Western Rail Corridor / Rail Trail Discussion

end of the road · 11-04-2021 11:32pm

mayo.mick wrote: »

the world has moved on since that program was filmed, it's ultimately an irrelevance now.
the greater need for rail to play a bigger roll in the movement of the country means that the western railway corridor phase 2 at least can no longer be dismissed.

Sam Russell · 12-04-2021 9:53am

end of the road wrote: »

the world has moved on since that program was filmed, it's ultimately an irrelevance now.
the greater need for rail to play a bigger roll in the movement of the country means that the western railway corridor phase 2 at least can no longer be dismissed.

I would take the opposite view. Rail is not just public transport, but mass public transport - population concentration is vital. The Dublin and Cork are the only areas in Ireland that warrant further investment in new railway lines, and even at that Dublin is the only real contender.

The Covid bill is going to have to be paid. Infrastructure funding needs to be prioritised, and rail expenditure needs to go towards Metrolink, Dart Expansion +, and the retention of the Dublin Wexford and Dublin Waterford lines. The dual tracking of the Limerick to Limerick Junction, and Galway to Athenry are worthy investments.

Any existing lines under pressure needs to be funded to retain them, and that includes Ennis to Athenry, before any further funds are invested in lost causes, and Athenry to Tuam is certainly in that category.

Captain Lugger · 12-04-2021 10:22am

Sam Russell wrote: »

I would take the opposite view. Rail is not just public transport, but mass public transport - population concentration is vital. The Dublin and Cork are the only areas in Ireland that warrant further investment in new railway lines, and even at that Dublin is the only real contender.

The Covid bill is going to have to be paid. Infrastructure funding needs to be prioritised, and rail expenditure needs to go towards Metrolink, Dart Expansion +, and the retention of the Dublin Wexford and Dublin Waterford lines. The dual tracking of the Limerick to Limerick Junction, and Galway to Athenry are worthy investments.

Any existing lines under pressure needs to be funded to retain them, and that includes Ennis to Athenry, before any further funds are invested in lost causes, and Athenry to Tuam is certainly in that category.

That reminds me of the received wisdom in the eighties that the country would never expand beyond a population of three million and that decline and associated emigration was endemic. Hence wasteful land use and a transportation policy that assumed chucking roads at everything would be sufficient to manage or at least stabilise decline.

Sam Russell · 12-04-2021 10:27am

Captain Lugger wrote: »

That reminds me of the received wisdom in the eighties that the country would never expand beyond a population of three million and that decline and associated emigration was endemic. Hence wasteful land use and a transportation policy that assumed chucking roads at everything would be sufficient to manage or at least stabilise decline.

Well, if the hinterland between Tuam and Athenry increases to a level that a railway is needed, then it should be built. However, there are many other areas in Ireland that would still be ahead of it.

The eighties was thirty to forty years ago.

eastwest · 12-04-2021 11:10am

Decades wrote: »

Heartening to hear West on Track speaking on MWR radio about the Western Transport Corridor over the last few days, highlighting the need for greeways in all the towns along the route and a need for balance in investment between Dublin and the West.

If you want a perfect lesson on when not to go on radio, the interview with the WOT spokesman has got to be it.
In a hole/stop digging.

eastwest · 12-04-2021 11:21am

Sam Russell wrote: »

Well, if the hinterland between Tuam and Athenry increases to a level that a railway is needed, then it should be built. However, there are many other areas in Ireland that would still be ahead of it.

The eighties was thirty to forty years ago.

The entire rulebook will have to be rewritten given the Zoom revolution and the working from home initiatives.
The fundamental error in the rail lobby thinking in respect of the western transport corridor is that they hark back all the time. Back to dirty industries like Asahi, projects that will never be allowed again. Back to manufacturing of products that will never be built in Ireland because of scale and globalisation. Back to when we exported all our raw materials for others to process. Back to when nobody had a car, when the roads were so bad that they couldn't sustain a decent bus service. And back to when the only way was out, on a train.
The notion of exports going out on a fibre optic cable is lost on them. As is the concept of repopulating rural areas with people who can work once they have connectivity, and who will stay once the quality of life issues attract them back. Things like surfing, or mountain biking, or greenways.
But as we've seen, there is no persuading the small coterie of groupthinkers in county councils that we are living in the twenty first century. They just don't understand.
Instead, they make claims to the effect that 1,000 freight trains a year leave Mayo (the actual figure is just over a third of that). Or claims that west on track made a submission to the Mayo Draft county Development plan explaining how it will all work if some magic money appears to build a fantasy railway. (If they did, I can't find it).

