Waterford/Rosslare Strand Railway reaches the buffer stops (again)!

Hungerford · 10-04-2010 12:18PM

No - the gatekeepers and the signallers won't be expected to report for duty. They will be made redundant or deployed.

The level crossings issue is deceptive - IE could remove a lot of that expense by automating them and controlling them from Mallow. The Dublin to Greystones section of the Dart line has more level crossings over a much shorter distance.

Hungerford · 10-04-2010 12:25PM

Bond-007 wrote: »

That bit is in surprisingly good nick considering the state of some other closed lines.

It was cleared relatively recently on the orders of the government to maintain the pretence that they might actually open it at some point.

Here's what a typical level crossing on the line looked like before that work began:

http://eiretrains.com/Photo_Gallery/T/Tobercurry/slides/The%20levelcrossing%20at%20Tobercurry%20Station.html

Incidentally, has anyone else noticed how signalling equipment mysteriously vanishes when lines are under care and maintenance? Spooky.

Certainly, this colour light on the New Ross line isn't doing much protecting - someone appears to have accidently decapitated it!

http://eiretrains.com/Photo_Gallery/N/New%20Ross/slides/DSC01448.html

dowlingm · 10-04-2010 12:31PM

In fairness, Hungerford, the cost of automating those Rosslare-Waterford LCs is not insubstantial. That's a six figure number each.

FlameoftheWest · 10-04-2010 01:16PM

Bond-007 wrote: »

That bit is in surprisingly good nick considering the state of some other closed lines.

But look at the curves! Like a narrow gauge.

Hungerford · 10-04-2010 01:19PM

dowlingm wrote: »

In fairness, Hungerford, the cost of automating those Rosslare-Waterford LCs is not insubstantial. That's a six figure number each.

My point would be that for a relatively insubstantial once-off outlay, you would permanently save the cost of employing 11 crossing keepers and you remove the restrictions they place on opening hours and Sunday operating.

If IE were clever, they would launch a programme of gradual modernisation of the lesser-used lines, starting off with small items such as crossings and working up to full signalling upgrades.

dowlingm · 10-04-2010 02:05PM

To be fair - they have been doing that. They only closed the last manual LC on the Dublin-Cork a year or two ago. Plenty of LCs left to auto on operational lines other than Rosslare-Waterford. What is needed is an injection of cash to bring in temporary contractors to do an "Ontrack 2010" upgrade programme - but cash is going to be scarce now Ireland is towing a sinking ship (Anglo Irish).

Also - keepers get paid from operating funding, LCs from capital. It sounds like a meaningless distinction but the LC cost gets paid now whereas the keeper redundancy payback is longer (albeit helped by less disruption due oversleeping and the ability to operate 24/7)

However, once again we need separation of Network from Train Operations. Make it part of NRA and their reduced yet still impressive budget and we'd have 75/90mph grade separated lines on routes like Mallow-Tralee, Kildare-Waterford and Portarlington-Galway, not 50mph lines with LCs and flat junctions.

Southsider1 · 12-04-2010 11:55AM

See! It's great to see that they're putting the money the save to good use:

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/consultants-for-new-rail-lines-to-be-paid-836450000-2134302.html

Judgement Day · 12-04-2010 12:25PM

Southsider1 wrote: »

See! It's great to see that they're putting the money the save to good use:

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/consultants-for-new-rail-lines-to-be-paid-836450000-2134302.html

Yeah, and I would say the €50k is only the cost of preparing the tender documents - the contract itself will probably be a seven figure sum.

Judgement Day · 12-04-2010 09:11PM

From the Save the Rosslare railway Facebook site:

'Irish Rail lodged their application to the National Transport Authority on March 26th. The NTA is presently considering this application. It is of huge importance that objections are lodged to this application. There is no formal process for public consultation however the NTA will accept submissions.

There is no charge for lodging an objection, it will be accepted in electronic form. Anyone can object to the proposal from within the country or outside. email your objections to info@nationaltransport.ie and mark them Rosslare Waterford Railway.

Play your part at home or abroad.'

Seems like a damn good idea to me and my submission is going in tomorrow.
__________________

Transportuser09 · 12-04-2010 11:04PM

Judgement Day wrote: »

From the Save the Rosslare railway Facebook site:

'Irish Rail lodged their application to the National Transport Authority on March 26th. The NTA is presently considering this application. It is of huge importance that objections are lodged to this application. There is no formal process for public consultation however the NTA will accept submissions.

