[article] Rail upgrade will slash 15 minutes off Dublin-Cork trip

[laoisfan]

Rail upgrade will slash 15 minutes off Dublin-Cork trip

[Jamie2k9]

Travelled on the 15.00 last week and it could complete the journey in 2h15m (2h23m actual waiting for schedule to catch up with) and that was with 3 TSR's in place and not 2h30m as timetabled.

All current Cork limited stopping can easily complete in 2h20-25m so I would expect 2h10m to be provided after these works.

IE should focus on passengers and not statistics to show off at stations and not waste time and money preparing such posters!

Not sure how replacing 5 LC on Cork line will work as they are 100mph speeds currently through the majority of them. Is the curve the one at the Curragh?

Do we know if any other funding has being given for routes such as Galway?

[Mark Gleeson]

There are several level crossings south of Limerick Junction, there may be an issue with signal sighting for 90mph +

This has safety, cost and flexibility benefits as you can run a 24 hour railway after automation.

Portarlington - Hazelhatch is not in great condition, its been patched and patched and needs sorting out. That said a fair chunk of this is already 100mph

[Inniskeen]

Zero issues with signal sighting, all signals on the Cork line have the same minimum breaking distance taking into account gradients and sighting. If there is a problem st level crossings south of Limerick Junction, there is a problem on the whole line. There may well be a case for automating level crossings but a faster journey time isn't one of them.

Amazing what can be achieved with €10m compared to the 100s of millions previously being quoted ! I look forward to sampling the results and to the restoration of non stop trains from Cork scheduled to take less than the 2hr-17 minutes acheduled in previous years.

Maybe when the Cork line is fixed attention might turn to renewing and improving the rather run-down and busier Dublin to Malahide line.

[dowlingm]

Ballast renewal ain't upgrades. Hope there is a bit more than that (new drainage, some track realignment)

[Jamie2k9]

Ballast renewal ain't upgrades. Hope there is a bit more than that (new drainage, some track realignment)

Track renewal will also take place or at least some will as new rails have being placed along sections. Any old tracking is only cleared for 90 so if they want to get speeds up they will have no choice. It's primarily Kildare-Sallins which is fully 90 there is a good amount of 100 on other parts with a few 90 spots.

However I would like to see new points at Kildare, this TSR business every couple of months needs to end while the Curragh alignment should be addressed as well as the inbound line west of Newbridge which completely loses it's position every few months by dipping steeply to the left.

[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by Jamie2k9

Travelled on the 15.00 last week and it could complete the journey in 2h15m (2h23m actual waiting for schedule to catch up with) and that was with 3 TSR's in place and not 2h30m as timetabled.

All current Cork limited stopping can easily complete in 2h20-25m so I would expect 2h10m to be provided after these works.

One is likely to always have some temporary speed restrictions, especially in the aftermath of works. You then have seasonal factors like leaf-fall that will affect punctuality and journey time. You have to have it such that 90-95% of trains are arriving within 5-10 minutes of the timetabled time.