ShaneC1600 · 12-04-2021 11:23am

Sam Russell wrote: »

I would take the opposite view. Rail is not just public transport, but mass public transport - population concentration is vital. The Dublin and Cork are the only areas in Ireland that warrant further investment in new railway lines, and even at that Dublin is the only real contender.

The Covid bill is going to have to be paid. Infrastructure funding needs to be prioritised, and rail expenditure needs to go towards Metrolink, Dart Expansion +, and the retention of the Dublin Wexford and Dublin Waterford lines. The dual tracking of the Limerick to Limerick Junction, and Galway to Athenry are worthy investments.

Any existing lines under pressure needs to be funded to retain them, and that includes Ennis to Athenry, before any further funds are invested in lost causes, and Athenry to Tuam is certainly in that category.

What is your opinion on the Athenry to Tuam motorway?

AngryLips · 12-04-2021 11:57am

Sam Russell wrote: »

I would take the opposite view. Rail is not just public transport, but mass public transport - population concentration is vital. The Dublin and Cork are the only areas in Ireland that warrant further investment in new railway lines, and even at that Dublin is the only real contender.

This ignores the future development plans for the country and carbon emission targets that the Government has committed to. WRC probably isn't the solution, but to say that rail has no place outside Dublin and Cork is a very regressive view of how the country should develop in future.

Losty Dublin · 12-04-2021 1:02pm

These few works ultimately sums the Greenway argument. It's all about us and only us.

eastwest wrote: »

Things like surfing, or mountain biking, or greenways.

T'would remind you of somebody....

?s=fatherted&e=S02E09&i=S02E09-L9ktXrpc&t1=Greenway%20kills%20Railway&t2=I%20had%20my%20fun%20and%20that%27s%20all%20that%20matters

?s=fatherted&e=S02E09&i=S02E09-L9ktXrpc&t1=Greenway%20kills%20Railway&t2=I%20had%20my%20fun%20and%20that%27s%20all%20that%20matters

Sam Russell · 12-04-2021 1:14pm

ShaneC1600 wrote: »

What is your opinion on the Athenry to Tuam motorway?

The motorway is built, but it is too far east of Galway, the jams at the Coolagh Roundabout are testimony to that.

The M18/M17 should have been built as the M20 between Limerick and Cork.

Whether the M17 should have been built as a motorway is a different question - would a DC like the Tuam bypass have been enough - probably.

But it is built, and will be paid for before the train will travel from Athenry to Tuam.

eastwest · 12-04-2021 3:04pm

Sam Russell wrote: »

The motorway is built, but it is too far east of Galway, the jams at the Coolagh Roundabout are testimony to that.

The M18/M17 should have been built as the M20 between Limerick and Cork.

Whether the M17 should have been built as a motorway is a different question - would a DC like the Tuam bypass have been enough - probably.

But it is built, and will be paid for before the train will travel from Athenry to Tuam.

Trying to persuade government to build a less useful and unneeded piece of infrastructure parallel to it is so daft it hardly merits mention. Politicians in the region need to push to get the N17 up to a decent standard, and stop diverting the focus on to something unachievable.
Fail to plan, plan to fail.

eastwest · 12-04-2021 3:11pm

Losty Dublin wrote: »

These few works ultimately sums the Greenway argument. It's all about us and only us.

You miss the point, hopefully deliberately.
One of the top three markers looked at by industries is 'quality of life.' In other words, they look for an environment where people will be happy to live as well as work, so that they can attract and retain staff. If an area has decent social infrastructure, things like greenways, like surfing, like restaurants, coffee bars, shops etc., it is simply more attractive to new industry, particularly the high-tech sector. Unfortunately, a lot of councillors think that the IDA builds a factory, and somebody starts making stuff in it, but that model is long gone.
There is huge opportunity for the west of Ireland to leverage on our education system and attract high-paid jobs in the tens of thousands, but what do we do instead? We look for a train to take people from somewhere to nowhere because it feels like a good idea. In the meantime, places where brainpower is applied to the problem power ahead.
Our problem in this region is regional imbalance. Building railways has nothing to do with any solution to that.

end of the road · 12-04-2021 5:57pm

Sam Russell wrote: »

Well, if the hinterland between Tuam and Athenry increases to a level that a railway is needed, then it should be built. However, there are many other areas in Ireland that would still be ahead of it.

