Irish rail fleet and infrastructure plans

Apparently the additional 41 ICRs will not start delivery until mid 2022 so could well be Autumn 2022 when they enter service depending on commissioning or other potential problems.

Now this might be a typo or customers will be shafted again by moving capacity elsewhere. Any extra capacity should be matched equally by Translinks extra fleet if the below is correct.

The new carriages are intended to increase capacity on the Dublin-Belfast, Maynooth/M3 Parkway and Kildare lines.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40297175.html#:~:text=Irish%20Rail%20is%20buying%2041,%E2%82%AC3.65m%20per%20unit.&text=The%20first%20carriage%20is%20unlikely,pandemic%E2%80%9D%20according%20to%20Irish%20Rail.

goingnowhere wrote: »

In the early days there was a 4 coach scratch set which found itself on the 1840 to Drogheda sometimes.

That set of four cars was used on Friday afternoon as a relief before the mid afternoon enterprise, it ran at 1445, if memory serves me correctly, as far as Dundalk.
It was an absurd set: a driving trailer first, a full first, a catering car and one standard class coach. I assume that standard class passengers were allowed to sit in first class seats.
Nowadays, since the reduction in size of the enterprise sets, it should be possible to make the spare set full length, making four sets of seven coaches, (excluding egv), as originally intended.

IE 222 wrote: »

That was my assumption. They've a full set pretty much sitting idle in York rd the whole day. I doubt there constantly having to pull and rotate sets every day for checks or maintenance.

Having the 4 sets in service should deliver a 90 min frequency.

My sentiments entirely.
Having four sets in service daily, with an ICR or CAF 3000 for occasional relief would be more efficient use of assets funded by the EU taxpayer. By having an odd number of services, each set would overnight in Belfast every second night for full maintenance. Minor attention could be done in Dublin if required.

Question for more knowledgeable people.

When people refer to double tracking between Limerick - Limerick Junction... Would this require an upgrade to Killonan Junction and removal of the level crossing near Roseville House Nursing Home?

Pete_Cavan wrote: »

Tender process started for works to remove a speed restriction on a section of the Dublin-Cork line;

https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicPurchase/190196/1/0

With all the limestone quarried for ballast at Lisduff, it's difficult to imagine a boggy formation under the railway here.
Good to hear it is being addressed.

IE 222 wrote: »

Be interesting to see the cost of these renewal works. I guess the Galway and Sligo lines suffer with similar problems and to a greater extent.

The estimated value in the tender notice is €4m ex.VAT.

tabbey wrote: »

The extrapolis fleet in Melbourne seems reliable enough but Irish Rail doesn't have a good experience with Alston products.

Can only hope competent people are in charge of the contracts.

I notice Renfe placed an order a few months back for a fleet of 150 coaches.

Must say never heard of the type before now and I hope the ends wont be like the Melbourne fleet. The South African fleet looks better.

Any word on when an announcement is due and how long it will take before they start arriving?

It was said a few weeks ago it would be in a few weeks so who knows. No idea but prob 2+ years.

tabbey wrote: »

The extrapolis fleet in Melbourne seems reliable enough but Irish Rail doesn't have a good experience with Alston products.

The 8200 and 2700 class didn't live up to the mark partly because GEC let themselves down as regards spare parts and general aftercare and partly because the bar set before them in the 2600 and 8100 was extraordinarily high and partly because they were something of a one off for GEC , who were in something of a flux with a messy myriad of mergers and takeovers as companies go. While the 8200 units were a mess, the 2700's settled down once they were rostered on let stop star and longer trips and their servicing was delegated to Limerick's diesel fitters.

Also, the Alstom Citadis units on the LUAS has have been unbelievably successful both here and abroad. Some of the units aren't far off their third decade in operation and show no signs of ageing let alone slowing down. The reviews on the proposed new EMU's aren't the worst but I wouldn't worry on the design being aesthetically rigidly similar to what's preceded them just yet. Remember, they are a long way off before building so a lot of design changes will happen between now and then.

If it doesn't result in some really radical rail plans, that will be a total scandal and proof that Eamon Ryan is almost as useless a transport minister as his predecessor. All I ever hear from him is cutting back on road plans: fine, but what about some alternatives?. Maybe he thinks that cycling and walking will be the future.

Surprised it has not been mentioned (unless it has and I missed it) that the NTA have recently approved (subject to Government authorisation) the initial DART+ fleet order, the winning bidder is not yet known, but the initial order is a bit disappointing, it will only be for "6 half-lenght EMUs" and "13 half-lenght BEMUs".

They also want Limerick Depot, but, I can't see it actually happening to be honest, the majority of buildings are protected structures to start with.

In all likelihood they probably won't have to. The commuter railcars are serviced in Drogheda, the 22's in Portlaois and freight wagons in Limerick. Some of Inchicore will be held onto for DART underground needs and for working on the diesel loco fleet (Needs to be close to Dublin as most loco links serve here), lathing, bodywork/painting work and other engineering jobs. DART get most of their work done in Fairview but they'll get a new depot as well anyway; it too should be able to do a little more if required. In any case any movement on redevelopment will be several years away.

What will be interesting is in finding a long term home for the RPSI fleet, and specifically their carriages. They have neglected this issue over the years although their engines are safe for now.

That project is to replace existing lifts with ones that will, allegedly, break down less. Experience so far shows they may be more unreliable at least in the bedding in period!

It isn't adding new lifts to anywhere. I expect there would be different funding streams to get for that.

There are also commuter/DART stations where access to the non station side platform requires leaving the station entirely, for places with multiple times the daily passenger usage of Claremorrris, so there may be enough obvious gaps to build an improvement package across the network and seek funding for it

Set 7 is all ZF, been on it a few times in recent weeks. I was surprised when it was in multiple with second ICR not long ago until then it was always just a single unit when I traveled. Just assumed that wouldn't be possible.

DART fleet contracts signed. Pic of fleet.

Also the first TFI branding. Internally is very Thameslink.

https://twitter.com/irishrail/status/1470354920440320005?s=21

Trains look decent.

My only question is does this order make any part of the DART+ project more uncancellable, or a lot more so?

the main risk is that if the BEMU units work well, they might think "well why bother electrifying extra lines".

But the overhead line works should be underway at least on the Maynooth and Hazelhatch lines by the time these trains arrive.