Foynes Line

waterwelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119874179#Comment_119874179

You would think these would be designed in now. Especially speeds and bridges but most infrastructural work really.

Is there an actual customer on board to use this line?

loyatemu

they seem to be laying new rail, rather than 2nd hand stuff from elsewhere on the network so you'd hope they're building it to passenger standards rather than having to relay it all again in a few years. The extra work would be the stations and maybe signalling?

Glaceon

I'd say the Ryder Cup will ensure it's done to a good standard at least to Adare, sure that's why the N7 was built as it is now.

Board Walker

I imagine the installation of level crossings will be a huge job. Anyone know how many there are?

flyingsnail

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119881838#Comment_119881838

13 road crossings and 50+ accommodation crossings

Board Walker

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119884535#Comment_119884535

I assume an accommodation crossing is for the farms?

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119888695#Comment_119888695

Generally. There's been huge efforts to close them on all lines in recent years - buy out the field it connects to or group a few together to build one bridge or whatever else works for each case. I'd hope they are doing that here - they are a significant safety risk and there have been a few incidents in recent years

MyLove4Satan

it is all new rail and sleepers with restored foundational and drainage work. So a good chance this might carry passnengers in time - but it really should be reopened to Newcastle West to make that aspect reach full potential I'd say. Still, great news all around. Almost hard to believe, but here we are.

Paddico

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119876878#Comment_119876878

What stations are people thinking? Adare has a population of just over 1000. Not many towns of that size can justify a train station.

Tiernster7

I would say Adare is a destination for visitors more than a commuter channel. There is a considerable population who it would be the closest station to if going to Dublin, Limerick or Galway in any case.

The_Wanderer

Foynes Line Reconstruction

Work is due to commence on reconstruction of the Limerick to Foynes for freight traffic in the coming weeks. In advance of phase one of the project, vegetation clearance is already underway and it appears that the route has been fully cleared. The last train operated over the route in 2001 and the line has gradually fallen into disrepair over the last 21 years. The current phase of work that is about to begin and the subsequent phases will facilitate rail freight services, but will not preclude the possibility of passenger services being reintroduced on this line in the future, but this would require further infrastructure upgrades and funding. The Ryder Cup Golf tournament is to be held at Adare, which the railway passes through in 2027 and it is mooted that a passenger service will be reinstated for this between Adare and nearby Limerick City. 

I undertook a photographic survey of the route on Sunday 27th November from Limerick City to Foynes. With the route being upgraded to modern standards no doubt many of the features of the route at stations and level crossings will vanish over the next three years.

Click https://bit.ly/3UhlSGj to view all the images.

MyLove4Satan

It the line going to end at the site of the old station or will it extend to the dockside itself? Sorry, I have never been there so unfamiliar with the location.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119907123#Comment_119907123

There are stations in Ireland with way less. And also it's about growth potential.

Patrickswell would be an important one with the amount of commuting from there to Limerick or as a park and ride. Also a station in Raheen Industrial Estate would be vital.

waterwelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119939565#Comment_119939565

The station and other Irish rail land are adjacent to the dockside anyway so I don't think there are any third party landholders to get in the way of them running the tracks wherever works best.

pigtown

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119939615#Comment_119939615

The thing is though, where will people get a train to Raheen Industrial Estate from? Highly unlikely there'll be many from the city centre/Colbert. Maybe some from Adare and Patrickswell but not enough to justify a stop I imagine.

I don't think a couple of stations will be enough to effectively increase public transport use. Stations in population centres such as Corbally, Parkway, Kilteragh, and Lisnagry/Annacotty are all needed too.

I actually think the Parkway Shopping Centre should be levelled and replaced with a high density mixed use development of modern shopping centre and apartments with integrated train station.

Glaceon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119939565#Comment_119939565

The plan is to run a new spur from the port access road into the port. So the old station site won’t reopen.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119941199#Comment_119941199

Well what would happen in bigger cities would be big housing projects around the stations. No good just building the stations you would need to plan both together.

Those towns would become handy places for anyone working in the industrial estate or hospital who was looking for a place.

pigtown

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119941230#Comment_119941230

That's what I'm worried about- there's no plan to densify the areas around the proposed station locations. The new Development Plan has just been adopted and will be in place for 6 years.

In order to establish a successful (useful and effective and reasonably cost effective) urban rail network, it's not enough to just build a few stations and hope for the best.

I'd hate for the new stations to be ineffective and public sentiment to turn against investing in any more.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119941495#Comment_119941495

My dream would be for a few Oranmores around Limerick. Its doable on the Foynes and Dublin lines if the will is there.

Poxyshamrock

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119941524#Comment_119941524

Well, they’ve announced Moyross but I think a station at Corbally would be great. I’ve always thought that land to the back of O’Driscolls would be ideal for one.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119941575#Comment_119941575

I can't see the point of the Moyross one. It will suit me on a few jaunts out to Ennis so personally not complaining.

whisky_galore

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119941223#Comment_119941223

In that case it would be nice to restore it to complement the Flying Boat Museum across the road, include an indoor bus waiting area out of it, it's an utter eyesore as it is.

Board Walker

Looking forward to walking a few sections of track over christmas before its taken up! I wonder would any construction crews give me an X sign from the old gates when being removed :D

Markcheese

So is there expected to be 13 new level crossings ?

That in itself would be seriously expensive

Board Walker

So i believe. I was down there today. Crazy clearance work done. It seems only 2 Semaphore signals are left on the line just outside Raheen.

p_haugh

Interesting thread on twitter about what's to be done on the line.

https://twitter.com/hassardS/status/1612154942176858114?t=3ZxilbGIMJe4T--HGodYdg&s=19

Pete_Cavan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119999602#Comment_119999602

I was looking at the line on Google Maps. Just west of the old Ballingrane station there are 3 LCs within 1km, it should be fairly straightforward to close all three by building one bridge and linking up the existing roads. How would the cost of that compare to three LCs?

Markcheese

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120115696#Comment_120115696

Would they build a bridge if it's a low traffic area ?

I think each level crossing is 2 or 3 million euro . (they were over 2 million ,15 or so years ago)

I suppose they could still close 2 out of 3 crossing..

marno21

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120117976#Comment_120117976

They built bridges for serving 4/5 houses in Co. Cork in recent years so some sort of rationalisation of LCs may be sensible.

The train frequency in this case may make that less viable though.

Pete_Cavan

I assume the cost of a LC is fairly fixed regardless of the level of traffic or train frequency. Obviously with low traffic and low frequency, the benefit could be said to be lower but you'd still be spending a couple of million quid which could be spent on something much safer (i.e. a bridge). A bridge seems a much better long term investment than three LCs, even if the bridge is more expensive. At that figure x 3, I think the bridge would be a better solution.