New DART Fleet

[Westcorkrailway]

2 minutes ago, Blaine said:

Whats in front of it in that shed will gain more interest from this forum though

 

Although that was outside for a while and in full view of cork trains

[Galteemore]

I’m intrigued to know what a ‘family stowage area’ is….some sort of cage for holding parents and kids ? 

Edited March 29, 2023 by Galteemore

[Broithe]

Somebody was wise enough to ensure the word 'modern' was included, before we spent days shooting them down on here over the Drumm...

 

 

[DoctorPan]

26 minutes ago, Galteemore said:

I’m intrigued to know what a ‘family stowage area’ is….some sort of cage for holding parents and kids ? 

Wider gaps between seats and areas to store buggies instead of lumping them in with wheelchair users.

[spudfan]

Some more on this

DART+ train mock-up unveiled in Dublin | News | Railway Gazette International

[irishrailways52]

On 29/3/2023 at 11:39 AM, DoctorPan said:

Wider gaps between seats and areas to store buggies instead of lumping them in with wheelchair users.

id love if they made an enthusiast area where we did not have to worry about people playing loud music that ruins our footage. 

[Branchline121]

6 hours ago, irishrailways52 said:

id love if they made an enthusiast area where we did not have to worry about people playing loud music that ruins our footage. 

They did it on the Cork service so there’s still a chance!

[Darrman]

A thought that came to mind: when the new Darts arrive and the 1980s units get withdrawn, how exactly would one be preserved? I doubt anyone's going to build an electric railway for it to travel up and down - it would be expensive, for starters. Make one a static exhibit somewhere?

[Westcorkrailway]

10 minutes ago, Darrman said:

A thought that came to mind: when the new Darts arrive and the 1980s units get withdrawn, how exactly would one be preserved? I doubt anyone's going to build an electric railway for it to travel up and down - it would be expensive, for starters. Make one a static exhibit somewhere?

I have heard rumblings that the class leader is earmarked for static preservation, otherwise there bassically all going to be scraped ids say!

[DJ Dangerous]

40 minutes ago, Darrman said:

A thought that came to mind: when the new Darts arrive and the 1980s units get withdrawn, how exactly would one be preserved? I doubt anyone's going to build an electric railway for it to travel up and down - it would be expensive, for starters. Make one a static exhibit somewhere?

 

Just change the couplings and haul them with a preserved 071.

[jhb171achill]

Static.

Much as Irish railway preservation is expanding modern image and further back into history, I'd be pretty well 100% certain that a DART is not going to end up at Whitehead, Downpatrick or Cultra.

It's about time the government funded something like the NRM in brexitsan; maybe recently retired Darts, 26 class railcars and 071s would be suitable initial targets for such a thing. Stick them under the roof at Westland Row by digging out one of the old bay platforms.

[Sean]

 works for these guys , or they could glue one onto a dmu and preserve the whole lot as if it were headed for the emu depot that is not electrified.......

Edited April 3, 2023 by Sean

[Branchline121]

I heard somewhere Irish Rail were looking for a(nother) mid-life refurbishment tender for them, so it looks the old DARTs won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.

[irishrailways52]

by the looks of this image we cold see whole network electrification. the preserved darts could then run on that. only problem is by the time the Irish government gives the funding I will be in the ground. 

[Branchline121]

7 hours ago, irishrailways52 said:

by the looks of this image we cold see whole network electrification. the preserved darts could then run on that. only problem is by the time the Irish government gives the funding I will be in the ground. 

Not to jump the gun, but… Judging by the design of the locomotive it seems IÉ are planning on buying a fleet of electric Alstom Traxx engines, and the mountains and freight signify that the Kilkenny line is going to be electrified!