Oh those silly Norwegians

dowlingm

Planning road and rail projects together in a joined up way to save money:
http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/bergen-line-double-tracking-proposed.html

Good job we're cleverer than that in Ireland! :rolleyes:

corktina

200 to 250 km/h? why would anyone need a railway like that? I also see no plans for level crossings....

Tabnabs

You'll note the word recommended, they recommend a lot of infrastructural projects in that country and few ever see the light of day.

dowlingm

Unlike Ireland they've got the oil cash to commit rather than depending on lenders. In Ireland there's lots of want and damn all cash.

(edit: In Ireland the project I think would have been ideal for this is straightening the Rosslare line between Wicklow and Arklow along the N11)

AugustusMinimus

Considering the Mallow to Limerick section of rail doesn't exist anymore, wouldn't the building of the M20 (eventually) be the last chance saloon to have a direct line from Mallow to Limerick open again.

Could easily build build a line beside the M20 to meet up with the Foynes line.

end of the road

AugustusMinimus wrote: »

Considering the Mallow to Limerick section of rail doesn't exist anymore, wouldn't the building of the M20 (eventually) be the last chance saloon to have a direct line from Mallow to Limerick open again.

Could easily build build a line beside the M20 to meet up with the Foynes line.

do you not mean Charleville limerick?

AugustusMinimus

end of the road wrote: »

do you not mean Charleville limerick?

Indeed. I'm sure the new M20 will have to cross the Charleville - Dublin section. A spur could easily be created to allow the rail to follow the M20 and join up with the Foynes line. No doubt there would be a bit of extra land to purchase but it would be good to do it now before its too late.

If they don't do it now, it will never be done again.

corktina

the N20 isn't going to be built anytime soon.

Given the increased cost of the road project if it has to allow for a brand new rail line, how many extra passengers do you think this would attract?
Have you taken into account that the opening of the M20 might itself reduce train usage?
What if we spend all this money on a new rail line and some bright spark starts up an express coach service on the motorway?

Nice idea, but we have higher priorities for investment surely other than duplicating an existing line. Rather than doing this, would not a direct service on the existing line be a better idea?

AugustusMinimus

Would the old line be viable. It must be 20 miles or more longer than a direct route.

I wouldn't mind seeing costings as an add on to the M20 though.

corktina

I'd say the extra cost would be quite significant, as all the junctions would get very complicated and joining the old route at Patrickswell would be rather difficult with the existing motorway right next to the line and crossing the original route at right angles. Also the M20 is scheduled to run west of Charleville whereas the rail line is to the east.

If there was any mileage in it, would not IE and their predecessors have run a through service over the line in use today ? If that was laid on now and was an amazing success, your plan could then be looked at. But I can't see it happening.

end of the road

corktina wrote: »

Have you taken into account that the opening of the M20 might itself REDUCE train usage?

make sure rail speeds are faster then the motor way, it will be a new railway so no excuse

corktina wrote: »

What if we spend all this money on a new rail line and some bright spark starts up an express coach service on the motorway?

then we price him out of the market if needs be, make the toles high enough that an express coach operator won't find it attractive to run on that motor way meaning the investment in the railway will actually be worth it.

corktina wrote: »

Nice idea, but we have higher priorities for investment surely other than duplicating an existing line. Rather than doing this, would not a direct service on the existing line be a better idea?

maybe, all though i think his original plan was for the new line to be for the foynes branch rather then as a passenger railway, but if a new railway is going to be built i suppose its best to make it carry both, however if foynes can be re-connected so the freight can go via limerick then yes that might be a better option

corktina

no no multi quote champ....he was proposing replacing the old Charleville to Limerick line from Charlevile to Patrickswell, linking up with the Foynes branch at that point...the Motorway already existing from Patrickswell onwards

Banjoxed

Jazes Corktina, I thought it needed a whack of drugs and high class hookers to turn me to the Dark Side but your SHOUTING to make your point has convinced me.

end of the road

corktina wrote: »

no no he was proposing replacing the old Charleville to Limerick line from Charlevile to Patrickswell, linking up with the Foynes branch at that point...

its what i said, i then stated that if the foynes branch could be connected or re-connected to the current limerick line instead that might be a better option

corktina

but that's what he said in the original post. The Foynes branch doesn't really come into it other than from Patrickswell inwards

murphaph

dowlingm wrote: »

Unlike Ireland they've got the oil cash to commit rather than depending on lenders.

It's actually not that straightforward in Norway. They decided in 1990 that no more of the North Sea oil revenues should be directly invested in Norway because they feared causing massive inflation in such a small country. I don't know what popular opinion on the ground is about having a 1% of the world's stocks "invested" but I suspect there are no Norwegians lying on hospital trolleys or waiting years for hip replacements.

The Government Pension Fund of Norway

Those Norwegians saving money for a rainy day like. Would they ever liven up and spend a bit of that cash!

AlekSmart

murphaph wrote: »

It's actually not that straightforward in Norway. They decided in 1990 that no more of the North Sea oil revenues should be directly invested in Norway because they feared causing massive inflation in such a small country. I don't know what popular opinion on the ground is about having a 1% of the world's stocks "invested" but I suspect there are no Norwegians lying on hospital trolleys or waiting years for hip replacements.

The Government Pension Fund of Norway

Those Norwegians saving money for a rainy day like. Would they ever liven up and spend a bit of that cash!

Priceless

The Norwegians need to find Charlie Mac ASAP .....

http://www.thejournal.ie/budget-2004-2014-1122985-Oct2013/

http://gombeennation.blogspot.ie/2010/12/charlie-mccreevy-original-genius-behind.html

" I have it,so,I'll spend it"....:)