Furet wrote: » And, will they ever refurbish Kent Station?
westtip wrote: » Whats the drive time on a coach now for direct services with the Motorway completed? how does it compare price and time versus the train? Just for interest I am unlikely to ever use it living where I do.
Aidan1 wrote: » As it stands, there are a lot of people who would chose to use the train when travelling for business - I've used it midweek a few times recently and it has always been relatively full. Keeping that business and building on it is critiical for IE.
Wasn't the original IE/Cork City Co. plan pre 2005 to consolidate train and bus services into a redeveloped Kent station?
And weren't those Horgans Quay plans thrown out by the City planners because it was essentially an ill conceived build-loads-of-apartments plan with a train station re-development tacked onto it?.
Irish and Proud wrote: » I've run out of time, so I'll leave it to you guys to discuss! I just want to know what people think and if there's anythink I've overlooked.
westtip wrote: » Just taking your last sentence - check out the OP on this thread, your very comprehensive wish list is probably best set down again as a new thread methinks.
invinciblePRSTV wrote: » What kind of ballpark figures are we talking about to get Dublin - Cork running to a 150 - 200kmph standard? Billions? Would there ever be enough passenger traffic between the two cities to justify such investment. In my mind Dublin - Belfast takes priority for any future investment.
Furet wrote: » Discuss. Are any improvements to enable greater speed planned? I took the train for the first time in over a year about two weeks ago and while I enjoyed the train (it was comfortable and clean), the train seemed to go a little slower than I'd expected. So what works are planned for this line, if any? And, will they ever refurbish Kent Station?
Cool Mo D wrote: » Dublin - Cork is already at 160 km/h standard generally. It is, however covered with speed restrictions that bring down journey time, and Irish Rail's timetables are unambitious. It would hardly cost billions to fix - maybe a few hundred million to permanently fix speed restrictions, fix a few stations (Limerick junction comes to mind...) and straighten a few bits.
We go on from here. We are improving the competitiveness of the railway in terms of speed and comfort. This year will see major track improvement and renewal on the Cork lone as part of a £12 million spend - 75% funded by the EC. This upgrading of track will give smoother and faster rides to trains - all improvements responding to our customers needs. In addition, next year will see the introduction of 10 of the most powerful and fastest locomotives ever to run on Irish railways - these will be capable of 100mph operation and will bring down journey times on the Cork line to 2 hrs 15 mins.
DWCommuter wrote: » A 1993 quote from ex CIE Chairman, Paul Conlan; This quote is taken from the 1993 launch of City Gold. Furthermore, 20 years earlier a CIE chairman also announced a considerable reduction in journey times on this route. Yet they have consistantly failed to honour the promises. despite the investment.
Solair wrote: » Really they need to think of passengers!
ilovegermany wrote: » Just wondering if anybody knows anything if the following is true, false or just hearsay ..... I'm not a regular traveller out of Heuston anymore so just wanted to see if anybody has any more up to date info.... 1. That Irish Rail are actively working on the stretch around Portarlington - Portlaoise to remove the speed restrictions in this area? 2. That they are also renewing the "old" two tracks on the Inchicore - Hazelhatch stretch as the additional two tracks are now complete?
Cool Mo D wrote: » Dublin - Cork is already at 160 km/h standard generally.
Furet wrote: » The train will continue to be popular until such time as bus companies start a genuine Cork-Dublin M8/M7 express service, which looks to be a long way away.
Judgement Day wrote: » Never saw those plans for Cork Station until today - thankfully it looks like they have been consigned to the dustbin much like the redevelopment of Waterford Station.
spacetweek wrote: » Would this ever be any good? Buses are limited to 80 km/h so DUB-CORK would be 3 hours ex traffic. This is slower than both the train and driving.
ilovegermany wrote: » Just wondering if anybody knows where the main speed restrictions are on the line and how much is actually 160 km/h. I emailed Irish Rail a bunch of times but no reply from anybody..
KC61 wrote: » Firstly railway speeds are still measured in mph, not kph. Top line speed on Dublin/Cork is 100mph, but this is limited to the section between Cherryville Junction and near Portarlington if I remember correctly. Most of the rest of the route should be 80 or 90mph, but isn't in many places due to a variety of temporary restrictions. There has been extensive night-time work on the section from Newbridge to Portlaoise and this is ongoing south of Portarlington - there was a permanent speed restriction of 75mph imposed on this section in 2008/2009 but this has now been lifted. There are various restrictions along the line, such as at Ballybrophy, Lisduff, Limerick Junction, and at the half-barrier level crossings south of Limerick Junction. Limerick Junction requires major work (similar to that carried out at Portarlington which has seen a big improvement) to renew the track and remodel the station, but it is unclear as to when this will start. Currently there is a 25mph restriction on the running lines through the station. The original running lines between Inchicore and Hazelhatch are being relaid currently, during the rest of 2010. The completion of the Kildare Route Project will see a 6 minute increase in journey times on all services between Heuston and Sallins (to allow for temporary speed restrictions) removed. All told there is a lot of work to do yet. This needs to be a priority for the company, not least in order to be able to deliver an improved core product along the main line that has some hope of competing with road, but also to enable "up" and "down" trains between Dublin and Cork to call at Limerick Junction pretty much simultaneously and thereby offer the potential for meaningful services on the Galway-Limerick-Waterford route by elimintating the long waits at Limerick Junction.
ilovegermany wrote: » Thanks KC 61. Thats great. When the original tracks are re-laid along the Kildare Route Project element and the four tracking is up and running, will it possible to get 100 mph for Intercity trains along there?
