Western Rail Corridor (all disused sections)

end of the road

cgcsb wrote: »

All of Dublin-Galway line was double track. One track was removed by the great southern and western rail company (predating iarnrod eireann) to save maintenance costs.

correct, but athlone portarlington originally wasn't part of the galway line and has never been double track at any stage. trains originally went via the main road, the athlone mullingar line. until i think 1973? portarlington athlone was just a branch.

Muckyboots

http://connachttribune.ie/tds-loggerheads-proposals-overtaking-cyclists-999
"According to Deputy Cannon the proposed legislation is in the interests of children attending their local school or families out for their Sunday spin. He wants a designated space where cyclists can feel safe and protected.However, his Government colleague Minister Sean Canney disagrees. “It is obvious that Deputy Cannon does not realise that the vast majority of cyclists use roads that are so narrow that it is nearly impossible to overtake.“And even if they do, it is not possible to adhere to a 1.5 metre passing width. I cannot see this proposed legislation getting any further and if it does, it is not in the interests of motorists or any safety measures.“Also, it hasn’t a hope in hell of being implemented because we do not have sufficient Garda resources to police every rural road where there is a presence of cyclists”, Minister Canney added."
Can't comment without breaking good Boards protocol & decency.

end of the road

Muckyboots wrote: »

http://connachttribune.ie/tds-loggerheads-proposals-overtaking-cyclists-999
"According to Deputy Cannon the proposed legislation is in the interests of children attending their local school or families out for their Sunday spin. He wants a designated space where cyclists can feel safe and protected.However, his Government colleague Minister Sean Canney disagrees. “It is obvious that Deputy Cannon does not realise that the vast majority of cyclists use roads that are so narrow that it is nearly impossible to overtake.“And even if they do, it is not possible to adhere to a 1.5 metre passing width. I cannot see this proposed legislation getting any further and if it does, it is not in the interests of motorists or any safety measures.“Also, it hasn’t a hope in hell of being implemented because we do not have sufficient Garda resources to police every rural road where there is a presence of cyclists”, Minister Canney added."
Can't comment without breaking good Boards protocol & decency.

to be fair Sean Canney is right on this. we don't have the resources to police every rural road. we barely have police resources to deal with serious crimes.

Muckyboots

end of the road wrote: »

to be fair Sean Canney is right on this. we don't have the resources to police every rural road. we barely have police resources to deal with serious crimes.

That's an argument from the Jackie Healy-Rae book of "Mursha why would we wanbe doin shomething like thaa...! ( in your besht Kerry accent) But keep going anyway

cgcsb

Few rules of the road can physically enforced by Gardaí presence 100% of the time even in Dublin City Centre, yet we still have rules and they're followed some extent, more than they are in Morocco for example.

JCX BXC

I don't usually comment on trails de-railing (pun) but what in the jaysus are we on about ATM?

Corca Baiscinn

De-railed posts should be in the MPDL thread! Common thread with WRC is Sean Canney who wants to reopen a defunct railway line and not allow cyclists a safe passing distance it seems, because roads are too narrow! Ciaran Cannon, his constituency colleague introduced the Private Members Bill re minimum passing distance, so guess competition for votes leading to a local spat. Mustn't be enough voters riding the rails so Canney needs the motorists too. I have photos of narrow roads in France,Belgium and Australia where MPD rules apply. should I send them to Deputy Canney?

westtip

FYi the two petitions on change.org for the Western Rail Trail are doing well in case anyone hasn't signed them yet.

https://www.change.org/p/western-rail-trail-campaign-create-a-walking-and-cycling-greenway-on-the-closed-railway-from-sligo-to-athenry?recruiter=679242500&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=share_for_starters_page&utm_term=des-lg-welcome_email-no_msg

https://www.change.org/p/peter-hynes-mayo-county-manager-put-a-walking-and-cycling-path-for-everyone-to-enjoy-parallel-with-kiltimagh-velorail

Muckyboots

Corca Baiscinn wrote: »

De-railed posts should be in the MPDL thread! Common thread with WRC is Sean Canney who wants to reopen a defunct railway line and not allow cyclists a safe passing distance it seems, because roads are too narrow! Ciaran Cannon, his constituency colleague introduced the Private Members Bill re minimum passing distance, so guess competition for votes leading to a local spat. Mustn't be enough voters riding the rails so Canney needs the motorists too. I have photos of narrow roads in France,Belgium and Australia where MPD rules apply. should I send them to Deputy Canney?

