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Darrman

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  1. https://www.irishrail.ie/en-ie/news/limerick-to-ennis-line-to-close-due-to-flooding-fr Limerick to Ennis closed until further notice and bus substitutions in operation. It's only been four years since the last time it flooded, according to the article. Irish Rail's piece also has an explanation on why Ballycar floods so often and how it should be fixed: the cost being given at €16.7 million by 2020 prices - so double that probably. Just how many times has Ballycar flooded?
  2. Nothing would bring me to the Irish Ikea branch, so I've never been. But my bedroom is lined with Ikea shelves, and they work just fine. Some assembly required, though!
  3. Galway Beo report Irish Rail are about to apply for planning permission for a passing loop at Oranmore. The article also reports a councillor's call to build a station in Renmore. Extra stops for locals to Athenry can't hurt, though I wouldn't have any intercities call. The only public road leading down to the railway line in the Renmore area is in the left circle I drew. In a world where there are frequent Galway suburban services I'd consider opening a station in Roscam at the level crossing on the right circle, but it might be too close (about a mile) to Oranmore. If old Oranmore's site was used instead it would be an easier prospect, I think. Any such developments should come with double tracking, and I'd have Athenry become the last stop before Galway for Dublin services.
  4. https://www.rte.ie/news/regional/2024/0124/1428430-dart-airport/ A bit of an old report, but this has the Irish Rail CEO suggesting it could be done in about five years. He also did not cost it, nor is it funded. The closest to a detail you can get is him suggesting going over the M1. While I think having an airport link is important, I am under no illusion that it will be built - nor do I have any faith in the Dublin Metro being built either. Pretending it will be built for a moment, I'd say the service should either be direct to Connolly or maybe allow a stop at Clongriffin for people to change onto locals. Of course, there's only so much capacity on the line and it's jammed enough as is. Divert them to the new Docklands station when/if that's built to relieve Connolly? Won't fix Enterprise traffic jams without extra tracks, which would require a lot of construction in its own right. A nice idea, but would need a lot of work to do correctly.
  5. The rumour mill is spinning: a piece in the Examiner quotes an Irish Rail official as saying reopening to Youghal hasn't been ruled out. He also suggested putting in a bus lane! All of these would be next to the cyclists. Personally, I think the smart thing to do is crack on with the current plans: they're big enough. Once the line to Midelton is doubled, then go on to Youghal.
  6. Darrman

