Rail Users Ireland Forum

Go Back   Rail Users Ireland Forum > Irish Rail Customer Service Issues > Commuter Services > All stops to Thurles
Register FAQ Members List Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Unread 08-07-2013, 10:22   #1
laoisfan
Regular Poster
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Lovely Laois
Posts: 100
Default Irish Rails to apply for increase in speed limit on Intercity services in the autumn

Hi

I read a small article in The Star on Saturday about Irish Rail applying for speed increases on Intercity services in the autumn e.g. from current 160kph to 200kph.

So theoretically Dublin-Cork could be done in 1.5 hrs.

Trying to find a link to the article.

Anyone on here know of such plans ? Would be good if it does happen. Compete with motorways. Possibly open up more commute options.

Last edited by laoisfan : 08-07-2013 at 10:31.
laoisfan is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08-07-2013, 10:39   #2
m3parkway
New to the board
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 25
Default

Can any of our trains go 125 mph? It would probably mean buying new locomotives for the mk4 cork trains. As far as I know the ICRS were built to go 100, perhaps they can travel faster.
m3parkway is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08-07-2013, 10:43   #3
laoisfan
Regular Poster
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Lovely Laois
Posts: 100
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by m3parkway View Post
Can any of our trains go 125 mph? It would probably mean buying new locomotives for the mk4 cork trains. As far as I know the ICRS were built to go 100, perhaps they can travel faster.
Exactly what I was thinking. Surely it's a combination of the tracks, trains and signalling equipment ?

Tracks - granted they've been laying new sections over the last year or so.

Trains - like you asked, are they good enough to do such speeds.

Signalling Equipment - ??? I presume as long as they don't go on fire
laoisfan is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08-07-2013, 10:49   #4
comcor
Really Regular Poster
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Cork-Dublin, Cork Commuter and occasionally DART and Dublin-Wexford
Posts: 855
Default

AFAIK The MKIV carriages are good to 200kph, but the locomotives are capped at 160kph.

I suppose if the speed limit has been raised, it would be easier to say there would be a fast return on investment on new locomotives.

There are still vast sections of track (e.g. Cork-Mallow) where 160kph isn't possible, so I would assume 2 hours is the best case scenario.
comcor is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08-07-2013, 11:10   #5
Jamie2k9
Really Really Regluar Poster
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,146
Default

Apply to who, surly a rail operator doesn't need to apply for speed increases, unless they are going to apply for funding from department of transport to decrease journey times but none of our trains can get to 200km, ICR's can do a little over 160km.
Jamie2k9 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08-07-2013, 11:12   #6
laoisfan
Regular Poster
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Lovely Laois
Posts: 100
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jamie2k9 View Post
Apply to who, surly a rail operator doesn't need to apply for speed increases, unless they are going to apply for funding from department of transport to decrease journey times but none of our trains can get to 200km, ICR's can do a little over 160km.
Do they not have to apply to the Department of Transport ?? I don't know.
laoisfan is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08-07-2013, 11:19   #7
Jamie2k9
Really Really Regluar Poster
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,146
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by laoisfan View Post
Do they not have to apply to the Department of Transport ?? I don't know.
Wouldn't think so, it would be down to the chief engineer at IE but maybe the RSC have a say to but 200km won't happen unless they are able to modify the 201's in some way which I don't see happening.
Jamie2k9 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08-07-2013, 11:34   #8
laoisfan
Regular Poster
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Lovely Laois
Posts: 100
Default

I am still unable to find a link to the article I read. It was definately in The Star ( Saturday edition ). Did not see it in any other news paper.
laoisfan is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08-07-2013, 12:05   #9
Inniskeen
Really Regular Poster
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 951
Default

Railway Safety Commission might have a role ?
Inniskeen is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08-07-2013, 12:14   #10
Mark Gleeson
Technical Officer
 
Mark Gleeson's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Coach C, Seat 33
Posts: 12,669
Default

The RSC would have sign off as a whole different set of engineering rules apply above 165kph

On paper Mk4 stock is the only be design allowed to 200kph. The track relay on the Dublin Cork is/should be 200kph spec

Long held investment plan was for 200kph and this sounds like a putting it out there for funding

Reasonably light 200kph locomotives are now possible.

You might be able to squeeze the ICR to 175kph through an approvals process (like the 110mph Siemens class 350 in the UK) but beyond that it lacks the power to weight ratio for sustained 200kph running
Mark Gleeson is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08-07-2013, 13:52   #11
Jamie2k9
Really Really Regluar Poster
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,146
Default

Don't think I would fancy it trip on a Mark 4 at 200km, at times 160km is very bad ride quality.

Would say that better bogies would be needed, but then again it could be track problems.
Jamie2k9 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08-07-2013, 14:56   #12
Thomas J Stamp
Chairman/Publicity
 
Thomas J Stamp's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: The Home of Hurling
Posts: 2,708
Default

it really is a question of track. a lot of the kinks (Portarlington, Ballybrophy, Lisduff) have been ironed out. problem is that quite a lot of the midlands is pure bog.

the bit from Ballybrophy - Thurles is on the least boggy part (which is how Templemore ended up with a station as they curved around the very soft bits) but it is still soft. The newer ballast laying machines are a great help, also new type of stronger rail.

till this is sorted you wont be doing 200 in any long burts anytime soon.
__________________
We are the passengers
Thomas J Stamp is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 13-07-2013, 02:03   #13
dowlingm
Really Really Regluar Poster
 
dowlingm's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 1,371
Default

Great, rail fantasies in the paper when KRP2 and similar bottleneck sorting would save more time system-wide.
dowlingm is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 13-07-2013, 10:52   #14
ACustomer
Really Regular Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 767
Default

It was the Star for God's sake.

'Nuff said.
ACustomer is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 13-07-2013, 17:10   #15
Jamie2k9
Really Really Regluar Poster
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,146
Default

It would be good if they increased a few more spots to 90 or 100 running for the next timetable, there is room for further reductions in times even with current speeds across the network apart from Galway route.
Jamie2k9 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 08:31.


Powered by vBulletin
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.