You should probably send them Ciaran Cannon.

Animella

Pete2k wrote: »

There is really only 1 crossing that poses any risk and that's the one on the Kilkelly Rd R322 which you may well see traffic lights or a zebra crossing type setup. For now its only going 6km towards swinford. In that distance bar the 322 there's 4 crossings but they're thru roads that between them all if they see 20 cars a day id be surprised. Av a look on street view to see how minor they are. Of course if they also go towards claremorris they'll av to cross the Knock Rd the other side of the station which would be pretty busy.

Mayo CC wouldn't put traffic lights or a zebra crossing on the Knock rd to make it safer for kids going to the primary school. It would be hard to justify a special crossing for the velorail.

eastwest

Muckyboots wrote: »

http://connachttribune.ie/tds-loggerheads-proposals-overtaking-cyclists-999
"According to Deputy Cannon the proposed legislation is in the interests of children attending their local school or families out for their Sunday spin. He wants a designated space where cyclists can feel safe and protected.However, his Government colleague Minister Sean Canney disagrees. “It is obvious that Deputy Cannon does not realise that the vast majority of cyclists use roads that are so narrow that it is nearly impossible to overtake.“And even if they do, it is not possible to adhere to a 1.5 metre passing width. I cannot see this proposed legislation getting any further and if it does, it is not in the interests of motorists or any safety measures.“Also, it hasn’t a hope in hell of being implemented because we do not have sufficient Garda resources to police every rural road where there is a presence of cyclists”, Minister Canney added."
Can't comment without breaking good Boards protocol & decency.

So, there shouldn't be rules of the road applied to roads where Gardai are thin on the ground? How did that lad get elected to Dail eireann?

Corca Baiscinn

eastwest wrote: »

So, there shouldn't be rules of the road applied to roads where Gardai are thin on the ground? How did that lad get elected to Dail eireann?

I think he even topped the poll!

eastwest

I see that Waterford is celebrating the opening of the Deise Greenway on March 25th.
Isn't it amazing how advanced they are in the south east, compared to the north west?

JCX BXC

eastwest wrote: »

I see that Waterford is celebrating the opening of the Deise Greenway on March 25th.
Isn't it amazing how advanced they are in the south east, compared to the north west?

Not a comparable situation. The route to Dungarvan has absolutely no chance of ever reopening, unlike the WRC

eastwest

JCX BXC wrote: »

eastwest wrote: »

I see that Waterford is celebrating the opening of the Deise Greenway on March 25th.
Isn't it amazing how advanced they are in the south east, compared to the north west?

Not a comparable situation. The route to Dungarvan has absolutely no chance of ever reopening, unlike the WRC

Surely you mean, 'like' the wrc?
Unless you know something nobody else in the world knows.

JCX BXC

eastwest wrote: »

Surely you mean, 'like' the wrc?
Unless you know something nobody else in the world knows.

Nobody else in the world knows that the WRC has a chance of reopening? Strange that. Even Irish rail aren't that pessimistic!

Waterford to Dungarvan has absolutely no viability, it's about as likely as the West Clare railway opening.

Don't be so ignorant on a valid point.

eastwest

JCX BXC wrote: »

eastwest wrote: »

Surely you mean, 'like' the wrc?
Unless you know something nobody else in the world knows.

Nobody else in the world knows that the WRC has a chance of reopening? Strange that. Even Irish rail aren't that pessimistic!

Waterford to Dungarvan has absolutely no viability, it's about as likely as the West Clare railway opening.

Don't be so ignorant on a valid point.

Irish rail are so optimistic about the reopening of the wrc that they've flagged ennis athenry as a possible closure, and they've given a 12 km section at Kiltimagh on a 12 year recurring lease for a velorail project.

TCDStudent1

Not sure if this has been posted before but in case it hasnt, some of you are probably interested:

https://youtu.be/zfFm5tAfOn4

end of the road

eastwest wrote: »

Irish rail are so optimistic about the reopening of the wrc that they've flagged ennis athenry as a possible closure, and they've given a 12 km section at Kiltimagh on a 12 year recurring lease for a velorail project.

