Cork Area Commuter Rail

TheDriver

Question re leap card. Can i get the train and bus from the train station on the one leap card fare?

cgcsb

A new toll on the N8 between dunkettle and the city centre would provide plenty of passengers. Speaking of which whybare there still national roads designated in Cork City Centre?

TheDriver

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119363695#Comment_119363695

Cheers, I was under the false impression from their website that tapping it to exit Kent and tapping it on city bus at Kent, the system would know it's all one trip.

hans aus dtschl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119363740#Comment_119363740

I presume you're thinking of Tivoli area.

If you do that, you push a lot of the associated traffic onto northside rat-runs unfortunately. I'm in favour conceptually of tolling to promote modal shift (and reinvest the collected money directly!) but I think a city congestion charge might be the only way to achieve it.

the beer revolu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119367085#Comment_119367085

I like the idea of a congestion charge but imagine the uproar from certain city centre traders!

Or maybe, they could indroduce a congestion charge but promise never to enforce it. Might get it through that way 🤣

hans aus dtschl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119368486#Comment_119368486

I get the reference.

namloc1980

Irish Rail pours cold water on later running trains.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40924142.html

They were asked by the NTA to examine 3 options:

1. Run services through the night on commuter and main Intercity routes,

2. Run last departures until at least 00:30 7 days a week,

3. Run late trains on Thurs, Fri and Sat nights into the early hours.

They said no to the first 2 and are examining running late weekend trains but basically saying that it's probably not a runner as most maintenance takes place on weekend nights.

Mushy

At least the 3rd option isn't ruled out. Would maintenance works be taking place every weekend? Would seem a waste not to run it due to maintenance if they were relatively infrequent. But again, I'd know nothing of the extent of the works so maybe it is done each week, no point starting later trains if they're not able to run 1 out of 3/4 weeks

Chris_5339762

[quote]An email said: “The Irish Rail network does not allow for alternative routing of services unlike, for instance, certain parts of the Great Britain network where diversionary routes allow for longer operational days.” [/quote]

This is something I hadn't thought of. For example in GB if the Brighton main line is closed you could do a (circuitous) diversion to Bognor Regis and up via Arundel and Crawley. It would suck, but it means you could have a 2hr service late evenings perhaps via the diversion. That can't be done here because we have a branch network only.

questionmark?

Public consultation on Double tracking Glounthaune to Midleton is now open.

Anyone interested, including those wanting later services should provide the feedback.

https://www.irishrail.ie/en-ie/about-us/iarnrod-eireann-projects-and-investments/cork-area-commuter-rail/glounthaune-to-midleton-twin-track-project

namloc1980

You'd know that it's EU Covid stimulus money that is paying for this with the speed it's going at.

namloc1980

As they don't need to modify any of the bridges this should be done fairly quickly and cost effectively. The only concern would be in using the existing bridges, which are not optimal, and what impact that might have on future electrification infrastructure.

cgcsb

Surely they should be raising bridges now to allow for electrification

namloc1980

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119390981#Comment_119390981

I think they'd run into serious issues with local objections, cost and at least one of those bridges is on a heritage listing.

Long term the talk is that for Cork it'll be at least partially battery technology to electrify the line as opposed to overhead infrastructure on the entire network. So for instance you might have overhead cables as far as Glounthaune to power the trains and recharge the battery with the battery then taking over the rest of the journey or indeed battery electric on the entire line. These are already operational in Germany on similar length networks as Cork.

namloc1980

In more Cork suburban rail news planning permission for the new platform at Kent has been lodged.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/property/developmentconstruction/arid-40933331.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Mushy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119429133#Comment_119429133

That seems quick for a decision. Great to see it going ahead.

namloc1980

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119429344#Comment_119429344

Sorry meant to say the application for planning has been lodged. Serious progress being made on suburban rail in Cork in recent weeks. It's amazing how much quicker things move in Ireland when it's EU money paying for it. We'd still be at square 1 if the Irish government was responsible.

Mushy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119429805#Comment_119429805

I actually meant it's quick for a decision, article mentioned end of September for this. Either way, we're in agreement that there's good progress on the rail network.

I saw they're doing up Heuston Station, I emailed seeing us same in pipeline for Kent (only baby changing facilities is in women's bathroom, I've spent good amount of time in there). They said improving facilities is planned alright. Also asked about more bridges with lifts like planned for little island. Was told they hope to do this but considering cost and nothing definite lined up, no timeline on this

Saw white markings on ground at Little Island this evening, assume its for the planned real time signs going in (too small for bridge markings). Will be something nice and modern on the line.

Mushy

In addition to the white markings I saw in LI Station I saw yesterday, on the westbound platform I saw the same, along with a circle beside it labelled bin. The square one was around the bin, so it must be those electronic time signs that are going in soon.

namloc1980

Yeah they have the new platform screens up in Kent on platform 1/2 anyway. They are LCD screens but to be honest they were hard to see in the sun. Should be fine when duller/at night but not great in bright daylight.

timmyjimmy

Lots of stimulus going on which is great to see but any news on Carrigtwohill west?

namloc1980

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119443564#Comment_119443564

Nothing specific. It was vaguely mentioned recently but nothing concrete on the horizon.

questionmark?

Proposed timetable changes including Cork Commuter services.

Open for consultation https://www.irishrail.ie/en-ie/news/proposed-timetable-changes-from-11th-december-2022

An improvement of sorts but still early enough departures. Would encourage as many as possible to submit feedback as more voices the better.

Cork Commuter

• New 22:00 hrs Cork to Cobh and 22:30 hrs Cobh to Cork services Monday to Saturday.
• Existing 22:30 hrs Cork to Cobh deferred to 23:00 hrs, and existing 23:00 hrs Cobh to Cork deferred to 23:30 hrs Monday to Saturday
• Existing 22:15 hrs Cork to Midleton deferred to 22:45 hrs, and existing 22:45 hrs Midleton to Cork deferred to 23:15 hrs Monday to Saturday.

namloc1980

Still very early finishing. A move in the right direction but still not nearly far enough. And the evening service to Midleton now looks very patchy. 90 minutes between the 21:15 and 22:45 service. Not great.

Mushy

Start of the station displays happening anyway at Little Island, I imagine it's one contractor who'll do all stations

questionmark?

https://www.echolive.ie/corknews/arid-41001458.html

Survey by local TD got 2200 responses with 99.5% in favour of later services.

namloc1980

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119705597#Comment_119705597

New screens up in Carrigtwohill station but weren't switched on yet, as of a couple days ago anyway.

spacetweek

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119848496#Comment_119848496

Silly thing to have a survey on. Nobody would be against something like that.

questionmark?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119851092#Comment_119851092

Respectfully disagree. The more 'noise' that's made by both the public and elected reps the better hope there is that Irish Rail will pull their finger out and provide later services.

TheDriver

thought the problem with later services is engineering works on lines during the night? Whats the last DART i wonder?