Luas Cross City (Line BX/D) [now open]

Hootanany

TheBandicoot wrote: »

This has absolutely nothing to do with Luas BXD, but yes, that bridge is going ahead. http://www.irishrail.ie/index.jsp?p=124&n=288

Thanks but it has a lot to do with it.

monument

Hootanany wrote: »

Thanks but it has a lot to do with it.

How do you figure that?

Hootanany

Its the next bridge up so will impact the trains from Broomer.

TheBandicoot

Hootanany wrote: »

Its the next bridge up so will impact the trains from Broomer.

There might be some temporary disruption to trains on the Maynooth line during construction, yes.

What does that have to do with Luas BXD?

petronius

Luas BXD they seem to be planning on doing it at glacial speed!
while bits are on-street broadstone-to-the green there is no reason why they couldnt get cracking on the old broadstone line and broombridge parts whilsts fannying about with the city center elements
Ok cellars need to be supported or filled in but surveys should have already identified that was that not what the prep work investigations were for..

Campells bridge I think is a level crossing and bridge further out of town than Broombridge, so would impact the Sligo/Maynooth line if it is being rebuilt as a single bridge over the line and canal, much as i like the oldworldy level crossing for traffic speed and safety a bridge is long overdue

BowWow

petronius wrote: »

Luas BXD they seem to be planning on doing it at glacial speed!
while bits are on-street broadstone-to-the green there is no reason why they couldnt get cracking on the old broadstone line and broombridge parts whilsts fannying about with the city center elements
Ok cellars need to be supported or filled in but surveys should have already identified that was that not what the prep work investigations were for.

Certainly seems not a lot happening. Cellars infill work looks done, but Heritage Works not yet started. Last update on their Twitter was three and a half weeks ago! This construction should be happening a lot quicker.

cabrasnake

They're probably having trouble trying to think what they'll do next. That's what happens when you don't bother to organise a plan and just do stuff as the idea comes to you.

Banjoxed

cabrasnake wrote: »

They're probably having trouble trying to think what they'll do next. That's what happens when you don't bother to organise a plan and just do stuff as the idea comes to you.

Source?

petronius

The one thing they have done is spend time "planning" various options
With little action
Surely the luas bxd line could be kicked off with the non onroad developments of the old broadstone line and Broombridge and irish rail realeaste whilst the city centre prep work is completed

You would think that if the Metro North was able to have its prep work surveys done etc. before it was kicked to touch again, surely the shorter bxd line would have been able to have its city centre portion shovel ready....

LXFlyer

The cellar infill works are still ongoing.

The project timeline is here:
http://www.luascrosscity.ie/whats-the-plan/timeline/

cabrasnake

petronius wrote: »

The one thing they have done is spend time "planning" various options
With little action
Surely the luas bxd line could be kicked off with the non onroad developments of the old broadstone line and Broombridge and irish rail realeaste whilst the city centre prep work is completed

You would think that if the Metro North was able to have its prep work surveys done etc. before it was kicked to touch again, surely the shorter bxd line would have been able to have its city centre portion shovel ready....

Source?

Or you just 'know'

BowWow

lxflyer wrote: »

The cellar infill works are still ongoing.
The project timeline is here:
http://www.luascrosscity.ie/whats-the-plan/timeline/

That is just the projected timeline or plan. From reading elsewhere it appears the actual number of cellars found was less than anticipated. The work in filling them in looks completed to me from going around the city. No reason why the time saved should not reduce the overall building period. You can look at the images on skyscrapercity to see this.
Also the official Luas Twitter and Facebook accounts have no updates since the 23rd. July - they must be on holidays........

BowWow

petronius wrote: »

Surely the luas bxd line could be kicked off with the non onroad developments of the old broadstone line and Broombridge and irish rail realeaste whilst the city centre prep work is completed

Agreed, it would appear that the building of a light Tram Line on an old heavy Railway Line is rocket science.

Looking at the daily progress on-line on the Manchester Metrolink extension really shows how Luascrosscity should be happening

LXFlyer

BowWow wrote: »

That is just the projected timeline or plan. From reading elsewhere it appears the actual number of cellars found was less than anticipated. The work in filling them in looks completed to me from going around the city. No reason why the time saved should not reduce the overall building period. You can look at the images on skyscrapercity to see this.
Also the official Luas Twitter and Facebook accounts have no updates since the 23rd. July - they must be on holidays........

I must have been imagining the men that I saw working in town today so. The work is still ongoing as I said.

As for updates - I'm not sure why you think that there's a need for almost daily updates?

