Limerick Junction Waterford Engineering Works

[Mark Gleeson]

Loop at Tipperary will be removed, others remain

[dowlingm]

So no passing track between LJ and Clonmel? (Cahir was lifted right?)

Also - that's 2 x 2700s freed up now.

[Mark Gleeson]

You can run every 2 hours with that setup

Tipperary only has 1 platform and trains haven't passed there in several years

While published as 55 minutes Junction Clonmel its doable in 50 and with the upgrades that goes down even more

[James Howard]

While loops cost money leaving extra loops in isn't just about the timetable. They have a serious effect on service reliability.

On the Sligo line over the last two years we have had two or three extended periods of disruption due to flooding near Longford. What should be a 15 minute delay due to a bus transfer ends up being pushed out to 45 minutes or an hour because there is nowhere between Killucan and Maynooth to cross trains outside of the timetable. Enfield only has one platform and no bridge so one of the crossing trains has to be timetabled not to stop there.

With all the rain over the last 10 days or so things are not looking good.

[Mark Gleeson]

Sligo line is a different ball game as the line is saturated during the evening peak

Passing facilities are at Limerick Junc, Clonmel, Carrick On Suir, Waterford West and Waterford.

The ideal timetable on the route is a train every two hours. Greatly more than current. If you want to go better than 2 hours you need to loop at Cahir.

[corktina]

I would imagine that pathing a freight train (were there any) would be extremely difficult now even with the current timetable.

I wonder at the future of this line now, a scorched earth policy being pursued and the econmies of scale at the Waterford end have presumably disimproved with closure of the Rosslare line
Are the services on this line any way busy?

[Mark Gleeson]

Given there are only 3 trains a day currently freight isn't a problem

There is simply no point wasting money on infrastructure we don't need or use. Based on the rust on the rails in Tipperary its doubtful the loop has been used in several months. It wouldn't allow a freight service to fit in a 2 hourly service anyways.