Western Rail Corridor (all disused sections)

OurLadyofKnock

DWCommuter wrote: »

Seriously lads, its like a sexually transmitted disease. Conflict of interest. And its not the first time this route has been subject to it. One West of Ireland IE manager, who looks after trains elsewhere is a big promoter of it. The whole thing is utterly disgusting and the people involved are all financially comfortable, while expecting the destitute state finances to fund it at the expense of something else.

This clown is paid to run railways for the customers. Not to be paid by taxpayers to work for West on Track. Same with another Galway CoCo public official who decided that his job with the council was to lobby for public money to build a monument to his family.

There really needs to be a major investigation into these people and their games. One of the main reason this country is bankrupt is having to pay massive salary and benifits to public servants like this joker from IE in the Mayo News so he can develop and lobby for other issues outside the remit of his employment.

These people are so distorted from Partnership and Benchmarking they have no concept of what it is like for the non public sector worker to exist in these days. They can't understand that money is not something which you get for just having a job. You work for it doing the job you are employed to do and not what you think would be a "gresh" idea and make you a hero in the local parish.

Carawaystick

OurLadyofKnock wrote: »

"gresh" idea

I realise this is off topic but I'm gonna have to steal your word, 'tis fantastic

Westy, have you seen the Dungarvan rail path? it's short enough as far as I can see, but it's th only other rail line converted to greenway I know

What's the status of the Waherford New Ross line?

There's the High line park in Manhattan too, as an example of a short linear park.

westtip

DWCommuter wrote: »

Seriously lads, its like a sexually transmitted disease. Conflict of interest. And its not the first time this route has been subject to it. One West of Ireland IE manager, who looks after trains elsewhere is a big promoter of it. The whole thing is utterly disgusting and the people involved are all financially comfortable, while expecting the destitute state finances to fund it at the expense of something else.

I wouldn't worry too much about this kneejerk reaction after the little powwow in Claremorris last week. The west on track arguments have been lost at THE HIGHEST LEVEL and now they are resorting to the parish pump thinking they will get support there - but even locally the support has gone, people in Sligo mayo etc know this project is doomed they know there is an alternative and those that have spent a career in committee rooms on the WRC have lost the argument, they don't like it that someone came along and presented a far more coherent argument, they are incapable of seeing reality, the truth is in the west we are either going to lose the opportunity that has now been created to build the greenway in which case the line will lie fallow and encroached upon for years and the bitter twisted minds that will deny the people of sligo and mayo the chance to imrove tourism in these counties will sit back in spite with a smile on their faces saying they have won a great victory for the county having saved it from one of the greatest tourist opportunties in decades. Spite wins nothing apart from complete contempt.

OurLadyofKnock

I have a technical question Westip. The line just before it enters Tubbercurry crosses the very busy and dangerous N17 at an angle. How would dealing with a fast and narrow N road crossing like this be sorted out? A footbridge over the road? Crossing would be dangerous as visability is limited in both directions and the headcases belt down the road at 100 mph constantly.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=54.044095,-8.742177&spn=0.001921,0.005681&z=18

Once into Tubber it is a beautiful rural route all the way to Cooloney. This would be the only major obstcle I could see for cyclists. Has this been tackled anywhere else?

bk

OurLadyofKnock wrote: »

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=54.044095,-8.742177&spn=0.001921,0.005681&z=18

Wow, go to Google Street view and check it out, just shows how ridiculous the idea that a rail track even exists there anymore is.

As for crossing the road, it is a pretty small, two lane road. Pedestrian traffic lights, a zebra crossing, street lighting and perhaps some warning signs on the road approaching the crossing should be fine.

Perhaps some barriers and rumble strips and warning signs, to slow cyclists down before they approach the road.

westtip

OurLadyofKnock wrote: »

I have a technical question Westip. The line just before it enters Tubbercurry crosses the very busy and dangerous N17 at an angle. How would dealing with a fast and narrow N road crossing like this be sorted out? A footbridge over the road? Crossing would be dangerous as visability is limited in both directions and the headcases belt down the road at 100 mph constantly.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=54.044095,-8.742177&spn=0.001921,0.005681&z=18

Once into Tubber it is a beautiful rural route all the way to Cooloney. This would be the only major obstcle I could see for cyclists. Has this been tackled anywhere else?

