corktina wrote: » I'm not so sure. They cleared the WRC a couple of years ago and the New Ross to Waterford.
Lenton Lane wrote: » Line has to be cleared first before any work begins.
Treepole wrote: » Ok, we'll see.
corktina wrote: » working on the line to re-open it or simple maintenance? I can't place any credence on the claim that work has started to re-open the line with out evidence and corroboration
flyingsnail wrote: » Where has work started on the track?
Treepole wrote: » The rail line is reopening. Work has already started on repairing the track.
Markcheese wrote: » Does anyone know if it's for ore to go yes or something else ?
Itsdacraic wrote: » or was the interviewee stating speculation as fact?
corktina wrote: » it's total pie in the sky Star Trek fantasy. If such technology exists at some stage why would it be routed via Ireland. ? It just doesn't make any sense to do that. We ALL know that!
Irish Steve wrote: » corktina wrote: » a vacuum powered trans-atlantic tunnel? /QUOTE] It might help if you read what I posted. The trans atlantic tunnel would not be vacuum POWERED, it would run in vacuum, in order to acheive the very high speeds necessary to make it viable. The power would be electric Maglev, contactless magnetic levitation, already operating in a number of places, the new aspect is the absence of air outside the transport vehicle, in order to reduce the friction losses generated otherwise by the speeds. That's the futuristic aspect of this proposal. How do you propose to capture wave energy on a ship that's being moved by wave energy that's opposing the energy being output by the engines. The vast majority of nuclear ships are either military, or government operated or controlled. The chances of many civilian powered ships is not high, given the restrictions that are relevant to nuclear non proliferation. So, regardless of the size of the ship, how do you propose to operate it if oil is not available, or is incredibly expensive to purchase? I'm not overly bothered that Milford Haven, or Rotterdam, or other ports are upgrading to handle larger ships. A new purpose designed custom made facility will always be cheaper, more efficient and more effective than an upgrade of an old existing facility, the upgrade will always result in some compromises due to the location. Shannon Estuary would not be a port for Ireland. It would be a port for Europe that happens to be located on the West coast of Ireland, with high speed rail links direct to Europe Yes, it depends on the change in availability of oil, and the resulting rise in price relative to other energy sources. Based on the way oil prices have changed over my lifetime, and the lack of discovery of new resources, we have to recognise that oil is finite, and burning it for energy is a poor use of the product, as a planet, we have to find better ways of producing energy for transportation. That may be space based solar panels, or new concepts of nuclear that come out of Cern, or better use of wind wave and tidal, or concepts of all of these, There are new concepts being introduced to charge electric buses using current loops in the ground while they are on the move, or standing at stops. Is it so hard for people to see than the shortest sea crossing will be the most economic, and using (comparatively by that time) cheaper rail for onward distribution will be a more acceptable long term plan. If oil is no longer cheaper than using alternatives, and as I mentioned yesterday, China sees their route to Europe as being via high speed rail, then maybe we should be looking a lot more aggressively at what opportunities would open up for Ireland in that changed environment. If the cheapest route to Europe from the USA is via the west coast of Ireland, for freight or passengers, then maybe we should be preparing for that time. It may not last for a long time, but there was a time when Shannon was fundamental to travelling across to the USA because the aircraft of the time could not get to the USA from anywhere else. The problem with Shannon was that for a long time, people would not recognise that times had moved on, and things like the Shannon stop over distorted the realities until the government were forced to remove it. If Shannon airport was being built today, if it could even be justified, it would be nothing like the size that it is, and would have nothing like the facilities that it does, it would be similar in size and facilities to Kerry, or Knock. That may not be too popular an opinion, but on the basis of traffic levels, that's the reality. So, having said that, Shannon airport is there, and can handle aircraft that are way larger than the area justifies. So, let's find ways of using what's there that are attractive to users across Europe. The Shannon Estuary could become the harbour of choice for freight in 20 to 30 years time if the right decisions are made, and the right europe wide facilities are put into place. That will be because trains will be the method of choice for short and medium haul passenger and freight, and air will be the choice for cross ocean passengers, and urgent freight, with ships being the choice for bulk freight. Things like flying freight from the USA to Europe to then send things back to the UK or Ireland will no longer happen, due to the costs. Make no mistake about it, unless there is a miracle in the next few years in energy production, things like a weekend flight to Spain with Ryanair will become a weekend train to Spain, the journey times will be longer, but not in the way they are now, train speeds will have increased to make them a viable alternative to air transport. Ireland can be a part of the new world, or can ignore the changes to come, and live on the periphery of it all, but the accident of geography could give Ireland an opportunity to be much more closely linked to Europe than it has ever been before, and the advantages from that would be very much in Ireland's long term interests, as it would reduce ireland's isolation. That should be good for everyone. That's why I've added to the Foynes thread. The vision needs to be much larger and longer term than it is right now, but at least there is a vision, rather than a head in the sand attitude that is only negative about the potential for Ireland in the long term. If Ireland wants to be, Ireland can be more than the agricultural supplier to Europe, we can also be a pivotal part of the new transport structure that will develop as the usage of oil changes. it's total pie in the sky Star Trek fantasy. If such technology exists at some stage why would it be routed via Ireland. ? It just doesn't make any sense to do that. We ALL know that!
