Re: Re: Irish Rail proposes Heuston to Connolly tunnel link

@Rory W wrote:

Hey platform 11 folks! Instead of my direct train from Drogheda to Sidney Parade (it runs on to Bray) I change at Pearse? is that the plan or will through trains still happen?

That’s right, you’ll change at Pearse. Drogheda trains will all be through trains, but they’ll be going to Kildare rather than Bray.

A minor inconvenience, I agree. However, in exchange you will get a train every ten minutes from Drogheda, and a maximum wait for a train at Pearse of seven minutes. I think this is well worth the slight inconvenience of losing a few direct trains.

Services like Cork-Dublin-Belfast seem likely to go ahead in the future, as there is EU funding available for such a service. Although the Interconnector tunnel will only be suitable for electric trains, the Phoenix Park tunnel would be ideal for such a service. At the moment it isn’t possible because there isn’t room in Connolly (anything that crosses the DART line takes up a slot and another service would have to be dropped). However, because the northern line DART trains will turn off before Connolly and Maynooth trains will probably use the Midland line, there will be no conflicts with trains bound for the bay platforms at Connolly (it’s a bit hard to understand if you don’t know the area, but it does make sense). This would allow a push-pull train to drive into Connolly and reverse back out to continue its journey.