Branchline121

The tramway will reopen in 2027 if all goes according to plan, so it's not over yet. Source: https://www.dublinport.ie/e9-million-investment-in-rail-freight-yard-at-north-wall/

Looks like the tendering process has begun.

Can’t say I ever liked the livery — but it is sad to see it gone.

Are the 141s still there? I thought they’d all be gone by this point, a FOI from December 2023 lists them as “disposed,” and I didn’t see them when I was at Inchicore a few months ago (mainly because the Cravens were blocking any view of them). But Google imagery from last November shows 3 still intact, and a TikTok taken with a drone from a few days ago would lead me to believe they’re still there. If they are still there, why haven’t they been scrapped yet? It’s not that I want them to be, but it’s strange that they mightn’t be gone yet considering they’ve been withdrawn for almost 15 years.

The Drogheda-Dundalk section should really see more service. It’s ridiculous that Drogheda-in-Oriel and Dunleer are left unserved when such growth is happening. The same could be said for Navan but I think everything I could say has already been said on that.

I assumed they’d have used the names of the Forgotten Ten if they wanted to name more stations after revolutionaries, or instead maybe pre-1916 figures like Charles Stewart Parnell or Daniel O’Connell.

The review of last year suggested lowering the TACs so hopefully they’ll be reduced in the coming years, if not months. I sometimes wonder if a company from Europe like DB Cargo would be interested in operating here but I think the lack of freight flows and suitable locos/wagons probably turns them away. I wonder if they offered to buy the spare 201s would they be allowed? A 201 in DB traffic red would look dapper.

Many UKTS files have been archived on the Internet Archive, as well as a few other old add-ons. Trainsim.com still has many US files. Don't really know of any other places though.

The most likely contenders for the new Irish Rail locomotive fleet are probably: 1. Siemens Vectron 2. Stadler Euro Dual (related to the NZ DMs, I think) 3. Alstom Traxx All 3 can be ordered with batteries, or with diesel engines. They’d likely also need to be equipped with support for both AC and DC electrification, as I’d imagine future Intercity electrification would be 25 kV AC as opposed to the 1.5 kV DC in use on the DART (including DART+ in the future). Personally I’d be most in favour of the Vectrons, as I think they look cool and have performed well on the continent, but I wouldn’t be against the other 2 either.

Seems like they get reduced to a mention on this page once the events occur alright.

As per here: 131 leaves Connolly at 11 AM, arrives in Maynooth at around quarter to 12, leaves for return to Connolly at 5 past 12, and arrives at 10 to 1. Departs for a second trip from Connolly at 25 past 2, arrives again in Maynooth at 10 past 3, leaves at around half past 3, and finally arrives in Connolly at 2 past 4.

A model one.

Although Irish routes are suggested pretty frequently on the TSW forums, I doubt DTG think there's an audience for them. It would be neat to see though, especially if it were something like Bray-Drogheda in the '80s.

They're both on the Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/irish-enterprise-north-add-on https://archive.org/details/irish-enterprise-south-dundalk-to-dublin I'd recommend using Open Rails if you're using a modern computer as vanilla MSTS doesn't run that well on them.

Seems like the crews have a preference for 220 at the moment, as I saw it out again today around 10 AM in the gullet on a 3-letter-liner. I would too seeing how clean and shiny it is!

Sort of resurrecting a dead thread here but I've always wondered how the MGWR port extension managed to stay open past the closures of 1947. It's pretty much a duplicate of the GSWR line but without stations and with worse access to Connolly. I suppose I can see why it managed to hang on with the yard at North Wall but I'd ponder its future considering Docklands is due to close and its replacement will be accessible via the GSWR, so I find it surprising they still have plans to electrify the MGWR line.

Video hot off the press: https://youtube.com/watch?v=yLmnSDxKxCE

Here’s the link to the picture of the real thing out ‘n’ about if anyone hasn’t seen it yet.

The new DART has been on the line, as seen on this Facebook post. First new type since the ICRs I'm guessing? Interesting nonetheless.

A 201 in Navan… never knew that had happened before.

Although the 2700s are due to be scrapped, I’ve heard word of 2751 possibly being kept as a shunter for the Portlaoise ICR depot. I’ve also heard that the lads at Maam Cross are investigating acquiring the unit for preservation, but nothing since. Has it been moved already or is it still in storage? It’d be interesting to see it return to service after so long but likewise it could be a useful asset for Maam Cross. I’d be interested in hearing if anyone has updates on it anyway.

I wouldn’t call the 071s inactive as I’ve seen them on IWT liners around Dublin and AFAIK the hydrogen project hasn’t been cancelled.

I used to enjoy playing a game called ‘Railway Empire’ (Wikipedia) on the Xbox years ago… it even had a map of Ireland to build on, but most of the game was based around the Great Plains of America — and the stock for the Ireland + GB DLC was mostly recycled French locos. I think there’s a sequel by this point but I never got around to playing it, but I might at some point as the first one was a fairly decent strategy game.

Probably for the best: Dublin should bide the time it has left until it’s cursed with the Heuston West station “building.” I suppose I should be looking on the bright side — at least Spencer Dock looks presentable.