The eighties was thirty to forty years ago.

it was indeed, but in terms of transport we are stuck in a mindset almost 30 years older.
anyway, tuam to athenry certainly has potential and i have no doubt is or at least will be a viable line in the next few years.
the fact there are other projects ahead of it is not an issue really, there will always be an order of transport projects and most are fine with that, as long as it gets done is all that matters.

eastwest wrote: »

The entire rulebook will have to be rewritten given the Zoom revolution and the working from home initiatives.
The fundamental error in the rail lobby thinking in respect of the western transport corridor is that they hark back all the time. Back to dirty industries like Asahi, projects that will never be allowed again. Back to manufacturing of products that will never be built in Ireland because of scale and globalisation. Back to when we exported all our raw materials for others to process. Back to when nobody had a car, when the roads were so bad that they couldn't sustain a decent bus service. And back to when the only way was out, on a train.
The notion of exports going out on a fibre optic cable is lost on them. As is the concept of repopulating rural areas with people who can work once they have connectivity, and who will stay once the quality of life issues attract them back. Things like surfing, or mountain biking, or greenways.
But as we've seen, there is no persuading the small coterie of groupthinkers in county councils that we are living in the twenty first century. They just don't understand.
Instead, they make claims to the effect that 1,000 freight trains a year leave Mayo (the actual figure is just over a third of that). Or claims that west on track made a submission to the Mayo Draft county Development plan explaining how it will all work if some magic money appears to build a fantasy railway. (If they did, I can't find it).

there is certainly no harking back from west on track anyway, at least i have never saw any.
industries like Asahi will be allowed while there is a need for the products they produced.
whether they would ever be produced here again is a different story but they will be allowed.
the truth is that the council in mayo actually do understand, hence their stance.

eastwest · 12-04-2021 6:29pm

end of the road wrote: »

there is certainly no harking back from west on track anyway, at least i have never saw any.

You obviously never read any of their pronouncements

industries like Asahi will be allowed while there is a need for the products they produced.
whether they would ever be produced here again is a different story but they will be allowed.

The scale required will never see these kinds of processes carried out in a small country, particularly a first-world country. In addition, the cost of making a dirty plant like Asahi compliant with EU and Irish law would make it unworkable. We will never see their likes again, nor do we want to.

the truth is that the council in mayo actually do understand, hence their stance.

So, Mayo County Council has a 'stance'? Does that mean that the recent process of public submissions to the draft county development plan was just a joke? Does it mean they have made their minds up already and won't listen to the people of east mayo?
And is that why West on track didn't make a submission?

end of the road · 12-04-2021 6:45pm

eastwest wrote: »

You obviously never read any of their pronouncements

The scale required will never see these kinds of processes carried out in a small country, particularly a first-world country. In addition, the cost of making a dirty plant like Asahi compliant with EU and Irish law would make it unworkable. We will never see their likes again, nor do we want to.

So, Mayo County Council has a 'stance'? Does that mean that the recent process of public submissions to the draft county development plan was just a joke? Does it mean they have made their minds up already and won't listen to the people of east mayo?
And is that why West on track didn't make a submission?

the people of east mayo?
it was a small few people, some who may be from east mayo and probably others from further affield.
the council obviously feel as i do that there are much better ideas out there for a greenway which would actually deliver benefits, rather then a poor one along the old railway which would be a greenway for the sake of it.
and i have read plenty of stuff from WOT, no harking back with anything of it that i have read.

ezstreet5 · 12-04-2021 6:54pm

end of the road wrote: »

the people of east mayo?
it was a small few people, some who may be from east mayo and probably others from further affield.
the council obviously feel as i do that there are much better ideas out there for a greenway which would actually deliver benefits, rather then a poor one along the old railway which would be a greenway for the sake of it.
and i have read plenty of stuff from WOT, no harking back with anything of it that i have read.

On thing is for sure, Central Mayo is getting completely shafted and will not see any of the tens of thousands of high tech, high-paying greenway jobs that are being held up by the rail barons who would destroy the transportation corridor tomorrow by reinstating rail service.

