Railfreight

dowlingm

Imagine having to move this lot if you only had IE 36 TEU trains to move it with
http://www.progressiverailroading.com/intermodal/news/BNSF-transports-cargo-from-largest-ship-to-reach-US-coasts--46831

Captain Chaos

dowlingm wrote: »

Imagine having to move this lot if you only had IE 36 TEU trains to move it with
http://www.progressiverailroading.com/intermodal/news/BNSF-transports-cargo-from-largest-ship-to-reach-US-coasts--46831

BNSF did it in 10 trains, that would take IE 139 trains to offload that ship. :eek:

Jamie2k9

Port of Waterford have tweeted new DFDS container service from Waterford to W of Ireland.

Is this an additional service to the current CPW DFDS?

Losty Dublin

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Port of Waterford have tweeted new DFDS container service from Waterford to W of Ireland.

Is this an additional service to the current CPW DFDS?

Possibly. Irish Rail have been recently been load testing engines for the purpose of hauling longer heavier liners so the additional capacity may be within the current workings.

armaghlad

Are there any freight workings north of the border? I live(d) close to the Belfast-Dublin line and remember seeing freight trains regularly enough but have seen nothing in at least a decade.

flyingsnail

armaghlad wrote: »

Are there any freight workings north of the border? I live(d) close to the Belfast-Dublin line and remember seeing freight trains regularly enough but have seen nothing in at least a decade.

There is no freight north of Drogheda

Jamie2k9

Losty Dublin wrote: »

Possibly. Irish Rail have been recently been load testing engines for the purpose of hauling longer heavier liners so the additional capacity may be within the current workings.

That was specifically for IWT services, would imagine aim to reduction to a daily return not up to 10 weekly currently.

Hopefully it is a new service, the existing CPW service has picked up recently compared to a few months of poor loads of 5 if even that filled.

GM228

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

That was specifically for IWT services, would imagine aim to reduction to a daily return not up to 10 weekly currently.

Hopefully it is a new service, the existing CPW service has picked up recently compared to a few months of poor loads of 5 if even that filled.

No the longer trains trials isn't specifically for IWT although they will be the first to benefit from it, the trials have actually came about following negotiations for the future Biomass train.

IE are now looking at lengthening all current freight/PWD trains except the Tara.

Del.Monte

Presumably the lengthening of freight trains will allow IE to further reduce its fleet of locomotives. :rolleyes:

Jamie2k9

GM228 wrote: »

No the longer trains trials isn't specifically for IWT although they will be the first to benefit from it, the trials have actually came about following negotiations for the future Biomass train.

IE are now looking at lengthening all current freight/PWD trains except the Tara.

Longer freight will cause lots of complications for scheduling during the day, many loops can just about fit the current 18 sets.

Anyway the I'm told the new services will be in addition to current DFDS so restoring the second weekly again. Good to see.

John Denver

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Port of Waterford have tweeted new DFDS container service from Waterford to W of Ireland.

Is this an additional service to the current CPW DFDS?

Jamie2k9 do you have a link to this Tweet, I can't seem to find a Port of Waterford Twitter account?

If there was an extra service a week it would make sense, a timber flow and a liner flow in each direction per day.

flyingsnail

https://twitter.com/PortofWaterford/status/703241245880147968

GM228

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Longer freight will cause lots of complications for scheduling during the day, many loops can just about fit the current 18 sets.

Not lots of complications, just one which will only occur if two 54TEU trains are required to cross at the same location, otherwise longer trains will have no impact on scheduling.

The extra time for starting/stoping due to the extra weight would be negligible.

J Cheever Loophole

GM228 wrote: »

No the longer trains trials isn't specifically for IWT although they will be the first to benefit from it, the trials have actually came about following negotiations for the future Biomass train.

Does that mean that Biomass trains will definitely happen in the future and if so what timescale would we be talking?

GM228 wrote: »

IE are now looking at lengthening all current freight/PWD trains except the Tara.

Any idea what that would look like, i.e. I assume more wagons, but might two locomotives for each train/movement be part of that thinking?

Captain Chaos

A 54 TEU train will be 27 42ft or 47ft wagons up from the current 18 wagon 36 TEU limit. For the CPWs used on the DFDS service the limit will go from 12 to 18 wagons. One CPW wagon is counted as 3 TEU and 1 42ft or 47ft is counted as 2 TEU.

A single 201 can still haul this, as the tonnege limit has gone up from 750 tons to 1,300 tons. A single 071 and 201 loco have hauled 1000 ton cement trains from Dublin to Cork in the past, it will not be much bother to them.

For the 1300 ton test train they loaded up 16 autoballasters to about three quarters full and stuck a dead 201 at the end, this added an extra 110 tons and let the test train turn back faster at Sallins without the lead loco having to run around the train.

071 and 201 locos are not permitted to double head by Irish Rail rules.