You have to cross the N59 (think its the N59) just outside Newport at the start of the Great Western Greenway not as bad as this crossing I admit but you still have to be careful with children in particular, so this does happen on greenways - its not an insurmountable problem - in any event at some point the N17 will be upgraded to bypass Charlestown and tubbercurry and will be well away from the line.

westtip

OurLadyofKnock wrote: »

Once into Tubber it is a beautiful rural route all the way to Cooloney. This would be the only major obstcle I could see for cyclists. Has this been tackled anywhere else?

OLK meant to add on this - yes it is a lovely walk that stretch although the line has quite a few trees and blockages on it that make it impassable, a local told me recently when we were walking it for a survey to submit to Leo V re the Greenway that's going to be built on the alignment that loads of people in the collooney-coolaney stretch of the line are clammering for the greenway as the road between Collooney and Coolaney (not the N17 BTW) is just a death trap to walk/cycle on. The recent survey we did of local houses got a unanimous thumbs up from the local people - a lot of them have now joined the facebook camaign.

There is a collection of photos of this stretch on the SMG campaign page on facebook - worth taking a look at, the ones of the fence built across the line and the driveway of a house type one are fairly typical - so there are going to be issues for the greenway when it is is built.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=a.148244958577960.31547.100001773703036

I really like the shot of the views of the Ox mountains, taken from the Greenway - tourists are going to love discovering this unknown part of Ireland when the greenway opens.

westtip

By the way here's a problem that can be caused by greenways!

http://www.mayonews.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12776:greenway-has-undersupply-of-accommodation&catid=23:news&Itemid=46

Pity the journos at Mayo News didn't put this story adjacent to the story about councillors on the Western Railway Committee trying to kill the sligomayogreenway off! Its hilarious stuff really is - I do hope WOT are reading this!

Judges say Greenway has ‘undersupply’ of tourist accommodation


Áine Ryan

THERE is an undersupply of tourism accommodation in the immediate Newport and Mulranny areas. That is according to the adjudicators of the European Destination of Excellence (EDEN) competition, won recently by the Great Western Greenway. In their report to Mulranny Tourism Committee, who made the application to participate in the EU wide competition, the judges highly praised the level of ‘of entrepreneurship’ that has delivered the country’s first Greenway.
The judges said: “The level of positive cooperation between the community, the landholders, the local authority and the businesses is quite remarkable …The voluntary element of the work to date is particularly impressive.”
They also noted that the high-level of community buy-in was central to the success of the project and that local businesses were already benefiting directly with a recorded increase in trade.
“The project demonstrates a high capacity for sustainable growth over time, particularly with the extension of the Greenway to both Achill and Westport, which is underway, and eventually to Galway and Clifden.”
However, they also remarked that: “There is a possible undersupply of tourist accommodation in the immediate area around Mulranny and Newport. It is an emerging destination – one which had a hey-day in the past but which fell out of vogue and has now been reinvigorated through the creation of the Greenway along the line of the disused railway.”
Announced at the beginning of May, the prestigious EDEN awards are designed to encourage and promote a more sustainable form of tourism development.
Welcoming the news at the time, Minister of State for Tourism and Transport Michael Ring told The Mayo News that this was ‘a superb win for the area from Westport to Newport, Mulranny and Achill‘.
He said: “The Great Western Greenway is a perfect example of the type of innovative project which this country needs for a sustained economic recovery. This project, which has crucially involved the local community in its development, is now generating extra visitors, revenues and jobs for Mayo.”

Transportuser09

Anywhere else locals would be happy that they were getting a greenway or similar tourist attraction, but no here they would rather wait for the railway that will never come. I mean, if it was Tuam-Athenry I would agree with them, but Sligo-Claremorris?

Judgement Day

Transportuser09 wrote: »

Anywhere else locals would be happy that they were getting a greenway or similar tourist attraction, but no here they would rather wait for the railway that will never come. I mean, if it was Tuam-Athenry I would agree with them, but Sligo-Claremorris?

You obviously never travelled on the Burma Road - it could be a huge attraction as a rollercoaster ride.

westtip

Transportuser09 wrote: »

Anywhere else locals would be happy that they were getting a greenway or similar tourist attraction, but no here they would rather wait for the railway that will never come. I mean, if it was Tuam-Athenry I would agree with them, but Sligo-Claremorris?

