It's taken out of context, peak capacity bertween Athenry and Galway has had minimal capacity changes. The most significent is the 17:20 Galway-Heuston change.
On a side note, looking at the TDs on that committee. It sums up the problems with our Transport system. You go over and over the same parish pump questions from West of Ireland TD's, Navan, DART for Wicklow every time…
Quad tracking N Line is just a distraction rolled out by IE to take away from the timetable mess.
I hate to say but I think its going to be closer to 2027, later half of 2026 probably, before we will see any meaningful capacity increases on the WRC. But it does depend on how quickly they can shift the relieved sets from the GDA to other areas.
He was referring to the track capacity when he mentioned the Galway route.
They are pretty much at the maximum in terms of Dublin/Galway services that they can operate at this stage.
There won't be any further rolling stock cascades until the timetable change after the new DART BEMUs enter service in 2026. They are not likely to be all in service until mid-2026 so any changes will be at the following timetable date.
There is still scope for some extra off-peak services on certain parts of the network when driver resources and funding permit (weekend PPT services being an example).
Surely the 07:27 Tullamore-Galway service was a fairly significant increase in morning peak capacity into Galway?
It would be but the long standing issue was the 17:20 Galway-Heuston service.
Could the next locomotive for Irish rail be from Stadler?
https://www.railwaygazette.com/traction-and-rolling-stock/iarnrod-eireann-looks-at-diesel-loco-replacement-options/67569.article
IRELAND: The Stadler Class 99 electro-diesel locomotive for UK operator GB Railfreight was receiving close scrutiny from Iarnród Éireann at InnoTrans in Berlin, with the Irish national operator confirming to Railway Gazette International that it had discussed with the manufacturer how the type might be adapted for operation in Ireland.Iarnród Éireann Chief Executive Jim Meade told Railway Gazette International ‘we will eventually need to replace our aging diesel fleet with dual-mode locomotives because our freight strategy will take us down that direction after we complete our electrification programme.‘The replacement for the class 071s and 201s eventually will have to be a bi-mode electric with some form of HVO [renewable diesel fuel] traction in the long term; even the Class 201s are beyond mid-life already.‘The fact that the Class 99 is going to the UK is a good guide for us because we can go and talk to GB Railfreight and understand exactly how they are performing. They have done a great job with the way they have designed, procured and financed the fleet.’Purchase or leasing options would both be evaluated when Iarnród Éireann next acquires new locomotives.Ralf Warwel, Stadler’s Marketing & Sales Director for the UK & Ireland, also told Railway Gazette International that ‘there are a lot of tenders in prospect in Ireland, there might be a tender for the new metro system at some point so Ireland is certainly somewhere that we will look at’.
IRELAND: The Stadler Class 99 electro-diesel locomotive for UK operator GB Railfreight was receiving close scrutiny from Iarnród Éireann at InnoTrans in Berlin, with the Irish national operator confirming to Railway Gazette International that it had discussed with the manufacturer how the type might be adapted for operation in Ireland.
Iarnród Éireann Chief Executive Jim Meade told Railway Gazette International ‘we will eventually need to replace our aging diesel fleet with dual-mode locomotives because our freight strategy will take us down that direction after we complete our electrification programme.
‘The replacement for the class 071s and 201s eventually will have to be a bi-mode electric with some form of HVO [renewable diesel fuel] traction in the long term; even the Class 201s are beyond mid-life already.
‘The fact that the Class 99 is going to the UK is a good guide for us because we can go and talk to GB Railfreight and understand exactly how they are performing. They have done a great job with the way they have designed, procured and financed the fleet.’
Purchase or leasing options would both be evaluated when Iarnród Éireann next acquires new locomotives.
Ralf Warwel, Stadler’s Marketing & Sales Director for the UK & Ireland, also told Railway Gazette International that ‘there are a lot of tenders in prospect in Ireland, there might be a tender for the new metro system at some point so Ireland is certainly somewhere that we will look at’.
They were almost the most likely, but they need to tender when it comes up
Maximum speed is quoted at 120kmh. Which would be fine for freight but what about the Cork and Belfast mainline passenger services ? Aren’t the Mark IV carriages good for 200kmh and isn’t there an aspiration to get to at least 160kmh operation ?
By the time any such locomotives enter service, Dublin to Cork and Belfast trains will likely by replaced by EMUs or Hybrid MUs of some sort. So the 120 km/h freight cpapbility of a Class 99 will be OK. However they have about 8000 hp in electric more and only 2,100 hp in diesel mode, so I reckon the Diesel mode may be foe yard work , shunting, etc. For serious freight haulage you need better performance in Diesel mode. Which is one of the reasons for going for a comprehensive electrification programme. You will need some non-electric capability in , for example, container freight yards where OHLE and containers being lifted off trains don't mix.