ShaneC1600 · 12-04-2021 7:45pm

Sam Russell wrote: »

The motorway is built, but it is too far east of Galway, the jams at the Coolagh Roundabout are testimony to that.

The M18/M17 should have been built as the M20 between Limerick and Cork.

Whether the M17 should have been built as a motorway is a different question - would a DC like the Tuam bypass have been enough - probably.

But it is built, and will be paid for before the train will travel from Athenry to Tuam.

What has the location of of M17 got to do with the traffic at the Coolagh roundabout?

If it was built closer to the city traffic would be even more. The outer bypass is the only answer to that build up of traffic. I know lots of people that join the motorway at Ballyglunin heading for town even though the road is so far east.
So much is made of the Western Rail Corridor but only because a few people would like a walkway on it and only because they are too lazy to actually put forward any other greenway options. The only merit the WRC offers for a greenway is that it is publicly owned because no one would waste time planning a greenway there otherwise.

Decades · 12-04-2021 8:09pm

ezstreet5 wrote: »

On thing is for sure, Central Mayo is getting completely shafted and will not see any of the tens of thousands of high tech, high-paying greenway jobs that are being held up by the rail barons who would destroy the transportation corridor tomorrow by reinstating rail service.

Please, can we stick with North, South, East and West? This is getting ridiculous.

Sam Russell · 12-04-2021 8:16pm

ShaneC1600 wrote: »

What has the location of of M17 got to do with the traffic at the Coolagh roundabout?

If it was built closer to the city traffic would be even more. The outer bypass is the only answer to that build up of traffic. I know lots of people that join the motorway at Ballyglunin heading for town even though the road is so far east.
So much is made of the Western Rail Corridor but only because a few people would like a walkway on it and only because they are too lazy to actually put forward any other greenway options. The only merit the WRC offers for a greenway is that it is publicly owned because no one would waste time planning a greenway there otherwise.

The M17 should have been routed along the outer bypass, and provided that function.

The current route dumps all East Galway, South Galway, and east of Athenry traffic at the Coolagh roundabout. That is the problem.

12-04-2021 8:28pm

Sam Russell wrote: »

The M17 should have been routed along the outer bypass, and provided that function.

The current route dumps all East Galway, South Galway, and east of Athenry traffic at the Coolagh roundabout. That is the problem.

There's a reason they didnt do that, it would have ended up being a parking lot like the M50 at peak times.

The M17/M18 is located where it is to deliberately not become a part of the city network of roads.

Sam Russell · 12-04-2021 8:52pm

Deleted User wrote: »

There's a reason they didnt do that, it would have ended up being a parking lot like the M50 at peak times.

The M17/M18 is located where it is to deliberately not become a part of the city network of roads.

So they are now planning such a car park - a bypass or a ring road, or whatever they call it this week.

Planning was never a strong suit in Galway - City or County.

westtip · 12-04-2021 9:24pm

Sam Russell wrote: »

The motorway is built, but it is too far east of Galway, the jams at the Coolagh Roundabout are testimony to that.

The M18/M17 should have been built as the M20 between Limerick and Cork.

Whether the M17 should have been built as a motorway is a different question - would a DC like the Tuam bypass have been enough - probably.

But it is built, and will be paid for before the train will travel from Athenry to Tuam.

I think the M17/18 route was never seen as a point to point motorway, in fact the rationale for it was the Atlantic Road Corridor which came about in the Transport 21 strategy in the Celtic Tiger years - to have a dual carriageway from Derry to Cork, and you are right DC would be perfectly acceptable. In fact it is a similar rationale to the WRC, except it is an idea that will deliver benefit to the entire western region compared to a slow under used train service. In fact you could say once this idea became part of official transport planning in this state it meant the end of the Western Rail Corridor, the writing was effectively on the wall once this idea became official thinking, from that day on successive Governments only paid lip service to west on track.

12-04-2021 10:02pm

Sam Russell wrote: »

So they are now planning such a car park - a bypass or a ring road, or whatever they call it this week.

Planning was never a strong suit in Galway - City or County.

No argument there....on both points

ShaneC1600 · 13-04-2021 7:49am

Sam Russell wrote: »

The M17 should have been routed along the outer bypass, and provided that function.

The current route dumps all East Galway, South Galway, and east of Athenry traffic at the Coolagh roundabout. That is the problem.