Presumably there are contracts in place for each part of the project. Just because one part may take less than planned doesn't mean that the contractors have staff sitting ready to move in ahead of schedule.

petronius

Daily updates would be a bit much ok but I think regular updates would be beneficial.
One of the benefits is that if there is a schedule and it can be mapped to the updates the public can see how progress is going, and this i believe helps the public put up with the disruption caused by development.
I think it would also be a force to keep the developers of the line honest and would help things be delivered on time since the public can be aware of it.
It is simple development and engineering practice which many public funded projects seem to be exempt from I cringe when I see how projects are more effectively and timely delivered in France, and Germany and Scandanavia
and there seems to be no consequences for our quangos and officials or developers in not delivering on spec on time and on budget

BowWow

lxflyer wrote: »

As for updates - I'm not sure why you think that there's a need for almost daily updates?

Updates? Go to the bottom of this page - www.luascrosscity.ie and look at the number of daily updates that Luas themselves thought we needed in July. Look also at the July updates and images on their Facebook page. Now nothing..........

LXFlyer

BowWow wrote: »

Updates? Go to the bottom of this page - www.luascrosscity.ie and look at the number of daily updates that Luas themselves thought we needed in July. Look also at the July updates and images on their Facebook page. Now nothing..........

I did see it and personally I thought it was somewhat OTT to be honest.

Maybe the PR person had leave booked? Who knows?

All I know is that I saw people working on the project in town in at least two different locations today.

BowWow

TBH I too thought there were too many:)

But an weekly update saying what was happening basis would be good - e.g. a line on what the two gangs you saw were up to would be nice.

LXFlyer

Well it didn't take Einstein to figure out that:
1) Two groups were working on cellar infills on Dawson Street as per the on-street signs
and
2) A third group are working on removing the statue at the junction of Merrion Row and St Stephen's Green in preparation for the junction alterations that will take place.

There is also still work ongoing on Marlborough Street.

LXFlyer

petronius wrote: »

Daily updates would be a bit much ok but I think regular updates would be beneficial.
One of the benefits is that if there is a schedule and it can be mapped to the updates the public can see how progress is going, and this i believe helps the public put up with the disruption caused by development.
I think it would also be a force to keep the developers of the line honest and would help things be delivered on time since the public can be aware of it.
It is simple development and engineering practice which many public funded projects seem to be exempt from I cringe when I see how projects are more effectively and timely delivered in France, and Germany and Scandanavia
and there seems to be no consequences for our quangos and officials or developers in not delivering on spec on time and on budget

Is that not what the project timeline that I linked to already shows?

It gives the overall schedule and detailed information for each area.

Personally I don't see the need for the level of updates that were being given - it was way over the top. Either fortnightly or monthly updates would be better. More than that and people get fed up with too much information.

BowWow

lxflyer wrote: »

2) A third group are working on removing the statue at the junction of Merrion Row and St Stephen's Green in preparation for the junction alterations that will take place.

Heritage works must have started. Thanks, didn't know that.

LXFlyer

My point being just because there is nothing on the web does not mean that nothing is happening.

I think people need to be a bit more careful about jumping to wrong conclusions.

AngryLips

BowWow wrote: »

That is just the projected timeline or plan. From reading elsewhere it appears the actual number of cellars found was less than anticipated. The work in filling them in looks completed to me from going around the city. No reason why the time saved should not reduce the overall building period.

The reason could be that, while some aspects of the work are going faster than expected, these are not elements that form part of the project's critical path so they will have no impact on the completion date no matter how early things are completed. The reason for not starting anything else early could be down to cost in that everything has already been scheduled to occur when they were planned and it could only cost more to bring work forward.

petronius

Heritage works are another thing which should have been done well in advance, since they chose the route were ready go, while i see the "statue" on st. stephens green being moved

I find it difficult to believe that planning such works, could not have scheduled things to be more timely - and while maybe cost could be a consideration maybe it would be cheaper to do it now as well. But not doing things promptly allows for problems down the line to delay things.

I think it was crazy when the green line was finished to sandyford, they didnt immediately start working on the Cherrywood extension.

I think it was crazy that the rail lines installed on Amiens street were not originally laid with the contingency of the spur through docklands, causing months of time shutting down the redline to connolly from abbey st. to allow for the line to be taken up and new one put down.

It is items like this which make you fear that further luas developments will be done in a less than efficient and sensible way.

cabrasnake

Especially as we know exactly what will happen in the future it's ridiculous that they don't prepare properly for these projects.

petronius

Ah now -
Things should be future proofed, granted with in reason.
With plans for the extensions to the Green and Red lines and Tenders etc. both of these should have dove tailed into the extensions or at least been scoped to prepare for them

cabrasnake

There's no end of plans. Let's future proof them all. Then Josephine Publique will be so happy.

petronius

In the case of the Amiens st. Luas red line, for the sake of not having the junction suitable for adding the point/ifsc spur, the whole junction had to be dug up and months of in unavailablitity and traffic disruption and additional tax payers money was squandered

BowWow

http://www.luascrosscity.ie/news/siac-construction-ltd-awarded-heritage-works-contract/

cabrasnake

So the lesson of Amiens St is......future proof everything. That way you'll never be wrong.
Petronius is paying.