IE: Limerick - Galway opens for Business

[Thewanderer]

The reopened Limerick-Galway line was officially opened by the Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey TD on Monday 29th March 2010.


Almost 34 years after the last scheduled passenger train operated between Limerick and Galway line, a special launch train carrying invited guests operated from Limerick to Galway to officially open the new Limerick – Galway service.

The €106.5 million new route was officially launched by Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey TD following the completion of the renewal of the Ennis-Athenry line. Scheduled services will commence tomorrow, Tuesday 30th March.

The Ennis to Athenry renewal will:

- Deliver direct Galway to Limerick services, in comfort, and with reliable city to city journey times

- Serve Limerick, Ennis, Athenry and Galway; and new stations at Sixmilebridge, Gort, Ardrahan, Craughwell with 83, 72, 53 and 62 parking spaces at each respectively. Sixmilebridge Station has been delivered in conjunction with Clare County Council

- Expand commuter links to Limerick and Galway

- Promote balanced regional development, in line with National Spatial Strategy objectives, by linking two Gateways – Limerick and Galway – and serving the hub of Ennis

The investment project delivered by Iarnród Éireann, and funded by the Irish Government under Transport 21, involved:

- Renewal of 36 miles of track, including all necessary fencing and drainage and installation of points and crossings at Gort and Ennis.

- A 90m platform with furniture, signage, shelter, Automatic Ticket Vending Machine, lighting, car park, PA, Customer Information Systems, help point and CCTV provision at Sixmilebridge, Gort, Ardrahan and Craughwell. These stations are also accessible to the mobility impaired

- At Ennis and Athenry stations, PA, Customer Information Systems, help point and CCTV has been provided

- Repair and improvement work has been undertaken on bridges on the route to allow rail services to operate

- Modernised signalling systems

- Over 100 level crossings have been eliminated

The service will launch with five services in each direction, Monday to Saturday, serving all stations en route, with four services each way on Sundays.

Full timetable details can be found at www.irishrail.ie

Photos from the day are now online at: http://thewanderersirishrailphotos.fotopic.net/c1830870.html

The Wanderer.

 

[Mojo]

What's the speed of the trains like?

 

[Thewanderer]

Line speed on the new line is 60 mph, the class 2700's are capable of 75 mphs.

But this line is littered with PSR's down as low as 25 mph in one case due to the amount of Level Crossing and signal & LC sighting issues.

 

[gingerheid]

Obiously it's always very wonderful to see a new railway line open, especially one that's not entirely urban

But hmm. Is five trains a day with a two hour journey time going to set the world on fire? It's only 20 mins faster than the bus, and there are a lot more of them.

 

[defitzi]

Obiously it's always very wonderful to see a new railway line open, especially one that's not entirely urban

But hmm. Is five trains a day with a two hour journey time going to set the world on fire? It's only 20 mins faster than the bus, and there are a lot more of them.

a fast tram- ie light railway, might have been better. Why do folk always want to restore closed rail links that will be passenger only with heavy rail and low average speeds. This reopened line is a case in point: times because of all the limitations, are no better than no better than a quick acceleration light rail?
Back in the Twenties, faced with declining traffic, the GNR (I) 's GM,George Howden patented a railbus using a special tyre: the result was many rural lines and services were saved-a few even with increased services because the railbuses (ordinary Gardener or AEC road buses which were specially converted) could stop at all sorts of places without platforms, and accelerate away quite quickly compared to a conventional steem train) albeit not as quickly as a modern light rail vehicle might do today.
The railbuses were also instrumental in saving the Donegal narrow guage system for a long time after they were introduced.
The GNR(I) was also the first to employ diesel railcars and battery-powered electrical railcars (Drum battery railcars) and was in the forefront of diesel hydraulic-electrical development back then.
It was a railway people with forward looking, inventive and practical people and despite being disliked-even hated (for various reasons) by its many enemies in both the Free State and Northern Ireland, it managed to keep its head above water without subsidies, until the road transport interest-packed Stormont (NI) Government (which never concealed its hatred of a railway that had half of it lines and its headquarters and works in the Free State, finally succeeded in iniating the GNR's destruction.
Ironically, the GNR's successor, Northern Ireland Railways,commissiond an excellent light rail bus for the branch from Coleraine to Portrush but although it was successful, transport politics ensured it went the way of all innovation in Northern Ireland- th:roll:e Ulster Folk and Transport Museum! :roll:

 

[king123]

Don't you think that the speed is a bit low...?
What are the fares...?