IE flagging ennis athenry for closure doesn't mean anything really as they never wanted it. the reason they never wanted it was because it probably belonged to the wrong rail company pre-gsr or some other reason that only makes sense to IE. it's not going to close, that is for sure. longford sligo (or maybe even maynooth sligo) greystones rosslare, carlow or kildare waterford, will all be gone before it. if i'm wrong then i genuinely will be shocked.

TCDStudent1 wrote: »

Not sure if this has been posted before but in case it hasnt, some of you are probably interested:

https://youtu.be/zfFm5tAfOn4

sounds like it would have been cheeper to simply buy new track then removing track from one line, drag it to portlaoise, re-condition it, and do the same on another line, and all the work involved in it.

what an absolute shame we still don't have westrail.

eastwest

end of the road wrote: »

eastwest wrote: »

Irish rail are so optimistic about the reopening of the wrc that they've flagged ennis athenry as a possible closure, and they've given a 12 km section at Kiltimagh on a 12 year recurring lease for a velorail project.

IE flagging ennis athenry for closure doesn't mean anything really as they never wanted it. the reason they never wanted it was because it probably belonged to the wrong rail company pre-gsr or some other reason that only makes sense to IE. it's not going to close, that is for sure. longford sligo (or maybe even maynooth sligo) greystones rosslare, carlow or kildare waterford, will all be gone before it. if i'm wrong then i genuinely will be shocked.

The reason IR didn't want the wrc is because they knew it would disproportionately eat into their subsidy, putting pressure on lines that actually have demand and should be kept open.

end of the road

eastwest wrote: »

The reason IR didn't want the wrc is because they knew it would disproportionately eat into their subsidy, putting pressure on lines that actually have demand and should be kept open.

oh come on. we both know IE are not a company who care about lines remaining open. their opposition to line reopenings aren't on the basis of putting pressure on lines that have greater demand. so lets not pretend otherwise.

JCX BXC

Maybe if IR stopped deliberately destroying the Limerick-Ballybrophy and Limerick Junction-Waterford lines they wouldn't have to worry about the subsidy as much :P

marno21

There'll be no jobs for the boys left if they keep shutting these lines.

JCX BXC

Unless they discover that it takes two of them to open a gate each at a level crossing.

eastwest

JCX BXC wrote: »

Maybe if IR stopped deliberately destroying the Limerick-Ballybrophy and Limerick Junction-Waterford lines they wouldn't have to worry about the subsidy as much :P

Or maybe if the population trebled and stopped using more convenient and faster means of travel we could go back to the good old days when you could set your pocket watch by the train.

end of the road

eastwest wrote: »

Or maybe if the population trebled and stopped using more convenient and faster means of travel we could go back to the good old days when you could set your pocket watch by the train.

we all ready have had this discussion to death. the vast vast majority of the existing network is viable and has the population to support it. otherwise it wouldn't be in existence. it is IE'S behaviour toards lines that are putting them at threat. no amount of nonsense about setting pocket watches by the train and other guff that hasn't been the case for nearly a hundred years will change this.

murphaph

end of the road wrote: »

we all ready have had this discussion to death. the vast vast majority of the existing network is viable and has the population to support it. otherwise it wouldn't be in existence.

You apply this nonsensical argument regularly.

Please explain then to me the following:
The Harcourt Street Railway was running up until the 31st of December 1958 when it closed. According to your argument above (which you fall back on in many threads), the railway was viable on that day. Why was it then not viable on the 1st of January 1959?

You see how silly your argument is when you break it down with an example?

Pick any closed railway line and tell me why it was viable on the day of closure but not the day after. You can't, because it's a nonsense.

JCX BXC

Viability is a loose term when you're talking about a rail network in which every route is a subsidised route.

end of the road

murphaph wrote: »

You apply this nonsensical argument regularly.

Please explain then to me the following:
The Harcourt Street Railway was running up until the 31st of December 1958 when it closed. According to your argument above (which you fall back on in many threads), the railway was viable on that day. Why was it then not viable on the 1st of January 1959?

You see how silly your argument is when you break it down with an example?

Pick any closed railway line and tell me why it was viable on the day of closure but not the day after. You can't, because it's a nonsense.

the harcourt street line was closed on the basis of politics. a couple of other lines also weren't closed on the basis of economics either. up the north, sectarian reasons played the part for some closures such as the derry road. you will never find this written in official documents but you will know it if you read your history.

eastwest

The wrc closed because it was never viable, and because on the end there was practically nobody using it. It has nothing to do with some myth that IR doesn't want to run railways.