Asahi liner train

robclay26

I was wondering if the Asahi liner train used to pass through Kilcock back in the 90's and go to ballina via the Mullingar Athlone branch?
I remember people when i was a kid talking about it travelling very slowly because if it ever blew up from a high speed accident, it would blow half the town away! how true that was, i dont know.

I know there was a train from Foynes to Ballina via, Limerick, Ennis, Athenry, Claremorris, but that had coal and oil for the plant in Killala.

Any information would be great!

Our man in Havana

Yes, the Asahi liner did go via Mullingar and Moate. It was the lines only regular traffic.

There was a regular timber train via Athenry and Ennis to Waterford before it was converted to the social welfare express.

Sligo Quay

I always find this website useful Eiretrains, a lot on it, I remember seeing the Asahi train in Mullingar, used to follow up the Sligo train, but not in the 90s, more in the 80s http://eiretrains.com/Photo_Gallery/Railway%20Stations%20M/Moate/slides/Moate_20120718_003_CC_JA.html

cml387

There was an incident I seem to remember in the 80's when this service (was it called acrilonitrile?) caused an alert in Mullingar when there was a suspected leak from one of the wagons.

Our man in Havana

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrylonitrile

Nasty stuff.

Judgement Day

From memory the only accident involving an Asahi train occurred at Moyvalley the same day as the Cherryville Disaster - 22nd August, 1983 - it wasn't serious and I forget the details. It would be in the newspapers of 23rd August, 1983 if you're that interested.

flyingsnail

All the 2 axle liner wagons were restricted to 40mph but the Asahi liner had a further restriction of 35mph while on the Ballina branch.

Niles

Not the Asahi but I seem to remember a derailed Ammonia train (think it was empty) making the main news, circa 1997, near Glasnevin (I think, was only 9 or so!).

Judgement Day

Niles wrote: »

Not the Asahi but I seem to remember a derailed Ammonia train (think it was empty) making the main news, circa 1997, near Glasnevin (I think, was only 9 or so!).

The "Holocaust Express" as some of the tabloids used to refer to the Ammonia train.

flyingsnail

Niles wrote: »

Not the Asahi but I seem to remember a derailed Ammonia train (think it was empty) making the main news, circa 1997, near Glasnevin (I think, was only 9 or so!).

I dont know anything about that one but I did find this

Mon 01 Jan 1996

Reason why chemical train derailed still not known
IARNROD Eireann has given an assurance that its transport of hazardous cargos complies fully with international regulations.
This follows Saturday morning's derailment at Tullamore of a chemical container train which was returning empty to Dublin after delivering chemicals to Ballina for the nearby Asahi plant.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/1996/0108/96010800032.html

Losty Dublin

flyingsnail wrote: »

I dont know anything about that one but I did find this

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/1996/0108/96010800032.html

The incident Niles referred to happened just before the bridge at Drumcondra.

I can remember at the time a Green Party nob being interviewed on News at One acting shocked that such a noxious cargo should pass through an urban centre. When asked about an alternative route, Sean O'Rourke was shocked to hear that the Crustie demand that it pass through the green countryside of Wexford in case it goes bang and pollutes the ecosystem of the city:D

cbl593h

My ar*e unsafe, the hazardous cargo is/was far safer transported by rail, if it went wrong its precise where it is/was, nobody can crash into it- the signalling protects it.

There were rumours of the ammonia going Shelton-Rosslare Strand-Waterford-LJ-Marino to please the tree huggers but operation problems (common sense) were the issue, more spare engines on the main line if the train broke down, doesn't matter a feck now anyway, reason Marino Point is shut is because we don't seem to need fertilliser any more because we don't grow anything anymore, jesus I sound like hgricer x x x

dermo88

Losty Dublin

I can remember at the time a Green Party nob being interviewed on News at One acting shocked that such a noxious cargo should pass through an urban centre. When asked about an alternative route, Sean O'Rourke was shocked to hear that the Crustie demand that it pass through the green countryside of Wexford in case it goes bang and pollutes the ecosystem of the city

I for one am glad that those hypocritical smug scum have been consigned to the dustbin of history. A party that preached green, yet presided over raised public transport fares in a recession.....the policy of St Lomans loony bin.

"Lets punish the remaining customers by increasing prices because we have less customers"

cbl593h

My ar*e unsafe, the hazardous cargo is/was far safer transported by rail, if it went wrong its precise where it is/was, nobody can crash into it- the signalling protects it.

Far worse material travels on roads every day, just we don't hear of it.

