be maintained, to avoid track becoming water logged.
The track on the Nenagh line looks generally of a high standard, let's hope that Irish Rail management can see their way to making good use of it.

Thats very interesting. I am fairly sure someone mentioned that the CWR currently being layed on the line is secondhand and originally came from the mainline.

To me that is a sensible use of resources. Hopefully another 15 or 20 km of secondhand CWR will become available soon to complete the relay of the entire line to that standard.

The_Wanderer

The latest update to the June gallery has just been posted.

Wednesday 16th June 2021:
60+ photos of the relaying project on the Nenagh Branch between Nenagh and Cloughjordan and also pictures from near Borris-in-Ossory and Lisduff featuring 079 and 071 on the perway trains.

Click https://bit.ly/3zxzhRl to view all the images.

Deedsie

Hi everyone,

If you could sign and send on this petition to anyone you think might be interested id really appreciate it.

Upgrade and Invest in the Limerick – Nenagh – Ballybrophy Railway Line

https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/upgrade-and-invest-in-the-limerick-nenagh-ballybrophy-railway-line?source=twitter-share-button&utm_medium=myuplift&utm_source=twitter&share=793e2dea-1e56-4ab2-8e14-b2443ec0d8b8

ohographite

Deedsie wrote: »

Hi everyone,

If you could sign and send on this petition to anyone you think might be interested id really appreciate it.



https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/upgrade-and-invest-in-the-limerick-nenagh-ballybrophy-railway-line?source=twitter-share-button&utm_medium=myuplift&utm_source=twitter&share=793e2dea-1e56-4ab2-8e14-b2443ec0d8b8

Thank you so much for sharing this. I have signed it and shared it.

The_Wanderer

Evening folks,

Popped out again today for the relay train on the Nenagh Branch which featured celebrity retroliveried 071 in it's fresh coat of CIE orange and black livery.

Click https://bit.ly/3cPx1Lu to view all the images.

Deedsie

Irish Rail actually advertised the fact that service will be back on Monday.
https://twitter.com/IrishRail/status/1405901652079566850?s=19

Deedsie

Just wondering has anyone ever suggested a Derry - Belfast - Dublin - Limerick - Cork rail line via the Ballybrophy line for the Dublin - Limerick section and with a more direct Limerick to Cork line.

I am not proposing anything like this. Just wondering if anyone ever suggested that routing before.

Isambard

Deedsie wrote: »

Just wondering has anyone ever suggested a Derry - Belfast - Dublin - Limerick - Cork rail line via the Ballybrophy line for the Dublin - Limerick section and with a more direct Limerick to Cork line.

I am not proposing anything like this. Just wondering if anyone ever suggested that routing before.

I can't see anyone making the through journey and without them, what would be the point? If investment is available, it needs to be prioritised to areas where it would bring the most benefit.

Deedsie

Isambard wrote: »

I can't see anyone making the through journey and without them, what would be the point? If investment is available, it needs to be prioritised to areas where it would bring the most benefit.

I kinda meant it as a 5 stop only train with relative high speeds. Make it the fastest route from Belfast to Cork by only having two stops. It would be linking the 5 major urban centres on the island.

Again its not a suggestion just a random thought for a potential high speed train route linking our largest urban centres.

As you can see from our petition our suggestions are very modest.

https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/upgrade-and-invest-in-the-limerick-nenagh-ballybrophy-railway-line?source=twitter-share-button&utm_medium=myuplift&utm_source=twitter&share=793e2dea-1e56-4ab2-8e14-b2443ec0d8b8

Just went over 400 signatures.

Deedsie

Just drove by Nenagh train station and they are still working away today before the service is reintroduced on Monday. Saw some of the machinery that The_Wanderer put up recently. The road/rail truck pulling the ballast carts.

CrowdedHouse

Is it really only €2.99 each way from Roscrea to Limerick?

Deedsie

CrowdedHouse wrote: »

Is it really only €2.99 each way from Roscrea to Limerick?

Yes. Gonna be on it Friday and Saturday next week. Will try get some pictures etc