Separate question: from the image it can be seen that ETCS uses kilometres per hour as a speed. Is it going to make sense in future to change our railway network from miles/h to kilometres per hour because of this?
We are getting ETCS Level 1, so it is superimposed over traditional lineside signals. Level 2 is needed to display aspects in cab, without the need for lineside signals.
Below is what the driver sees on screen on our system.
2600 class sets in Kent station as of 14:04 today are 2601+2602 2605+2616 2606+2615 2617+2614 2610+2613
219 is the loco at the back/front of the Dublin train. There an ICR set there next to the engine shed.
Cork projects
https://www.rte.ie/news/munster/2024/0524/1450928-rail-stations-cork/
This project represents an investment of €23 million. A contract for the construction work was awarded in March. Iarnród Éireann says work is on target to be completed by the end of the year.
The second project involves an investment of €180 million in a signalling and communications upgrade to cater for the frequency and capacity increases in the Cork commuter network.
Civil works associated with this project started in February. Iarnród Éireann said it expects this work to be completed by 2026.
The third project consists of upgrading the Glounthaune to Midleton line to create a twin track.
Iarnród Éireann said it expects a contract for this work to be awarded next month, and the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. The value of the contract is around €90m.
My question is about the cost of the signalling project, which at 180m is much higher than I expected, and double the 90m of the 10km of double-tracking to Midleton.
Maybe it covers a lot of km?
Maybe there is more to signalling that I expect? I thought one aspect of ECTS is a lack of line-side poles with lights, so that cost is removed?
I think the value add should be closer to an actual plan then telling IE to add a passing loop in Sixmilebridge (as well as extending the existing platform). As per Moyross (with same company) location and station plan was the outcome.
The money spent on planning a development does seem excessive , proof of whether it is or not can be seen in the time it takes to ultimately be delivered.
New station well under construction in Waterford as part of the North Quays project.
I could tell them that the solution to more capacity is adding passing loops, and/or re-doubling lines.
There you go.
For many stretches of intercity lines, here is the solution: re-double the line, eliminate all LC, add ETCS, max speed 200kph, passive or active provision for electrification.
Galway line: apply above from Portarlington to Athlone and Athenry to Galway
Cork line: apply above to whole line
Limerick: apply above to LJ to Limerick station
Waterford: apply above as far as Kilkenny
Belfast: whole line
I believe they are, but to get stuff going at pace they would still have needed to outsource some
If the ambition is to always have a pipeline of smaller projects underway, why aren't they developing that capability?
Because they don't have enough for the scale of works underway/pipelined.
You'd think the IE engineers should know how to improve the railway - that is their job, isn't it?
Why the need for external consultants?
Ballysimon location is with a company for consultation
Increasing Limerick Ennis line capacity is with a company for cosultation, same with Limerick -Limerick junction.
Limerick -Limerick Junction was in at the same time as Moyross so thats the one I would expect a next step on next.
Moyross should go to planning in Autumn
In terms of capital projects on the national rail network, is this the current status?
Greater Dublin Area (GDA)
new DART fleet: framework order signed for 750 vehicles in Dec 2021, of which 185 ordered so far
DART+ west: design done, RO submitted to ABP in July 2022, permission rec'd from ABP in July 2024
DART+ southwest: designed, RO submitted to ABP in March 2023
DART+ north: designed, RO submitted to ABP in July 2024
DART+ south: design and public consultation in 2024
Am I missing anything in Dublin?
Cork city area
Three projects are actually under construction? Thanks to EU funds.
(1) extra platform(s) at Kent station = construction underway
(2) 10km double-tracking from Glouthaune to Midleton: RO granted by ABP in Nov 2023 - has construction started?
(3) re-signalling to ECTS = construction is underway since Jan 2024
Cork area: new stations, electrification = all at early design stage
Around Limerick
Line to Foynes - re-construction is well underway
LJ to Limerick re-doubling: I'm unsure as to its status
New station at Moyross = proposed design published
New station in suburbs of Limerick: I'm unsure about this? Ballysimon?
Other projects
Elimination of LC in north county Cork: huge delays with ABP
Oranmore passing loop 1km and new platform: still no planning application for such a simple project
Ceannt station re-development: construction started in early 2024
Am I missing anything?
No moves on the Navan line?
All-Island Strategic Rail Review was published today by the DoT Link is here: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/cc8fc-all-island-strategic-rail-review/
Still reading it, some good stuff in it, like new track, some needed but difficult stuff in it like Quad tracking and some seriously pie in the sky type stuff like HSR and net 0 carbon emission stuff that, while admirable is going to be near impossible to achieve.
Edit: The costs are on page 96 To implement the whole thing will cost between €40B and €60B
Seems expensive but when you think the Metro "could" cost €21B, it seems reasonably good value.
https://www.etenders.gov.ie/epps/cft/prepareViewCfTWS.do?resourceId=3839982 Saw rail users ireland mention this, haven’t heard anything about it before.
You are absolutely right.
