Irish rail fleet and infrastructure plans

Given that it seems there are no plans to buy any DMUs to expand services outside of the GDA and Cork, am I correct in thinking that more services outside of GDA/Cork means waiting for existing DMUs to be cascaded from the GDA, as the new Alstom electric/battery trains arrive?

What sort of timeline might this happen in?

185 coaches have been ordered already, that is 37 sets of 5-cars

https://www.irishrail.ie/en-ie/news/iarnrod-eireann-and-alstom-sign-contract-for-90-ex#:~:text=This%20order%20of%2090%20carriages,carriages%20to%20be%20ordered%20over

I presume these are due to replace the 36 old DART sets? 36 * 2-car = 72 cars

At what stage might 2800 or 29000 be replaced, so they could be sent to Galway or Limerick?

2026?

Glasnevin junction IMO should be redone to allow services divert along the southern line and get to and from the Phoenix park tunnel. Operational flexibility if nothing else. Would allow a few Kildare services to go to Docklands as well and take some pressure off Connolly through platform timetabling . Also be good for the odd Point depot gig.

No. The suggestion in Trellheims post is that services using the PPT , should be able to use the Midland line (line that Docklands trains use)

Under the DART+ plans , southwest DARTs will use Drumcondra and then the line just after Drumcondra station to go to Spencer Dock.

I have a question about the implications of the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers adopting the regulations below:

Should I start a new thread? In what forum, here or under Infrastructure?

https://transport.ec.europa.eu/news-events/news/sustainable-and-resilient-transport-network-bringing-europe-closer-together-2024-06-13_en

The European Commission welcomes the final adoption of the Regulation underpinning the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) by the European Parliament and the Council.

My question is about the three targets below:

The revised Regulation sets ambitious targets for European transport infrastructure:

• Rail Travel Speed: By 2040, passenger railway lines on the TEN-T core and extended core network must support trains traveling at speeds of 160 km/h or faster.
• European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS): ERTMS will be deployed across the entire TEN-T network as the single European signalling system, enhancing rail safety and efficiency. National legacy 'class B' systems will be phased out, incentivising industry investment in ERTMS.
• Airport Connectivity: Major airports handling over 12 million passengers annually must be connected by long-distance rail, improving passenger connectivity and making rail a competitive alternative to domestic flights.

These targets imply that Dublin to LK and CK and border should be 160kph all the way.

(1) is that the case now?

(2) the mixing with DARTs suggests to me that we need a new line (I know quad tracking isn't possible)

(3) the target means ETCS must be installed. Is any installed now? I think the answer here is no.

(4) the airport target means that DUB airport must be on the national rail netwrork, something which I have long supported. How might this work?

I suggest a new line branching off the existing Belfast line, near Balbriggan, running through Swords, with a station there, linked to metro station, and then a station in airport, again linked to metro station. Maybe another station between airport and city centre, I'm not sure where, and then the line should go through Dockland station in tunnel, to SSG station, to Heuston station.

This means IC trains move off the existing line up to Malahide, which would be DART only.

How might the Govt decide to link the airport to the national rail network?

We need trains to be able to run from CK, LK, GY to the airport.

From what I can make out, Dublin to LK must be 160 kph all the way, which is what we should be doing anyways to every city.

Great to hear about ETCS. I presume ETCS means lower cost, as IE can buy kit off the shelf?

Regarding the consultation for the quad tracking between Connolly and Malahide, hasn't this been looked at over and over again?

Never mind the infrastructure aspect but surely it is a non-starter from a political perspective? What politician in north Dublin is going to to be in favour of hundreds of their constituents losing their back gardens and indeed possibly whole homes?

Asside from the political elenment and the fact 7 ICR's are rare today and will become even more so once the fleet is reconfigered. It is good to see that Kilkenny might restored in future.

https://www.mattshanahan.ie/shanahan-calls-for-immediate-restoration-of-kilkenny-railway-platform/

Responding to a parliamentary question from Deputy Shanahan, Iarnród Éireann Chief Executive Jim Meade said that they “did not have funding at this time for restoration of the structure” but it was be their intention to “restore the protected structure of the original Train Shed once funding can be obtained”.