There is no charge for lodging an objection, it will be accepted in electronic form. Anyone can object to the proposal from within the country or outside. email your objections to info@nationaltransport.ie and mark them Rosslare Waterford Railway.

Play your part at home or abroad.'

Seems like a damn good idea to me and my submission is going in tomorrow.
__________________

Now that is a good idea.

dowlingm · 13-04-2010 02:18AM

The problem being that the application is secret (ahem, "commercially sensitive") so it's hard to see the exact basis for IE's submission and thus critique it. In fact, when would anyone know about the NTA process to object - were IE obliged to advertise this application?

Southsider1 · 13-04-2010 12:14PM

dowlingm wrote: »

The problem being that the application is secret (ahem, "commercially sensitive") so it's hard to see the exact basis for IE's submission and thus critique it. In fact, when would anyone know about the NTA process to object - were IE obliged to advertise this application?

Your probably correct in what you say but how can it be classed as 'commercially sensitive'? They have no direct competition on any service...

Also, as an aside, I had a great chat with a CIE man on the train to Dublin this morning. I meet him quite regularly and he was telling me he's been offered early retirement. He was told he'd get around €160,000 in lump sum plus his pension. I asked him what he'd do when he retires 'cos he's still only in his 50s. He replied:"Ah, I'll be grand, sure they're going to take me back on a contract so, I'll actually get paid more than I get now - they just need to reduce the headcount!". C'mon, wtf is this all about? and they're wanting to lock up the bankers???

DWCommuter · 13-04-2010 12:31PM

Southsider1 wrote: »

Your probably correct in what you say but how can it be classed as 'commercially sensitive'? They have no direct competition on any service...

Also, as an aside, I had a great chat with a CIE man on the train to Dublin this morning. I meet him quite regularly and he was telling me he's been offered early retirement. He was told he'd get around €160,000 in lump sum plus his pension. I asked him what he'd do when he retires 'cos he's still only in his 50s. He replied:"Ah, I'll be grand, sure they're going to take me back on a contract so, I'll actually get paid more than I get now - they just need to reduce the headcount!". C'mon, wtf is this all about? and they're wanting to lock up the bankers???

This kind of carry on is endemic to the CIE group and the wider semi state sector. Its not about public transport. Its about suiting themselves. The commerce of the real world is alien to them.

Hungerford · 13-04-2010 01:19PM

Judgement Day wrote: »

'Irish Rail lodged their application to the National Transport Authority on March 26th. The NTA is presently considering this application. It is of huge importance that objections are lodged to this application. There is no formal process for public consultation however the NTA will accept submissions.

Now, I am seriously confused. They lodged the application several weeks before going public. That doesn't seem right or fair...

Our man in Havana · 13-04-2010 01:23PM

They are doing as they please. They answer to no-one.

dowlingm · 13-04-2010 10:55PM

re commercially sensitive - that's what Joe Ryan said when I raised this on the waterford rosslare fb page.

Judgement Day · 14-04-2010 09:58AM

Well, the closure is finally attracting attention in the local newspapers and these extracts are from today's Enniscorthy Guardian - not yet online.
FF TD and Junior Minister Sean Connick - as I predicted - as turned out to be a waste of space! Bought and paid for by his recent elevation he is going to do nothing to rock the boat. Local readers will also be unsurprised by the total lack of comment from 'brain dead' FF TD John Browne. I have some more positive information to report which I will post later.

The latter piece will appeal to all you fans of CIE's unique understanding of mothballing aka 'care and maintenance'.

DWCommuter · 14-04-2010 10:21AM

Oh the irony JD.:rolleyes:

A certain Service Planning Manager mentioned in the articles has a rather personal connection with the WRC.

I know the line isn't in a metroplis, but IE are screwing the South East without any accountability. Your little neglected railway is paying the price for the WRC. Literally. And the same faces are laughing at it.

This company needs to be torn apart at the seams. A lot of managers in there should be ashamed of themselves.

Judgement Day · 14-04-2010 10:24AM

I had a long, and interesting, chat with someone at the National Transport Authority http://www.nationaltransport.ie/ today and he confirmed to me that they have a statutory role in the closure of the railway. He also confirmed that while they have NOT been seeking public opinions/submissions on the future of the railway they are happy to receive same and there is NO cut-off date for receipt of same. So now is the time for rational, well constructed proposals to be sent in and not a load of crap about how I love steam (heating) and my Grandad took me on the train in 1916. Please people, focus - rational proposals to the address on the website. Don't let the bastards (FF/Greens and CIE) grind you down!

