Western Rail Corridor (all disused sections)

Judgement Day · 11-02-2010 9:44pm

And why not if it's there - although it would be more exciting to try and reach the WRC via Mullingar/Athlone?

paulm17781 · 11-02-2010 9:44pm

Judgement Day wrote: »

And why not if it's there

Because commuters should be priority on the national rail network.

Judgement Day · 11-02-2010 10:03pm

paulm17781 wrote: »

Because commuters should be priority on the national rail network.

Why? If Nigel, Tarquin and the 'fossils' are prepared to pay CIE/IE's rate for train hire leave them off. Anyway, given that capacity at Connolly is already stretched where would trains using the tunnel go to?

paulm17781 · 11-02-2010 11:10pm

Judgement Day wrote: »

Why? If Nigel, Tarquin and the 'fossils' are prepared to pay CIE/IE's rate for train hire leave them off. Anyway, given that capacity at Connolly is already stretched where would trains using the tunnel go to?

There's always the track work they should have done for Docklands.

There's plenty of capacity at weekends but IE still don't run commuter services.

IE have been completely against running any services through the tunnel, at one stage saying it couldn't take passenger trains, yet they'll run one offs.

dowlingm · 11-02-2010 11:14pm

Specials to GAA matches and the like get to use PPT - so it's not just the IRRS.

Incidentally, "foamers" appears to be a railfan term on this side of the Atlantic, which considering how agitated some of them get in Ireland when the words "commuters", "Dublin", "DMU" or "value for money" are mentioned is quite amusing to me.

Hungerford · 12-02-2010 1:58pm

Judgement Day wrote: »

And why not if it's there - although it would be more exciting to try and reach the WRC via Mullingar/Athlone?

The trees on the line would certainly make it far more interesting.

FlameoftheWest · 13-02-2010 12:07am

Judgement Day wrote: »

Why? If Nigel, Tarquin and the 'fossils' are prepared to pay CIE/IE's

What do you mean by "Nigel, Tarquin and the 'fossils"?

Judgement Day · 13-02-2010 12:33am

FlameoftheWest wrote: »

What do you mean by "Nigel, Tarquin and the 'fossils"?

Need I say more?

Hungerford · 13-02-2010 4:35pm

FlameoftheWest wrote: »

What do you mean by "Nigel, Tarquin and the 'fossils"?

Nigel and Tarquin = stereotypical names for British rail enthusiasts who want to see this 'colony' retain a 19th century railway system. Kind of like the Island of Sodar in Thomas The Tank Engine but with diesels.

Fossils = The Irish Railway Record Society, a society dedicated to preserving Irish railway records. Allegedly an old boy's club for ex-CIE managers, best known for its unstinting faith in the company's actions.

Ironically, Nigel, Tarquin and their mates along with the 'fossils' appear to have closer links and more sway in Iarnrod Eireann than the company's own customers.

lord lucan · 13-02-2010 7:00pm

Judgement Day wrote: »

This correspondence from IRN tonight:

'IE would hardly bring back a set of MK3's just for a railtour? Is there be much work to get them back up to mainline standard?

That's exactly what I'm thinking, I honestly cannot imagine IE making a rake serviceable for a railtour, why is why I have my money on that mk3s will be back in normal service by then on a weekday diagram, and perhaps IE have told the IRRS that assuming a set is back in traffic by then, they can use it on the Saturday'.

In 1985 CIE rebuilt the turntable in Youghal purely for a one-off IRRS railtour so the refurbishment of a set of Mk III's would not be unprecedented - especially if the priest has an input.

It's listed on the IRRS website under Dublin events here:http://www.irrs.ie/Common%20Files/PFProgramme%20Dublin.htm

alpha2zulu · 13-02-2010 7:26pm

lord lucan wrote: »

It's listed on the IRRS website under Dublin events here:http://www.irrs.ie/Common%20Files/PFProgramme%20Dublin.htm

How are they going to get them back into traffic without serious dosh being spent on them. I mean the ones that I pass in Waterford have been left open to the elements for months so must surely be a health hazard given that the interiors must be going mouldy by now and/or seen attention from rats and mice

You would just hope that IE won't end up running the jolly at a loss because at the end of the day its the taxpayer who pays a fair chunk of the IE bills through CIE subsidys. The story mentioned by another poster of a Youghal turntable being re-built is scary if true.

lord lucan · 13-02-2010 8:53pm

alpha2zulu wrote: »

How are they going to get them back into traffic without serious dosh being spent on them. I mean the ones that I pass in Waterford have been left open to the elements for months so must surely be a health hazard given that the interiors must be going mouldy by now and/or seen attention from rats and mice

You would just hope that IE won't end up running the jolly at a loss because at the end of the day its the taxpayer who pays a fair chunk of the IE bills through CIE subsidys. The story mentioned by another poster of a Youghal turntable being re-built is scary if true.

