Cork Freight return

[scahalane]

Looks like rail freight could be returning to Cork with the redevelopment of Marino Point.

 

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/quay-developments-set-to-transform-cork-city-and-harbour-412831.html

[Railer]

I wouldn't get my hopes up. They look to be doing just what they did to Northwall, Hollyhead and Midlands yards, selling off land so apartment blocks can be built.

 

I'd feel happier about news to re connect North Esk yard back to the mainline.

 

Actually reading more into it in the report, it might hold some promise. And with IE looking into re engineing the 12 stored 201s to return them to traffic.

Edited July 28, 2016 by Railer

[scahalane]

I know the main yard at Cork will never return to freight but if you scroll down to the end of the article there's a bit about bio mass freight from the marino point site.

 

(Meanwhile, Port of Cork is leading a c€8m consortium buy-out of the site of the former fertiliser plant IFI on 114 acres at Marino Point which will be developed to take oil, agri-feed and fertiliser shipping traffic and use the facility’s rail link for biomass freight.

[MOGUL]

It's a nice idea and it would be great to see some sort of rail freight in the Cork area.. But I have a few reservations:

 

Where is the Bio Mass meant to be going to.. I can't think of any power plants that would be better served from Cork than from Dublin..

 

Ditto for Oil, where would be better served by Rail from Cork than by Road from the nearest port(Dublin, New Ross, Foynes and Galway all spring to mind)

 

I think the most likely scenario will be North Esk being reconnected to handle container trains from Dublin.. I've lost count of the amount of times I have cursed the lack of a container train to and from Cork and then gone and paid a haulier a small ransom to do the job!

Edited July 28, 2016 by MOGUL

[dave182]

Biomass... I see the project in Mayo at the old Asahi plant has stalled also. http://www.thejournal.ie/mayo-power-plant-halt-2891808-Jul2016/

[Georgeconna]

It's a nice idea and it would be great to see some sort of rail freight in the Cork area.. But I have a few reservations:

 

Where is the Bio Mass meant to be going to.. I can't think of any power plants that would be better served from Cork than from Dublin..

 

Ditto for Oil, where would be better served by Rail from Cork than by Road from the nearest port(Dublin, New Ross, Foynes and Galway all spring to mind)

 

I think the most likely scenario will be North Esk being reconnected to handle container trains from Dublin.. I've lost count of the amount of times I have cursed the lack of a container train to and from Cork and then gone and paid a haulier a small ransom to do the job!

 

CIE gave me rates for containers to Cork back in the 2000's, These would arrive Dublin port and be transported by rail to Cork. I was all excited till I saw the Rates. Completely out of kilter and not competitive with road.

 

Container trains to Cork pointless as we have feeder Vessels into Cork from Rotterdam that the Truckers collect and deliver around the Munster area. There would be no point in Railing these from Dublin to Cork as it would mean extra time and cost.

 

Why don't you get your containers to come into Cork Port and not Dublin?

 

It would be great if this did happen as I have a Fab view over the Marina from the office but as it was said earlier on it most likely is all PR Spin.

[MOGUL]

Hi George,

I wouldnt think IE had the best set up or concept of how to charge for freight back in the 2000s! But I can tell you that the rates on the trains to Ballina in the 2010s are definitely competitive or cheaper than by road, particularly for bulk units..

 

I bring containers into Dublin, Cork and Waterford on a regular basis.. Dublin has by far the best connections to some areas(Liverpool/NW UK, Spain and Med spring to mind) and much more regular frequency.. So often rather than wait a week for the next feeder to Cork or Waterford we would ship to Dublin and road to Cork or Waterford.. Similarly we sometimes have a need to move product from Cork to Dublin or Belfast to meet shortfalls there.. I know that some shipping lines are also moving containers between both Ports also, by sea and road..

 

Are you still involved in freight in Cork George?

[Mayner]

Recently read a piece from a rail industry manager where railfreight in small open economies like Ireland did not stand "a snowballs chance" in competing with road or coastal shipping. Railfreight from North Mayo survives mainly due to a cluster of industry and remoteness from a deep sea container port.

 

Cork, Dublin & the Shannon Estuary's industrial success is based on being in the vicinity of a port with good shipping connections eliminating the need for a long line haul by road or rail from factory to port.

 

Ironically a high proportion of rail container traffic is often moving empty containers about because of the imbalance in import export container traffic between ports.

Edited August 1, 2016 by Mayner