Hungerford · 14-04-2010 10:31AM

I also think that anyone writing to the NTA should state that the withdrawal of services is an effective closure given the company's approach to mothballed lines.

DWCommuter · 14-04-2010 11:23AM

From the Irish Times

Howlin says rail line closure part of 'vendetta'

CIARAN MURPHY

WEXFORD TD Brendan Howlin (Labour) has claimed the Government has a vendetta against the southeast region.
Mr Howlin made the remarks following the announcement of the closure of the Waterford-Rosslare rail line by Iarnród Éireann, as recommended in the McCarthy report. A closing date is expected to be announced by the company shortly.
Mr Howlin, who is Leas-Cheann Comhairle in the Dáil, said in a statement that an “admission” by Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey in the Sunday Tribune newspaper, that he was to “sacrifice the Waterford to Rosslare link in order to open rail lines elsewhere is the country, is nothing short of scandalous”.
“The notion that rail links in Co Wexford and the southeast, that have existed for decades, are to be plundered to provide services in other parts of the country is absolutely outrageous.
“There is absolutely no doubt that the services on the western rail corridor are badly needed, but that does not mean that communities in other parts of the country should be deprived as a result,” Mr Howlin said.
“The people of Co Wexford and of the southeast in general are now convinced that this Fianna Fáil/Green Government has a vendetta against us,” he added.

Howlin is starting to get it now.:D

Judgement Day · 14-04-2010 11:57AM

DWCommuter wrote: »

From the Irish Times

Howlin is starting to get it now.:D

Sadly Howlin is another useless knob, it's not as if he ever did anything for the railway when he was a minister.

DWCommuter · 14-04-2010 05:31PM

As a matter of interest what reasons did IE give for moving the station in Rosslare Europort in 2007?

Judgement Day · 14-04-2010 05:50PM

DW - like your new IE promotional video on the Facebook page - you should post it here. I understood that CIE/IE stated that the reason for moving the station was to facilitate port development - whatever that means? :rolleyes:

Southsider1 · 14-04-2010 05:58PM

Judgement Day wrote: »

I understood that CIE/IE stated that the reason for moving the station was to facilitate port development - whatever that means? :rolleyes:

Well, it's grand and handy now.... Outside the port compound..... leaving the compoun and port free to be sold without a nasty great railway line running through it;)

Transportuser09 · 14-04-2010 06:10PM

Yeah imagine having a railway line going right into a port, it might provide a convenient connection to the ferries, we couldn't have that could we. One reason given by IÉ was that the line was dividing up the area used by lorries coming into the port, kind of ironic given that the rail operator owns the port yet it decides road traffic has priority.

DWCommuter · 14-04-2010 07:20PM

Judgement Day wrote: »

DW - like your new IE promotional video on the Facebook page - you should post it here. I understood that CIE/IE stated that the reason for moving the station was to facilitate port development - whatever that means? :rolleyes:

Sounds like a weak excuse. More to do with the ultimate effort in making the train/ferry connection so bad that they are futureproofing the excuses for the eventual closure of the line south of Gorey.

KC61 · 14-04-2010 07:26PM

The reason given was that the Gardai and Customs authorities wanted a secure port area from point of entry (on the southside of the old port connection) that was not possible to enter except by the authorised route. The railway line hindered that aspiration (given anyone could walk along it), whatever the rights or wrongs of the final decision.

DWCommuter · 14-04-2010 07:32PM

KC61 wrote: »

The reason given was that the Gardai and Customs authorities wanted a secure port area from point of entry (on the southside of the old port connection) that was not possible to enter except by the authorised route. The railway line hindered that aspiration (given anyone could walk along it), whatever the rights or wrongs of the final decision.

That sounds pretty weak as well.

Southsider1 · 14-04-2010 09:08PM

KC61 wrote: »

The reason given was that the Gardai and Customs authorities wanted a secure port area from point of entry (on the southside of the old port connection) that was not possible to enter except by the authorised route. The railway line hindered that aspiration (given anyone could walk along it), whatever the rights or wrongs of the final decision.

They never heard of gates then? :mad: Funny that they don't have the same issue at Holyhead port? Railway comes right into the terminal...

Waterford/Rosslare Strand Railway reaches the buffer stops (again)!

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