Cork Area Commuter Rail (CACR)

Seems a no brainer to me to keep Mallow station as a stop on on the Dublin train. Mallow is a very big traffic generator and a key connection. Removing it would massively reduce the frequency of connections for Kerry and looking into the future, Mallow would also be a connection for people from Blarney for example, to get onto the Dublin train since I don't expect the Dublin train to ever stop at Blarney station

My last post in the previous incarnation of this thread was to say that I have good and simultaneously bad news about Little Island and Glounthaune: both stations' car parks are currently oversubscribed on a daily basis. It's a great sign for ridership, but it's urgent now to increase station parking space in both.

Cobh train sometimes leaves from there too (though more times for me it's been signed at platform 3 but rolled into 2 anyway).

New steps to Platform 5b and Platform 6 in Kent Station. I'm surprised they didn't go for a ramp like Platform 5b, unless the lift to the lower level subway goes up to the platforms too? I'm so happy they went for actual subway tiles instead of the randomly aligned PVC subway tiles on the lower level

Also, this got me thinking. Is Kent Station the only train station in Ireland with an underpass? Most platforms are outdoor and so have an overpass or, as is the case for Dublin Pearse, Dublin Connolly and Tara Street stations, are elevated platforms. I don't believe Colbert, Ceannt or Plunkett have underpasses?

Off the top of my head, I know that Sandymount and Lansdowne Road have underpasses and both stations are at street level.

Some talk of the new Kent platform opening next Monday. I hope we soon see some new "straight through" schedules to go with it.

And that project team will be freed up, looking forward to seeing where they'll go next! Probably Glounthaune but wouldn't it be nice to see one of the new stations kicking off.

There's a lot of work ongoing between Carrig and Midleton right now (I think mostly track dualling but maybe greenway works too) so there's some physical progress underway at least.

And C103 had this lovely detailed update in January: https://www.c103.ie/news/c103-news-and-sport/major-works-to-take-place-on-cork-rail-lines/

Something like this would take a bit of time. It only officially opened yesterday.

While they can place whatever train they want there, a bit of scheduling will have to be worked out to use it efficiently. Platform 6 will come into its own for through services particularly Cobh / Midleton to Mallow.

https://www.irishrail.ie/en-ie/news/official-opening-of-new-platform-6-at-kent-station

information about the new platform. Notably it had this bit about services using the platform, including plans for Mallow-Midleton services:

• Services using the new platforms will be introduced on a phased basis. Initially, some Intercity and Midleton services will operate to and from the platform and some through services from Midleton to Mallow will be introduced over the coming months.