I was slightly pessimistic as I overlooked the grain/animal feed to Gain Feeds Portlaoise which previous ran from Foynes, Waterford(RH hall now demolished) and Dublin(doesn't want rail freight or Bulk traffic in the basin very much).. However again this is not a dead cert for rail traffic..
I have said it a hundred times, doubling Portarlington to Athlone would be the best spend of money on rail in this country, benefitting Passenger services to Westport and Galway as well as all currently operating freight services.. It should happen before WRC, Navan or even East Cork, but it just doesn't have the flash to it to get some local politician to put him back into it! With the extra Westport and Galway services(plus more container trains in the pipeline), that piece of track about to get even more congested!