Timetable curiosity

pras1729

Hello everyone,

I was looking at the timetables between Dublin and Galway and came across this between Galway (Ceannt) and Oranmore. I thought it was a single track section between these two stations which makes the following timetable very curious. Is there some siding that I'm missing or something else? I was wondering if anyone here had any clue about this? Thanks!

Oranmore (11:04) - Galway (11:13)

Galway (11:05) - Oranmore (11:16)

flyingsnail

There is a passing loop just outside of Galway station, it starts just the other side of the river. The 11:05 departs the station and waits in that loop until the Galway bound train passes.

pras1729

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121096374#Comment_121096374

Thanks! Looks like (from satellite view on Google Maps) that the passing loop is literally just as the train pulls out of Galway. In practice, would it be the case that the 11:13 arrival into Galway is usually earlier (like 11:09 or so) ?

Because departing the platform at 11:05 and waiting until 11:12 or 11:13 seems counter-intuitive in terms of scheduling to reach Oranmore by 11:16?

flyingsnail

they should cross each other at about 11:10 -11:11 ish.

TranslatorPS

Train A711, the 11.05 Galway/Heuston, is timed to sit in the loop from 11.07.0 until 11.11.5, for an 11.16.5 arrival in Oranmore.

Train A782, the 9.20 Limerick/Galway, is timed to pass the loop at 11.10.5 from an 11.04.5 departure from Oranmore.

All things considered, comparing A711 against the other trains, the 5' running time from the loop to Oranmore doesn't appear too bad – trains passing through the loop and stopping at Oranmore have the same timing (with a 7' overall time from Galway to Oranmore), whereas trains passing Oranmore have 4' from the loop to it. A491 (18.45 Galway/Ennis) is even more optimistic, timed at 4'30 from a Loop stop to Oranmore stop, and that's on a 3-car 22000.

Trains towards Galway have longer running times probably as a safety fall-back, since the speed limit cascade on the last 2.5 miles approaching Galway is pretty much the same both ways (aside from a small difference and the 60 mph around Murrough LC, which is the level crossing at the end of the Galway Crystal road, it's 70 mph from the Oranmore platform down to 50 mph around Renmore, down to 30 mph at the outer points of the loop, down to 10 mph ahead of the Lough Atalia bridge).

Tiernster7

Did the 1.5k passing loop for Oranmore ever start construction?

Geuze

The tender for the design has gone out.

I believe a firm called RPS were appointed?

Article from May 2022:

https://www.rte.ie/news/regional/2022/0523/1300660-galway-train-service/

No sign of any planning application yet.

No sign of the appointment of any civil contractor yet.

Poxyshamrock

When it comes to rail in Ireland, everything happens at a glacial pace.

phater phagan

Hi all, Will trains be running on 23rd December and on 27th December?

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121355891#Comment_121355891

Yes they will.

Tiernster7

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121130255#Comment_121130255

Similar in Moyross but this is obviously older and arguably a more important investment.

How can these companies best be held to account for these delays

Geuze

In my mind, a 1km passing loop without new platform should take one month, max three months.

The Board of IE agree to it, send instructions out to PW team to slew the track, install two switches at either end.

With a platform and new overbridge, maybe six months, max 12 months.

We should be building dozens of these each year.

Yet, it's treated like we're building the Eiffel Tower.

Planning permission, or any sort of consent should not be required for a simple passing loop.

OK, if a structure is to be built, then PP may be required.

DoctorPan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121366048#Comment_121366048

Issue isn't with the MDCs but with the project management process. These projects have to liase with Irish Rail and the NTA and with them, there's a lot of back and forth as there is overlap between the two. Add in the growth pains from massive expansion in projects and demands on staff and thats how you end up with trying to swim through mud. Go over a certain project cost projection and suddenly you've got the Department involved in and now you've got triple the amount of paperwork.