Are there any plans to upgrade the signalling systems & speeds of the waterford line

as far as i know no upgrades are planned for the waterford-dublin line, but that could change and maybe it has but i haven't heard anything. double tracking it as much as is possible would be good, but it will be expensive so i can't see it happening unfortunately. as far as i know, and i might be wrong, Kilkenny platform can't be lengthened. of course had they kept the station where it originally was then perhapse there may have been room but perhapse i'm wrong on that also.

waterford-clonmell-limerick junction will probably be shut in the next few years unfortunately. certainly potentiall for a good service but neither irish rail or the NTA seem to give a damn about it, it has been effectively left to die over decades. track renewal has taken place i believe but nothing in return in the form of anything that could be called a service. ridiculous but there you go.

in relation to increases of express trains between the cities, i would think there certainly may be scope for a few more at morning and evening but whether they will happen or not is anyone's guess.

IE 222 wrote: »

Why can't Kilkenny be expended?

There was a thread about it before Christmas (re why u can't have longer trains on that line) & I think the answer is because Mc Donagh Junction was built in the way!

Corca Baiscinn wrote: »

There was a thread about it before Christmas (re why u can't have longer trains on that line) & I think the answer is because Mc Donagh Junction was built in the way!

I was talking more along the lines of extending eastwards. Loose the signal box and siding and just extend platform 1.

The signalling system is still newish (14 years) but yes they need to fix the long standing issues at Rossinan, Bennettsbridge and Coppenagh.

New turnouts at Muine Bheag and restoring the old speed limit plus dropping it off the 07.05 would be the best short term upgrade. Remove the speed restriction which was temp at Bennettsbridge.

Whats the latest on Waterfords new station?

Indications last year was not until 2021-2022 but chances are it will be delayed.

Is the speed limit not restricted due to the ground or something.

It's only Thomastown-Waterford where the line isn't great.

I was talking more along the lines of extending eastwards. Loose the signal box and siding and just extend platform 1.

Signal box is now disused after the new signalling was moved last year. Extending the other end is better and cheaper. With more ICR middle coaches coming I don't see it happening.

Most of the current problems are timetable issues and the continued refusal to produce a complete new Heuston timetable. The current one is in place 6 years any every adjustment they made is just extra time to cover themselves instead of looking at the real problems.

IE 222 wrote: »

Surely the extra middle coaches increases the likelihood of it happening with longer trains. I thought they couldn't use the old train shed end due to the shopping centre hence the buffers moved forward the and u-shaped platforms.

Does the underground carpark entrance prevent trains travelling further down the old station at all??

Well 201's were able to run round when it opened in 2007, they moved the buffers instead of putting in a new lift/footbridge to platform 2.

end of the road wrote: »

waterford-clonmell-limerick junction will probably be shut in the next few years unfortunately. certainly potentiall for a good service but neither irish rail or the NTA seem to give a damn about it, it has been effectively left to die over decades. track renewal has taken place i believe but nothing in return in the form of anything that could be called a service. ridiculous but there you go.

Considering Tipperary has some of the most vocal TDs in the Dáil, it’s remarkable to see how little they seem to care about a railway line which is almost entirely within the Tipperary constituency.

Give them credit they are managing just about to run the current schedule with trains instead of buses these days...

The problem with that line is the connections it tries to cater for. Clonmel and the likes must be one of the most connected stations in the country with a connection to every city in the country. The only place its doesn't offer a connection to on the Hueston side is Westport. I really don't think there is a need nor demand for onward connections other than Dublin and Waterford. Any other possible connections resulting from serving Limerick Jct shouldn't dictate the timetable. The current timetable is like connecting Enniscorthy with Dublin, Wexford, Belfast, Sligo and Hazelhatch just becase it serves Connolly.

My guess is any potential commuters a long the line would want to travel into waterford in the mornings. They should look at running the service from Limerick instead. If the 5:30am Limerick - Dublin set could be split in Limerick Jct a service could reach Waterford to connect with the 7:50am Waterford - Dublin service.

questionmark? wrote: »

First train arrives into Waterford at 11:29. Second train arrives in at 20:30.
Completely useless service.

What's astonishing is the cost of a ticket tomorrow from Clonmel to Waterford is €3:59!!!!!!

Is it really that cheap? It would be several times that to get to Kilkenny or Carlow which would be a similar distance on the Dublin line !

Kilkenny platform length issue is a surprise? Could the donkeys not have factored that in when developing Macdonagh Junction ? Which btw the part of the old station is completely undeveloped and in typical IR fashion dilapidated and neglected- they can’t even operate a lift properly at Kk.
There’s definitely potential for another morning service from Kilkenny that would be very well used- there’s only one service that gets in before 9.00am (6.42-8.11 am) and is always packed. So much untapped potential on the IR network that could take pressure off the M7 too.