Luas to Citywest

InchicoreDude

Has this been completed yet?

If not, any idea when it will be completed?

CIE

InchicoreDude wrote: »

Has this been completed yet?

If not, any idea when it will be completed?

Still says "July 2011" on whatever web site you bring up. Costs enough, at €37.5 million per kilometre (that's a whopping €60 million per mile). Don't forget that the initial Luas system opening was delayed for a year...

rednik

Test track running starts in the next few weeks, the line will be open June/July.

Victor

I was out there last week. There are still gaps in the overhead electrical wiring and they still have to do the signaling.

mgmt

Thieves have been stealing the copper. They've had to install cameras the length of the line.

Cool Mo D

Latest update: the overhead wires will be powered on tomorrow:

http://www.luas.ie/citywest-installation-of-the-electrical-systems.html

Victor

Some photos.

Map for context: http://www.rpa.ie/en/projects/luas_citywest/line_and_stop_design/Pages/LuasLineA1CitywestMapSeptember2006.aspx

Victor

More.

Victor

Last one.

dowlingm

Don't suppose anyone has any snaps of the Saggart stop? I'm interested to see how the terminus is laid out and how any possible extension might be laid out, since NTA apparently has notions of extending to Greenogue

AlekSmart

mgmt wrote: »

Thieves have been stealing the copper. They've had to install cameras the length of the line.

It appears that the camera`s failed to prevent the ongoing thievery and have been supplemented with humanoid security on a 24/7 basis...although at €37.5 Mil per K I`m sure it`ll be fully accounted for...

Judgement Day

Any reason for the use of slabtrack? I note that there is also extensive use of it on the Green line extension.

Victor

Slab track is easier to maintain and provides people with fewer rocks to throw at people.

Telchak

dowlingm wrote: »

Don't suppose anyone has any snaps of the Saggart stop? I'm interested to see how the terminus is laid out and how any possible extension might be laid out, since NTA apparently has notions of extending to Greenogue

Here is the railway order drawing if that's any use. This may be hepful too (:

Seems to end pretty close (and perpendicular) to the golf course, hard to say where it would go on from there

dowlingm

Sharp turn north (i.e. upside down on these drawings :rolleyes: ) just past the new 120kV line I think, but still tricky to go much farther without a tunnel somewhere. Bit of a ridiculous dogleg though and a tight squeeze to get to the N7, NTA must be delusional.

oharach

Luas is fundamentally pretty slow. The benefit of extending existing lines further out of the city is small unless they interchange with faster Metro/Dart at some stage.

Look at Munich for a great example of how an underground network was overlaid on an existing tram network to shorten journey times and relieve congestion.

http://mvv-muenchen.de/web4archiv/objects/download/vlp11stadt.pdf (830KB)

Blue=Underground
Red=Tram
Green=Suburban rail
[Orange=Express buses
Turquoise=Ordinary buses]

bibi-phoque

They have now removed all the barriers (it is ok to walk on the track) so I'm guessing it is near completion. Anybody would have a accurate date for the go live?

rednik

bibi-phoque wrote: »

They have now removed all the barriers (it is ok to walk on the track) so I'm guessing it is near completion. Anybody would have a accurate date for the go live?

Gauge run takes place on April 07th.

Victor

bibi-phoque wrote: »

it is ok to walk on the track

No, because there may be work vehicles operating on the track. Security may also have words with you.

Much of it is visible from public roads. You can see it at each of the endpoints and waypoints here: http://maps.google.ie/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Old+Belgard+Rd&daddr=53.29567,-6.38764+to:53.293602,-6.392931+to:53.2913011,-6.4053519+to:53.29103,-6.4139+to:53.2883453,-6.4210193+to:53.28419,-6.42425+to:53.28403,-6.4327+to:Fortunestown+Ln&hl=en&geocode=FS5LLQMd_rqe_w%3BFTY6LQMdSIie_ynB0NjcpHRnSDFQCqj7pscAEw%3BFSIyLQMdnXOe_ykV7djrvHRnSDEAbf_7pscAEw%3BFSUpLQMdGUOe_ymb3f05kXRnSDGfubNH4eQrlQ%3BFRYoLQMdtCGe_ymnhQJVjnRnSDEw2ir9pscAEw%3BFZkdLQMd5QWe_ynp0EeEiXRnSDFYFzyRF9Aw0Q%3BFV4NLQMdRvmd_ymTe5w-YHRnSDHQhSr9pscAEw%3BFb4MLQMdRNid_ylzFdAPZ3RnSDHhoyX9pscAEw%3BFZgPLQMdY7ud_w&mra=ltm&via=1,2,3,4,5,6,7&dirflg=w&sll=53.289899,-6.413956&sspn=0.029604,0.066175&ie=UTF8&ll=53.290719,-6.407003&spn=0.029603,0.098877&t=h&z=14

rednik

As I mentioned before the gauge run is in the morning.

bibi-phoque

What is a gauge run exactly?

