Darrman

https://www.independent.ie/regionals/wicklow/arklow-news/update-given-on-reopening-of-two-wicklow-train-stations-on-dublin-to-rosslare-line/a406364144.html The study has been completed and although there's no technical barriers, the passenger demand isn't there and it's not worth the money. The NTA are similarly cool on another DSER proposal to reopen Glenealy. They'd much rather swing the axe-- ahem, I mean introduce a shuttle from Greystones to Rosslare. They're still considering it, as this Independent article says. Aren't intercity trains meant to have higher priority than commuter ones? Not in this country, apparently.

I'd be surprised if there was any more than a few Limerick-Claremorris trains a day: I'd say Galway would be the main start and finish point for trains. The extension to five platforms will facilitate increased frequencies on all routes. As for the route itself, I've mused about this a few years ago earlier in the thread but I'd still be surprised if any intermediate stations other than Tuam opened. The Wikipedia quip is outdated at least: Ballyglunin has an article there now. Ballindine is roughly on par with Ardrahan and Milltown is smaller still, so I wouldn't expect them to reopen. But Ardrahan did reopen, so you'd never know. One more point: while I assume no major realignments will take place, there are four level crossings of the N17, three in fairly close succession around Ballindine and in towards Claremorris. Would safety standards demand any bridging of these at expense?

https://www.independent.ie/regionals/mayo/news/irish-rail-hopes-to-have-western-rail-corridor-construction-underway-before-2030/a1540391420.html Irish Rail's CEO says the company hopes to have construction underway by 2030, with design and feasibility studies currently in progress. If money wasn't an object Athenry-Claremorris "could be delivered in three years", but it is mentioned there is no broader funding for the project currently. The hope appears to be it getting listed in the National Development Plan.

https://www.ilovelimerick.ie/moyross-train-station-planning-permission/ This piece is a bit confusingly worded: planning permission's been granted, but a "final grant of planning" will come in a few weeks. So has it been granted or not? Things appear to be moving at any rate.

https://www.dartplus.ie/en-ie/projects/dart-coastal-south/public-consultation-1/emerging-preferred-option Public consultation for Dart+ South's first phase has begun. Resignalling and general linear works will be taken between Bray and Greystones, along with cutting back Bray Platform 1 to fit in an extra crossover, as in the picture below. It will still be long enough to fit a full Dart. (From the Dart+ website.) The target is getting a train to Greystones every 20 minutes. No extensive double-tracking across "Brunel's Folly", which would be prohibitively expensive anyway. Planning application scheduled to be submitted Q4 2026. No word on Irish Rail's own channels, but the Independent claims construction will start in 2028 and take two years. It also claims planning will start Q3 2026, so pinches of salt are required.

Nothing to do with Slieve Gullion, but what are those last few 141s doing in Inchicore anyway? I assume they're being kept for spares for the RPSI/maybe the other Irish Rail GMs? A stupid question, maybe, but have Maam Cross looked into getting one of them? Hardly essential when we have plenty of preserved 141s, but I may as well ask it.

Three whole years between application and permission. I can see it now: the day before the objection window closes, someone in the depths of Donegal will lodge an objection on some spurious grounds. I hope I'm wrong!

I'd love to go on the Navan Branch once in my life. It's not going to happen. With no Taras, there's no traffic. I'm not going to hold my breath for Drogheda-Navan shuttles. Even if we found the magic money tree and made it a heritage line, there's not many heritage lines seventeen miles long (the distance between Drogheda and Navan). A line two miles or so out of Navan would probably be a small bit more practical, but I'm not one particularly optimistic. Tangentially relevant, are there any other (as good as) disused lines a heritage group could hypothetically (pretend there's community buy-in and millions of euro) take over left? Did they do anything to the Mungret branch during the Foynes rebuild? Pretty much everything else I can think of has been greenway'd or should be reinstated for mainline service first.

https://www.irishtimes.com/transport/2025/09/08/plans-for-kylemore-train-station-in-west-dublin-unveiled/ Plans for a station at Kylemore have been announced and public consultation has begun. It's worth posting Irish Rail's information page too. To summarise: two platforms on what will become the slow lines, 174m long platforms for the new Darts. There's also a crossover between the the down slow and up fast, which I assume is there for emergencies, but maybe there's more crossovers outside the picture I'm missing.

https://www.irishtimes.com/transport/2025/08/29/plans-unveiled-for-moyross-railway-station-in-limerick-city/ Irish Rail have applied for planning permission for Moyross. The article says construction could start in 2026 (with Ireland's planning system?) and take 15 months (for a single platform?). Hopefully things go smoothly, and improvements to the line between Limerick and Ennis come soon.

https://www.irishrail.ie/en-ie/news/an-coimisiun-pleanala-approves-dart-coastal-north Dart+ North has its railway order. The piece mentions that construction should take three years once detailed planning is finished.

So I recently got a copy of the 16th edition of the Rail Atlas of Britain and Ireland, and it has a short length of track labelled as "Bog Train" near Ballina. The previous edition didn't have this. I did a bit of digging and the only things that turned up were a Facebook video from 2022 and this piece from who-knows-where. It says it's running on a track on the "Mayo North Heritage Centre". I checked the website of the North Mayo Heritage Centre, located about the same location as the line on the map, but there isn't any mention of trains at all on it. Was this a temporary track? Am I looking in the wrong places?

https://www.irishrail.ie/en-ie/news/major-flood-prevention-works-to-protect-waterford The main thing Irish Rail are mentioning are the flood works. Starting from the 25th of August, there will be bus substitutions as follows (quote from Irish Rail): 25th August to 27th November 2025, and 5th January to 26th March 2026 Works will take place from 08:00hrs to 14:30hrs on Mondays to Thursdays during the above dates. As a result, the following service alterations will apply: 07:20hrs and 10:15hrs Dublin Heuston to Waterford will terminate at Kilkenny, with bus transfers from Kilkenny to Thomastown and Waterford 11:00hrs and 13:05hrs Waterford to Dublin Heuston will have bus transfers from Waterford and Thomastown to Kilkenny, and train from Kilkenny to Heuston 09:45hrs Limerick Junction to Waterford will terminate at Carrick-on-Suir with bus transfer from Carrick-on-Suir to Waterford Also worth noting is the new Waterford station's stated opening year is currently 2027, and mechanical signalling in the Waterford area is set to be replaced at the same time.

I suppose this thread is good enough. No reports in Irish media and Google News searches turn up a lot of mirrors, but this is the oldest one as far as I can tell. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jacobs-to-support-critical-ireland-railway-infrastructure-program-302509528.html Jacobs have been given a contract for feasibility studies to improve the line from Portarlington to Galway. Of course, feasibility studies do not equal boots on the ground, but you can't get a boot on the ground without a feasibility study. The press release mentions improving line speeds and track capacity in line with the Strategic Rail Review: if stuck to the letter that's doubling to Athlone and eventually electrification to Galway. They may well find something cheaper, but all will probably be revealed in time.

I'll be convinced it's real when spades go into the ground.