corktina wrote: » a vacuum powered trans-atlantic tunnel? /QUOTE] It might help if you read what I posted. The trans atlantic tunnel would not be vacuum POWERED, it would run in vacuum, in order to acheive the very high speeds necessary to make it viable. The power would be electric Maglev, contactless magnetic levitation, already operating in a number of places, the new aspect is the absence of air outside the transport vehicle, in order to reduce the friction losses generated otherwise by the speeds. That's the futuristic aspect of this proposal. How do you propose to capture wave energy on a ship that's being moved by wave energy that's opposing the energy being output by the engines. The vast majority of nuclear ships are either military, or government operated or controlled. The chances of many civilian powered ships is not high, given the restrictions that are relevant to nuclear non proliferation. So, regardless of the size of the ship, how do you propose to operate it if oil is not available, or is incredibly expensive to purchase? I'm not overly bothered that Milford Haven, or Rotterdam, or other ports are upgrading to handle larger ships. A new purpose designed custom made facility will always be cheaper, more efficient and more effective than an upgrade of an old existing facility, the upgrade will always result in some compromises due to the location. Shannon Estuary would not be a port for Ireland. It would be a port for Europe that happens to be located on the West coast of Ireland, with high speed rail links direct to Europe Yes, it depends on the change in availability of oil, and the resulting rise in price relative to other energy sources. Based on the way oil prices have changed over my lifetime, and the lack of discovery of new resources, we have to recognise that oil is finite, and burning it for energy is a poor use of the product, as a planet, we have to find better ways of producing energy for transportation. That may be space based solar panels, or new concepts of nuclear that come out of Cern, or better use of wind wave and tidal, or concepts of all of these, There are new concepts being introduced to charge electric buses using current loops in the ground while they are on the move, or standing at stops. Is it so hard for people to see than the shortest sea crossing will be the most economic, and using (comparatively by that time) cheaper rail for onward distribution will be a more acceptable long term plan. If oil is no longer cheaper than using alternatives, and as I mentioned yesterday, China sees their route to Europe as being via high speed rail, then maybe we should be looking a lot more aggressively at what opportunities would open up for Ireland in that changed environment. If the cheapest route to Europe from the USA is via the west coast of Ireland, for freight or passengers, then maybe we should be preparing for that time. It may not last for a long time, but there was a time when Shannon was fundamental to travelling across to the USA because the aircraft of the time could not get to the USA from anywhere else. The problem with Shannon was that for a long time, people would not recognise that times had moved on, and things like the Shannon stop over distorted the realities until the government were forced to remove it. If Shannon airport was being built today, if it could even be justified, it would be nothing like the size that it is, and would have nothing like the facilities that it does, it would be similar in size and facilities to Kerry, or Knock. That may not be too popular an opinion, but on the basis of traffic levels, that's the reality. So, having said that, Shannon airport is there, and can handle aircraft that are way larger than the area justifies. So, let's find ways of using what's there that are attractive to users across Europe. The Shannon Estuary could become the harbour of choice for freight in 20 to 30 years time if the right decisions are made, and the right europe wide facilities are put into place. That will be because trains will be the method of choice for short and medium haul passenger and freight, and air will be the choice for cross ocean passengers, and urgent freight, with ships being the choice for bulk freight. Things like flying freight from the USA to Europe to then send things back to the UK or Ireland will no longer happen, due to the costs. Make no mistake about it, unless there is a miracle in the next few years in energy production, things like a weekend flight to Spain with Ryanair will become a weekend train to Spain, the journey times will be longer, but not in the way they are now, train speeds will have increased to make them a viable alternative to air transport. Ireland can be a part of the new world, or can ignore the changes to come, and live on the periphery of it all, but the accident of geography could give Ireland an opportunity to be much more closely linked to Europe than it has ever been before, and the advantages from that would be very much in Ireland's long term interests, as it would reduce ireland's isolation. That should be good for everyone. That's why I've added to the Foynes thread. The vision needs to be much larger and longer term than it is right now, but at least there is a vision, rather than a head in the sand attitude that is only negative about the potential for Ireland in the long term. If Ireland wants to be, Ireland can be more than the agricultural supplier to Europe, we can also be a pivotal part of the new transport structure that will develop as the usage of oil changes.
rainbowdash wrote: » I have another idea, in fact I have 2. We should drill a hole through the earth from Ireland and out at china. We can drop containers through it. Then I got an even better idea, we can catapult them express mail through it and use spirit of Ireland turbines to wind up the catapults. No less feasible than some of the plans being mooted here.
Markcheese wrote: » Those huge container ships use less fuel per container than previous ships,(if running fully loaded), tend to be slower too as this uses less fuel, Can't see these vast point to point ships running Ireland to the far east , especially as many continental and British ports are already upgrading to cope with post Panamax vessels
