[Article] Minister supports cross city rail link

[Mark Hennessy]

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0406/1224244068221.html

WORK COULD begin on two underground systems in Dublin next year, following support at the weekend by Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey for Iarnród Éireann’s proposed “Dart Underground” interconnector linking the city’s main stations.

As I said tongue in cheek in the members area, the "vote of confidence" from the Minister could be the kiss of death for this project :p

Anyway, I guess we'll know more after Part IV of the 2009 Budget tomorrow.

[Mark Hennessy]

Also in the Indo

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/rail-plan-changes-will-avert-chaos-in-capital-1699576.html

Now, while passengers will still alight underground at Heuston, the trains will terminate further down the line on Irish Rail land in nearby Inchicore which has ample space for the trains that will use the tunnel.

[zag]

I can hear the conversation now . . . "Lads, d'ye know what ? It's a right pain in the proverbials having to get out here to Inchicore in the mornings. Wouldn't it be great if we could just get on a train in the city (the real part of the city) and get off in Inchicore. Wouldn't it be gas if we could run those new interconnector yokes all the way out here. Hang on a second . . ."

z

[Mark Gleeson]

Not as if we didn't see this coming

http://www.railusers.ie/campaigns/extendthedart/interconnector_technical.php

Also means the Phoenix Park tunnel is back on the agenda for use post Interconnector

I as did several other members have quite heated arguments with various Irish Rail and consultant engineers in 2008 and 2007 who denied that a tunnel to Inchicore was the best option

This also means DART to Hazelhatch is back on the agenda for 2015. Irish Rail where not going to proceed with the 4 track west of Heuston until after the interconnector opened

[ACustomer]

It always seemed to me that starting the Interconnector somewhare near Islandbridge Juncrion or Heuston Guinness sidings was going to be a nightmare in terms of disruption and conflicts between Interconnector and Heuston Mainline movements. Starting the tunnel at Inchicore is just obvious common sense.

Some of the "DART to Inchicore" stuff being reported to-day just shows how the media always get things in a muddle.

[Colm Moore]

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/rail-plan-changes-will-avert-chaos-in-capital-1699576.html

Now, while passengers will still alight underground at Heuston, the trains will terminate further down the line on Irish Rail land in nearby Inchicore which has ample space for the trains that will use the tunnel.Then Kildare/Hazelhatch electrification is definitely a separate project.

[Mark]

Victor, this may just be poor journalism and referring to the shortrunning Howth trains which was going to be the case with the turnback facility proposed but now removed from the heuston station box. I assume this facility will now be incorporated into the Inchicore works.

In terms of separate projects, internally, the Interconnector is separated from the electrification of the lines but this would be a normal procedure.

[eugene]

Anyone read this?

http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/national-news/politics/transport-funding-to-be-cut-by-315-million-1701838.html

[comcor]

A lot more detail in today's Examiner

http://www.examiner.ie/ireland/ididqlsncw/

In summary, the following got scrapped

Preparatory work for electrification of the Maynooth line.
Preparatory work on an upgrade of Cherry Orchard-Inchicore line.
Construction of a new railway station at Kilbarry on the Cork-Blarney commuter line.
Implementation of the Railway Safety Commission’s programme.
Upgrade works on Luas power lines.
Planning on the Metro West line. nFunding cutbacks totalling e20m were also announced for traffic management grants in the greater Dublin area, including park and ride facilities.
A programme to improve accessibility for disabled persons to public transport also had its budget slashed by e5m to e20m, while e3m of spending on an integrated ticketing project was deferred until 2010.


Considering the roads budget was maintained it's a disaster.

I would like to see a single road project that would do as well on Cost-Benefit Analysis as opening Kilbarry station.

[eugene]

FFS can't believe the Maynooth line electrification is scrapped for the time being. And the road projects continued. What is the point of the so called Green Party being in government

[Mark Hennessy]

FFS can't believe the Maynooth line electrification is scrapped for the time being. And the road projects continued. What is the point of the so called Green Party being in government

The Greens are in Govt?!!

Wow, I thought they were just the hippy wing of FF as they certainly haven't stood up for anything they believe in.

[Jack O'Neill]

They obviously think the future in Public transport lies in electirc cars!

may I also add a FFS!

[eugene]

More information

http://www.transport.ie/pressRelease.aspx?Id=82

[Mark]

No mention of planning being continued for Line B2 Bray, Line F Lucan, Line BX/D, Navan Rail Phase 2 and any of the further electrification of the DART lines.

Not too bad considering the IC and MN projects are still in. Could have been worse but more news is expected to come out over the coming months as each department makes their own cutbacks I think.

[ThomasJ]

Isn't the Maynooth line electrification taking place in tandem with the City centre resignalling



'I understand, from the Minister, that Iarnród Éireann intend to undertake the resignalling and the removal of level crossings on the Maynooth line in the period 2009-2012 and that the electrification of the line will progress in tandem with the resignalling.'



http://www.ainebrady.com/news.htm/news/id/373

The detailed planning and design of the upgrade works on the Maynooth line is a matter for Iarnród Éireann. I understand that Iarnród Éireann intend to undertake the resignalling and the removal of level crossings on the line in the period 2009-2012 and that the electrification of the line will progress in tandem with the resignalling. These projects will provide for a significant increase in trains per hour from 7 currently to 17 trains per hour. When completed the Maynooth line will become an integral part of the DART network.


Isn't the resignalling going ahead?

[Mark Gleeson]

The city centre resignaling project includes new signaling from Malahide to Lansdowne Rd and the Connolly Clonsilla section at the very least. Also the elimination of nearly all Maynooth line level crossings. A new signal equipment room has already appeared at Howth Junction

New signaling on the Maynooth line is required before electric trains can run, the Clonsilla Connolly section is the oldest electric signaling still in use in Dublin

A significant amount of work was done in 1999 on the Maynooth line to make electrification easier in the future

Irish Rail already have detailed plans for the Cherry Orchard - Inchicore

[eugene]

Thanks Mark for the clarification.

What is your opinion then of the actual status of the upgrade for the Maynooth line? It is going ahead as it is an central part of the resignalling effort?

Maybe it is bad journalism which is giving the impression that the electrification has been postponed (see the Indo article I posted earlier)

I still see the "Pelletstown" station down on the future Maynooth line in the latest Interconnector diagrams of this week. Hope that still is build of course

[Mark Gleeson]

Its very hard to know what is going on, however in the order of things its signaling first then electrification

Bear in mind it took 4 years, to relay, re signal, electrify, modify nearly every bridge, build several stations back in the 1980's for the DART project, we are talking about half the distance on the Maynooth line and only need to re signal and electrify with minimal civil works