Irish rail fleet and infrastructure plans

It's taken out of context, peak capacity bertween Athenry and Galway has had minimal capacity changes. The most significent is the 17:20 Galway-Heuston change.

On a side note, looking at the TDs on that committee. It sums up the problems with our Transport system. You go over and over the same parish pump questions from West of Ireland TD's, Navan, DART for Wicklow every time…

Quad tracking N Line is just a distraction rolled out by IE to take away from the timetable mess.

He was referring to the track capacity when he mentioned the Galway route.

They are pretty much at the maximum in terms of Dublin/Galway services that they can operate at this stage.

There won't be any further rolling stock cascades until the timetable change after the new DART BEMUs enter service in 2026. They are not likely to be all in service until mid-2026 so any changes will be at the following timetable date.

There is still scope for some extra off-peak services on certain parts of the network when driver resources and funding permit (weekend PPT services being an example).

It would be but the long standing issue was the 17:20 Galway-Heuston service.

They were almost the most likely, but they need to tender when it comes up

By the time any such locomotives enter service, Dublin to Cork and Belfast trains will likely by replaced by EMUs or Hybrid MUs of some sort. So the 120 km/h freight cpapbility of a Class 99 will be OK. However they have about 8000 hp in electric more and only 2,100 hp in diesel mode, so I reckon the Diesel mode may be foe yard work , shunting, etc. For serious freight haulage you need better performance in Diesel mode. Which is one of the reasons for going for a comprehensive electrification programme. You will need some non-electric capability in , for example, container freight yards where OHLE and containers being lifted off trains don't mix.

Assuming whatever they pick for Enterprise will likely also be used for Dublin-Cork, we don't know if it will be a Loco or MU yet, as the Enterprise tender does leave options for both. With that said I think they will more than likely pick an MU, so yes this might be the end of loco passenger services.

Thank you

I hope by 2040 Dublin to Cork and Dublin to Belfast will be electrified at 200kph, with ETCS, and we will have bought trains like the ICE in Germany.

Watch your mouth when you are talking about the 29000s! Still way more reliable than the Enterprise.

Including doing runs longer than commuter stock is usually intended for - Sligo, Rosslare.

RE: reference above to the Stadler / UK Class 99 and Irish 201, plenty of discussion about Euro locomotives, and track weight limits etc. here:

Enterprise refurbishment comes closer? - Page 9 — boards.ie - Now Ye're Talkin'

Also, any word on how the Irish Rail trials are going for the hybrid battery ready, new engines for the new, and older 22000s, started 2023 and 2024, and separately for transmissions potential upgrades? Presume could be applicable if desired/finances, to the 29000s aswell, though looked expensive, 800k-1m Euro per train (or carriage! - both indicated) for new engines etc.

Some interesting bits here in the only later article i've come across (others are from the manufacturers etc. c.2019 before the trials started).

To cut fuel use and pollution, Irish Rail adds new transmissions and batteries to its trains - Dublin Inquirer

I've have read from this article that Irish Rail are seeking funding for replacing the 1984 Dart Fleet which is being sought outside of the Dart+ budget. Will Irish Rail get approval for seeking that funding for replacing the 1984 fleet from the Government or will they have to stick to their current arrangements that is in place with Alstom?

Im not going to lie, I have heard that a few times now and I am a bit confused by what it means. I don't really understanding a lot of the behind the scenes finances that IE deals with, but I have a guess for what it means.

Assuming replacement of the 8100s is accounted for by the 750 carriage/150 set framework, I don't think it means "they don't have funding for replacing the 8100s." Rather they don't have funding specifically for it, and if it comes to it they can use D+ funding to replace the original fleet. If possible they want funding specifically for it so that it doesn't take away funds for D+ itself, which in this case might mean ordering more of the framework than they otherwise would have been able to.

But it is sounding more and more like the third order might not go towards replacing the 8100s, rather a later order might.

The framework agreement just basically means they have a contract for the trains, but can draw them, down in various stages, rather than being tied to a particular delivery date, right?

I understand that much, I know the key wording of the framework is "up to 750 carriages." So if they don't get the funding for 150 sets they aren't required to purchase 150 sets.

Plus also as Jim Meade explained it, they use the frame work so it is just about finding the funds, not getting permission for each order.

What I am confused by and was refering to is the "seeking funding outside of the D+ budget" part, and rather why its not "seeking funding as part of D+."