Cross-border review of rail network officially launched

mackerski

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123583504#Comment_123583504

You can make it more detailed if you wish. The only limit is your own capacity to add precision.

cgcsb

The Rail2050 strategy includes 1 hour Cork-Limerick Journeys and the introduction of direct services before 2030 through double tracking and remodelling of Limerick Junction, not sure how realistic double tracking is before 2030. For 2050 it's envisaged that there will be both direct Cork-Limerick trains and direct Galway-Waterford trains and a 3 line+ 2 branch line Limerick commuter rail system with more than 20 stations so all very ambitious.

I told ya

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123570330#Comment_123570330

The original Dublin-Galway line was from Broadstone (MGWR) via Mullingar to Galway.

I cycled the Old Rail Trail (Mullingar to Athlone) 2 years ago. It certainly appeared to have been double tracked, given that one rail line is clearly visible, the width of the over bridges together with only a few LCs. Built to a high standard indeed.

I read somewhere that Portarlington to Athlone was built as a branch line by GSWR with running rights to Galway.

I also read that the double track was lifted decades ago, leaving it a single line.

CIE, in their wisdom, decided in the late 60s/early 70s to run all Galway/Westport traffic via Portarlington.

The cynic in me feels that this was the opening move in closing the Sligo line. Reduce the traffic volume from Connolly to Mullingar leaving only the Sligo traffic, thus rendering the line totally uneconomic and must be closed.

Of course it must be said that at that time there was some economic prosperity in the country with the resulting rise in car and commercial vehicle ownership. In turn rendering the railways some what on the back foot.

There is a long history of communities along the line protesting about its closure and the poor quality of the service in the 70s/80s and 90s.

Whilst retaining the line to Glasnevin Jnc was necessary, past that CIE just wanted rid of it.

About 25 years ago I worked with a woman whose husband worked in CIE HQ. Simply put, the engineers ran the railways, the less track there was, the maintenance work there was, the less funding needed from the gov.

All private transport businesses, both freight and passenger, are sales driven. But it must be acknowledged that the cost of maintaining and improving the 'permanent way' (as opposed to the road network) is high and the gov. is always under pressure from every and all sections of society.

A bit of a ramble there, but looking at the AIRR, whether it's Dublin Airport, Navan, Tuam, etc., it's going to involve objections, ploughing up the countryside and big bucks.

Glaceon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123584017#Comment_123584017

Yes, Mullingar to Athlone was double track when built, it was singled by the GSR in the 1930s. The whole section from Broadstone to Ballinasloe was double if I recall. But the GSWR line from Portarlington to Athlone was always single.

Economics101

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123584017#Comment_123584017

Dublin-Mullingar-Athlone-Ballinasloe was the double-tracked MGWR main line to Galway until the GSR singled iit beyond Clonsilla from 1929 as an ecoonomy measure. Portarlingto-Athlone was always single track, but many overbridges were wide enough to take 2 tracks - a common practice.

I don't think the diversion of Galway and Mayo trains to Heuston via Portarlington was part of a plot to eventually close the Sligo line, which at the time had a good level of freight and passenger traffic. The route via Portarlingto was faster, and with potentially greater capacity. Mullingar-Dublin was always hopless for high speed running, due to curvature, as it closely followed that 18th century expressway, the Royal Canal.😊

Double-tracking Portarlington-Athlone will likely involve planning issues as it not just a matter of restoring a previous second track (unline Limerick to Limerick Junction).

cgcsb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123584017#Comment_123584017

The vast majority of the AIRR is about improving existing rail routes though, if you exclude the fanciful Portadown to Athlone and Newry to Derry lines which seem to be included out of lip service, there isn't really much proposed in terms of new routes.

riddlinrussell

Newry/Portadown to Derry I'd say isn't exactly a pie in the sky routing, it would capture the vast majority of the outstanding large towns in NI without a rail connection (Sorry, Enniskillen!) And offer the potential of a direct Dublin to Derry service and a probably faster Belfast to Derry service.

Portadown to Athlone is pretty fanciful beyond a short extension to Armagh.

cgcsb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123584428#Comment_123584428

These are in northern Ireland though and there's basically no conceivable scenario in which an English government is going to stump up such cash for such luxurious infrastructure (which would not be built in England for towns of comparable size), it would require monumental shifts in politics. The only real way would be if Ireland straight up paid for it, but that's a long way off being politically possible.

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123584534#Comment_123584534

If Ireland was to stump up for railways in other jurisdictions, the only one that might make economic sense would be high-speed Holyhead to Crewe if HS2 got to Crewe sometime in the next century.

scrabtom

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123585059#Comment_123585059

Do you not think there would be value in connecting Donegal to the rail network?

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123585091#Comment_123585091

It wouldn't make economic sense, particularly as Donegal County Council has allowed a completely haphazard development across the county.

Potential for a Derry/Letterkenny link, if development was to take place around stations on that line.

road_high

I’d say the Galway line being routed via portArlington was about maximising the return on the minimum amount of infrastructure- made sense at the time to maximise use of the main cork line, close the rest. . Unfortunately the result now is congestion and lack of capacity

cgcsb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123585091#Comment_123585091

A Derry to Letterkenny rail link could well be bought and paid for by Ireland, but the AIRR recommends more than doubling NI's railway network with brand new electrified and double tracked routes capable of supporting high speed services. That's a lot of money.

cgcsb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123585586#Comment_123585586

Yes if Crewe to London was only an hour it would make sense to bring the north Wales line into a more useful state, 2 hours Hollyhead to London would make sail and rail a viable option again.

Ireland trains

https://www.irishrail.ie/en-ie/news/all-island-strategic-rail-review-iarnrod-eireann-u

A short update on the rail review, nothing much new though.
‘Priority projects have been identified, with these now being analysed in further detail, focusing on upgrades of the existing Intercity network’.

Navan public consultation still planned for later this year.

PlatformNine

I noticed on the map of network interactions, that it shows four-tracking from Dublin to Portarlington and Dublin to Drogheda (it says Malahide but the map shows to Drogheda). I wonder if it means that they are actually approaching four-tracking the lines, or if they are looking into the new alignments as reccomended in the AISRR, but justs says four-tracking for simplicity.

goingnowhere

4 North would be Connolly Clongriffin, then 2 tracks to Airport then 2 tracks direct to Drogheda

Hazelhatch-Portarlington a new alignment is preferred as you can then avoid the geometry issues the existing route has across the Curragh and through Portarlington station, also greatly simplifies construction (new route would be 2-3km shorter also)

2 completely separate 2 track lines is more flexible and resilient than a single 4 track line