InterCity (Iarnród Éireann)
InterCity | |
---|---|
22000 Class | |
History | |
Opened | 1972 (As Mainline) 1984 (As InterCity) |
Technical | |
Number of tracks | 1–6 |
Track gauge | 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) |
Operating speed | 100 mph (160 km/h) maximum |
InterCity (Irish: IdirChathrach) is the brand name given to rail services operated by Iarnród Éireann that run between Dublin and other major cities in Ireland. InterCity branding is also used in other European countries by unaffiliated organizations.
Services
InterCity services from Dublin operate from two main stations:
- .
- Belfast Lanyon Place provided by Enterprise.
Rolling stock
InterCity services are operated using a mixture of locomotive pulled coaching stock and DMUs. In 2006, deliveries began of 67 new
Current Fleet
Class | Image | Type | Top speed | Number | Routes operated | Built | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
mph | km/h | ||||||
201 Class
|
Diesel locomotive | 100 | 160 | 32 | Dublin-Cork, Dublin-Belfast | 1994–1995 | |
22000 Class
|
Diesel multiple unit | 100 | 160 | 28 3-car, 25 4-car & 10 5-car sets | Cork-Tralee, Dublin-Belfast (Occasionally), Cork, Galway, Limerick, Rosslare, Tralee, Sligo, Waterford, Westport, | 2007–2011 | |
Mark 4 | Passenger coaches
|
125 | 200 | 67 | Dublin-Cork. | 2004-2005 | |
Driving Van Trailer (DVT) |
Commuter stock
In addition to the dedicated InterCity rolling stock, a number of Commuter branded DMUs are used on rural routes that are classed as InterCity by Iarnród Éireann.
Class | Image | Type | Top speed | Number | Routes operated | Built | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
mph | km/h | ||||||
2600 Class
|
Diesel multiple unit | 70 | 110 | 8 | Cork Commuter Routes | 1993 | |
2800 Class | Diesel multiple unit | 75 | 120 | 8 | Cork & Limerick Commuter Routes | 2000 | |
29000 Class
|
Diesel multiple unit | 75 | 120 | 29 | Dublin-Rosslare, Dublin Commuter | 2002 - 2005 |
Past Fleet
Class | Image | Type | Top speed | Number | Routes operated | Built | Withdrawn | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
mph | km/h | ||||||||
121 Class
|
Diesel locomotive | 77 | 124 | 15 | Dublin-Galway Dublin-Sligo Dublin-Waterford Limerick-Limerick Junction |
1960-1961 | 1995-2008 | 134 undergoing overhaul | |
Mark 2
|
Passenger coaches
|
100 | 161 | 15 | All routes | 1972-1989 | 2004-2008 | Based on the British Rail Mark 2 | |
Mark 3 | Passenger coaches | 125 | 200 | 133 | All routes | 1980-1989 | 2006-2009 | Based on the British Rail Mark 3 | |
181 Class
|
Diesel locomotive | 75 | 120 | 12 | All routes | 1966 | 1991-2009 | ||
141 Class
|
Diesel locomotive | 76 | 123 | 37 | All routes | 1962 | 2010-2011 | 5 stored at Inchicore works. | |
071 Class
|
Diesel locomotive | 90 | 145 | 18 | All routes | 1976 | 2010-2011 | Still in use on mixed traffic services; also used on railtours. |
Future
Western Rail corridor
The Department of Transport's project proposed that several hundred million euros would be invested by the Irish Government in improving the railway network. This would see connection of some of the radial lines out of Dublin, which enable inter-regional services to be operated without travelling through the capital. A major part of this included plans for the reinstatement of the
- Stage 1 - Ennis to Athenry - Completed
- Stage 2 - Athenry to Tuam - Deferred indefinitely
- Stage 3 - Tuam to Claremorris - Deferred indefinitely
If stages 2 and 3 were completed, the Westport, Galway and Limerick lines from Dublin would be connected, allowing regional InterCity services to be run between these destinations without having to travel via Dublin.