Regardless of where any new route runs into Galway City the end of the road will be a roundabout of some description where traffic will build up.

Sam Russell · 13-04-2021 10:11am

ShaneC1600 wrote: »

Regardless of where any new route runs into Galway City the end of the road will be a roundabout of some description where traffic will build up.

Galway have a solution to roundabouts. They name them after the twelve tribes of Galway. Once the go to build the thirteenth, they select one of the twelve already named and change it back to the original traffic light controlled junctions.

They have done a few already, and we await the Coolagh roundabout becoming free-flow.

[By the way, that is meant as a joke].

serfboard · 13-04-2021 4:02pm

Sam Russell wrote: »

The motorway is built, but it is too far east of Galway, the jams at the Coolagh Roundabout are testimony to that.

The traffic jams at Coolagh don't prove your point at all.

Any alignment without a city bypass and/or bus park n' rides would have produced the same result.

westtip · 30-04-2021 4:26pm

Anyone any idea what happened to that Velorail project that got three grants of €180k originally, then €117k when the original funding wasn't enough then another €198K when they chanced their arm for more money under Leader funding with an application in November 2018.

I was always under the impression that Leader funding only went to new projects and it wasn't in Leader funding regulations if a project already had 200K in funding it could not get anymore funding.

I seem to remember this being the case, Maybe that rule doesn't apply when you ask in Mayo? It must have been some compelling application to get another bung of €198,000 back in 2019 when they had already received nearly €300k in public funding. I'd love to see that funding application and the arguments they put forward that were so compelling they got another €200k, I wonder how they explained how the first tranche of grants for €180k and €117k were spent, I assume they gave a good account of how that money had been spent because the entire original project was budgeted to be €200k for the whole caboogle and they still managed to squeeze another €198k out of leader capital funding.

eastwest · 30-04-2021 4:57pm

westtip wrote: »

Anyone any idea what happened to that Velorail project that got three grants of €180k originally, then €117k when the original funding wasn't enough then another €198K when they chanced their arm for more money under Leader funding with an application in November 2018.

I was always under the impression that Leader funding only went to new projects and it wasn't in Leader funding regulations if a project already had 200K in funding it could not get anymore funding.

I seem to remember this being the case, Maybe that rule doesn't apply when you ask in Mayo? It must have been some compelling application to get another bung of €198,000 back in 2019 when they had already received nearly €300k in public funding. I'd love to see that funding application and the arguments they put forward that were so compelling they got another €200k, I wonder how they explained how the first tranche of grants for €180k and €117k were spent, I assume they gave a good account of how that money had been spent because the entire original project was budgeted to be €200k for the whole caboogle and they still managed to squeeze another €198k out of leader capital funding.

I think that project is probably finished and ready to open. The first money was for the project, including the carts, and the second was for an overspend, I think. And as I remember, the third tranche of money was to finish the project and buy the carts.
So it must be well finished by now, with maybe two sets of carts, judging by the funding applications. I'd say there'll be a ribbon cutting ceremony there one of these days. It was probably just delayed because of covid, waiting for the crowds of tourists to be able to travel..

westtip · 30-04-2021 5:35pm

eastwest wrote: »

I think that project is probably finished and ready to open. The first money was for the project, including the carts, and the second was for an overspend, I think. And as I remember, the third tranche of money was to finish the project and buy the carts.
So it must be well finished by now, with maybe two sets of carts, judging by the funding applications. I'd say there'll be a ribbon cutting ceremony there one of these days. It was probably just delayed because of covid, waiting for the crowds of tourists to be able to travel..

Not heard if its finished yet, it must be though, the license expires in 2027 at this rate it will never get off the ground!

eastwest · 01-05-2021 8:58am

westtip wrote: »

Not heard if its finished yet, it must be though, the license expires in 2027 at this rate it will never get off the ground!

The license isn't an issue, Irish Rail will be happy to give them another ten years to keep fluting around and making grant applications.
After all, it's not like there are any plans to put a train on it.

westtip · 01-05-2021 1:02pm

eastwest wrote: »

The license isn't an issue, Irish Rail will be happy to give them another ten years to keep fluting around and making grant applications.
After all, it's not like there are any plans to put a train on it.

