Irish rail fleet and infrastructure plans

I think they could slightly reduce tables on future fleet but don't think a major shift is necessary. The focus should be frequancy over larger capacity trains.

I think it's 20-25% is airline style today but unit dependent.

NIR are at the other end of scale with way to much airline style seating. Capacity is only slightly larger than ICRs but more standing space.

NIR class 3000 and 4000 are designed for journeys which are generally shorter than Irish Rail Intercity routes: makes perfect sense to have less tables, and more standing room.

The problem isn't as much immediately post-D+ frequencies, but in the longer term as frequencies continue to increase. While it will still be less then the total frequency between CC and Clonsilla, in the future it could still be enough to cause problems. Generally speaking any mixing of service types isn't great for capacity due to different fleet characteristics, stopping patterns, etc. Really, in an ideal world the DARTs and IC services wouldn't share any tracks, with a 3 or 4 platform interchange station at the end of the DART line before branching off to Adamstown. It would prevent any conflicting movements and would help maximise the benefit of the link for Sligo line services.

However, on top of that following the AISRR and IÉ plans I think in time the line is going to get busy and having that separation will be important too. AISRR wants Sligo, Cavan line, and Mullingar-Athlone line regional services and for a while IÉ have wanted to increase the frequency of Mullingar and Longford commuters. It all adds up and is likely why even pre-AISRR IÉ wanted to double as far as Mullingar.

Additionally, I think from a engineering perspective it also might make more sense to branch off before Maynooth (especially now with the DART to Kilcock). I would expect a Maynooth-Adamstown link to follow the M4 for as long as possible to minimise the CPO needed, and the line west of Maynooth is quite close to the M4.

Mention of the IÉ wagons at ~17:15. They first two prototypes/pre-production units for the main 150-unit intermodal fleet order are being made and should arrive during the summer for testing! The main production run is then expected to start next year. The prototypes for the second order of 68 units for the maintenance fleet of 68 will only start after the freight units, so might still be a while before we see those units.

Scrapped €50m Irish Rail IT project could lead to extra costs of up to €800,000 a month
Initial testing has ‘revealed problems’ with latest software delivered by contractor

https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2026/06/06/scrapped-50m-irish-rail-it-project-could-lead-to-extra-costs-of-up-to-800000-a-month/

The terminology used to describe the work is not clear to me. TMS is a layer on top of the signalling control system that allows the train service and timetable to be monitored and amended as required with real time status and forecasting. The control system allows signallers or dispatchers to set routes for individual services (can be done automatically with Automatic Route Setting (ARS) and the signallers are there to intervene when required).

TMS does not require to have a direct interface to the control system but it is better if it does as TMS users can make alterations to the timetable or plan and send it direct to the control system which will implement it if it has ARS.

The control system has to have direct interface to all the interlockings in the control area, this is normally achieved via standard interfaces together with long distance transmission if the interlockings are remote from the control system. Some interlocking suppliers have meshed data in the systems that interface with the transmission network and if that meshed data is not known by the records Iarnrod Eireann hold then how will a supplier doing the control system know how to interpret the data? This, in part, points to poor asset knowledge by IR. I recently encountered something similar on the network over here.

So, if I understand correctly, the contract with Indra was to supply a control system that interfaces to all the existing interlockings on the IR network and then supply a TMS overlay. IR will have to tell Indra all the interlocking interfaces and Indra needs to develop protocol converters if their exisitng product cannot handle all the interfaces.

I cannot see how the Cork resignalling project can be kept to schedule if there is no usable control system to operate the signalling!

In plain English, what is an interlocking?

Providing a follow up order being cheap only reinforces the point made to you.

There is a point on cost.

Future train orders in Ireland will be more expensive becasue of delay by Governments on electrificaiton. The British Gov are doing the same.

DART fleet orders, batterys add high costs to fleet but allow Goverment delay electrification and look great by getting rid of diseal power. Nobody questions how much extra CO2 is generated when running under wires carrying all that dead weight.

The Belfast fleet dosn't need batteries but it's a good gimmick to have. Hopefully they will have independent generator power and not rely on battery or engines.

Its ironic that IE are now locked into going from multipal engine units back to single power generation. All future ordres will have to be low floor and unless there is electrification done costs will only go one way.

Anyone remember how much the top up ICR order cost because of DoT offical's delaying.