There were rumours of the ammonia going Shelton-Rosslare Strand-Waterford-LJ-Marino to please the tree huggers but operation problems (common sense) were the issue, more spare engines on the main line if the train broke down, doesn't matter a feck now anyway, reason Marino Point is shut is because we don't seem to need fertilliser any more because we don't grow anything anymore, jesus I sound like hgricer x x x

With the routing via the city centre, its pretty much point to point with no reversals. The points at Shelton Abbey were north facing. Mind a comparison was made once about N.E.T. that making Ammonia in Ireland was as logical as making Wine into Water. I don't know how much sense that makes though.

I'd have supported the tree huggers before, but their measures always impact harder on the low paid. So I hate them.

And also, guess who was involved in the strike that screwed up Marina Point and Shelton Abbey. Brendan Ogle of the ILDA. Nice man, supporting your fellow workers by throwing them on the dole queue...very nice. Well done. Rewarded for his troublemaking with a post at the ESB, whereas in my parallel universe he'd be rewarded with a post in a Siberian uranium mine. However, I do suspect 'stealth bullying' by messing around with rosters at Iarnrod Eireann and favouritism with various factions was also a cause, demoralising the workforce to the point where they had no choice but to strike.

This strike lead to the complete collapse of railfreight in Ireland, and in time to come will be seen as endangering the viability of the entire network, because just as man cannot exist on bread alone, rail cannot exist on man alone. It needs to be a mixed traffic system in order to maximise the economic utility of the asset.

jesus I sound like hgricer

A good guy who I've got respect for. You could be worse and write like the man in New Jersey where logic goes out the fuinneoige

Losty Dublin

cbl593h wrote: »

My ar*e unsafe, the hazardous cargo is/was far safer transported by rail, if it went wrong its precise where it is/was, nobody can crash into it- the signalling protects it.

There were rumours of the ammonia going Shelton-Rosslare Strand-Waterford-LJ-Marino to please the tree huggers but operation problems (common sense) were the issue, more spare engines on the main line if the train broke down, doesn't matter a feck now anyway, reason Marino Point is shut is because we don't seem to need fertilliser any more because we don't grow anything anymore, jesus I sound like hgricer x x x

The exact same regulations pertaining to the carriage of hazardous chemicals apply on the railways as they do the road. When you take into account the fact that train's as a rule have more safety regulations applicable to them than road trucks, train drivers are trained in the handling of any safety critical loads that they carry and the fact that the chances of an incident occurring are less on a railway, it follows that trains are generally safer than roads.

Ah, HGricer; how we miss thee

cbl593h

jesus I sound like hgricer

Dermo writ-

"A good guy who I've got respect for. "

Losty writ-

"Ah, HGricer; how we miss thee"

Well said lads, a top banana but sure he might not be that far away, Ché Sligeach b'fhéidir.......

dermo88

I'll private message him, he would be a welcome asset to the forum for sure.

end of the road

Losty Dublin wrote: »

I can remember at the time a Green Party nob being interviewed on News at One acting shocked that such a noxious cargo should pass through an urban centre.

shame he failed to realise that far worse was traveling through it and nobody knew about it.

Losty Dublin wrote: »

When asked about an alternative route, Sean O'Rourke was shocked to hear that the Crustie demand that it pass through the green countryside of Wexford in case it goes bang and pollutes the ecosystem of the city

ah god shur its only wexford, so what if people got blown out of it down here as long as it didn't pollute the ecosystem of the city, ah shur never mind as long as the crusty wasn't effected if it went bang, really glad that shower of wasters are consigned to history, they will never be in government again thankfully, good riddens to bad rubbish

dermo88

end of the road

ah god shur its only wexford, so what if people got blown out of it down here as long as it didn't pollute the ecosystem of the city, ah shur never mind as long as the crusty wasn't effected if it went bang, really glad that shower of wasters are consigned to history, they will never be in government again thankfully, good riddens to bad rubbish

It is ironic that you post with a username like "end of the road", and write in an endearingly sarcastic way, which I do appreciate.

The ironic reality is that historically the D&SER wanted to become part of the GNRI rather than GSR, and had that happened, likely would have been shut down in the great cull of 1957 unless taken over by CIE.