Yep they are dab hands at making those grant applications, nearly half a million to date and not yet up and running.:mad: 3 grants so far and there is another pot of leader funding up for grabs in Mayo!!! I bet they will be getting their application forms out soon to subvent the running of the whole thing cos it will lose money hand over fist.

Thinking about the weather today, even in this wind I bet there are people out on the greenways around the country even in these blowy conditions, can you imagine those heavy velo-rail carts with a wind behind them and then coming back from the trip down the line with the wind against them. They will be a tough sell as a leisure experience!

Pete_Cavan · 06-05-2021 9:23pm

Looks like the Velorail project isn't the only one getting grants, Ballyglunin station to get some restoration works done;

https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicPurchase/188041/0/0?returnUrl=ctm/Supplier/publictenders&b=ETENDERS_SIMPLE

Is it currently in any sort of use?

06-05-2021 10:02pm

Pete_Cavan wrote: »

Looks like the Velorail project isn't the only one getting grants, Ballyglunin station to get some restoration works done;

https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicPurchase/188041/0/0?returnUrl=ctm/Supplier/publictenders&b=ETENDERS_SIMPLE

Is it currently in any sort of use?

In fairness to the local folks, they've done a great job at restoring it.

Its been used for plays and some other bits pre-covid. I know they are looking at converting part of it into a remote work hub too.

Once the greenway opens I've no doubt it will do a roaring trade as a cafe

eastwest · 06-05-2021 11:00pm

Pete_Cavan wrote: »

Looks like the Velorail project isn't the only one getting grants, Ballyglunin station to get some restoration works done;

https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicPurchase/188041/0/0?returnUrl=ctm/Supplier/publictenders&b=ETENDERS_SIMPLE

Is it currently in any sort of use?

At least in the case of Ballyglunin, there's something to show for the funding, a heritage building saved from dereliction.
And once the greenway is eventually built, there will be a thriving cafe, bike hire, and probably a 'Quiet Man' museum shop and visitor centre on the site. There's certainly the potential for twenty or thirty FTE local jobs on the site, so any money invested there is well spent.
And then there's the velorail.....

westtip · 06-05-2021 11:02pm

Pete_Cavan wrote: »

Looks like the Velorail project isn't the only one getting grants, Ballyglunin station to get some restoration works done;

https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicPurchase/188041/0/0?returnUrl=ctm/Supplier/publictenders&b=ETENDERS_SIMPLE

Is it currently in any sort of use?

But I think this is their first grant, the Velorail project just keeps putting its paws in the honeypot, strange its allowed cos I thought you could only get LEADER funding for a capital project as a once off, I guess they must have just told LEADER they needed another €198k after already spending nearly €300K I am sure the Mayo L.A.G must have analysed it all very diligently. None of us seem to know what goes on with these LEADER fund grants it all seems very mysterious.

eastwest · 07-05-2021 10:27am

westtip wrote: »

But I think this is their first grant, the Velorail project just keeps putting its paws in the honeypot, strange its allowed cos I thought you could only get LEADER funding for a capital project as a once off, I guess they must have just told LEADER they needed another €198k after already spending nearly €300K I am sure the Mayo L.A.G must have analysed it all very diligently. None of us seem to know what goes on with these LEADER fund grants it all seems very mysterious.

The murky water where the whole Leader and local grants species swim makes pea soup look crystal clear. I'd say that's a subject for a whole new thread.

Greaney · 07-05-2021 11:19am

Pete_Cavan wrote: »

Looks like the Velorail project isn't the only one getting grants, Ballyglunin station to get some restoration works done;

https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicPurchase/188041/0/0?returnUrl=ctm/Supplier/publictenders&b=ETENDERS_SIMPLE

Is it currently in any sort of use?

Yes it is. The community are terrific and have been restoring the station for some years now. They use it as a community theater, park & venue for local events. The station is the heart of the community. You can see they have a very active/current facebook page here

Ballyglunin support the Western Rail Corridor

eastwest · 07-05-2021 2:28pm

Greaney wrote: »

Yes it is. The community are terrific and have been restoring the station for some years now. They use it as a community theater, park & venue for local events. The station is the heart of the community. You can see they have a very active/current facebook page here

Ballyglunin support the Western Rail Corridor

I'm sure everybody would like to see a railway built, but the reality is different. Although ironically Ballyglunin would do a lot better with a greenway in terms of local jobs and investment.
That's obviously an old FB post by the way, the route is now officially 'the western transport corridor.'

ezstreet5 · 07-05-2021 4:11pm

eastwest wrote: »

the route is now officially 'the western transport corridor.'

