Trains slowing to pass station

Stephen15

Do Irish trains actually have to slow down to pass through a through station I was the Dublin to Cork a few weeks ago and the train slowed down through Portarlington and Kildare but went full speed through Newbridge and Portlaoise. Weird does the same apply to goods trains. In Italy goods and express trains pass throug intermediate stations at full speed and they would nearly blow you away.

BonkeyDonker

Portarlington and Kildare sound more like speed limits than anything else. For example in Portarlington you have the crossing point for Galway, which is also on a curve. Kildare may be similar - but I am sure somebody with a better road knowledge can confirm or refute this.

tabbey

If a freight train is parked on the up main line in Kildare, up trains have to use the loop, thus the train has to slow down for the points. Otherwise a train travelling at line speed would derail.

Stephen15

tabbey wrote: »

If a freight train is parked on the up main line in Kildare, up trains have to use the loop, thus the train has to slow down for the points. Otherwise a train travelling at line speed would derail.

That sounds daft do freight wagons have no sidings to go to

Jamie2k9

Stephen15 wrote: »

Do Irish trains actually have to slow down to pass through a through station I was the Dublin to Cork a few weeks ago and the train slowed down through Portarlington and Kildare but went full speed through Newbridge and Portlaoise. Weird does the same apply to goods trains. In Italy goods and express trains pass throug intermediate stations at full speed and they would nearly blow you away.

Portarlington is 80mph and on a bend and trains approaching would be doing 100mph

Kildare is 90mph either side but as above if up is using the loop it slows or there could be a TSR in place. Generally in place a lot in recent months.

That sounds daft do freight wagons have no sidings to go to

They do but some liners require access to Waterford line and engine has to run round in Kildare. Think the only service which has to use the loop is the 13.20 ex Cork.

tabbey

Freight trains between Mayo and Waterford have to reverse at Kildare, which involves running the locomotive from one end of the train to the other, then wait for a path, to continue the journey. Some afternoons, they can be waiting for an hour or two, sitting in the middle track in the station. This explains the low speed of up trains, that is trains towards Dublin. If a train from Dublin had to slow down, it must have been due to a temporary speed restriction, or a signal check.

GerardKeating

tabbey wrote: »

Freight trains between Mayo and Waterford have to reverse at Kildare, which involves running the locomotive from one end of the train to the other, then wait for a path, to continue the journey. Some afternoons, they can be waiting for an hour or two, sitting in the middle track in the station. This explains the low speed of up trains, that is trains towards Dublin. If a train from Dublin had to slow down, it must have been due to a temporary speed restriction, or a signal check.

Is there much Mayo-Waterford traffic, would it be possible/worth it to put a curve at Cherryville Junction to avoid the wait at Kildare?

Jamie2k9

GerardKeating wrote: »

Is there much Mayo-Waterford traffic, would it be possible/worth it to put a curve at Cherryville Junction to avoid the wait at Kildare?

More less twice daily Mon-Fri + the couple of IE trains services between Portlaoise-Waterford.

Not worth the cost or the maintenance unless there was multiple services daily. Currently there is little disruption to passenger services.

Losty Dublin

GerardKeating wrote: »

Is there much Mayo-Waterford traffic, would it be possible/worth it to put a curve at Cherryville Junction to avoid the wait at Kildare?

A direct curve there would likely cost close enough to 8 figures. Given the layout of the area and the current lines in situ, a curve would have almost certainly have to pass under the M 7 (Imagine the fallout trying to close it? ). It would also require a lot of land acquisition.

Jamie2k9

Losty Dublin wrote: »

A direct curve there would likely cost close enough to 8 figures. Given the layout of the area and the current lines in situ, a curve would have almost certainly have to pass under the M 7 (Imagine the fallout trying to close it? ). It would also require a lot of land acquisition.

There would be enough room to avoid the M7 if they needed a loop.

Losty Dublin

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

There would be enough room to avoid the M7 if they needed a loop.

There isn't close to enough room to manage it. The angle of the current underpass is aligned towards Dublin. The M 7 underpass is about 250 metres from the Cork Mainline; unless they get in unicycle wagons then the curvature will be nigh impossible. In any case it's not going to happen so lets not dwell on it

Seanmk1

Losty Dublin wrote: »

A direct curve there would likely cost close enough to 8 figures. Given the layout of the area and the current lines in situ, a curve would have almost certainly have to pass under the M 7 (Imagine the fallout trying to close it? ). It would also require a lot of land acquisition.

You don't need to close a motorway to run a new line underneath. My favourite words in the civil engineering lexicon: "Thrust Bore" and "Pipe Jacking"!

Anyway it would cost an absolute fortune.

Jamie2k9

Losty Dublin wrote: »

There isn't close to enough room to manage it. The angle of the current underpass is aligned towards Dublin. The M 7 underpass is about 250 metres from the Cork Mainline; unless they get in unicycle wagons then the curvature will be nigh impossible. In any case it's not going to happen so lets not dwell on it

Had a look at G Maps and while it would be a tight squeeze if they had to they could put it but it would be tight and require some realignment of Waterford line which there is room to do.

Put it this way if they had to build under M7 it wouldn't happen financials would never stack up.

BonkeyDonker

For the tiny benefits it would bring the large amount it would cost would be better invested elsewhere.

You are looking at a minimum of three points - two to cross the mainline from the up, and one to connect to the Waterford line. Plus the purchase of any land required, plus the purchase of the dwelling in between the two lines and the additional cost of maintenance etc going forward it just does not make sense.

And don't forget the R445 as well.

GerardKeating

GerardKeating wrote: »

Is there much Mayo-Waterford traffic, would it be possible/worth it to put a curve at Cherryville Junction to avoid the wait at Kildare?

While talking about that junction, why do all westbound (to Port Laoise) trains have to slow down even though they are going straight ahead?
Are the points dodgy or something?

kc56

Deleted User wrote: »

While talking about that junction, why do all westbound (to Port Laoise) trains have to slow down even though they are going straight ahead?
Are the points dodgy or something?

Track re-laying. Temp speed limits of 25mph. Also between Sallins and Newbridge.

kc56

kc56 wrote: »

Track re-laying. Temp speed limits of 25mph. Also between Sallins and Newbridge.

Not at the junction though, there has been a low speed limit there for as long as I can remember.

LXFlyer

Deleted User wrote: »

Not at the junction though, there has been a low speed limit there for as long as I can remember.

The line speed at Cherryville Junction where the Waterford trains branch off for trains heading towards Portarlington is 90mph.


There is currently a 30mph temporary speed restriction at the junction, presumably down to work being carried out on the track or permanent way.


Portarlington Station has a line speed of 80mph for trains heading towards Portlaoise.

lxflyer

lxflyer wrote: »

The line speed at Cherryville Junction where the Waterford trains branch off for trains heading towards Portarlington is 90mph.


There is currently a 30mph temporary speed restriction at the junction, presumably down to work being carried out on the track or permanent way.


Portarlington Station has a line speed of 80mph for trains heading towards Portlaoise.

Anyone know when this junction will be upgraded as it has had this limit on it since the start of the year (and probably much earlier), is it going be done as part of the current phase of line improvement work.

LXFlyer

Deleted User wrote: »

Anyone know when this junction will be upgraded as it has had this limit on it since the start of the year (and probably much earlier), is it going be done as part of the current phase of line improvement work.

I would imagine that it would certainly would be eliminated as part of the current works.