First class 201 Delivery in 1994.

[steventrain]

Above and Beyond - First class 201 delivery.

 

[josefstadt]

Love the quote from Chet Huber GMLG: '... a tremendous locomotive for Irish Rail to use over the next 30 years .... to pull passengers and to pull freight ...'. Didn't quite work out like that for a large proportion of the fleet, including 201 itself!

[DiveController]

Love the quote from Chet Huber GMLG: '... a tremendous locomotive for Irish Rail to use over the next 30 years .... to pull passengers and to pull freight ...'. Didn't quite work out like that for a large proportion of the fleet, including 201 itself!

 

Roll on the beloved ICRs

 

What was also interesting was the comment form John McCarthy that they would operate at 100mph ……

Oh, wait, you'd need appropriate infrastructure for that.

 

Anyway that said, it was a record-breaking heavy-lift operation. I wonder how much time was saved and money spent to speed up the order? I can't help wonder if the order had been submitted a few weeks sooner, whether there would have been a need to airlift her at all or whether GM's factory at London, ON was the limiting factor?

[Mayner]

Roll on the beloved ICRs

 

What was also interesting was the comment form John McCarthy that they would operate at 100mph ……

Oh, wait, you'd need appropriate infrastructure for that.

 

Anyway that said, it was a record-breaking heavy-lift operation. I wonder how much time was saved and money spent to speed up the order? I can't help wonder if the order had been submitted a few weeks sooner, whether there would have been a need to airlift her at all or whether GM's factory at London, ON was the limiting factor?

 

The official reason for the airlift was to allow driver and maintenance staff training to take place before the remaining 9 locos were delivered, the unofficial reason was that the CIE Chairman Paul Conlon was about to retire and wanted a publicity stunt.

[DiveController]

The official reason for the airlift was to allow driver and maintenance staff training to take place before the remaining 9 locos were delivered, the unofficial reason was that the CIE Chairman Paul Conlon was about to retire and wanted a publicity stunt.

I suspected there was a reason such as this and this makes lot of sense. Our 'representatives' have been pretty good at finding ways to dispose of entrusted funds over the years with little or no return on the 'investment'. GM probably thought it was a great PR stunt for them too, with the focus on cutover satisfaction (but unlikely they footed any part of the bill).

As Stephen points out the class is now subtotally shelved, so we can 'save' money on newer traction and coaching stock. The MkIIIs had half a lifetime too bar the few to be resurrected in Scotland.

Edited December 26, 2015 by DiveController

[Noel]

. . . they would operate at 100mph . . .

 

They do on many sections of the Dublin-Cork line

[DiveController]

Haven't travelled that in a while, Noel. Many seem to favor the motorways now. I suppose some sections of one line 21 years after the statement was made is progress.

[hurricanemk1c]

The 'ton' can be done at the following locations:

 

Dublin-Cork-Dublin

 

Down Direction

Signal HK101 - South of Hazelhatch (MP 2 3/4 - 10 1/4) (Fast Line Only)

Hazelhatch - Sallins (MP 13 1/4 - 16 1/4)

Cherryville Jn - Portarlington (MP 32 1/2 - 41 1/8)

Portarlington - Portlaoise (MP 41 3/4 - 50 3/4)

Portlaoise - Ballybrophy (MP 66 - 69)

Lisduff - Thurles (MP 75 3/4 - 77)

Lisduff - Thurles (MP 79 - 80)

Thurles - Limerick Jn (MP 104 - 105 3/4)

 

Up Direction

Limerick Jn - Thurles (MP 106 1/4 - 104)

Lisduff - Ballybrophy (MP 69 - 66)

Portlaoise - Portarlington (MP 50 3/4 - 41 3/4)

Portarlington - Cherryville Jn (MP 41 1/8 - 32 1/2)

Hazelhatch - Cherry Orcard (MP 10 1/2 - 3) (Fast Line Only)

 

 

Kildare-Kilkenny-Kildare

 

Down Direction

Cherryville Jn - Athy (MP 34 - 35 1/4)

Cherryville Jn - Athy (MP 36 - 37 3/8)

Cherryville Jn - Athy (MP 37 3/4 - 38 5/8)

Cherryville Jn - Athy (MP 40 5/8 - 43 1/8)

Athy - Carlow (MP 46 7/8 - 49)

Athy - Carlow (MP 49 1/4 - 50 1/2)

Athy - Carlow (MP50 3/4 - 51 3/8)

 

Up Direction

Athy - Carlow (MP 51 1/2 - 50 3/4)

Athy - Carlow (MP 50 1/2 - 49 1/4)

