Connolly - Liffey Junction

Victor

I'm wondering does this work - making the M&GW line (mostly in cutting) outbound and the GS&W line (mostly elevated) inbound. It would mean adding platforms to one side of the M&GW line, which means playing with road space and possibly the canal (not actually all that difficult, you just drain the canal).

It means you can have fast / slow tracks so expresses can pass locals (albeit over a relatively short section), but also instead of having a double scissors junction at Glasnevin Junction (sketch at top), you can have it just before Docklands, within the North Wall yard. This means trains can maintain speed at Glasnevin Junction.

The one catch is trains going from Connolly, Docklands, etc. to the Phoenix Park Tunnel need to cross trains going from Liffey junction to Connolly, Docklands, etc. This could be grade separated along the navy or wine coloured routes. Teh Newcomen curve would only be used for downhill trains.

Layouts at Connolly and Heuston aren't fully accurate.

Ham'nd'egger

I don't follow quite what this is meant to be done for, Victor, are you thinking it will increase capacity towards Maynooth or something else?

Victor

It would marginally improve capacity to Maynooth*, but it also creates Kildare Line / Heuston to Connolly/ Docklands options, pre-Interconnector. It doesn't make the Interconnector obsolete as the Interconnector creates much better connections to other places.

Part of it was an exercise to see what could be done.


* Expresses / semi-expresses can bypass locals, but it also makes Connolly platform operations relatively simple. All inbound trains can 'keep right' after coming in the GS&W line and use platform 7 and exit quickly via the Newcomen Curve.

murphaph

Victor wrote: »

Part of it was an exercise to see what could be done.

Something Irish Rail don't do.

Victor wrote: »

Expresses / semi-expresses can bypass locals, but it also makes Connolly platform operations relatively simple. All inbound trains can 'keep right' after coming in the GS&W line and use platform 7 and exit quickly via the Newcomen Curve.

I'd love to see all Maynooth trains terminate at P7 Connolly assuming correctly timed onward DARTs with the requisite capacity. A LOT of simplification could be achieved in and around Connolly by making people make 1 change, something T21 will require of people to work anyway, just like any succesful network.

At the moment IE are trying to hard to give 0 change journeys with delays and overcrowding commonplace. Perhaps it's time to do away with this approach.

Ham'nd'egger

Victor wrote: »

* Expresses / semi-expresses can bypass locals, but it also makes Connolly platform operations relatively simple. All inbound trains can 'keep right' after coming in the GS&W line and use platform 7 and exit quickly via the Newcomen Curve.

One immediate problem in doing as described is that you are putting trains onto one sole platform, thus ending up with a bottleneck tighter than the one we start with. To clear the platform, trains will still need to be parked up somewhere convenient; platform 7 is hardly convenient. Are you thinking of Connolly to succeed Heuston for trains to the South and West or just for local services?

On Newcomen Junction, it is not ideal for regular use given it's slope, curve and lack of access to most of Connolly. Indeed, it's main purpose was to give the MGWR access to Kingtown for the Mailboat, a once daily running; hence it's lack of access to the main station. True, it is an access route but it is not suitable for heavy use on a regular basis so it can't be looked at as a solution.

Victor

Hamndegger wrote: »

One immediate problem in doing as described is that you are putting trains onto one sole platform, thus ending up with a bottleneck tighter than the one we start with.

Not really. Part of the problem is the DARTs constantly changing between platforms 5,6 & 7. I'm suggesting doing away with this. Maynooth & Sligo trains would stick with platform 7 and DARTs on platform 5 & 6.

Ideally, I would have added platform 8 (property acquisition required). Expensive, but in the scheme of of €34.5bn, cheap.

To clear the platform, trains will still need to be parked up somewhere convenient; platform 7 is hardly convenient.

There is a 2-train siding (I'm not sure how long) next to and above the Newcomen Curve, it could draw off excess trains at 9.30am and feed them in at 4.30pm.

Are you thinking of Connolly to succeed Heuston for trains to the South and West or just for local services?

Local only, some Kildare trains yes, Port Laoise / Athlone trains probably not.

On Newcomen Junction, it is not ideal for regular use given it's slope, curve and lack of access to most of Connolly. Indeed, it's main purpose was to give the MGWR access to Kingtown for the Mailboat, a once daily running; hence it's lack of access to the main station. True, it is an access route but it is not suitable for heavy use on a regular basis so it can't be looked at as a solution.

Access to the rest of Connolly isn't really an issue (Maynooth & Sligo to only use platform 7) and is in fact a bonus - no crossing trains obstructing the DART.

Regarding the slope, I'm suggesting it be only used for downhill trains - no risk of train failure on the uphill. Curve - as the trains are only pulling off from the platform, they won't be going very fast anyway. This of course assumes it is sound engineering wise (or can be made so). I'm sure the track has been relaid at least 3 times in the last decade or so.

Maybe we need some German drivers and controllers.

Ham'nd'egger

The siding you refer to is often used to hold onto trains, Victor so assuming space is there, it can be used for this puppose; it is electrifed as well. I am sure that IE have looked at this idea at some point given the tight access into Connolly and to utilise track as much as possible.

Question, what do you do about Drumcondra Station on the MGWR link? Mr. Waterways Ireland will love you lots if you get your way

murphaph

Hamndegger wrote: »

I am sure that IE have looked at this idea at some point given the tight access into Connolly and to utilise track as much as possible.

Lol, if only they cared enough to bother and assuming they have lokked at it I bet it has been shot down by the politicians as it would be seen as a degradation in service levels for Maynooth.

Victor

That siding is actually fairly short - the photo shows 4-car trains. It could be extended by taking out one or two houses on Seville Row. It could even be extended to the old turntable by platform 7, but in that case I'd actually put in Platform 8.

Track layouts at Glasnevin Junction and the approach to Docklands attached.

Sections through Whitworth Road also attached. I did these sketches before looking at it on site. The cutting is actually shallower and steeper than I thought, so it might take a bit of work in detailing it. There is space for adjusting the canal alright.