Stage 1 of the project began on 16 November 2007, relaying track between Ennis and Athenry, a distance of approximately 60 km/36 miles.[2]
The WRC project has been widely criticised as passenger numbers have been extremely low, with critics saying it would be cheaper for Irish Rail to put each passenger in a
Dublin-Cork
Iarnród Éireann also maintains an ambition to increase speeds on the
In 2015 further upgrade plans were announced. Iarnród Éireann's chief executive David Franks outlined how ballast was to be renewed between Hazelhatch and Kildare, which was to allow 160 km/h (100 mph) running on the 80 km (50 mi) long stretch. Further upgrades such as the removal of level crossings and bridge replacements are expected to bring journey times from Cork to Dublin to under 2 hours.[4]
The line is expected to be fully electrified by 2030.
Dublin congestion
Iarnród Éireann's ambition to increase both service speed and service frequency is limited by capacity issues at Dublin Connolly.[citation needed] The Loopline Bridge that links Connolly with Dublin Pearse is a two track route that is currently operating at the limit of its capacity, while Connolly is also used as the terminus for a number of InterCity and Commuter services. The current Docklands station was built to ease the congestion at Connolly by providing an alternate terminus for Commuter services to the M3 Parkway. IÉ's plan initially involved the rebuilding of Dublin Broadstone to serve as a terminus for Commuter services to the west of the capital. However, in March 2008, the Government decided that the track bed leading from Liffey Junction would be used for an extension to the Luas rather than for heavy rail. To compensate, the transport minister announced that Iarnród Éireann would be permitted to obtain planning permission to keep Docklands open permanently as the terminus for Maynooth, Navan and Mullingar services, as well as potential services from Galway.[5] The construction of the DART Underground would enable DART services to be spread over two lines, rather than all being routed through Connolly.[citation needed] The DART Underground project was shelved in 2011,[6] and, as of 2021, not scheduled for any development or funding until "after 2042".[7]
Other services
The three counties in
References
- ^ "RTE News: First new trains on Dublin-Sligo route". Archived from the original on 21 December 2007. Retrieved 20 December 2007.
- ^ "Laying of new track begins for Western Rail Corridor". Archived from the original on 18 November 2007. Retrieved 20 December 2007.
- ^ O'Brien, Tim (5 January 2015). "Iarnród Éireann passenger numbers up by 1 million". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 14 August 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
- ^ Melia, Paul (28 January 2015). "Rail upgrade will slash 15 minutes off Dublin-Cork trip". The Irish Independent. Dublin: Independent Mews and Media. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
- ^ Dempsey derails ambitious CIÉ plan and opts for new Luas line Archived 2011-10-03 at the Wayback Machine Irish Times, 06/02/08
- ^ "Office plan scrapped to facilitate shelved Dart Underground". irishtimes.com. Irish Times. 5 June 2018. Archived from the original on 2 September 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
the [DART Underground] project having been shelved by the Government [in 2011, does] not have government funding [and] was not included in the 10-year National Development Plan published earlier [in 2018]
- ^ Kilraine, John (9 November 2021). "MetroLink postponed for ten years - NTA draft strategy". rte.ie. RTÉ News. Archived from the original on 9 November 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
- ^ Donegal still fighting the effects of partition Archived 2009-08-13 at the Wayback Machine - Joe McHugh TD, Donegal Matters, 20/08/08
- ^ Donegal County Council response to "2020 Vision – Sustainable Travel and Transport: Public Consultation Document" Archived 2009-03-18 at the Wayback Machine - Donegal County Council, 13/05/08
- ^ "North West railway study announced". Derry Journal. 27 May 2008. Archived from the original on 19 June 2009.
- ^ Rail Possibility for Monaghan Archived 2009-02-25 at the Wayback Machine - Monaghan Post, 12/01/09