Pete_Cavan wrote: » Tender process started for works to remove a speed restriction on a section of the Dublin-Cork line;https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicPurchase/190196/1/0
tabbey wrote: » With all the limestone quarried for ballast at Lisduff, it's difficult to imagine a boggy formation under the railway here. Good to hear it is being addressed.
IE 222 wrote: » Be interesting to see the cost of these renewal works. I guess the Galway and Sligo lines suffer with similar problems and to a greater extent.
Jamie2k9 wrote: » Speculated that Irish Rail will order Alstom X'trapolis trains for new DART fleet. Various comments indicate its a done deal so time will tell.
tabbey wrote: » The extrapolis fleet in Melbourne seems reliable enough but Irish Rail doesn't have a good experience with Alston products.
Any word on when an announcement is due and how long it will take before they start arriving?
Jamie2k9 wrote: » Can only hope competent people are in charge of the contracts. I notice Renfe placed an order a few months back for a fleet of 150 coaches. Must say never heard of the type before now and I hope the ends wont be like the Melbourne fleet. The South African fleet looks better. It was said a few weeks ago it would be in a few weeks so who knows. No idea but prob 2+ years.
Tender issued last week for the Overhaul of Pneumatic Braking Systems on 2800 DMU Fleet;
In the August edition of Modern Railways:
Irish Rail have been given permission to explore options for a new Enterprise fleet.
I wonder how this will tie into the high(er) speed rail study looking at Cork-Dub-Belfast.
I'd say we're looking at something like a Class 800 or Class 755. Initially bi-mode, but diesel engines removable when the line is fully electrified. You'd hope the top speed would be 125mph+.
The SBP reported earlier this year that 9 sets would be required for an hourly service.
The 800 family (A Train) will need the cracking issue absolutely put to bed before its fit to tender for another contract.
Does anyone think that the alarming IPCC report on climate change will result in any additional rail fleet or infrastructure plans here? Because I'd like to think it should....
Doubtful but let's see what the NDP review has in store - think an update is due next month.
If it doesn't result in some really radical rail plans, that will be a total scandal and proof that Eamon Ryan is almost as useless a transport minister as his predecessor. All I ever hear from him is cutting back on road plans: fine, but what about some alternatives?. Maybe he thinks that cycling and walking will be the future.
Good to see the 2800s getting a bit of TLC, only rode them once or twice but as commuter DMUs go they seemed nice, smooth and not insanely noisy.
Surprised it has not been mentioned (unless it has and I missed it) that the NTA have recently approved (subject to Government authorisation) the initial DART+ fleet order, the winning bidder is not yet known, but the initial order is a bit disappointing, it will only be for "6 half-lenght EMUs" and "13 half-lenght BEMUs".
Some discussion on it here.
The 13 half-length BEMUs are for Drogheda. The next order (Maynooth) won't be placed until Q4 2022. Although, it looks like the main order for Kildare and Coastal won't be placed until 2025 for delivery in 2028.
I know this is probably not the news you wanted to hear on a Friday afternoon.
So Inchicore Works is being given to the Land Development Agency for housing. Irish Rail will have to build another depot very soon.
I might have missed something, but in this context, what exactly is a half length BMU/EMU. Is like the equivalent of a 4 car 29000 or 4 of todays DART cars? Would a "full length" BMU/EMU be like 8 DART cars?
They also want Limerick Depot, but, I can't see it actually happening to be honest, the majority of buildings are protected structures to start with.
HLU = 4 cars
FLU = 8 cars
In all likelihood they probably won't have to. The commuter railcars are serviced in Drogheda, the 22's in Portlaois and freight wagons in Limerick. Some of Inchicore will be held onto for DART underground needs and for working on the diesel loco fleet (Needs to be close to Dublin as most loco links serve here), lathing, bodywork/painting work and other engineering jobs. DART get most of their work done in Fairview but they'll get a new depot as well anyway; it too should be able to do a little more if required. In any case any movement on redevelopment will be several years away.
What will be interesting is in finding a long term home for the RPSI fleet, and specifically their carriages. They have neglected this issue over the years although their engines are safe for now.
I see Irish Rail are currently trying to update their accessibility at a range of stations in a project known as "The Big Lift"
Looking through the list of stations getting work done I'm shocked to see Claremorris omitted. Went for a look around recently and while it's not quite the Grand Central Station it once was in its hey day, the only way for anything on wheels (wheelchairs, child buggies, bicycles etc) to access the island containing platforms 2 and 3 appears to be a on track walkway at the Westport end of the station which looks to be intended for staff to access the signal tower rather than public access to the platforms. The bridge is very much only for people who can handle stairs, no lift attached. With Platform 2 in regular use you would think getting a lift attached to the bridge would be a priority.
That project is to replace existing lifts with ones that will, allegedly, break down less. Experience so far shows they may be more unreliable at least in the bedding in period!
It isn't adding new lifts to anywhere. I expect there would be different funding streams to get for that.
There are also commuter/DART stations where access to the non station side platform requires leaving the station entirely, for places with multiple times the daily passenger usage of Claremorrris, so there may be enough obvious gaps to build an improvement package across the network and seek funding for it
22k in Connolly stickered up as having the ZF transmission and MTU powerpack fitted. Possibly different cars have each as I didn't think they'd be compatible upgrades
Set 7 is all ZF, been on it a few times in recent weeks. I was surprised when it was in multiple with second ICR not long ago until then it was always just a single unit when I traveled. Just assumed that wouldn't be possible.
It was in multiple this morning too. Two cars had ZF Test Train logos and the last one had the MTU "20% reduction" sticker.
I'd expect it may not be as much of an improvement in efficiency if running multiple with an unmodified unit, but they need to know what the results are or else they'll lose a lot of flexibility during any rollout.
I'm presuming that the new centre cars will have the newer kit from the off. Could be a bad assumption!
