Where does this train line go?

ian_m

I was wandering around Microsoft Live Maps and stumbled across this rail line that appears to go under the Phoenix Park and then dissapear?
Link Here. Is it an industrial line?

Ginger

Comes out just a little bit up and continues over to beside croke park..

Have a look here

You can also see from the Mini Map that it continues along

Wishbone Ash

ian_m wrote: »

Is it an industrial line?

It's used by IR staff to move stock between Connolly and Heuston.

dogmatix

Aye - you can see the line running into a tunnel from the top deck of the 79A in the morings just before Hueston. I think it will form the basis of the "interconnector" that everyone talks about.

Woden

I remember this line from when I was a kid. Grandparents lived in the Garda terrace houses just as you go in the NCR entrance of the park. Could hear the trains going through below.

I always wondered why it wasn't used as a commuter line between Heuston and Connelly anyone know why? Wasn't there talk of a tunnel being built to link Heuston and Connolly?

Wishbone Ash

Dataisgod wrote: »

I always wondered why it wasn't used as a commuter line between Heuston and Connelly anyone know why?

I think it has something to do with passenger safety (poor evacuation facilities from tunnel in emergencies or such like).

ian_m

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I think it has something to do with passenger safety (poor evacuation facilities from tunnel in emergencies or such like).

You'd wonder why they didn't just upgrade the facilities years ago.

Bluetonic

Irish rail claim it's a capacity issue at Connolly, there is nowhere for the trains to go. All this aside there are passenger services run through it from time to time, specials.

http://www.railusers.ie/campaigns/phoenix_tunnel/

Bluetonic

dogmatix wrote: »

I think it will form the basis of the "interconnector" that everyone talks about.

The Interconnector is a separate issue altogether, based south city center.

Spencer Dock -> Pearse -> St Stephens Green -> High Street -> Heuston.

Woden

Interesting read there on the tunnel. Thanks for the link.

I am working hard today thats for sure >_>

fitzyshea

The tunnel under the park has been there for years and is used to move trains between heuston and connolly, its also used for freight and to move th eoccasional train for matches! However IE wont use it on a daily basis to alllow passenger movements. They want to build the interconnector instead.

Theta

They said it would be very very expensive to upgrade it to the spec required for a tunnel for proper use. Some group are campaigning for it to be upgraded instead of the interconnecter as it will be cheaper than building a new tunnel


Does anyone know when it was build or anything?? also if you look where it comes out theres a bridge going over it thats behind houses completely overgrown hehe cool!

Wishbone Ash

irlmarc wrote: »

Does anyone know when it was build or anything?

I think it was constructed in the 19th century.

Ste.phen

irlmarc wrote: »

They said it would be very very expensive to upgrade it to the spec required for a tunnel for proper use. Some group are campaigning for it to be upgraded instead of the interconnecter as it will be cheaper than building a new tunnel


Does anyone know when it was build or anything?? also if you look where it comes out theres a bridge going over it thats behind houses completely overgrown hehe cool!

I've been down there actually, it looks like an alternate entrance to the (i think?) Army Barracks on one side of the tracks. The bridge is overgrown but there's a big entrance behind it

Theta

Its just odd how it could become so overgrown!

Wonder what the tunnel is like inside?

Ste.phen

irlmarc wrote: »

Its just odd how it could become so overgrown!

Wonder what the tunnel is like inside?

Maybe someone will head down there with a camera some day.

*cough* of course, that would be illegal.

Theta

*cough meet you there *cough

vektarman

irlmarc wrote: »

Its just odd how it could become so overgrown!

Wonder what the tunnel is like inside?

Spent a lot of my misspent youth going through that tunnel with my friends in the 70's, it's pitch black of course but okay if you being a decent torch, there are small alcoves every hundred metres or so to duck into when a train approaches, only told my mother about it a couple of years ago and she said she would have killed me if she knew what I was up to:)

Stufinnegan

I live in the apartment block at the entrance by the river. There used to be alot of Guinness trains going through before they moved all their freight to the road. About 6/7 freight trains go through each day now, except on GAA match day in Croker, then you get passenger trains going through aswell.

GerardKeating

ian_m wrote: »

I was wandering around Microsoft Live Maps and stumbled across this rail line that appears to go under the Phoenix Park and then dissapear?
Link Here. Is it an industrial line?

Comes out here

maps and atlas

I was on a passenger train that went through about eight or nine years ago. It was a 'special hire' train which went from Sutton to the Curragh!

There was a fundraiser for Suttonians RFC and the (diesel) train was hired to bring everyone attending the fundraiser from Sutton to the races at the Curragh. At the time I was amazed to find out that it was possible to travel by train from Sutton to the Curragh.

Basically the train went from Sutton to Amiens St / Connolly and then took the line towards Drumcondra. I can't remember exactly where we went underground but it was quite amazing when the train came out of the tunnel on the south side of the Phoenix Park (as I never knew the tunnel existed). We then joined one of the lines running from Heuston to the Curragh.

Esel

Tunnel used to service Garda HQ (whatever was there before independence) and possibly McKee Barracks.

Dub13

maps and atlas wrote: »

I was on a passenger train that went through about eight or nine years ago. It was a 'special hire' train which went from Sutton to the Curragh!

I would say that cost a few bob.

admiralofthefleet

i read somewhere (i think i might have been archiseek) that there were rumours of another tunnel that split form it to the aras where there was a platform for emergency evacuations

Esel

^ Probably for the viceroy when the Aras was the Vice-Regal Lodge.