L1011

bibi-phoque wrote: »

What is a gauge run exactly?

Checking that the tracks are the correct distance apart the entire length of the line.

Hondo75

CIE wrote: »

Still says "July 2011" on whatever web site you bring up. Costs enough, at €37.5 million per kilometre (that's a whopping €60 million per mile). Don't forget that the initial Luas system opening was delayed for a year...

Didnt Mansfield Citywest hotel not put money into this (before he went bust)
Live close by will get some photos of saggart stop.

Cookie_Monster

Ran today seemingly

The latest extension to Dublin's transport network has been given a test run by Transport Minister Leo Varadkar.

The Citywest Luas extension is due to open this summer, with five stops serving commuters from Belgard to Saggart in west Co Dublin.

It is estimated that from July two million extra passenger journeys will be made every year on the line, which already runs between Connolly Station and Tallaght.

Mr Varadkar said continued investment in transport projects would create construction jobs and improve competitiveness.

"It is estimated that 15,000 jobs are created for every €1bn invested in capital projects, and that the economic return for every €1 invested can be as much as €2 or even €2.50," he said.

"I have already directed that funds not used by the NRA on new projects this year should be identified and diverted to repairing badly damaged secondary national, regional and local roads.

"These measures will result in hundreds of contracts, mainly for small, local firms this year. And they will boost confidence locally."

The Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) said the 4.2km extension to its light rail link will deliver top quality public transport services to established communities and help develop the Citywest business area.

The €150m project will take passengers from Saggart to the city centre in approximately 55 minutes.

Elsewhere Mr Varadkar told a construction conference in Dun Laoghaire there will be a comprehensive review of capital spending with a view to developing a new National Development Plan for 2012.

"When it is agreed by Cabinet it will give certainty to the industry and agencies about which projects are going ahead in the next six years and which are not," he added.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/test-run-for-latest-luas-extension-2613759.html

Seems the line doesn't run to the Point anymore either? Quality Journalism there

Victor

What do you expect from the Indo?

In any case, the service patterns are expected to be Connolly-Saggart and The Point-Tallaght, so they aren't completely wrong.

howiya

oharach wrote: »

Luas is fundamentally pretty slow

Quicker to cycle into town than use the red line

Cookie_Monster

oharach wrote: »

Luas is fundamentally pretty slow.

for the more outlying places certainly. 145 from cherrywood vs luas, 145 is at least 10 mins quicker, only the increased frequency helps the luas outside of rush hour times over the bus for that run.

Rabbitt

Anyone know an exact date for the Citywest line to start or the timetable?

Victor

It had been hoped for May, but that seems to have slipped to June. Between now and then its mostly driver training, making sure everything works and a few last minute items like the ticket machines.

Timetable should be similar to the rest of the Red Line, but most trams will be shuttles between Saggart and Belgard.

Photo (large image) shows test tram at Fortunestown stop last week.

rednik

Rabbitt wrote: »

Anyone know an exact date for the Citywest line to start or the timetable?

Early July.

Cool Mo D

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

for the more outlying places certainly. 145 from cherrywood vs luas, 145 is at least 10 mins quicker, only the increased frequency helps the luas outside of rush hour times over the bus for that run.

It usually takes the 145 20 minutes to get from UCD to the north end of Stephen's green, and longer at peak times. The Luas journey takes 40 minutes from start to finish. I find it difficult to believe that the bus can travel from UCD to cherrywood in 10 minutes. The printed timetable gives the 145 an hour to make the off peak journey to the city from Kilmacanogue, which is probably close enough.

I agree that the red line is pretty slow though, but since most Tallaght buses take a trip around the world on their way to town, it still beats the like of the 49 and 77 very easily.

LXFlyer

Cool Mo D wrote: »

It usually takes the 145 20 minutes to get from UCD to the north end of Stephen's green, and longer at peak times. The Luas journey takes 40 minutes from start to finish. I find it difficult to believe that the bus can travel from UCD to cherrywood in 10 minutes. The printed timetable gives the 145 an hour to make the off peak journey to the city from Kilmacanogue, which is probably close enough.

I agree that the red line is pretty slow though, but since most Tallaght buses take a trip around the world on their way to town, it still beats the like of the 49 and 77 very easily.

The 145 would certainly off-peak get from Cherrywood to St Stephen's Green in 40 minutes maximum, but probably in 35.

