Western Rail Corridor (all disused sections)

OurLadyofKnock

corktina wrote: »

i went past Midleton station today....at lunchtime....4 cars in car park...what hope does Tuam or Gort etc have of sustaining a service?

Midleton line is packed on saturdays I heard. Shoppers I guess?

westtip

DWCommuter wrote: »

And when Athenry - Tuam opens, will we meet at the airport on our way out?:D

We'll certainly see no light at end of the tunnel. When Gort bypass opens I reckon those passenger numbers are going to drop even further -and DW remember the quote of dempseys both last may and the day the WRC opened....and just wait for the rains to close the line down around November.

D'Peoples Voice

this seems like the ideal solution between Tuam and Tobercurry,
http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/china-to-build-ginormous-buses-that-cars-can-drive-under-video/
as all the cars are stuck bumper to bumper along this route.......:D

DWCommuter

westtip wrote: »

We'll certainly see no light at end of the tunnel. When Gort bypass opens I reckon those passenger numbers are going to drop even further -and DW remember the quote of dempseys both last may and the day the WRC opened....and just wait for the rains to close the line down around November.

Don't cry into my pint when it happens.:D

Note: Sponge bob will be buying them.;)

dean21

Yes it is only open a short time but 250% more people are using it than what was predicted and that is in a recession

So once again those economists who bashed this project are wrong but then are we surprised at that as we all know what and Irish economists prediction are like

As to all the bashers (most stuck in Dublin) I believe there are plans to open more stations

Cookie_Monster

dean21 wrote: »

Yes it is only open a short time but 250% more people are using it than what was predicted and that is in a recession

so, thats what? 25 people instead of 10 then?

westtip

dean21 wrote: »

Yes it is only open a short time but 250% more people are using it than what was predicted and that is in a recession

So once again those economists who bashed this project are wrong but then are we surprised at that as we all know what and Irish economists prediction are like

As to all the bashers (most stuck in Dublin) I believe there are plans to open more stations

Can we see those official figures please - and can we see the numbers using it solely becuase of the new section of line. All the anecdotal evidence posted recently says the line is a dead duck already. Sure open more stations - won't it make the journey slower and many "bashers" as you call them are actually out here in the west.

foggy_lad

westtip wrote: »

We'll certainly see no light at end of the tunnel. When Gort bypass opens I reckon those passenger numbers are going to drop even further -and DW remember the quote of dempseys both last may and the day the WRC opened....and just wait for the rains to close the line down around November.

all the WRC whesties will then be whinging for a Quality Bus Service to be built on its own road between eyre square and limerick stopping at every wetering hole and hitching post along the way

dynamick

The line was expected to do 8k journeys/month for the first year and 16k journeys a month by year 5. It was reported that it carried 16k passengers in its first month.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0504/1224269640188.html

This is 100% above expectations not 250% and it's just the opening month but hopefully it will sustain. 200K customers in a year will mean that the subsidy per journey will be just €44 as opposed to €93 per journey for 100k annual customers.

westtip

dynamick wrote: »

The line was expected to do 8k journeys/month for the first year and 16k journeys a month by year 5. It was reported that it carried 16k passengers in its first month.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0504/1224269640188.html

This is 100% above expectations not 250% and it's just the opening month but hopefully it will sustain. 200K customers in a year will mean that the subsidy per journey will be just €44 as opposed to €93 per journey for 100k annual customers.

don't ya think the opening month is not a true picture - bit like when a new restaurant opens in town - everyone tries it once - finds out what it's like and then it's all about repeat business, and word of mouth recommendation from the posts a couple of pages back it sounds like WOTs coming out of the kitchen is not great...and boy oh boy just look at those figures - you are saying if it does have twice as many passengers as predicted its only costing 44 euro per passenger journey to subvent!!! Wow thats a success we really need to strive for!!

It is actually mind boggling to believe a railway line has been built to target 8k passenger journies a month, with a timetable of 5 up trains and 5 down trains a day = 10 x 30 days = 300 trains a month = a target of 26 passengers per train - it really is astonishing this project was ever allowed to proceed with these kind of figurs as TARGETS! The figures quoted in the anecdotal observations a few posts back I think the original euphoria of usage has dropped down, if the average load per train falls to say 15 passengers between Athenry and Ennis what will happen then???? and how much will the subvention per passenger be?

Lets see what the passenger numbers are truly like in the period Sept, October, November - these months will be the real test of how its performing (or not), but we shall see.

dowlingm

I think the car park numbers might be a bit misleading in Midleton - the locals don't want to pay... but given the stories about fare evasion on this line that may not just be about parking charges!

westtip

I'm off this topic for a while. This debate is becoming more boring by the minute and the loss of Nostradamus a few months back, the closing down of the original thread and now the banning of DW makes me think what's the bloody point. this debating forum is a complete waste of time if people get chucked out for treading on few toes.

