Western Rail Corridor / Rail Trail Discussion

Ranting is the word. None of us can predict what the government will do for certain but treads like this are for discussion and we all want to learn.

But often ideas and points of discussion just meet angry sarcastic responses of some people who seem to enjoy slating others. Its a sad mentality to have. The same mindset that would have slammed the idea of Knock Airport when it was built.

Where's the rant?

I took each of the counties along the WRC one by one and pointed out why a rail link from Knock airport wasn't going to magically deliver "unlimited tourists" to the region. Odd how people get so upset by a nonsense argument being debunked

There's a sizable portion of the pro-WRC arguments that take "the train is the solution" as their starting point and work backwards from that - and get incredibly upset when challenged on it.

This type of thinking pervaded the county councils in Sligo, Mayo and Galway from 2000 until the mid 2010s (and still seems to have a hold on Mayo CoCo) and resulted in nothing more than the alignment continuing to lie idle and become more and more overgrown instead of being developed into something that, if nothing more, would preserve the alignment and provide a local amenity at the same time.

*Proceeds to post another unsolicited rant*

You clearly have a chip on your shoulder regards these "pro-WRC" people whoever they are and take every opportunity to try and attack them.

In fairness Dublin airport not having a rail link is hardly justification for not adding rail links elsewhere.

Dublin has a number of issues preventing a rail link but lack of money was never one - lobby groups (ahem taxi drivers, DAA) and how difficult the routing would prove, NIMBYs from nearby towns etc etc

Knock simply would not work due to geography, its a nonsense proposal for that reason alone, but the Dublin airport line doesn't really hold much weight.

Address what? I literally am in agreement with you that knock airport rail link is nonsense - its clearly stated in my posts and yet you get all defensive and start again with the tirade against the WRC.

Of course there are some pro WRC advocates on this thread or there wouldnt be a discussion anymore and thread would have died long ago, however you seem to feel the need to address this monolithic group of people whom you attribute opinions to as a block, in all your posts.

I'm in full agreement about the alignments. If ever a viable case could be made for a rail link between Sligo and Galway, then following the old WRC allignment would doom it to failure from the get go.

Realignments would be needed between Collooney and Charlestown, and between Charlestown and Claremorris if it were to have any change of succeeding - the old alignment can't compete with the N17 as it currently is, never mind the N17 if Collooney to Charlestown, or even just Collooney to Tubbercurry, ever gets upgraded.

That said - Knock Airport would still be a non-runner, due to the elevation difference from the airport's location to its surroundings

Irish Rail is praising Baxter's ambition in changing over to rail to move their product to Waterford and also their commitment to reducing carbon emissions. Also mentions the possibility of linking to Foynes and the increasing demand from industry to switch to rail.

https://www.con-telegraph.ie/2023/06/07/iarnrod-eireann-welcomes-baxter-healthcare-aboard-rail-freight-services-from-mayo-to-waterford/

Kinda puts an end to any trains back on that section again, anytime soon? Good to see a mini greenway along the middle of it though.

The joke is on ratepayers.

They might as well have done a KLF and shoved the hundreds of thousands in notes into a fire for all the fúcking good it'll do.

Voters should be asking very hard questions before the next local elections but.. they won't

I can't see this being a roaring success. It's pricey, you can't just rock up any old time and all respect to the area it's a tourist backwater and hardly outstandingly scenic.

Their website is vague as to what distance it covers 'several kilometers' and how long the 'experience' takes.

How the hell did that "brainwave" ever get past the most cursory examination? Somebody somewhere must be on the take because it's stupidity beyond belief.

i'm sure those who operate the project have done all of their homework and made the decisions from there.

presumably if there is decent usage then operating hours and more volunteers will happen.

obviously the council were convinced by the arguments of the promotors of the project beyond reasonable doubt hence the funding.

realistically there is no big thing here, just people crying foul because they didn't get their greenway, which is fine but is not reason to think there is anything amiss or dodgy with this project.

it has opened when doubters said it wouldn't, it is open and whether it will be successful or not time will tell.

no, just simply time will tell.

It's incorrect to say people here have doubts about it just because it isn't a greenway. It can be judged on its own merits separately. I for one just don't think it will be a success based on the reasons already stated. I honestly hope I'm wrong though.

How do they justify the €40 fee when the equipment was paid for by the taxpayer and it is being run by "volunteers"? I would have thought insurance could have fallen under MCC general PL.