WRC = End of Limerick Junction and Lim-Rosslare?

Nostradamus

I am banned from Commuting Transport so I can only post this here.

From what this eh POLITICAL person told (knows shag all about railways, but seriously well connected) me "they (IE) want to operate Dublin-Limerick services on the WRC in one direction". It sounds like this might be what IE want:



Interesting eh?

Or maybe all the Dub-Lim services will go via Athenry and Ennis? Like I said, he knew nothing about the railways and he was explaining it badly, but making sense at the same time.

I got the impression that Limerick to Waterford/Rosslare passenger service is due for the chop and Limerick Junction is to cease as a passenger station? Anyone else hear this? Woodlawn, as well as regular Manulla, Foxford and Ballina passenger services as in danger and the Limerick - Ballybrophopy line is history as well.

Kinda ironic considering what the people who supported the WRC claimed it was going to connect with these lines "and feed millions of passengers" into them.

On and the WRC to be taken under the wing of the National Assets Management Agency!

Now that sudden emergency WRC seminar out of the blue kinda makes sense dosen't it...

dowlingm

Woodlawn should be got rid of, as should Attymon, and Craughwell and Ardrahan should never open.

As for Manulla, it's crazy that CIE can't find a way to admit passengers there if the train is stopping anyway. The difference with the aforementioned stations being that they aren't transfer stations.

As for the diagram - I've always thought Ennis-Dublin traffic will beat Ennis-Galway traffic on the WRC if connections are right.

dmeehan

dont really see the point in that, unless it is shorter/quicker. is it?

IIMII

Better logistics? Reflecting stations along route most likely to attract Dublin passengers going north (rather than Galway) & Limerick bound passengers going south? Lesser rolling stock requirements with through running? Less idle time for trains at stations? Dunno, just guessing

dmeehan

its not through running, limerick is an end-of-line station

IIMII

Sorry, clumsy use of words

icdg

Would seem crazy. Assuming no infrastructure improvements:

Dublin - Athenry - 2h20 min
Dublin - Limerick via Limerick Junction - about 2h15 min

(both journey times from irishrail.ie).

What do we estimate Limerick-Athenry on a single track WRC? 1 hour? More? Either way you are talking about increasing to over 3 hours journey times via the WRC. For what benefit?

Oh and add to that, you would create the crazy situation whereby it would become impossible to do a return journey from certain intermediate stations to Limerick. Is there any mainline railway line that operates like this?

Nostradamus

Just been told again is what he thinks is happening is that some off peak Dublin-Limerick services are going to be used to "open" the WRC until they have enough rolling stock for a proper Limerick-Athenry-Galway shuttle.

Fianna just want any kind of train on the line as soon as possible. Another Parish Pump solution apparently.

Judgement Day

"Just been told again is what he thinks is happening is that some off peak Dublin-Limerick services are going to be used to "open" the WRC until they have enough rolling stock for a proper Limerick-Athenry-Galway shuttle.

Fianna just want any kind of train on the line as soon as possible. Another Parish Pump solution apparently."
__________________
...Global Warming...Chicken Flu Pandemic...Swine Flu Pandemic...Closure of Limerick Jn and Limerick/Rosslare Line.

Done that for you - OK?

Tech3

This doesnt seem pratical in my opinion. The Limerick to Galway line will have enough passengers daily to make it viable. I have had doubts about the Galway-Sligo line however.

The Journey to Limerick from Dublin will be a lot longer via Athenry. What benefits would this actually have? The WRC is being constructed get over it. Phase 1 due opening at the end of the summer?

Judgement Day

tech2 wrote: »

This doesnt seem pratical in my opinion. The Limerick to Galway line will have enough passengers daily to make it viable. I have had doubts about the Galway-Sligo line however.

The Journey to Limerick from Dublin will be a lot longer via Athenry. What benefits would this actually have? The WRC is being constructed get over it. Phase 1 due opening at the end of the summer?

I would not be even slightly optimistic that there will be enough passengers availing of the Limerick/Galway service to make it viable. I imagine it will be operated in the same badly marketed, badly timed way that that the Limerick/Ballybrophy and Limerick/Rosslare lines are currently run. That combined with rubbish rolling stock, competing buses etc.etc. will ensure that bushes are soon pushing their way between the rails once again and the line will go the way of the e voting machines. :mad:

Nostradamus

Judgement Day wrote: »

...Global Warming...Chicken Flu Pandemic...Swine Flu Pandemic...Closure of Limerick Jn and Limerick/Rosslare Line.

Done that for you - OK?

Yesterday's Irish Times no doubt wiped the smug smile off your face.

Judgement Day

Nostradamus wrote: »

Yesterday's Irish Times no doubt wiped the smug smile off your face.

If you are referring to me I am puzzled. I have no reason to feel smug - I am really pissed off about the way our railways are being run and have been kicking up about same since 1978. How long have you been raising the issue?????? Your 'well infomed' contact is still talking out of his bottom if he thinks that Dublin/Limerick services are going to operate via Athenry.:D

Incidentally, I still think that the Closure of the Limerick Jn/Waterford line is a fake crisis and will not happen.

fricatus

tech2 wrote: »

This doesnt seem pratical in my opinion. The Limerick to Galway line will have enough passengers daily to make it viable. I have had doubts about the Galway-Sligo line however.

Judgement Day wrote: »

I would not be even slightly optimistic that there will be enough passengers availing of the Limerick/Galway service to make it viable. I imagine it will be operated in the same badly marketed, badly timed way that that the Limerick/Ballybrophy and Limerick/Rosslare lines are currently run.

Got to agree with Judgement Day there, I'm afraid. There's an line in operation with a "service" running between Limerick and Waterford, and it attracts only 54,000 passengers a year. Now I've no doubt that this number could be tripled with a few elementary changes (mainly by providing railcar commuter services at both ends), but with the way IÉ operates, it will be a cold day in hell before that happens.

Given that Galway's population (city and hinterland) is only slightly bigger than Waterford's, and presumably IÉ -rather than a customer-focussed operator - will be running the line, on what basis do you think Limerick-Galway can be a success?