Athy - Carlow (MP 49 - 46 7/8)

Athy - Cherryville Jn (MP 43 1/8 - 40 5/8)

Athy - Cherryville Jn (MP 38 3/4 - 38)

Athy - Cherryville Jn (MP 37 1/2 - 36)

Athy - Cherryville Jn (MP 35 1/2 - 34 1/4)

 

Loco hauled limited to 80 mph, so actually would be slightly faster due to the length of the 100mph sections

 

Some sections of Portarlington-Galway are also 100 mph, although loco hauled stock limited to 80 mph

[GSR 800]

The 'ton' can be done at the following locations:

 

Dublin-Cork-Dublin

 

Down Direction

Signal HK101 - South of Hazelhatch (MP 2 3/4 - 10 1/4) (Fast Line Only)

Hazelhatch - Sallins (MP 13 1/4 - 16 1/4)

Cherryville Jn - Portarlington (MP 32 1/2 - 41 1/8)

Portarlington - Portlaoise (MP 41 3/4 - 50 3/4)

Portlaoise - Ballybrophy (MP 66 - 69)

Lisduff - Thurles (MP 75 3/4 - 77)

Lisduff - Thurles (MP 79 - 80)

Thurles - Limerick Jn (MP 104 - 105 3/4)

 

Up Direction

Limerick Jn - Thurles (MP 106 1/4 - 104)

Lisduff - Ballybrophy (MP 69 - 66)

Portlaoise - Portarlington (MP 50 3/4 - 41 3/4)

Portarlington - Cherryville Jn (MP 41 1/8 - 32 1/2)

Hazelhatch - Cherry Orcard (MP 10 1/2 - 3) (Fast Line Only)

 

 

Kildare-Kilkenny-Kildare

 

Down Direction

Cherryville Jn - Athy (MP 34 - 35 1/4)

Cherryville Jn - Athy (MP 36 - 37 3/8)

Cherryville Jn - Athy (MP 37 3/4 - 38 5/8)

Cherryville Jn - Athy (MP 40 5/8 - 43 1/8)

Athy - Carlow (MP 46 7/8 - 49)

Athy - Carlow (MP 49 1/4 - 50 1/2)

Athy - Carlow (MP50 3/4 - 51 3/8)

 

Up Direction

Athy - Carlow (MP 51 1/2 - 50 3/4)

Athy - Carlow (MP 50 1/2 - 49 1/4)

Athy - Carlow (MP 49 - 46 7/8)

Athy - Cherryville Jn (MP 43 1/8 - 40 5/8)

Athy - Cherryville Jn (MP 38 3/4 - 38)

Athy - Cherryville Jn (MP 37 1/2 - 36)

Athy - Cherryville Jn (MP 35 1/2 - 34 1/4)

 

Loco hauled limited to 80 mph, so actually would be slightly faster due to the length of the 100mph sections

 

Some sections of Portarlington-Galway are also 100 mph, although loco hauled stock limited to 80 mph

Bit pointless to have some areas on lines that trains can reach 100mph, while others cannot. In order for the railways to be competitive with motorways there would have to be serous investment in..

 

The permanent way, would need to be upgraded, so trains could reach a sustained speed of 100mph at least.

Rolling stock, in my opinion if the railcar scheme is going to continue, they should at least refit them to be more comfortable for both passengers, and drivers (it was mentioned how terrible they are to drive in another thread' especially the 22000s)

[jhb171achill]

With the modern motorway network, particularly Dublin - Wexford, Dublin - Cork, Dublin - Galway and Dublin - Belfast, the railways have permanently lost the time advantage. If they upped their comfort game instead, they might be back in the running.

 

That said, passenger numbers are rising post-recession, and with the population of Dublin set to exceed that of Northern Ireland within 20 years, more people will mean more road congestion and therefore more business for the railway.

[Noel]

With the modern motorway network, particularly Dublin - Wexford, Dublin - Cork, Dublin - Galway and Dublin - Belfast, the railways have permanently lost the time advantage. If they upped their comfort game instead, they might be back in the running.

 

Agree, relatively short rail sectors on our small island geographically cannot compete with motorways for speed, so to differentiate they need sell 'comfort' and point to point connectivity. The ability to 'chill out' on the train in comfort, peace and quiet with grub at least as good as motorway services might compete better with roads. This the 22k's fail to do. The fibreglass seats are hideous to sit on for more than one hour. Give me an intercity bus seat any day. Sadly the dots are not joined like other european networks as it takes too much time and inconvenience to get to Heuston. Pity they don't have a major intercity station where the M50 intersects the main line with a vast car park system.