Sam Russell wrote: » When did the Athlone station move to its current location?
Del.Monte wrote: » Pity the MGWR didn't opt for 4ft 8.5" that would have kept the Inchicore vultures at bay.
Del.Monte wrote: » Another person who refuses to read what is written. It is fairly obvious that the nature of travel from rural/provincial stations is radically different to that on commuter lines but you know best. I don't know where the logical conclusion to relocate everything into Heuston comes in but I'll bow to your superior knowledge.
NiallBoo wrote: » Was it the original route for Dublin-Galway services? Seems like the mire obvious route? Was it closed in the first place to ease demand on Connolly?
Vic_08 wrote: » So now stations are better off away from town 'cause nobody walks to them anyways. What's the betting that if it had been the other way around you'd be moaning that you can no longer use the train to Athlone because the station is to far a walk from the town? Athlone midland is poorly located, has very limited car parking space and not nearly enough space for co-locating a bus station, not that the bus company would want to locate there anyway because it is too far from the town centre.https://www.google.com/maps/@53.4270698,-7.9483665,3a,75y,225.14h,76.1t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sNFhgH11A5Ga9K3v3WmazOQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 Southern meanwhile is closer to the town, had much more space for car parking and a co-located bus station. Once the logical decision to run Galway/Westport to Heuston was made it was a very good decision to switch to Athlone Southern. If those routes had been kept on the MGWR where would the extra paths and platform space in Connolly come from?
Del.Monte wrote: » I don't know where the logical conclusion to relocate everything into Heuston comes in but.
Del.Monte wrote: » The location of the MGWR station in Athlone was not a problem given that most people arrive at country stations in a car/bus etc. rather than commuter stations where a lot/majority of people walk to and from the station. The pointless closure and relocation of the station was done to facilitate a termination of rail services east of the Shannon and to make the reopening of the Mullingar/Athlone line even more expensive.
tabbey wrote: » It is called rationalisation. Andrews did it, Beeching did it. As well as reducing Pearse to little more than a suburban station, it also facilitated the closure of Grand Canal Street running shed, and centralised the maintenance of most locos in Inchicore.And of course saved the costs associated with 28 miles of mainline The great pity for services to the west of Ireland, is that beyond Maynooth the Midland route is not so bad, and west of Mullingar would be the straightest route in the country. If CIE had built a branch mainline from Stacumny to somewhere west of Leixlip,and diverted the trains to the west onto it from Heuston, they especially Galway had the potential for real high speed running, Dublin to Galway in 90 minutes would have been realistic. Another effect of taking midland trains out of Pearse was the decline of Westland Row as a commercial district . The Grosvenor Hotel closed down, and the car hire firm was unable to compete, eventually shutting it's doors. Incidentally, viewers of the movie "the First Great Train Robbery" can see the rooftop shenanigans of Sean Connery under the bridges of the Mullingar - Athlone mainline.
GM228 wrote: » Yes, but the tracks are still in situ with the cycle track running parallel.
Carawaystick wrote: » Mullingar to Athlone [
Sam Russell wrote: » The line could be fenced off quite easily to allow train use. Is the track in good condition or would it need relaying?[/QUOTE The bridges are too narrow.https://www.flickr.com/photos/be216c...7633759839850/
Mearings wrote: » I remember going through the Phoenix Park tunnel tho' most western trains went directly to Westland Row.
tabbey wrote: » The up morning train from Galway ran to Westland Row via Portarlington and the Phoenix Park tunnel. It took just 2 hours, 37 minutes Galway to Connolly, 2hr 45 min to Pearse, not bad for an eight car AEC railcar with a total of 1,000 horse power, and 70 mph max speed. The return train in the evening took 3 hr, 05 mins from Pearse via Mullingar, with more stops and the twisty line to Maynooth.
Mearings wrote: » Sam Russell wrote: » The line could be fenced off quite easily to allow train use. Is the track in good condition or would it need relaying? The bridges are too narrow.https://www.flickr.com/photos/be216c...7633759839850/
Sam Russell wrote: » The line could be fenced off quite easily to allow train use. Is the track in good condition or would it need relaying?
Del.Monte wrote: » Is the Mullingar/Athlone greenway really a small tarmac road? If so why? I am familiar with the Douglas/Peel trail http://www.deuchars.org.uk/iom/douglaspeel.htm on the former Isle of Man railway between the two towns and it's just fine gravel. It's popular with walkers, cyclists and horse owners. Has Ireland reinvented the wheel?
Sam Russell wrote: » That picture has no pedestrian/cycle room so I presume they are diverted. Anyway, that would be the least worry, I think getting the track fit to run fast IC trains would be the lion's share of the cost of reinstating. It would be terrible to lose the greenway.
Del.Monte wrote: » Is the Mullingar/Athlone greenway really a small tarmac road? If so why? .... Has Ireland reinvented the wheel?
Del.Monte wrote: » Surely the reopening of the Athlone/Mullingar line would be a better long term option as it would free-up space on the Dublin/Cork for future traffic growth?
Stephen15 wrote: » How about reopending the line and extend mullingar commuter services to athlone