The idea behind this is to reduce unnecessary flights, in particular internal flights in mainland Europe. The idea is that you have say folks from the US arriving into the major hub airports like Amsterdam and then taking connecting flights to their destination. They want to try and promote the idea that these people would instead take a train on these local/regional destinations.
Ideally the EU would like to get rid of these internal flights.
Of course non of this applies to Ireland, the only internal flights we have are to Kerry and Donegal and Donegal is a PSO flight. Someone arriving into Dublin is already taking a coach/car/train to Belfast/Cork/Galway, etc.
This is more about mainland Europe and doesn't really apply to us.
I believe we have more important priorities to focus on first.
No. Belfast International is 6-7m and Cork ~3m
Actually your reading may just be right. Is there a second airport on this island with >12M pax/year?
”Major airports handling over 12 million passengers annually must be connected by long-distance rail, improving passenger connectivity and making rail a competitive alternative to domestic flights.”
am I overthinking the language here by thinking it refers to countries with more than one >12m airport which can be connected together and avoid flights between them?
Correction to my post #922 above:
ICR operated services between Dublin & Cork:
Ex-Dublin:
Mon-Thu: 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 21:00
Friday: 10:00, 12:00 and 19:00
Saturday: 10:00, 14:00 and 21:00
Sunday: 18:00 and 21:00
Ex-Cork:
Mon-Thu: 06:15, 13:25, 15:25 and 17:25
Friday: 06:15, 13:25 and 15:25
Saturday: 05:40, 13:25 and 17:25
Sunday: 14:25
Everything else is Mk IV operated.
There's definitely stuff under the train shed that might stop it being used by trains due to weight concerns.
i thought the near by shopping centre prevents the use of the old station now? if it was just the former loco run around then that's a non-issue as it's not needed but i did think more then that of the old station was taken up by the centre.
good if it can be restored and used again and lets hope it can happen if so.
we should never have been in the position where such muppetry is having to be undone in the first place anyway but if it can be undone all the better.
typical CIE property nonsense of the celtic tiger, a quick cash grab at the expense of the passengers who only get in the way anyway and limiting capacity on the line for nothing in return.
Asside from the political elenment and the fact 7 ICR's are rare today and will become even more so once the fleet is reconfigered. It is good to see that Kilkenny might restored in future.
https://www.mattshanahan.ie/shanahan-calls-for-immediate-restoration-of-kilkenny-railway-platform/
Responding to a parliamentary question from Deputy Shanahan, Iarnród Éireann Chief Executive Jim Meade said that they “did not have funding at this time for restoration of the structure” but it was be their intention to “restore the protected structure of the original Train Shed once funding can be obtained”.
According to Mr Meade, “a review of Iarnród Éireann’s Infrastructure funding levels (MAC) Multi Annual Contract 5-year plan 2025-2029 is currently being progressed with the Department of Transport.”
“I’ve asked Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan to prioritise the restoration of the platform, which really shouldn’t be an undertaking too large or expensive for them at this time,” Deputy Shanahan said. “For the many people who travel to Kilkenny, Carlow, Dublin, etc., from Waterford, a platform extension and enhanced fleet carriages would greatly enhance capacity and, with it, comfort, efficiency and convenience.”
Friday: 10:00 and 12:00
If you go to manual seat selection, you can tell. The ICR's will display either 4 or 5 carriages, while the Mark4's will show 6 carriages.
Also the seat booking will skip Coach B on the Mark 4's as it is the dining car, while the ICR's will normally have coach B displayed. Another hint is if First Class is available, some ICR's don't have First Class and of those that do the layout is very different, 4 + 4 versus 2 + 4 on the Mark4.
Is it possible to know what type of train configuration one gets when they buy a ticket on the Dublin-Cork line.
It's either the MKIV or the 22000 but not sure which one.
I don't believe it has ever been seriously looked at. Sure some of us have talked about it on this forum, but in terms of a proper costed study of the options, then no, it hasn't been looked at before.
CPO's are nothing new, we are doing a bunch of CPO's for Metrolink, including an entire apartment building including a public swimming pool, so I wouldn't see why this would be much different.
That isn't to say it will happen, we will need to wait and see what the report produces. What the options look like, how much they cost and if the cost has a positive return on investment or not.
No it hasn’t.
There isn’t a consultation about it.
There is an EU funded feasibility study pending to examine what the options actually are.
We don’t know what they are or what the impact on property would be.
Until the feasibility study is published, all that you may read or have read on the topic is purely subjective.
Regarding the consultation for the quad tracking between Connolly and Malahide, hasn't this been looked at over and over again?
Never mind the infrastructure aspect but surely it is a non-starter from a political perspective? What politician in north Dublin is going to to be in favour of hundreds of their constituents losing their back gardens and indeed possibly whole homes?
People get very nostalgic for oldey timey railways but we were absolutely right to close most of our network:
The All Ireland Rail Review is ambitious and is on the ball regarding what's really needed. Forget about this map, it ain't coming back nor should it.
