The Strategic Rail Review will consider how the rail network on the island can improve sustainable connectivity between major cities, enhance regional accessibility including to the North West and support balanced regional development.
No, not really. That document is a good record of previous plans, but no indicator of what will happen in future. I think there's also a threshold (€100m?) that projects have to exceed to get on this list... there are a few rail improvement projects below that cost, but still not cheap (removing level crossings on the Cork-Limerick line in Co. Limerick; double-tracking in Cork) that aren't listed.
The 2024/25 edition would show what, if anything, is being done on foot of the AIRR. I would expect to see most of the money in and around Dublin, because that's where the big bottlenecks are in the national rail network: getting speeds up to 160 km/h (i.e. limited by the trains) from Cork to Kildare is all very well, but then having to trundle into Heuston behind commuter trains takes away a lot of the benefits.
What this document does do is remind everyone that projects take a long time from "let's do it" to diggers appearing.
I'd Dublin to Cork is upgraded to 200mk/h electric and Limerick to LJ is 160km/h electric then building a more direct alignment doesn't make a lot of sense because you'd already have train journeys that beat the motorway journey for time
Going direct from Limerick to Charleville would save about 30 km, and could connect with the existing line.
Worth considering.
Not at all, actually more like drawing a conclusion completely out of context.
Quite the opposite. It provides an excellent baseline by which to measure the effectiveness of the air in years to come.
Given it only lists some projects and not all, I don't see how. You could have 20 AIRR projects in progress but none listed on it as its only a selection. Not sure what conclusion you could draw from that
Fairly and squarely put to bed by the M/N20 Phase 2 Options Selection Report, admittedly on the back of some pretty odd projected usage numbers.
That, in itself, would speak volumes.
45-55mins Cork-Limerick would be doable at those speeds. No real need for new alignment when you have decent speed and high capacity.
Sure 🤦♂️
Finally. The capital has been particularly starved of infrastructure spending for decades so clearly its long overdue. The era of billion euro broadband to islands and ghost motorways in Tuam while the capital city falls apart might finally be over.
I first got the impression that the DeValera ruralization, dancing at the crossroads crap was coming to an end when the peat extraction nonsense stopped, further proof of long overdue change.
But there are still proponents of the WRC (Athenry to Tuam) and the Galway City bypass.
Galway is a traffic disaster area. Galway City Council cancelled a planned cycle way along the Salthill prom because it would remove some parking spaces. They have refused to look at public transport requirements until after the Galway bypass is built as that will solve all of Galway's traffic problems. Meanwhile, the QCB still carries no public transport.
Now with that mindset, how can traffic problems be solved?
That's country mindset. As long as public money isnt blown on billion euro bypasses and railways to nowhere then who really cares
When you are trying to discuss 21st century rail infrastructure with someone who retorts with DeValera dancing at the crossroads policies as a counter argument you're kinda wasting your time.
Some news on the WRC.
The Galway Prom is by definition on the sea, there is any amount of space between there an America to build cycle lane.
Will the Planning and Development Bill help with building railways cheaper and faster? Or will I be truly doomed to being middle-aged before I can get a high speed train from Dublin to Cork or visit my parents on a train from Dublin to Letterkenny?
Whatever it does, it'll take years of court cases for all the effects of it to work it's way through the courts, so we'll all be fairly old before we see those things.
We'll be fairly old. You'll have a better chance of seeing a 'high speed' 200kmh train between Dublin and Cork. That's achievable with heavy investment and not much planning problems because the corridor already exists, the level crossings will be gone already and the bridges have already been raised along most of the route
Potential funding boost for 2 lines to reopen.
Is there any chance the EU would first of all provide support for projects that will both help more travellers and help any possible re-opening of WRC phase 2?
Like doubling from Athlone to Galway?
Or even doubling from Galway to Athenry?
Trains on WRC phase 2, going/coming from Tuam and Mayo must use the mainline, as I presume all trains will go into Galway.
Their success depends on the mainline being able to carry them.
So it seems to me that doubling Galway to Athenry is a prerequisite for WRC phase 2.
The Oranmore passing loop will allow for a doubling of trains on Athenry-Galway, and since it's not currently used at its full capacity, a tripling of current usage will be possible. Currently there are about 2 trains per direction per hour at peak times. After Oranmore upgrade this can increase to 6tpdph, or one train every 10minutes.
I'm fully supportive of double tracking, but the fact is it's not a prerequisite to open WRC.
Surely double tracking athenry to galway is a given in any case, its the only way to get decent speed, reliability and frequency on intercities
I doubt if 6 tph (10-minute frequency) will be possible with an Oranmore loop. Think about it: Traiins leaves Galway at 0.00, arrives Oranmore at 0.08, crosses a train whihc departs at 0,09, and arrives at Galway at 0.17. Next departure from Galway would be at 0.18or thereabouts. Realistically, to allow for making up for the occasional delay, a loop at Oranmore would be OK for a sustained 3 tph (20 minute interval). Double tracking gets you a multiple of this, depending on intermadiate signals.
OK, thanks for that.
Therefore, after the Oranmore 1km passing loop is built, the main constraint on growing services and pax numbers is DMU stock?
A doubling of trains, which would be great, means double the amount of barriers down on LC outside Oranmore.
That is a busy road.
Are current works toward reinstating athenry to claremorris not geared solely to freight traffic?
Are they?
Maybe by that crowd WestonTrack.
But my main vision is to take hundreds / thousands of cars off the N17, etc.
Direct trains from Ballina to Galway, crossing the Westport-Dublin train in Claremorris.
Ballina pax switch trains to go to Dublin.
Westport/Castlebar switch in other direction to get onto Galway train.
Would love if they closed those for the speed gains. They wouldn't even necessarily be that difficult to close either.
(1) The LC beside the railway station should be easy to remove, as that road climbs to meet the railway line which is on a ridge.
Simply run the road under the embankment.
(2) LC near Maldron hotel on Claregalway road = tricky, I think.
I presume the road has to be brought below the line?
(3) Two at Frenchfort, these are both rural.
(4) LC at Prospect, Athenry - I have to think about it.
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