Navan Rail Line

cgcsb

People need to calm down, with Sligo trains going to Heuston, there's enough capacity for trains every 10 minutes to both Navan and Maynooth. The Navan line will cross a lot more open countryside than maynooth line does so I'd wager more trains will be allocated to maynooth.

PlatformNine

I agree with what has been so far that the western branches aren't really that comparable to the Northern line branches.

The M3 line could be made a shuttle service in the short term if the demand is there for extra services on either line, but when the Navan line opens that just wont be feasible.

The Maynooth line can't be made into a shuttle either, as L1011 has a very good point about the usage. During last year's census Maynooth alone had close to the same ridership as the whole Howth branch, and during the two years before that Maynooth actually exceeded Howth branch patronage. Additionally depending on where the depot is placed the DART may go as far as Kilcock, and after D+ there are plans to add another station or two to the line.

Additionally I think one of the reasons they haven't made M3 services shuttle services as a part of D+ is that there isn't terminal capacity on the Maynooth line for 10tph. Sure it might be possible to turn M3-Clonsilla into a shuttle service (and ideally increase frequency to 6tph like Howth shuttles) but then where would the 4tph otherwise terminating on the line go? Having all 10tph terminating at Maynooth may cause congestion or might just not be possible. And I don't believe either of the Leixlip stations have sidings or the space to add sidings to allow them to terminate there. They would have to be sent to Kilcock, and maybe if the DART is extended to Kilcock as a part of the D+ depot that will become an option, but at least at the time plans were first made that would not have been possible.

Looking more in the long term there are also a few other things to consider. A big problem with the Northern line is that the Howth branch would likely have to made into a shuttle service anyways when the Northern line is four-tracked. It would be far too difficult to cross a four-tracked line without killing capacity or causing massive congestion. Additionally an advantage the western line has is that because of the limited development around Clonsilla station, it could be possible to create a fly-over junction. This would practically eliminate congestion from the two lines merging, and would completely remove Clonsilla Jnc as a bottleneck.

PH0NER

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123737091#Comment_123737091

The M3 line is already just a shuttle to Clonsilla most of the day and all weekend, though. I wish it were an all-day direct service. I can't imagine it would continue to be a shuttle if it were extended to Navan.

From the D+ West thread, the M3 branch after the D+ upgrade will allegedly have 4 direct trains to city centre per hour all day (see here)

spacetweek

Maynooth and Leixlip are very big towns. Their railway service is never going to be a shuttle.

danfrancisco83

I use Dunboyne station, and I honestly wouldn't mind having a shuttle to Clonsilla, so long as that shuttle arrives every 10 minutes or so.