DoctorPan

Lot there to unpack but the main point that I wish to rebuke is the assertion that quad tracking the northern line will not proceed if Metrolink goes ahead. They are entirely separate projects and 4North has its separate pressures to push the project through. Also it will be integrated into the national rail system through ticketing and service connections, just because there isn't a physical connection does not mean it cannot and won't be.

Should point out that TII has a good track record regarding infrastructure projects, Luas Cross City was delivered on budget and ahead of schedule. It is a complex project with tunnelling but that is why good project management and goverence is vital for these big projects. NCH is the classic example of what happens when you rush initial works to get a decision due to political reasons. NCH was not fully designed before the contracts signed so any changes that have occured as different designs are being harmonised to each other, coupled with a client that keeps changing the scope, it is no wonder that BAM are making out with the change orders as what is currently built is not what they bid to build at the start. Comparison to Grand Central is apples to orange comparison as the scale and civil engineering complexity between a new terminus station and gubbins and a brand new underground metro is absurd

Metro will be a game changer but should also reviewed alongside the other projects that have been progressed at the same time. DART+ will provide transformative connections to the metro, Heuston side of the network, the option of changing at Hazelhatch/Heuston for a DART to Glasnevin to connect with the metro, or luas/bus on to the city center to connect with the metro. On the Sligo line, changing at Maynooth for a DART to Glasnevin will bring you into the metro system. Northern and South Eastern line has connections at Tara Street. Also would not be surprised to see an extension to connect to the Northern line and unlock land development north of Swords announced around the time construction is nearing completion. Also it should not be viewed as a city center to airport connection, the town of Swords suffers from terrible public transport connectivity and a reliable consistent journey time will be transformative. NTA has found that there can be up to over 60 mins of a journey time variance of buses from Swords into town due to traffic congestion. It is one of the most congested corridors at the moment, its not surprising looking at the trip generators served by the alignment. The capacity the metro can bring is amazing, its around 20,000 people per hour per direction, the luas is roughly around ~8,000 in comparison while a bus on a bus corridor on a 15 min frequency tops out at around 3,000 people per hour per direction.

Likewise, a yes for me.

Clearly it's going to be a model of Pat and Sambo as a collectors pack...

There's a great interview Ronnie gave on youtube as well. A true genleman.

Is there anything to be said about doing another scheme to prevent the question of electrification of the rail freight corridors?

Do you have any idea where? Haven't come across such a press release anywhere in the usual and unusual places.

Updated requirements and the information being out dated.

Platform 10 will become part of the new Heuston West station.

https://www.pleanala.ie/en-ie/case/316119 And the grapevine has borne fruit. South West has it's Railway Order!

Word on the grapevine is that ABP has granted DART+SouthWest it's Railway Order and should be made public today.

Speaking to Paddy, these aren't a solo project, Alstrom have asked him and provided CAD and the sort to help him produce this, hence why a 3D sample model of a full set appeared before real thing!

Tender award for the project and announcement for the winners is due to be made public shortly.

Winners of the recent Navan Line tender are due to be officially announced in the short term future, two main options to be invesitgated, the old D&M alignment or a diverision to bring it closer to Dunshaughlin. In fairness to the NTA, it's not for lack of interest in building railways. Indeed Marcello the head of rail is very eager to push projects through and get shovels in the ground. Indeed he has butted heads with IÉ over they wanting to run services to suit the infrastructure while he wants IÉ to be looking to put the infrastructure in to support the desired services. The NTA of old was more interested in buses but since the change in personal there's a big change coming from their side of the field. It is the departments of finance and public expenditure that are pumping the breaks on projects and requesting increasing levels of reports to show financial benefits as the OPW debacale has spooked the civil service into being afraid of signing off on infrastructure. Cycle lanes are smaller and nimble projects that don't have to go through the same level of regulatorly financial red tape. It's also should be noted that rail infrastructure investment is new again to the island and the industry has taken time to get to grips with delivering these projects but there's been a lot of background enabling works going on that are starting to come on stream which will speed up other projects.

Mine arrived and paid for, including the BnT van. Very much looking forward to this order.

The talk addressed that. Currently 3% of the network is electrified. They could spend the money retrofitting the existing DART network to 25kV AC or use it to expand the electrification corridor. Makes sense to decarbonise more of the network. They do plan to retrofit 25kV AC along the DART corridor eventually and indeed, I can easily see the next gen of DART units being designed to be dual voltage to allow a phased switch over.

The timing of this report has nothing to do with an election. It's been held up for nearly two years because Stormont had no sitting government.

As someone who works in the industry and indeed in a former life worked for Arup, the writers of the report, this is a change in policy from the Department of Transport, Finance and Public Expenditure. Ryan has pushed hard for a lot of behind the scenes changes in the departments and civil service and this is the result of it. All proposals in this report apparently have a benefits to cost ratio of 1:1 so they believe they will break even at minimum. A second factor that pushes the cost of these down is that it may be cheaper to build these then pay the fines to Europe for the breach of carbon emission limits. Thirdly, the European Investment Bank is involved to make monies available for this and indeed reviewing the plan to see which aspects can be deliveried quickly and most bang for buck. And finally another factor is this is being approached as how the motorway network was built in the 2000s and the investment that got. There's a load of movement and growth within the rail industry, hell Irish Rail and private consultants are constantly hiring engineering staff for rail projects.

Hazelhatch had two options considered and both were rejected for flood risk as well plus requiring removal of housing. There's not many locations within the existing study areas that fit the bill. Interesting times ahead.

A new depot location will have to be found. Considering its less than 24 hours since the announcment and ruling, I'm sure a review for a suitable site will occur. And yes a dedicated depot is required. Maynooth was intended to be the EMU version of Laois Train Care with Fairview becoming a stabling point and Drogheda acting as depot outpost. The question now is where can they find a 2km long site for their requirements.

Navan is currently out to tender for Phases 1 & 2, which does include OHLE design.

Yeah it's a Hornby James chassis and tender as its starting point.

Nicky Cox of Erritt Lodge Works on FB did a model of 461 using a James chassis and tender as a foundation.

https://www.atkinsrealis.com/en/media/trade-releases/2024/2024-01-22#:~:text=AtkinsRéalis will develop station location,the Limerick to Ennis Line. Few projects on the go mentioned there along with the Limerick Double Track project aslo.