Irish rail fleet and infrastructure plans

Why should you have to? There are a large number of people in railway facilities and it makes sense to collect the rubbish there rather than have thousands of people carrying it around

I remember the last time i got the train, when we arrived in Hueston, gathering all my rubbish, taking it with me, and i passed the person clearing the train, and asking could i put my rubbish in his plastic rubbish bag, he seemed to find it stange that someone would clear out their own rubbish.

I watched that last year. Good talk. Made me worried when he said we are kind of leading the way in terms of trying out hybrid battery electric trains. Not sure that's a good thing.

I've tried searching online for some technical specifications of the new DART trains but have not found anything to date. Anyone know of a resource where I could find some specs?

Airport - Irish Rails hopes and dreams. It is not a DoT project, it is not funded.

Ryder Cup - the line will be back in place for freight by then, the ability to do something temporary will be down to funding and also CRR approval. It might happen, more chance than the airport spur.

"Envisage freight only north of Claremorris"

what does this mean given "No funding for WRC rehabilitation"

ballina branch seems to have healthy numbers so is hardly going to go freight only.

as for the hourly enterprise, i am still not seeing how this is going to happen given the issues with the DD stock, and the fact that it will mean capacity losses elsewhere on the IE network, which, even with the 41 cars, still has capacity issues due to the suburban network being backfilled due to it's own capacity issues.

NIR might be able to spare a couple of units but can they do that on a daily basis long term?

they should really wait for the new trains and then launch the whole lot, new stock, new service frequency, big bang.

but no there will be capacity cuts again and it will be launched this year of course.

No I imagine that they’re saying that later orders could be with toilets for use on longer services - remember this is a multiple order programme of fleet replacement.

I've said it before, you won't get four tracks in without insane expense. Stick three tracks in and it'll be a lot easier, and cheaper.

When they say re-,connecting cork port - do they mean reconnecting to the north docks - which is scheduled to close and re-,developed or re-connecting to marino point - which is planned to be a bulk terminal ,

Theres no way of connecting the new container port at monkstown

So fertilizer and feed only then , is there much demand for bulk to be moved by rail ?

Wouldn't suprise me if the hourly Galway comes at the expense of Westport. Keep a direct daily return like the Tralee branch. Probably adding 3-4 extra services rather than 6-7. Hard to see them keeping both and filling such capacity. It didn't work on Cork so why would Galway be different.

Look how well received the extra connecting evening service was received by political reps recently. Question is will they be as happy if this change happened.

I don't know if Mayo shuttles from Athlone would work, because of the further split between Westport and Ballina services at Manulla Junction. While a one-change for Westport is something one might get away with, having a situation where someone travelling between Dublin and Ballina has to change twice (once at Athlone and again at Manulla) would put that branch into "F it, I'll just take the bus" territory. And considering that the Heuston area likely isn't people's final destination anyway in a lot of cases, realistically it would be at least 3 changes.

Realistically I think they'd have to start running trains directly from both Ballina and Westport to Athlone.

I also agree with the plan to build a spur from the DART line to Dublin airport. Even with just the coastal DART, it makes a one-seat ride from much of Dublin to the airport and if Dart Underground were ever built, it would make the airport accessible by one seat ride by train from points as far away as Heuston and the Hazelhatch line.

Perhaps not however this part of the line is a small % of passenger’s. I don’t think the bus would win out over 2 changes unless there was a private express service.

Many Ennis services require 2 changes and its likely more people travel to Heuston from there compared to Foxford/Ballina on an average day.

The 2 changes is also in place for some services to Ballina.

If the Northern Line was Quad then you could run express services to Connolly or via DART Underground (if it ever exists). There won't be very many people from the airport getting off in Ballymun or Glasnevin.

Even if quad-tracking the Northern Line were to happen (unlikely), the level of service suggested here isn't going to be possible with an airport spur. Having trains crossing the tracks will limit frequency and create operational difficulties. If anything, a spur would undermine investment in additional tracks.

If a spur from Clongriffin is required, it could be done as light rail at much lower cost. Could make it the same system as Metrolink to utilise it's control centre, maintenance facilities, etc. Even a more basic people mover would probably suffice.

What sort of radius would be required to allow a heavy rail train make that turn? Could add 1km of track, much of it elevated, and a wide bridge. If you wanted trains coming from further north to use the spur, you'd need another such loop. The cost of such a spur would be huge.

Anyone using DART from south of Tara Street will be able to change to Metrolink to reach the airport. If Metrolink was extended north to meet the Northern Line, that would facilitate most passengers from further north.

I know people have fantansies about intercity trains using a tunnel to go directly to the airport but I doubt intercity trains would be allowed near such a tunnel, if ever built. It needs to be used for high frequency DART services which would slow any other trains. Changing to Metrolink with it's direct routing would likely be fast than heavy rail via Clongriffin.

There would be no business case for building the spur in the most expensive way possible.

The existence of heavy rail flyovers/underpasses elsewhere is irrelevant. In this case, it involves connecting to a perpendicular line, which would require a large radius loop to allow trains make the turn. If you want connections in both directions (i.e. south towards Dublin and north from Drogheda/Belfast), you need two such loops. The cost of this would be significant.

As already pointed out, the spur really won't serve that many people once Metrolink and DART+ are complete. You could get the same benefit at a fraction of the cost with light rail (the cost of creating a 160m heavy rail station anywhere near the terminals would be enormous, as well as the approach). Light rail would be much easier, it could cross roads at grade and even use roadspace. Once alternatives are considered, there will be no business case for a heavy rail spur.