Apparently a rake of MKIII's were moved to Inchicore last week,they'll most likely get a quick clean up for a railtour if true. As for the turntable at Youghal,i'd say it's true. The turntable at Rosslare has been maintained for years despite it's only use being for the annual "Sea Breeze" excursion by the RPSI.

dowlingm · 13-02-2010 9:10pm

I wonder if someone like Shane Ross would ask the necessary questions about this? Don't get me wrong, I want to see the Mk3s kept (in fact, kept and rebuilt to another 20 years of life) - but I want them kept for regular passengers, not only insiders, and the expense of this return to service disclosed.

FlameoftheWest · 13-02-2010 9:25pm

Hungerford wrote: »

Nigel and Tarquin = stereotypical names for British rail enthusiasts who want to see this 'colony' retain a 19th century railway system. Kind of like the Island of Sodar in Thomas The Tank Engine but with diesels.

Fossils = The Irish Railway Record Society, a society dedicated to preserving Irish railway records. Allegedly an old boy's club for ex-CIE managers, best known for its unstinting faith in the company's actions.

Ironically, Nigel, Tarquin and their mates along with the 'fossils' appear to have closer links and more sway in Iarnrod Eireann than the company's own customers.

Thanks. Very interesting about how IE care less for their paying customers. Can well believe it too.

One more thing what is IRN? I see this mentioned on the other threads a lot.

lord lucan · 13-02-2010 9:44pm

FlameoftheWest wrote: »

One more thing what is IRN? I see this mentioned on the other threads a lot.

Irish Railway News.

http://irnirishrailwaynews.yuku.com/

Judgement Day · 13-02-2010 9:45pm

FlameoftheWest wrote: »

Thanks. Very interesting about how IE care less for their paying customers. Can well believe it too.

One more thing what is IRN? I see this mentioned on the other threads a lot.

IRN = Irish Railway News the provisional wing of the Irish Railway Record Society www.irishrailwaynews.com and is for those who aspire to eventually joing the ranks of the IRRS politburo.

Judgement Day · 13-02-2010 9:50pm

alpha2zulu wrote: »

How are they going to get them back into traffic without serious dosh being spent on them. I mean the ones that I pass in Waterford have been left open to the elements for months so must surely be a health hazard given that the interiors must be going mouldy by now and/or seen attention from rats and mice

You would just hope that IE won't end up running the jolly at a loss because at the end of the day its the taxpayer who pays a fair chunk of the IE bills through CIE subsidys. The story mentioned by another poster of a Youghal turntable being re-built is scary if true.

This is not a 'story' it is a fact. Today the turntable, as restored, is still in situ and half buried at Youghal. As far as I'm aware a ballast tamper may also have been turned on it since 1985 - a great return on the investment.

FlameoftheWest · 13-02-2010 9:53pm

lord lucan wrote: »

Irish Railway News.

http://irnirishrailwaynews.yuku.com/

Thanks and who is "His Lordship" I see mentioned in some of the same sentences as IRN a few times?

lord lucan · 13-02-2010 9:56pm

FlameoftheWest wrote: »

Thanks and who is "His Lordship" I see mentioned in some of the same sentences as IRN a few times?

You'll have to ask JD that!:pac::pac:

Judgement Day · 13-02-2010 10:11pm

lord lucan wrote: »

You'll have to ask JD that!:pac::pac:

Got me on that one - not one of my references - better ask DWCommuter. Did I say I love twains -especially steam heated Cravens? I would be travelling to Sligo on the ITG tour with special 141 haulage on the 6th March but I'm afraid that the stopover at Dro_mad would be too much for me and everybody else.:D

Hungerford · 13-02-2010 10:30pm

FlameoftheWest wrote: »

Thanks. Very interesting about how IE care less for their paying customers. Can well believe it too.

Remarkably, it's even worse for freight. IE has a policy of actively turning away customers. It took two years for the IWT liner from Ballina to Dublin to get off the ground even though Coca-Cola were pushing it! :eek:

alpha2zulu · 13-02-2010 10:41pm

dowlingm wrote: »

Don't get me wrong, I want to see the Mk3s kept (in fact, kept and rebuilt to another 20 years of life) - but I want them kept for regular passengers, not only insiders, and the expense of this return to service disclosed.