GM228

J Cheever Loophole wrote: »

Does that mean that Biomass trains will definitely happen in the future

Yes, wagons have already been allocated to the working and one set is already refurbished and reserved for it.

kc56

Captain Chaos wrote: »

071 and 201 locos are not permitted to double head by Irish Rail rules.

AFAIK, double heading of 071's isn't possible and they were never fitted with the necessary gear. The push-pull 201 might be capable of double-heading. Old locos like 121,141 and 181 could be, and often were, double-headed but then they were quite low powered compared to 071s.

In New Zealand, loco similar to 071s in power haul 72TEU trains so 54TEU shouldn't be a problem.

GM228

Captain Chaos wrote: »

071 and 201 locos are not permitted to double head by Irish Rail rules.

071 and 201s are permitted to double head on the Cork and Belfast lines and have been for years-it just dosn't happen and the MW equipment on the 071s is not regarded as reliable at the moment but they are all fitted with the equipment and it has been used once or twice in the past on ITG specials.

54TEU trains will be limited to 201 operation initially.

kc56

GM228 wrote: »

Yes, wagons have already been allocated to the working and one set is already refurbished and reserved for it.

What is the route?

GM228

kc56 wrote: »

What is the route?

Dublin-Ballina.

kc56

Wondering about the loop in Kildare where loco run around Waterford trains.

27x47 = 1269ft = 386m. Distance between the signals (Google) is 411m; doesn't leave much room, 26m, for a loco at each end. But that's the max possible train length - I presume 27x47ft would not go to Waterford.

J Cheever Loophole

flyingsnail wrote: »

https://twitter.com/PortofWaterford/status/703241245880147968

I note the twitter announcement actually refers to the 'North West' - I assume there is no possibility that this might be another destination other than Ballina?

Captain Chaos

J Cheever Loophole wrote: »

I note the twitter announcement actually refers to the 'North West' - I assume there is no possibility that this might be another destination other than Ballina?

There is currently no other unloading site for a container train on the network. It has to be Ballina freight yard.

BoatMad

Captain Chaos wrote: »

There is currently no other unloading site for a container train on the network. It has to be Ballina freight yard.

which in a sentence sums up , IE freight operations

Captain Chaos

BoatMad wrote: »

which in a sentence sums up , IE freight operations

Pretty much, I think most of North Esk yard while being disconnected is still intact but I believe it is sold off to a developer to build on.

tabbey

Captain Chaos wrote: »

Pretty much, I think most of North Esk yard while being disconnected is still intact but I believe it is sold off to a developer to build on.

Scandalous

howiya

Captain Chaos wrote: »

Pretty much, I think most of North Esk yard while being disconnected is still intact but I believe it is sold off to a developer to build on.

Listed for rent by CIE Property on property.ie so don't think it's been sold yet.

http://www.property.ie/commercial-property/North-Esk-Freight-Yard-Glanmire-Co-Cork/125738/

Itssoeasy

Captain Chaos wrote: »

Pretty much, I think most of North Esk yard while being disconnected is still intact but I believe it is sold off to a developer to build on.

I think the tracks were taken up recently. I'm sure I saw pictures of them being removed.

Jamie2k9

DFDS Doubles Rail Capacity on Service from Waterford to Ballina
PRESS RELEASE from DFDS RAIL SERVICE (Ireland)
DFDS is pleased to announce that it will double capacity on its weekly intermodal rail service from Waterford Port to Ballina commencing March 2016. As the pioneer of containerised rail freight in Ireland, DFDS now feels that the time is right to offer this increased intermodal service to its customers.
The new capacity will benefit customers in the west and north west of Ireland in particular, providing them with a cost effective alternative when compared with a road based shipping option. Coupled with this, the customer also reduces their carbon footprint.
The train timetable is optimised to meet the DFDS sailing schedules from Waterford Port to Rotterdam, which allows for onward delivery into Europe. Customers can now load in the west of Ireland on Tuesday morning and deliver in Holland on Friday. Rotterdam also provides access to DFDS sailings to Norway, and rail connections to Italy and Turkey, allowing for a rail-sea-rail connection from Ballina to Milan and Istanbul.
Importers into Ireland will also benefit from this extra capacity, with the Intermodal rail solution particularly suitable for bulk tank operators and also shippers of large volume to the west and north of Ireland.
This is an important addition to the DFDS services in Ireland, and we can now call ourselves the only truly Intermodal operator on the island. This announcement affirms our position as a premium logistics provider, and a company that listens to our customers and offers solutions.
We are also working with our partners in Irish Rail to further develop our rail capacity by offering longer trains, trials are currently in progress and we hope to be able to bring you further news around this development in the near future.

Unfortunately I have to use the link from West on Tract FB page as I cannot find an official one.

https://www.facebook.com/WestOnTrack/

Captain Chaos

I find it strange with the sudden turn around for DFDS. A few months ago there were struggling to fill half of a 12 unit CPW train and now they are adding an extra service.

The IWT liners are full almost all of the time both ways.

The more the better in the long run I suppose.