According to Mr Meade, “a review of Iarnród Éireann’s Infrastructure funding levels (MAC) Multi Annual Contract 5-year plan 2025-2029 is currently being progressed with the Department of Transport.”

“I’ve asked Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan to prioritise the restoration of the platform, which really shouldn’t be an undertaking too large or expensive for them at this time,” Deputy Shanahan said. “For the many people who travel to Kilkenny, Carlow, Dublin, etc., from Waterford, a platform extension and enhanced fleet carriages would greatly enhance capacity and, with it, comfort, efficiency and convenience.”

There's definitely stuff under the train shed that might stop it being used by trains due to weight concerns.

”Major airports handling over 12 million passengers annually must be connected by long-distance rail, improving passenger connectivity and making rail a competitive alternative to domestic flights.”

am I overthinking the language here by thinking it refers to countries with more than one >12m airport which can be connected together and avoid flights between them?

No. Belfast International is 6-7m and Cork ~3m

In terms of capital projects on the national rail network, is this the current status?

Greater Dublin Area (GDA)

new DART fleet: framework order signed for 750 vehicles in Dec 2021, of which 185 ordered so far

DART+ west: design done, RO submitted to ABP in July 2022, permission rec'd from ABP in July 2024

DART+ southwest: designed, RO submitted to ABP in March 2023

DART+ north: designed, RO submitted to ABP in July 2024

DART+ south: design and public consultation in 2024

Am I missing anything in Dublin?

Cork city area

Three projects are actually under construction? Thanks to EU funds.

(1) extra platform(s) at Kent station = construction underway

(2) 10km double-tracking from Glouthaune to Midleton: RO granted by ABP in Nov 2023 - has construction started?

(3) re-signalling to ECTS = construction is underway since Jan 2024

Cork area: new stations, electrification = all at early design stage

Around Limerick

Line to Foynes - re-construction is well underway

LJ to Limerick re-doubling: I'm unsure as to its status

New station at Moyross = proposed design published

New station in suburbs of Limerick: I'm unsure about this? Ballysimon?

Other projects

Elimination of LC in north county Cork: huge delays with ABP

Oranmore passing loop 1km and new platform: still no planning application for such a simple project

Ceannt station re-development: construction started in early 2024

Am I missing anything?

No moves on the Navan line?

You'd think the IE engineers should know how to improve the railway - that is their job, isn't it?

Why the need for external consultants?

If the ambition is to always have a pipeline of smaller projects underway, why aren't they developing that capability?

I could tell them that the solution to more capacity is adding passing loops, and/or re-doubling lines.

There you go.

For many stretches of intercity lines, here is the solution: re-double the line, eliminate all LC, add ETCS, max speed 200kph, passive or active provision for electrification.

Galway line: apply above from Portarlington to Athlone and Athenry to Galway

Cork line: apply above to whole line

Limerick: apply above to LJ to Limerick station

Waterford: apply above as far as Kilkenny

Belfast: whole line

I think the value add should be closer to an actual plan then telling IE to add a passing loop in Sixmilebridge (as well as extending the existing platform). As per Moyross (with same company) location and station plan was the outcome.

The money spent on planning a development does seem excessive , proof of whether it is or not can be seen in the time it takes to ultimately be delivered.

2600 class sets in Kent station as of 14:04 today are 2601+2602 2605+2616 2606+2615 2617+2614  2610+2613

219 is the loco at the back/front of the Dublin train. There an ICR set there next to the engine shed.

Would that not increase driver workload? Of course, if Dublin could agree with London that they would legislate ETCS 1 as a sufficient replacement for their signalling system including changing to km, and Dublin throwing in say 50% of the cost, that would simplify matters. But then there would be some voices in NI that would damn that as “increased divergence from Britain, another regulatory Irish Sea border” or whatever

Test train for ETCS doesn't have mph, just kph. I'll have a look and see what's coming on the new trains.

ETCS is always in kph, while running under ETCS the speed limits are shown in the ETCS display so you don't need to do any math or conversion

DART has been fully metric since 1984, ATP display is in kph, OHLE datum is in metres. First revenue use of ETCS will be DART.

On the test train there is a conversion chart on the centre window pillar as once away from ETCS coverage it will be metric speedometer as there is only the ETCS display now.

The analog speedometers fitted across the fleets are dual mph/kph units