Waterford - Limerick Junction line

[Tulyar15]

I travelled over this line yesterday on the RPSI Shannon and Suir tour. I was amazed to find semaphore signals at Tipperary, Clonmel, Carrick-on-Suir and Waterford. Plus a couple of level crossings between Tipperary and Clonmel. I was suprised to see Carrick-on-Suir box still in use as the loop has gone so all they can do there is exchange tokens. I suspect it's not long for this world, but does anyone know if there are plans to abolish these 'boxes?

[AndyB]

Not as far as I know - that section, together with Ballybrophy-Killonan, is still at risk, and only running two passenger trains a day isn't going to help that.

Tipperary-Clonmel, Clonmel-Carrick-on-Suir, Carrick-on-Suir-Waterford West, Killonan-Birdhill, Birdhill-Roscrea, Roscrea-Ballybrophy, Navan-Tara Mines and theoretically Waterford Central for Barrow Bridge-Wellington Bridge and Wellington Bridge to Rosslare Strand for Grange Big are the only remaining ETS sections - and of those, Navan-Tara has an ETS padlocked to the mantlepiece of the cabin to save someone operating the Tara instrument (if the instruments are even there any more), Roscrea-Ballybrophy is usually worked manually with an ETS instrument at the junction for through workings, Wellington Bridge-Grange Big is worked by pilotman since Wellington Bridge is closed, and Waterford Central cabin is unlikely ever to reopen after the damage caused by a rock fall onto the through line a number of years ago.

Carrick-on-Suir is a victim of politics. No operational need for the loop, so it had to go, because every time Irish Rail spend money on something they don't need to run the existing timetable, they are crucified by the politicians.

[KEVIN SMITH]

Hi How often do trains pass at Tipperary or Clonmel these days ? Perhaps if a new timetable was drawn up all trains could pass at Clonmel and with modest investment to some of the level crossings the line might have a future. As for the Killonan -Ballybrophy line closure is the only option in my view as both ends have already a good service the middle bit must be costly to maintain the signalmen must be worked off their feet ! with no freight and with just a handful of passengers.

Perhaps part of this line would make an ideal preserved line which bit to save is open to debate ?

[AndyB]

The key problem with both lines is politicians who won't offer Irish Rail enough money to operate a service that is frequent enough to get a decent number of passengers, and so it's stuck in a vicious circle.

[Wilkinstown]

Irish Rail have zero interest in promoting this line or providing a useful service. Yes they are underfunded but the only prosoect fir a decent service is if they are instructed to provide one by the NTA/Government. Any such instruction would require some additional funding although Irish Rail's default position is to resist any service expansion on the basis they might not be adequately compensated for the additional cost.

[AndyB]

And unless the politicians provide them with the additional subsidy to pay for the diesel to run the trains, it is not going to happen. You have to realise that this is reality: if you are already making a loss, you cannot afford to run additional services unless you can be assured that you will be able to cover your costs, or you will be crucified by the same politicians who want extra services for financial incompetence.

It's pure arithmetic.