What are they transporting, and by what means?

end of the road · 07-05-2021 4:32pm

ezstreet5 wrote: »

What are they transporting, and by what means?

exactly.
the fact is, the western railway corridor is a railway line, a disused one but still one.

eastwest · 07-05-2021 4:42pm

end of the road wrote: »

exactly.
the fact is, the western railway corridor is a railway line, a disused one but still one.

North of claremorris, it isn't. Its closed, not disused, and Irish Rail has repeatedly said that the rails are scrap and don't constitute a railway.
South of claremorris, it's a closed railway. The entire route is designated as the western transport corridor, recognising its likely future as being broader than just Rail.

Greaney · 07-05-2021 4:47pm

eastwest wrote: »

I'm sure everybody would like to see a railway built, but the reality is different. Although ironically Ballyglunin would do a lot better with a greenway in terms of local jobs and investment.
That's obviously an old FB post by the way, the route is now officially 'the western transport corridor.'

You're entitled to your opinion, just as the residents & community group have theirs, which is different from yours

eastwest · 07-05-2021 5:14pm

Greaney wrote: »

You're entitled to your opinion, just as the residents & community group have theirs, which is different from yours

That#'s not an opinion, it's a fact. Check with the Department of Transport, or look at their submission to the Mayo County Development Plan -- it's on the Mayo County Council website.

end of the road · 07-05-2021 5:42pm

eastwest wrote: »

North of claremorris, it isn't. Its closed, not disused, and Irish Rail has repeatedly said that the rails are scrap and don't constitute a railway.
South of claremorris, it's a closed railway. The entire route is designated as the western transport corridor, recognising its likely future as being broader than just Rail.

still a railway ultimately between athenry to claremorris.
calling it the western transport corridor means nothing in reality, currently it's a disused railway.
actually transport corridor works more in favour of rail it could be argued given rail can be used any day of the year and in most types of weather, so actually perhapse in time the term could in fact become useful.

eastwest · 07-05-2021 6:20pm

end of the road wrote: »

still a railway ultimately between athenry to claremorris.
calling it the western transport corridor means nothing in reality, currently it's a disused railway.
actually transport corridor works more in favour of rail it could be argued given rail can be used any day of the year and in most types of weather, so actually perhapse in time the term could in fact become useful.

As I said, we're all in favour of a railway, it's just that some of us are pragmatists.
But while the line from Athenry to Claremorris is still a railway, albeit a closed one with a very slim chance of ever reopening, the one from Claremorris to Collooney is not a railway. It is however part of the WTC, and could in time become a railway. Apart from the bits that have been subsumed into other landholdings.

ezstreet5 · 07-05-2021 8:30pm

eastwest wrote: »

As I said, we're all in favour of a railway, it's just that some of us are pragmatists.
But while the line from Athenry to Claremorris is still a railway, albeit a closed one with a very slim chance of ever reopening, the one from Claremorris to Collooney is not a railway. It is however part of the WTC, and could in time become a railway. Apart from the bits that have been subsumed into other landholdings.

The whole line is "a railway" because Irish Rail can rebuild it tomorrow without a fresh Railway Order.

Decades · 08-05-2021 10:26am

ezstreet5 wrote: »

The whole line is "a railway" because Irish Rail can rebuild it tomorrow without a fresh Railway Order.

Typical trainspotter drivel. They could also formerly abandon it tomorrow with a small advert in the back of the Irish Times. Symantec nonsense that serves no one.

eastwest · 08-05-2021 10:41am

ezstreet5 wrote: »

The whole line is "a railway" because Irish Rail can rebuild it tomorrow without a fresh Railway Order.

They would need a railway order to build it north of claremorris.

ezstreet5 · 08-05-2021 10:49am

eastwest wrote: »

They would need a railway order to build it north of claremorris.

On what basis?

end of the road · 08-05-2021 11:38am

Decades wrote: »

Typical trainspotter drivel. They could also formerly abandon it tomorrow with a small advert in the back of the Irish Times. Symantec nonsense that serves no one.

it's still a railway, so he is correct.

Western Rail Corridor / Rail Trail Discussion

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