Rail Highlights/Turkeys of 2005?

23-12-2005, 12:34

for me:

Highlight = Transport21 and the Inclusion of the Interconnector. The RPA stating that 40 meter trams on the red line is a good idea.

Turkeys = DART closed during summer weekends and Irish Rail continuing to make excuses why not to use the Phoenix Park tunnel

Apart from that it was a pretty fantastic year in terms of the ball finally rolling and a final commitment to long-fingered projects getting the nod at last.

Having said that, if Transport 21 had of not been announced in November 2005 would have been looked back on a poor year for rail transport in Ireland.

sean · 23-12-2005, 13:27

Highlights:
T21: Metro AND Interconnector and a bunch of (crayon) Luas lines.
Finding out that the ramp-up time on the Luas was shorter than expected - no subvention sought in 2006. Ehh ... what was that about Luas being a disaster McCarthy and Co?

Turkeys: 29000s. On Sligo. Realising that Irish Rail really are a pack of dishonest, morons.

Mark Gleeson · 23-12-2005, 16:52

Highlights

July 28th standing in the Dublin docks seeing a CDE coach been unloaded (in the worst rain imaginable) it looks the business
Order of 120 railcars in January
June 1st Derek and I get a big piece in the Irish Times
Standing on the Brides Glen viaduct, you won't get a Luas line over it (you will but someone plonked a 4 story office building on the approach
Monday 21st March, P11 vs the RPA cheap ass metro, we won and actually made it possible to have an orbital metro, we wanted longer trains

Turning point

April 6th, 2700 series railcar spilts in 2 outside Wexford leading to there instant removal from intericty services which in turn led to drivers refusing to drive them on the Sligo route which brought around the 2900 situation

Egg on face

RPA who admit they now need 40 m trams on the Tallaght line
Dick Fearn, Micheal Power and Barry Kenny the ongoing Sligo debacle but particularly the attempt to use a pair of *******d locomotives on a service train to Sligo, and block book 250 seats kicking joe public off. IE withdrew the plan after P11 kicked up a fuss. The ongoing 29000 situation is unacceptable and we have confirmation that the rail safety commission have requested a report from IE

Biggest let down

November 1st, transport 21. Iarnrod Eireann got zlich over the baseline of what they where promised years ago, remember IE stated that the interconnector tunnel could be built by 2015 if the current funding levels where maintained, ie the 5 year 1.3 billion envelope. I could have dreamt up a better plan to move more people for less

Derek Wheeler · 01-01-2006, 03:21

Rail highlights........none. Just the usual ongoing announcements sexed up in T21.I'll remain cynical and believe it when I see it.

Turkeys..........Some goon from the RPA saying 40m trams on the Tallaght line are being looked at but still no tender issued, while IE continue to lengthen trains as they have developed the humility to admit they are wrong in some areas and actually do something about it when public pressure is applied. As things stand the RPAs suggestion of 40m units for Tallaght is no better than IEs veiled and begrudged admission that some Kildare trains can use the park tunnel post Spencer Dock opening. Again, believe it when you see it.

Personally, I think P11 underwent a worthwhile change in 2005 and I believe the benefits of this change will be felt in 2006.

philip · 01-01-2006, 09:37

Highlight for me personally was the improvement of the Maynooth line services. Lowpoint would probably be the fact that no late night service was included in these improvements. The announcements etc. I agree with Derek on-I'll believe them when I see the construction start.

Hopefully next year will see some movement on integrated fares-this is something that can be done before any new infrastructure/rolling stock arrives, driven by the new DTO (or whatever name they'll use).

23-12-2005, 12:34	#1
ThomasS Posts: n/a	Rail Highlights/Turkeys of 2005? for me: Highlight = Transport21 and the Inclusion of the Interconnector. The RPA stating that 40 meter trams on the red line is a good idea. Turkeys = DART closed during summer weekends and Irish Rail continuing to make excuses why not to use the Phoenix Park tunnel Apart from that it was a pretty fantastic year in terms of the ball finally rolling and a final commitment to long-fingered projects getting the nod at last. Having said that, if Transport 21 had of not been announced in November 2005 would have been looked back on a poor year for rail transport in Ireland.

23-12-2005, 16:52	#3
Mark Gleeson Technical Officer Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Coach C, Seat 33 Posts: 12,669	Highlights July 28th standing in the Dublin docks seeing a CDE coach been unloaded (in the worst rain imaginable) it looks the business Order of 120 railcars in January June 1st Derek and I get a big piece in the Irish Times Standing on the Brides Glen viaduct, you won't get a Luas line over it (you will but someone plonked a 4 story office building on the approach Monday 21st March, P11 vs the RPA cheap ass metro, we won and actually made it possible to have an orbital metro, we wanted longer trains Turning point April 6th, 2700 series railcar spilts in 2 outside Wexford leading to there instant removal from intericty services which in turn led to drivers refusing to drive them on the Sligo route which brought around the 2900 situation Egg on face RPA who admit they now need 40 m trams on the Tallaght line Dick Fearn, Micheal Power and Barry Kenny the ongoing Sligo debacle but particularly the attempt to use a pair of *****d locomotives on a service train to Sligo, and block book 250 seats kicking joe public off. IE withdrew the plan after P11 kicked up a fuss. The ongoing 29000 situation is unacceptable and we have confirmation that the rail safety commission have requested a report from IE Biggest let down** November 1st, transport 21. Iarnrod Eireann got zlich over the baseline of what they where promised years ago, remember IE stated that the interconnector tunnel could be built by 2015 if the current funding levels where maintained, ie the 5 year 1.3 billion envelope. I could have dreamt up a better plan to move more people for less Last edited by Mark Gleeson : 25-12-2005 at 21:01.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

23-12-2005, 13:27	#2
sean Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Dublin Posts: 707	Highlights: T21: Metro AND Interconnector and a bunch of (crayon) Luas lines. Finding out that the ramp-up time on the Luas was shorter than expected - no subvention sought in 2006. Ehh ... what was that about Luas being a disaster McCarthy and Co? Turkeys: 29000s. On Sligo. Realising that Irish Rail really are a pack of dishonest, morons.

01-01-2006, 03:21	#4
Derek Wheeler Registered user Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Kildare Posts: 1,555	Rail highlights........none. Just the usual ongoing announcements sexed up in T21.I'll remain cynical and believe it when I see it. Turkeys..........Some goon from the RPA saying 40m trams on the Tallaght line are being looked at but still no tender issued, while IE continue to lengthen trains as they have developed the humility to admit they are wrong in some areas and actually do something about it when public pressure is applied. As things stand the RPAs suggestion of 40m units for Tallaght is no better than IEs veiled and begrudged admission that some Kildare trains can use the park tunnel post Spencer Dock opening. Again, believe it when you see it. Personally, I think P11 underwent a worthwhile change in 2005 and I believe the benefits of this change will be felt in 2006.

01-01-2006, 09:37	#5
philip Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 632	Highlight for me personally was the improvement of the Maynooth line services. Lowpoint would probably be the fact that no late night service was included in these improvements. The announcements etc. I agree with Derek on-I'll believe them when I see the construction start. Hopefully next year will see some movement on integrated fares-this is something that can be done before any new infrastructure/rolling stock arrives, driven by the new DTO (or whatever name they'll use).