Yawn and boredom for now Goodbye, I am off to talk about opera.

CIE

westtip wrote: »

We'll certainly see no light at end of the tunnel. When Gort bypass opens I reckon those passenger numbers are going to drop even further -and DW remember the quote of dempseys both last may and the day the WRC opened....and just wait for the rains to close the line down around November.

Thought that one of the arguments against the WRC was that there wasn't enough population to sustain the service? Why build a Gort bypass then? and won't that road be subject to the same flood danger?

corktina

the Gort bypass is relevant because people can use it to go from where they are to where they want to be. The WRC regretably doesnt do this.

The flooding iirc was not on the Gort section and one would assume with a new construction of road (as opposed to tarting up a 100 year old+ rail line) drainage will have been properley taken care of anyway.

bondjames

Stopped at the rail crossing on the n6 and see the Galway limerick train last Thursday at 6pm

All 3 carriages were packed so it looks like this line is still a success

Now that September is almost here, I am sure the number will grow even further with students going back to collage, and worker who were off for the summer going back to work.

bondjames

westtip wrote: »

I'm off this topic for a while. This debate is becoming more boring by the minute and the loss of Nostradamus a few months back, the closing down of the original thread and now the banning of DW makes me think what's the bloody point. this debating forum is a complete waste of time if people get chucked out for treading on few toes.

Yawn and boredom for now Goodbye, I am off to talk about opera.

please come back you are so missed

corktina

bondjames wrote: »

Stopped at the rail crossing on the n6 and see the Galway limerick train last Thursday at 6pm
All 3 carriages were packed so it looks like this line is still a success
Now that September is almost here, I am sure the number will grow even further with students going back to collage, and worker who were off for the summer going back to work.

ooops

foggy_lad

bondjames wrote: »

Stopped at the rail crossing on the n6 and see the Galway limerick train last Thursday at 6pm
All 3 carriages were packed so it looks like this line is still a success
Now that September is almost here, I am sure the number will grow even further with students going back to collage, and worker who were off for the summer going back to work.

have you got anything more solid than a quick look as the train passed? also was this before or after athenry? at 6pm the limerick bound train should be entering ardrahan, is that near the n6?

Judgement Day

bondjames wrote: »

Stopped at the rail crossing on the n6 and see the Galway limerick train last Thursday at 6pm
All 3 carriages were packed so it looks like this line is still a success
Now that September is almost here, I am sure the number will grow even further with students going back to collage, and worker who were off for the summer going back to work.

Trains on the Dublin/Rosslare line also appear packed - that's what happens when you cram too many people into a three coach train. :rolleyes:

KevR

foggy_lad wrote: »

have you got anything more solid than a quick look as the train passed? also was this before or after athenry? at 6pm the limerick bound train should be entering ardrahan, is that near the n6?

I'm not too sure which level crossing bond james is talking about. There is a level crossing on the old N6 (now called the R446 by the way) near Craughwell (which is after Athenry for a Galway-->Limerick service).

There are 3 level crossings before Athenry: one on the N18 near Oranmore, one on an L-road just outside Athenry and one on Church St in Athenry town.

The new N/M6 obviously has no level crossings. Ardrahan is South of Craughwell and nowhere near the new or old N6. There is a level crossing with the N18 near Ardrahan though.

foggy_lad

probably means the old n6 crossing after athenry? which would make the train late:) also can you really get a good sense of passenger numbers from a train passing a level crossing at speed especially when you are not at platform height as it is harder to see into the train from ground level.

westtip

bondjames wrote: »

d so it looks like this line is still a success
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And pray tell me who in the name of god ever said it was a success? the phrase "still a success" is mind boggling.

Anyway I just wondered over to another place and found this recent post.....

http://irnirishrailwaynews.yuku.com/sreply/42663/t/Athenry-Ennis-relay.html

True, it is only open a few months but it is disappointing to see the lack of commuter support. On the 07:05 from Ennis to Galway the following passengers got on 2 in Gort and one in each of ardrahan and craughwell. There are reasonably good loadings from Athenry and you can see that there was a demand for the service there that was never filled until now. The 14:30 train from Galway was not packed on the way home either as was the 14:14 from Limerick train in to Galway which we passed in Gort at 15:20 after a long wait. The line had to be brought back, it was a real shame to just have it there and not used, it is such a pity that the motorway will be opening so soon as well. Tuam has to happen as well next year, otherwise it will be next on impossible to get commuters to change. The real stick is the traffic getting in to Galway City, this should encourage commuters to take the train. It looks as if there were crossings made while the line was closed and this could also be making the level crossing problem worse. The speed restrictions at Tubber and the Fergus bridge are bad, is the track underneath really that bad?