    Murphy Models Mk2d

    Santa Claus has finally arrived...
  7. In the end, I just went for it: pre-ordering items is free. Again, a sad day for railway modelling.
  8. Bad news all around. I hadn't pre-ordered any CIE coaches in the hope I could possibly buy them on release: I don't see that looking too likely now. Should I pre-order a few of the remaining coaches now? It's an orderly shutdown, but they are shutting down.
  9. Since it covers several lines, I'll just make a new thread for this. The latest revision of the TEN-T network is going around Europe for approval. Its purpose is to enhance connectivity across Europe, but since Ireland is on an island this doesn't really achieve much for us. The important part is being eligible for funding from Europe: what government would turn down free stuff? Being on the core network (lines in bold - Dublin - Cork and the border) need a top speed of at least 160km/h by 2040 - Cork's already there. No speed requirement is given for the comprehensive network, though the thought of 100mph Nenagh trains is funny. Signalling also has to be converted to Europe's standard, which seems spectacularly pointless to me and a waste of money as there'll never be any trains from the continent, but if ERTMS really does make things significantly more efficient, I'm all ears. Airports with more than 12 million passengers a year (Dublin) need "long-distance rail" connections - in other words, the Dublin Metro won't cut it. Cork is a core airport too, but falls well below the rail connection threshold. As much as I'd like to see one (one foot back in the door to West Cork), how would it even be done? Finally, the expected date for completion is 2030 for the core network and 2050 for the comprenshive network: plenty of road for the can to be kicked! Left: 2023 draft, right: 2017 version. There's seperate maps for passenger and goods services: the only difference is the Foynes Branch and Limerick Junction to Limerick is a core line for goods, along with showing sea ports (Dublin, Cork, Foynes as core, Waterford, Rosslare, Galway as comprehensive) instead of airports. Additions include reinstatement of the South Wexford and Athenry to Claremorris, along with inclusion of the Nenagh Branch and South Tipperary - possibly a sign that they won't get closed. Foynes is currently in progress, and the reinstated Navan line is still there as an aspiration. While several towns were listed in the 2017 map, only four cities are in this year's; they all have to come up with "sustainable urban mobility plans". And of course, a certain political event resulted in the elimination of everything north of the border, leading the Dublin-Belfast line to be unceremoniously cut off. An improved railway is always a good thing. Let's hope the money comes in.
  10. Galway Beo report that vegetation clearance is underway on the line. In addition, the Mayo News reports that Government have agreed to apply to include Athenry-Claremorris and Waterford-Rosslare into the TEN-T network, which would open up funding from Europe. Not directly related to the WRC but still important is the signing of a contract to refurbish Ceannt Station, bringing Galway from two platforms to five, as reported by the Independent. I've tried to find relevant planning applications, but Galway City Council's website is rubbish and any time you try to search for something it breaks. The significant capacity upgrade would serve Mayo services well.
  11. First time at a model event. Had a good time, met a few forum members, and came home with a nice haul of stuff.
  12. The Dart+ Southwest plans for Kylemore Road bridge mention making provision for a station at that location, though they won't build any station as part of that project. Source: https://www.dartplus.ie/getattachment/9fb2b4a1-400c-4a27-898e-4778ba33cd1c/Volume-3C-Option-Selection-Le-Fanu-Bridge-to-Kylemore-Bridge.pdf The plans also make mention of passive provision for a station at Cabra where the sidings used to be (link here). Image is from page 19. While I see nothing stopping Irish Rail from building something at Cabra tomorrow, it's probably better to do Kylemore with the Dart works. Building a station just to knock it a few years later to allow four tracks would be foolish. The Dart plans entail doing Dart+ West first, which is all well and good. Unfortunately, Ireland's planning system is glacial, as you all know, and when I went to the railway order page, it turns out Irish Rail have submitted an updated enviromental impact statement this month forcing yet another statutory consultation... I'll link the statement here for those interested. Needless to say, this wasn't much publicised. Maybe it will be done at the end of the decade? Regarding the MGWR main line, putting a big bike track on top of it is a ridiculous notion, and that's exactly what happened. Rip it up - not that it will be. I passed through Athlone a few months ago; the railway (if you can call it that) is in a sorry state. Does anyone have any idea how well-used the "greenway" is? I took a photo looking towards Dublin. From memory the line had been lifted beyond the last level crossing in the Galway direction, but I didn't take a photo of that side. It would be a lot of work to reinstate Mullingar-Athlone. You'd have to reopen Athlone Midland, relay the entire line, bulldoze the bike track or fence off the cyclists. If the cyclists can stay, what do you do for passing loops? Divert them around Moate? Cyclists on a platform would only lead to trouble. If doubling the line, the cyclists have to go. I've no idea of the state of Mullingar: is the Galway side of the station still connected? Doubling Maynooth-Mullingar should be little trouble though. Getting a platform under the bridge at Kilcock does seem awkward, but since the line was built as double there shouldn't be much of a problem. Even if Irish Rail thought full doubling was too much, actually using Enfield's second platform would be a very simple measure. How much does a footbridge cost? If going on to Sligo, the MGWR's limit of doubling was Longford, I believe; going further would therefore be more expensive. I'd like to see just how many trains a day go by which line segments to see where doubling is best, but this post is getting long enough and it's already very late.
  13. Will the suburb Woodbrook is being built to serve come about or will we end up with another Kishogue situation? Certainly I see a whole lot of fields, but there is evidence of construction close enough. The station will roughly be where I drew a red circle (source: the planning permission page and documents within). Let's hope we don't end up with every single Dart stopping for a graveyard and golf course, and that the relevant construction doesn't have something stupid end up happening. Knowing this country, stupidity is inevitable. In Cork, they keep trotting out the "events centre" of non-existence every so often...
  14. Darrman

    DCDR Flooding

    I was only in Downpatrick the other day for the Halloween trains, and it was a great day. Such a shame to see the place flooded.
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