As for "ah god shur its only wexford", traffic has to go somewhere. The larger it is, the more dramatic it is, the more obvious it is. A 600 tonne freight will look more dramatic than 30 trucks. I recall the times it did travel, spoke to the train staff, who did express concerns in the early 1990's when there were soleplates second hand on the tracks, stating:

D&SER 1907 at Wicklow
GSR1938 at Greystones
GS&WR 1918 at Arklow

At that time I was a teenager who believed like some that there should be rails to Donegal, Tyrone, etc and that there should be a lot more rail for green environmental reasons. Later on, I found, that track, even if it was old, was perfectly safe. Well.....99.99% safe, which is as good as its going to get. One 30 tonne ammonia Lorry turns over, what happens?

"We should have sent it by rail"

Heads you win, tails I lose. The aim back then (1993) was to relay 4 miles (6km) per annum of the old regional lines on the non core routes, such as Dublin-Wexford, Athlone-Westport, and that Waterford, Sligo, Tralee, Galway were to get 20 miles of CWR per annum in the 1994-1999 period, with the best of the old cascaded 2nd hand to the Wexford and Mayo lines. Ironically, the best speeds ever between Arklow and Enniscorthy were seen with 071's were on 2nd hand ex GNR 60 foot jointed track. 75mph was done from time to time in the 1990's on the long straight stretches, despite being allowed for 60mph because it was good enough, and because drivers were trying to make up time. In fact the fastest run I ever saw was on 31.12.1999 where the 2nd last Rosslare got to Gorey at 16:29 instead of 16:09 (20 minutes late), and made it to Dublin at 17:50 instead of 17:55. 1 hour 21 minutes.....YOU BEAUTY. Is that what Irish Rail can do when pushed? Impressive!

I was stunned. I was happy. I had witnessed the D&SER's Millenium falcon.

And that is why I like your username in those circumstances. For it would quite literally be:


end of the road

dermo88

end of the road

ah god shur its only wexford, so what if people got blown out of it down here as long as it didn't pollute the ecosystem of the city, ah shur never mind as long as the crusty wasn't effected if it went bang, really glad that shower of wasters are consigned to history, they will never be in government again thankfully, good riddens to bad rubbish

It is ironic that you post with a username like "end of the road", and write in an endearingly sarcastic way, which I do appreciate.

The ironic reality is that historically the D&SER wanted to become part of the GNRI rather than GSR, and had that happened, likely would have been shut down in the great cull of 1957 unless taken over by CIE.

As for "ah god shur its only wexford", traffic has to go somewhere. The larger it is, the more dramatic it is, the more obvious it is. A 600 tonne freight will look more dramatic than 30 trucks. I recall the times it did travel, spoke to the train staff, who did express concerns in the early 1990's when there were soleplates second hand on the tracks, stating:

D&SER 1907 at Wicklow
GSR1938 at Greystones
GS&WR 1918 at Arklow

At that time I was a dumb undersexed undercashed catholic parochial teenager who believed like some that there should be rails to Donegal, Tyrone, etc and that there should be a lot more rail for green environmental reasons. That alongside other myths such as no sex before marriage and the sad belief that protestants were inferior, myths to be debunked by reality and life later on. Later on, I found, that track, even if it was old, was perfectly safe. Well.....99.99XX% safe, which is as good as its going to get, as in a non fatal derailment every 50 years, and a theoretical mathematical fatility every 150 years, barring bad luck like Bal/youghter/Clogh(1975)/Buttevant (1980)/Cherryville (1983), and plain lack of investment and skimping(Knockcroghery 1997). One 30 tonne ammonia Lorry turns over, what happens?

"We should have sent it by rail"

Heads you win, tails I lose.

And that is why I like your username in these circumstances. For it would quite literally be:

end of the road

end of the road

dermo88 wrote: »

The ironic reality is that historically the D&SER wanted to become part of the GNRI rather than GSR, and had that happened, likely would have been shut down in the great cull of 1957 unless taken over by CIE.

and could still be shut yet (okay okay i'l stop that now)

dermo88 wrote: »

As for "ah god shur its only wexford", traffic has to go somewhere. The larger it is, the more dramatic it is, the more obvious it is. A 600 tonne freight will look more dramatic than 30 trucks.

true, all though it was this green party persons attitude that it would have been okay to send it via wexford rather then dublin, as if to say (its okay if it went bang down there, just as long as it wasn't dublin) if wexford was the best way for it to go IE would have sent it that way.

dermo88 wrote: »

One 30 tonne ammonia Lorry turns over, what happens?
"We should have sent it by rail"

always the way i'm afraid, 30 trucks traveling a little time apart, nobody notices, a train of such cargo and their will be uproar.

kildarecommuter

From time to time the Asahi liner used to cross RPSI trains in Mullingar and other stations on the midland