And judging by the most recent debate taking place there appears to be an air of consternation -- now I just wondered where those 100,000 signatories supporting this scheme have disappeared too...they clearly aren't jumping on the train they so desparately needed. Of course the next stage will be the blame game - that it didn't work because IE did not provide the right level of service, yes some truth in that but I am afraid in the most part it won't wash. It's interesting this poster in another place said the train was filling up at Athenry - hardly caused by the fact there is a line from Ennis. Double tracking from Athlone to Galway would have filled more trains that the WRC SJE ever will and woudl have been money better spent ont he west.

westtip

here is another one from IRN posted on 10th August - by a poster who was on the train as opposed to standing at a railway crossing

Travelled to Galway and back today. not much traffic from any of the stations. one or two at almost all except Athenry or Ennis. The fergus bridge is really really slow, I have seen reference to it but didn't remember it being that bad last time. The bridge at Galway station also has a very severe restriction as well. The new turnout at Athenry and the swamp near Tubber also are really slow. Is there any reasons for these? There seems to be a lot of work going on beside the tracks in different places looks like more overbridges. There definately needs to be a case made to increase speeds and get rid of the restrictions on this new line

and then another one about the integrated transport planning of IE and BE - hilarious stuff really.

Bus Éireann must be destroying demand for the rail service. The 51 Galway to Limerick to Cork service now has additional 51X services running Galway non stop to Gort and non-stop onto Limerick. These are not shown on the BÉ website but are possibley hourly.

You can read the posts over on IRN - but think about the Gort bypass and how much speed that will add to xpress bus services.

http://irnirishrailwaynews.yuku.com/sreply/42619/t/Athenry-Ennis-relay.html

http://irnirishrailwaynews.yuku.com/sreply/42619/t/Athenry-Ennis-relay.html

And for anyone wanting to use public transport to get from Limerick to Galwy or vice versa - heres the bus time table for the new express service:

http://www.buseireann.ie/pdf/1281351873-X51.pdf Gort - Galway 35 mins by bus or 52 mins by train. There is no early monring express bus yet but if they do.......A 7.15 out of Limerick would be 8.10 out of Gort and 8.45 into Galway - the early morning commuter train out of Gort is 7.33 arriving 8.25, what you rather do in the mornign - get an 8.10 departure or 7.33 and have 19 minutes less journey time???

Don't you just love it. Commuter line - My ar*e

Aard

This isn't meant to be a rhetorical question: why are two public transport companies competing with each other like that? I am actually interested in this. Is it that there is zero communication between the two, or is there some secret masterplan? Thanks.

Son of Stupido

Aard wrote: »

This isn't meant to be a rhetorical question: why are two public transport companies competing with each other like that? I am actually interested in this. Is it that there is zero communication between the two, or is there some secret masterplan? Thanks.

no disrespect but....

you have NOOOOOOOOOOOO idea!

they act like little fiefdoms

dynamick

Aard wrote: »

This isn't meant to be a rhetorical question: why are two public transport companies competing with each other like that? I am actually interested in this. Is it that there is zero communication between the two, or is there some secret masterplan? Thanks.

If Bus Eireann don't run a bus then citylink or someone else still will.

Irish rail would not have built this service had they not been ordered to by their shareholder.

lord lucan

dynamick wrote: »

Irish rail would not have built this service had they not been ordered to by their shareholder.

And that sadly is the crux of the matter. IE wouldn't have ever considered re-opening that line in a million years but a priest and his bunch of merry men badgered the government with pipe dreams of a new dawn in the West with new roads and railways! Sadly the shower of muppets in power value their seats over taxpayers money so they gave this the green light.

Our money has been wasted on it and the people of South Wexford & Waterford are going to suffer for it too.

westtip

lord lucan wrote: »

Our money has been wasted on it and the people of South Wexford & Waterford are going to suffer for it too.

As will the people of the west in the long run as this campaign has discredited the need for other project which are needed out here. In fact re-opening Mullingar Athlone would actually have been a better rail project for the west.

lord lucan

westtip wrote: »

As will the people of the west in the long run as this campaign has discredited the need for other project which are needed out here. In fact re-opening Mullingar Athlone would actually have been a better rail project for the west.

While the campaign may be discredited in many eyes i fear that they still have the ear of many in power(or who may end up in power in a couple of years) and will continue to peddle their 'aspirations' for further rail development in the west. It makes me sick when i see the state of Public Transport in the city,buses being taken off the road,a commuter rail system that's hamstrung by the bottleneck that is Connolly(DASH will only provide a little relief),severe overcrowding on Northern Line services. It's ridiculous,Geldof and his Boomtown Rats had it right,Banana Republic!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbwREn9QIaA

Victor

http://irnirishrailwaynews.yuku.com/sreply/42663/t/Athenry-Ennis-relay.html

It looks as if there were crossings made while the line was closed and this could also be making the level crossing problem worse.

Something like 100 accommodation crossings were removed.