So that’s the end of locomotive hauled trains on the Dublin/Cork and Dublin/Belfast services and their replacement by EMUs or hybrids ? And the electrification of the network from Mayo to Dublin and Waterford to allow the current freight traffic to continue ?
And of course the electrification of the network as far as Foynes to cater for that line’s non existent freight traffic ?
Assuming whatever they pick for Enterprise will likely also be used for Dublin-Cork, we don't know if it will be a Loco or MU yet, as the Enterprise tender does leave options for both. With that said I think they will more than likely pick an MU, so yes this might be the end of loco passenger services.
To be honest I am in shock that IE are looking for any kind of new loco as I thought the 201 would be the end of all that. Be interesting to see how many they order.
Thank you
Surely some locos will always be needed to pull freight trains?
I hope by 2040 Dublin to Cork and Dublin to Belfast will be electrified at 200kph, with ETCS, and we will have bought trains like the ICE in Germany.
Some loco hauled trains are actually very nice. Just take a look at the Austrian railways Railjet trains. Having some loco hauled allows for flexibility in the fleet to work freight, per way and passengers. We are a small isolated network, there will always be a need for a few locos. Might as well have them able to do various duties.
And what a buy the GMs were. Nearly 50 years of the 071s and 30 years and counting of top link work for the 201s that are in traffic. Meanwhile you have the 20 year old 29000s in pieces and sounding very rough.
Watch your mouth when you are talking about the 29000s! Still way more reliable than the Enterprise.
Exactly - those 29k sets have been in intensive service all day every day for those 20 years.
Including doing runs longer than commuter stock is usually intended for - Sligo, Rosslare.
Really isn’t fair to passengers, travelling to Sligo on a 29.
RE: reference above to the Stadler / UK Class 99 and Irish 201, plenty of discussion about Euro locomotives, and track weight limits etc. here:
Enterprise refurbishment comes closer? - Page 9 — boards.ie - Now Ye're Talkin'
Also, any word on how the Irish Rail trials are going for the hybrid battery ready, new engines for the new, and older 22000s, started 2023 and 2024, and separately for transmissions potential upgrades? Presume could be applicable if desired/finances, to the 29000s aswell, though looked expensive, 800k-1m Euro per train (or carriage! - both indicated) for new engines etc.
Some interesting bits here in the only later article i've come across (others are from the manufacturers etc. c.2019 before the trials started).
To cut fuel use and pollution, Irish Rail adds new transmissions and batteries to its trains - Dublin Inquirer
Doubt there'll be any findings on the 22k changes until they've completed a certain distance in use.
29000 traction systems are completely different to the 22000s so the learnings of that trial wouldn't have much benefit
I've have read from this article that Irish Rail are seeking funding for replacing the 1984 Dart Fleet which is being sought outside of the Dart+ budget. Will Irish Rail get approval for seeking that funding for replacing the 1984 fleet from the Government or will they have to stick to their current arrangements that is in place with Alstom?
They have a framework agreement with Alstom, so it shouldn't matter where the funding comes from, when they order the trains from Alstom.
Im not going to lie, I have heard that a few times now and I am a bit confused by what it means. I don't really understanding a lot of the behind the scenes finances that IE deals with, but I have a guess for what it means.
Assuming replacement of the 8100s is accounted for by the 750 carriage/150 set framework, I don't think it means "they don't have funding for replacing the 8100s." Rather they don't have funding specifically for it, and if it comes to it they can use D+ funding to replace the original fleet. If possible they want funding specifically for it so that it doesn't take away funds for D+ itself, which in this case might mean ordering more of the framework than they otherwise would have been able to.
But it is sounding more and more like the third order might not go towards replacing the 8100s, rather a later order might.
A framework being agreed doesn't mean that the cabinet has signed off on every single stage of funding it yet
The framework agreement just basically means they have a contract for the trains, but can draw them, down in various stages, rather than being tied to a particular delivery date, right?
Yeah, and without re-tendering each time they want to order another batch.
Can - I don't know the details of this framework - include some cover for change requests also; e.g. "actually we want the last 300 to have different seats" or whatever - without punitive costs.
Most importantly, most agreements like this let you just not order at all beyond a certain commitment, without paying for what you didn't get.
For example, Edinburgh ordered the trams for their entire phase 1 network in one go, but it was cut repeatedly so they have ridiculous overstock even after the first extension
I understand that much, I know the key wording of the framework is "up to 750 carriages." So if they don't get the funding for 150 sets they aren't required to purchase 150 sets.
Plus also as Jim Meade explained it, they use the frame work so it is just about finding the funds, not getting permission for each order.
What I am confused by and was refering to is the "seeking funding outside of the D+ budget" part, and rather why its not "seeking funding as part of D+."
Because DART+ is for network expansion, and replacing the 8100s is not that. But it wouldn't place the order outside the framework.