Yeah agree completely if bringing a rake back is part of a wider plan to relieve some of the currently overcrowded services then fair enough. Hell even putting some of the push/pull mk3's back into service on the soon to be Waterford-Galway links would be no bad thing. Since they were never fitted with air-con I presume the issue of mould in the ventilation system isent an issue.

This arrangement would be a thousand times better than the current stock. I know some people here get teary eyed for the old Cravens(judgement day:D) or those godawful railcars but they both are unsuitable to such long sectors.

However as well and good as the mk3's were the current intercity railcars have a lot of merits too. Last week it took me only 1hr 55min to get from Waterford-Heuston on the one stop morning service...journey times were nowhere near that when IE's only option was rakes of 7-8 mk3's stopping everywhere and the 10min stopovers at kilkenny:mad:

EDIT:Just thinking before we call in Shane Ross, whoever is operating the IE facebook page seem to be answering practically every question posted so far....and every couple of weeks they offer 20% off web bookings toohttp://www.facebook.com/iarnrodeireann

DWCommuter · 14-02-2010 1:56am

Judgement Day wrote: »

Got me on that one - not one of my references - better ask DWCommuter. Did I say I love twains -especially steam heated Cravens? I would be travelling to Sligo on the ITG tour with special 141 haulage on the 6th March but I'm afraid that the stopover at Dro_mad would be too much for me and everybody else.:D

If you don't know who "his lordship" was then you have no right to be discussing it.:D

dowlingm · 14-02-2010 2:26am

I would actually disagree with you a wee bit alpha2zulu.

Regional DMUs, i.e. the 22Ks, are what you want for stopping routes. Locohaul is a problem mostly when slowing or accelerating, because they have fewer driving wheels and all the power is going through them, so they take longer to get back up to speed because of wheelslip. EMUs are the best of all because they have lighter propulsion systems (and no fuel tank) and electric motors don't have to rev up to deliver max torque.

A mix might be the best option. For Waterford, for example, I would dispatch a 22K or 28K consist on the first train of a morning picking up along the way to Kilkenny, and then a Mk3 or Mk4 set with a 201 running express behind taking the Lavistown curve to overtake the 22K, stopping in say Carlow and Kildare only while the 22K makes all stops to Kildare.

FlameoftheWest · 14-02-2010 6:24pm

Judgement Day wrote: »

This is not a 'story' it is a fact. Today the turntable, as restored, is still in situ and half buried at Youghal. As far as I'm aware a ballast tamper may also have been turned on it since 1985 - a great return on the investment.

The Evening Herald a few years back stated that CIE have repainted and restored dozens of stations in the past and then closed the lines they served. One paragraph mentioned that the toilets and waiting rooms of every station on the West Cork lines were refurbushed and modernised weeks prior to closure.

The chimmneys were relined and rebuilt at Bantry station as the track machine was ripping up the rails. New ticket machines were bought for every station on CIE's network in 1962 knowing that about 150 of them were to be closed within months.

Probably UL, but would anyone be surprised if this was true.

Judgement Day · 17-02-2010 11:33am

At least the train spotters will have something to entertain them for a few months before the floods reclaim the line again!

Cookie_Monster · 17-02-2010 11:53am

Major infrastructure works were completed towards the end of last year, and driver training is well underway.

Hmmm...

Maybe that should be:

Major infrastructure works were completed towards the end of last year, and diver training is well underwater.

highlydebased · 17-02-2010 5:57pm

Anyone know whats the story with Sixmilebridge?

Went up for a peek around around Christmas, the platform and all that is finished just no car park built yet. I'm assuming that hopefully thats done at this stage. From what I've seen they are only planning on opening Sixmilebridge well after the WRC opens?

I live just up the road from it so getting the train into town would be a novelty...if its reasonably priced they might be able to detract some of the many local bus regulars at peak times

popebenny16 · 18-02-2010 1:21pm

DWCommuter wrote: »

March 30th!

Can't wait. Nearly six years to the day when myself and a few colleagues pissed off the west of Ireland! (or should I say "wesht" like that twat on telly - yeah the one who does the weather on TG4 and pretends to know about talent on a badly made TV show)

It will be an interesting year and one side of the argument is about to be found out.:eek:

are you heading over??

DWCommuter · 18-02-2010 1:48pm

popebenny16 wrote: »

are you heading over??

Nope. Its not my war anymore. These days I prefer the beautiful new motorways and the roar of my 2lt engine.:D

Western Rail Corridor (all disused sections)

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