Actually its only the councillors who have invested so mich sweat equity in this project that want to keep the track idle for the train that will never come - and of course WOT. Its called spite. People presented with this idea the whole length of the line want to see the greenway happen soon- oh and by way some other geyser from Mayo called Enda thinks its a good idea too....so who knows he might use his influence.

Victor

bk wrote: »

Wow, go to Google Street view and check it out, just shows how ridiculous the idea that a rail track even exists there anymore is.

The maps behind google Maps aren't necessarily accurate. This is the crossing: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=54.041701,-8.747563&spn=0.019379,0.055747&z=15&layer=c&cbll=54.04177,-8.747445&panoid=be0I7859rZgHXbMmKG4lFw&cbp=12,221.73,,0,14.81

http://maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V1,551053,810547,6,3

L1011

Victor wrote: »

The maps behind google Maps aren't necessarily accurate. This is the crossing: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=54.041701,-8.747563&spn=0.019379,0.055747&z=15&layer=c&cbll=54.04177,-8.747445&panoid=be0I7859rZgHXbMmKG4lFw&cbp=12,221.73,,0,14.81

In all honesty, that doesn't make it ANY better Victor.

Propellerhead

Five or six lads talking to each other over and over again.

Is the Galway Limerick line closed yet?

westtip

Propellerhead wrote: »

Five or six lads talking to each other over and over again.

Is the Galway Limerick line closed yet?

As in boards.ie now you're talking - Wots the problem, its all a bit like afew blokes having a laff over a couple of pints, it doesn't have to be deep meaningful stuff all the time... The important thing is to keep adding snippetts of information, press releases, etc and as apparently West on Track read this thread to keep annoying them......

No the galway limerick line is not closed yet but noone is f....ig using the through route...

Rawr

Judgement Day wrote: »

You obviously never travelled on the Burma Road - it could be a huge attraction as a rollercoaster ride.

That's one of the reasons I'm all for this greenway. Should make one hell of an interesting cycle!

CrowdedHouse

Just by coincidence about an hour ago I had to stop at the level crossing at Oranmore...2 small rail-cars, I presume this was Galway-Limerick, seemed to be about 10 people on board

DWCommuter

CrowdedHouse wrote: »

Just by coincidence about an hour ago I had to stop at the level crossing at Oranmore...2 small rail-cars, I presume this was Galway-Limerick, seemed to be about 10 people on board

Thats the one!

foggy_lad

CrowdedHouse wrote: »

Just by coincidence about an hour ago I had to stop at the level crossing at Oranmore...2 small rail-cars, I presume this was Galway-Limerick, seemed to be about 10 people on board

Not bad loading for Friday afternoon considering all the second level schools are finished up last week.

corktina

yep ,leave the free pass holders behind and hire a taxi for the other two guys.save a fortune

foggy_lad

corktina wrote: »

yep ,leave the free pass holders behind and hire a taxi for the other two guys.save a fortune

Other two guys? Driver and conductor??

islanddoc

article in todays Irish Times really sez it all.
Mayo to go: a new foodie trail.
If we want to develop tourism this is the way to go...
Keep up the campaign

CIE

islanddoc wrote: »

article in todays Irish Times really sez it all.
Mayo to go: a new foodie trail.
If we want to develop tourism this is the way to go...
Keep up the campaign

The Irish Times also sold the country out to the European Union. Is this what you want to listen to?

MayoForSam

CIE wrote: »

The Irish Times also sold the country out to the European Union. Is this what you want to listen to?

I do believe the Irish populace voted in a number of referenda to fully engage in the European Union, I don't reckon the Irish Times had much to do with it.

Irish food linked with tourism might just be one way we may be able to extract ourselves out of the mire we are in, especially if can attract in some of European neighbours on walking and cycling holidays. So the more we can promote initiatives like the Greenway, the better.

dowlingm

IE are saying 250K journeys made Galway-Limerick since opening of WRC. Did their calculator get a extra zero accidentally? This sort of sh!t annoys me - they are still spoofing, in a couple of weeks the Irish Times will publish another article debunking their sums.