With regard to the red line, the 49 is hardly a good example to use in comparing with the LUAS given it takes a wide detour while serving Ballycullen and Firhouse.

My own experience is that it depends on where you are going. If you are going to the northside of Dublin city centre then the LUAS is best, but if going to the southside then the bus, such as the more direct 65, 65b, or 77 is faster.

bibi-phoque

Even an hour from Citywest to town is great if it is reliable. At the moment, it's 65b or 69 and doing better than these 2 will be easy. Personally, I look forward to this extension because right now going to town from Citywest is a nightmare.

Cookie_Monster

Cool Mo D wrote: »

It usually takes the 145 20 minutes to get from UCD to the north end of Stephen's green, and longer at peak times. The Luas journey takes 40 minutes from start to finish. I find it difficult to believe that the bus can travel from UCD to cherrywood in 10 minutes.

last time I got 145 to town from Cabinteely it took 30 minutes at 8pm
time before that was 35 mins at about 7pm

They fly in, usually helped by overlapping 145's and 46a's too

Darthvadar

Rabbit, the start date for the Citywest line is July 2nd.

Rabbitt

Cheers for that.
Please tell me that most of the Luas' from
saggart will gonto town and not involve changing at Belgard?

Darthvadar

Afraid not, Rabbit....

From what I hear, we'll have to change at Belgard to go from Citywest to town, or The Square!...

I'm with you... A direct service would have been nice... Still, as we're finally getting a service, I suppose we shouldn't really complain!...

Sorry I can't be the bearer of better news!...

Darth...

Aard

Victor wrote: »

Timetable should be similar to the rest of the Red Line, but most trams will be shuttles between Saggart and Belgard.

If there's going to be a shuttle service, I'd have hoped that it would go to Tallaght. People could still transfer at Cookstown to continue into town, and the Tallaght terminus would give access to the Square for workers and shoppers.

LXFlyer

The standard operation should be Connolly-Saggart and The Point-Tallaght, but perhaps it may be different at certain times such as late evenings, or perhaps early mornings at weekends when demand would be less.

Rabbitt

It's silly to have shuttles up amd back .
There should be direct services especially at peak times.

L1011

The station at Belgard was re-built to allow a shuttle but its definitely not going to be the only service.

LXFlyer

Darthvadar wrote: »

Afraid not, Rabbit....

From what I hear, we'll have to change at Belgard to go from Citywest to town, or The Square!...

I'm with you... A direct service would have been nice... Still, as we're finally getting a service, I suppose we shouldn't really complain!...

Sorry I can't be the bearer of better news!...

Darth...

Are you sure about this?

My understanding is that the current Connolly-Red Cow trams will continue now to Saggart, and that the existing Point-Tallaght service will continue.

The services out of Connolly run from 0530 to 2200 Mon-Fri, 0700-2200 on Saturdays, and 0900-2200 on Sundays. I would consider that outside of those times there will be a shuttle to/from Belgard and perhaps also additional shuttles during those periods also given the lower frequencies to/from Connolly.

Victor

Aard wrote: »

If there's going to be a shuttle service, I'd have hoped that it would go to Tallaght.

The configuration doesn't really suit this.

The idea is to let the existing Tallaght stops retain most of their services.

There should be some direct Saggart-City services, especially at peak times.

Aard

Completely agree. The most logical thing is to simply extend to Saggart the service that currently terminates at the Red Cow. My post was just a "what it" if the case was that there *had* to be a shuttle element.

otwb

A test Luas just passed me outside Citywest shopping centre! :D:D Can't believe that it's almost ready:D

(ok,ok... I know that they said this summer...but I remember when the extension was supposed to open in 2006)

Rabbitt

Yea it will be great to have.
Hopefully they will be serving town directly and plenty of then at rush hour

Cookie_Monster

Why are people so against a shuttle service?

It's one of the thing we need to embrace in PT in Ireland if there is ever going to be any kind of working reform, be it tram, bus or rail. Much more applicable to DB sure but not every journey has to be done without changes just because its the way we do it now.

Given the high frequencies of the Luas and nature of ticketing, a shuttle should be a perfectly workable solution

Rabbitt

I just think that a shuttle service is a tad silly.
Nobody really wants to spend ten minutes in bad weather waiting on a luas onlybto get off and wait a further ten at belgard in bad weather.
Connolly to Saggart should be the designated services

L1011

the Belgard stop is meant to be roofed; currently it has a roof structure and no covering...

IngazZagni

Does anyone know how long it takes to walk from the Saggart stop to the Citywest Events Centre? I may be attending an event their later this year.

helimachoptor

2 mins