hurricanemk1c

Still not comparing like with like. 2 stops is not 4 stops. That is my point. Now they are 2 hours 12 minutes (generally) with 4 stops on a considerably busier network on both sides of the border, the NIR section in particular never being highlighted as an issue which is equally so due to signalling constraints.

1947 Enterprise was also non stop, compared to four stops, the dwell time alone being 6.5 minutes, and a stop on average costs an extra 2.5 minutes in acceleration and deceleration, so that's 16.5 minutes just for stops. I really hate when people just look at a time and go "oh it was better then" without actually properly comparing them. There has been trains sub two hours in the last year.

Batteries are useless for long distance operation, plus the environmental impact of creating the batteries and recycling them end of life. It's several tonnes extra per vehicle to carry around, and the heavier the vehicle the more energy required to move it. Electrification is the only way to go for proper reductions in emissions and to secure the long-term viability of the railway network. I will admit that some routes (for example the Nenagh branch) wouldn't, at the moment, justify electrification and alternative methods would be possible. That Wabtec loco is 177 tonnes. A 201 is 112 - so 65 tonnes (or approximately a Baby GM) heavier

March 2023 was a busy month for me, with the final ICR delivery and a trip to Switzerland making two significant parts of the month, along with shots of the Sperry train in action. All photos here - https://www.flickr.com/photos/hurricanemk1c/albums/72177720307938147 Regards, Kieran

While some routes would never be economically viable to electrify, it's more than possible to electrify from an infrastructural viewpoint. A bridge can be raised (if planned correctly) over a bank holiday weekend. It's planned for the Maynooth line and electrification proposals for the Phoenix Park Tunnel are in progress as per the public consultation. 071s can't last forever, neither can 201s, and parts are starting to become harder to get by. If Enterprise goes for loco propulsion, a full fleet replacement would be beneficial both to standardise parts, training and reduce the cost per vehicle. There is a project plan to convert at least one 071 to hydrogen power

February 2023 was reasonably quite, with a trip to the UK at the beginning of the month, the new Track Recording Vehicle on trial and more more ICR B2 car deliveries All photos - https://flickr.com/photos/hurricanemk1c/albums/72177720307588624 Regards, Kieran

I've always believed it was to clearly mark it as an outlying platform. Numbering Platform 10 as Platform 9 would indicate it was close to Platform 8 even though it's not. Similar ideas are used in Europe, with stations on different levels (such as Zurich Hb) being numbered in different series (1-11 being street level, 21-24 next level down, 31-34 level below etc). Additionally they frequently number the tracks rather than platform. For example, a station with through road (so platform, through, through, platform) would be Platform 1 and Platform4, 2 and 3 being the nominal through platforms

It's a fuel consumption based on max rpm with a 1,000 tonne load according to the RSS website. As is though I'd struggle to see an application for a loco with a 33-ton axle load!

January 2023 was a quiet month for me, only taking rail photos on three days of the month. Main highlight was as below All photos - https://www.flickr.com/photos/hurricanemk1c/albums/72177720306915806 February was a bit busier! Kieran

DART+ West ground preparation work is due to start in October 2023 with drainage works according to the Network Statement

Several sets were painted, but with the slow progress the last sets weren't painted but wrapped in vinyl, hence the article. Although rather late as the last one was done in September from memory

I was more pointing out about Guinness starting up their railway again, which is covered under the same law as any railway above 350mm gauge (Guinness being approx 560mm). It's a business decision, Diageo couldn't care less about the distance between the rails!

Lot more than just that, as the gauge is over 350mm would have to meet the full CRR requirements (for a loco have a look at document CRR-036A). Restoring it would be the simple part, everything else around it wouldn't be and probably not worth it when there's currently two heritage railways with steam, and more on the horizon

Frames and boilers had different numbers in the same series, think Guinness actually numbered the locos by boiler rather than frame just to confuse everyone!

Narrow gauge is "temporary" (operating cert covers the running of it for 5 years).

Gut instinct is the top one is a 2600

Current usable lengths are 146m for both platforms. Note that'll exclude ramps, and sections of platform no longer used (if there are any, been a few years since I was down that way)

True, but never operated by the Marineflieger, only the Luftwaffe He goes into it in some detail in his book "Wings On My Sleeve" and the rebirth of the naval air arm

Post war the initial Marineflieger used British aircraft as they used the Royal Navy to rehabilitate it. They still use Lynx and Sea King helicopters, and historically used Hawker Sea Hawks and Percival Pembroke (which was their first aircraft since the 1930s when all aviation moved to the Luftwaffe). They also used Tornados which were part British

And they were called Polo Mints because they reminded people of the sweets!

Good size for a money box......

Pretty much. The bowling ball didn't last too long, although 22007 was the last to be treated some time between April and August 2013 from my own photos. UIC numbers started creeping in with the 22047-22063 batch delivered in 2012 and progressively were added to the existing fleet. Blue doors (or more accurately a shade of purple) started with 22008 in November 2018 and was spread across the fleet as they went in for internal refurb. The last set was I think 22029 I am available for scanning! My big question is where the front number will be on 22302.........

You can put the fastest, most comfortable trains in the world on the line, and won't make any difference when some idiot hits a level crossing and takes out the barriers, or cuts cables etc. Until the infrastructure allows for it, not a lot can be done, simple as that. I'd love to see how others would construct a timetable with the required number of services on the current infrastructure

Slotting into a busy commuter railway (assuming you're measuring from Dublin) along with the restrictive single line from Maynooth onwards with time for crossings having to be included Of note is that average time end-to-end has decreased by 15 minutes since 1991, while service level has doubled for Intercity and increased several times over for commuter traffic to/from Maynooth, along with certain sections having more restrictive speed restrictions.

Because it's cheaper as part of a 400 vehicle order than a 30 vehicle order. Considerably cheaper