The reality is that if the current rostered equipment and crews existed between Galway-Athenry and Ennis-Limerick they'd get the same number of journeys if not more, Oranmore might be open WITH A PASSING LOOP and Sixmilebridge WITH A PASSING LOOP and Platform 3 at Galway might exist.

westtip

This really is hilarious stuff,I just wonder has this press release got anything to do with the meeting of Inter County Western Rail committee attended by councillors (claiming expenses) on May 20th, West on Track announced in an email to all councillors that Irish Rail would be releasing new figures about the Western Rail corridor, and so low and behold this notice comes out:

Iarnród Éireann News Release
3rd June 2011



€10 WEB FARE PROMOTION LIMERICK TO GALWAY TO BE EXTENDED

More good news for new rail link

Improved connection to Dublin from WRC

New Galway-Athenry commuter services

New Galway-Ennis services

Iarnród Éireann has announced that an online promotion on the Limerick to Galway route is to be extended following a successful trial period.

Online fares of €10 each way on selected services between Limerick and Galway were introduced in March and the promotion will be extended until further notice. These promotional fares are available at www.irishrail.ie .

Iarnród Éireann has also said that new services introduced last month will give a boost to customers in the Galway area and along the Western Rail Corridor line from Galway to Limerick.

Over 250,000 journeys have been made across the Limerick-Galway route, including the Limerick-Ennis and Athenry-Galway commuter services, since it opened on 30th March 2010, and rail bosses are confident that service changes now in place will attract more customers to the route.
New and changed services include:

· Additional Athenry/Galway services will now operate from Galway to Athenry at 08:40 and 16:30 and from Athenry to Galway at 09:00 and 17:00, enhancing frequency of commuter services

· A new Galway/Ennis service will now depart Galway for Ennis at 18:30 and depart Ennis for Galway at 20:15 (the latter providing a new evening link from Limerick to Galway)

· 07:05hrs Galway - Heuston has been deferred to 07:35. A connection to this service at Athenry is now being provided to customers on the Western Rail Corridor, departing Gort at 07:14, Ardrahan at 07:24 and Craughwell at 07:33, meaning there are now three services in each direction daily which connect directly from the Western Corridor to Galway/Dublin services

The route is also set to benefit from two new stations: Iarnród Éireann have applied for planning permission for a new station in Crusheen in Co Clare, and permission has been received for Oranmore Station in Co Galway. Iarnród Éireann plan to have both stations open during the first half of 2012.
Issued by:

Corporate Communications,

Iarnród Éireann,

Connolly Station,

Dublin 1.

Now I am not going to knock their promotional prices - good luck to them on that,

But.... Are they seriously implying the link from Athenry to Ennis means there are now 250,000 passengers on the Corridor:

I am assuming from these figures - that everyon on a train passing through Athenry gong to Galway or coming fom Galway is now deemed to be travelling on "The corridor" - therefore all Dublin - Galway passengers are now corridor passengers.

They are implying because the Corridor exists there has been a huge uptake in passenger numbers on the two bits either end of the Corridor and this is all because 14 passengers per train ar using the new corridor bit.

These figures are ridiculous, unless there has been a dramatic (seismic) shift in passenger numbers on what was released under an FOI to the Irish Times a few months back - the facts remain the same - the 105 million capital cost of the line from Athenry to Ennis has been for the benefit of between 14 and 16 passengers per train using the "Corridor" The mythical Corridor does not exist - what does exist is branch line commuting from Athenry to its nearest urban area and from Ennis the same....and guess what Leo Varadkar is no ones fool

highlydebased

That is utterly farsical juvenile behaviour- dressing up the figures by using Limk-Ennis and Athenry-Galway, thus accounts for 95% of their mystical 250,000 figure

DWCommuter

dowlingm wrote: »

The reality is that if the current rostered equipment and crews existed between Galway-Athenry and Ennis-Limerick they'd get the same number of journeys if not more, Oranmore might be open WITH A PASSING LOOP and Sixmilebridge WITH A PASSING LOOP and Platform 3 at Galway might exist.

Exactly.

foggy_lad

It was my understanding also that figures for ridership during periods of special/reduced fares could not be used to calculate figures, I would say they got figures from the busiest trains leaving Galway and limerick on the first day of the holidays when every child in the wheat was on the razz and are calculating yearly figures based on one or two train journeys:D


Oh wait I see what they have done now! They are accumulating the figures for every possible journey on the corridor so they add figures from every station tonevery other station together and come up with the magic number, so if you just travel Limerick to sixmilebridge you will be counted several times as a passenger journey from Limerick to every stop to Galway!

Victor

foggy_lad wrote: »

the first day of the holidays when every child in the wheat was on the razz !

???