Belfast-Dublin rail line damaged

[orangeman]

I'm sure everyone is glad to hear it's all under control!!!

Wednesday August 26 2009

A special group has been set up to help minimise the disruption caused by the collapse of the rail viaduct in the Malahide area of north Dublin last week.

The group includes officials from Fingal County Council, Dublin City Council, Iarnrod Eireann, Bus Eireann, Dublin Bus, the National Roads Authority and the Gardai.
The viaduct collapse has affected rail commuters heading into north Dublin, as well as passengers on the main line to Belfast.

Bus transfers have already been put in place on the line and Dublin Bus has put on extra services in north Dublin to cope with increased demand for its services.

The rail line is expected to take at least three months to repair.

Shit - this is going to take even longer now ! 

[viiv]

Was talking to a few people who took translink special web offer for the train to Dublin and they reported that bus transfers seem to be doing OK on the Dublin bound trains.

Although on the return journey they said things were a bit confusing and had to wait two hours in Drogheda until the train arrived.

I suppose these things are to be expected.

[orangeman]

For all those who doubted ( me included ) - here is an example of how things can get done if they need to get done : Must do is a great master.
NEWS:  Bridge collapse rail line to re-open in weeksview list
09/09/2009

Rail chiefs are on track to re-open one of Ireland's busiest lines within the coming weeks following the near catastrophic collapse of a bridge into the sea, they said today.

Iarnród Éireann said the closed section of the cross-border Dublin to Belfast line near Malahide, north Co Dublin, will be fully operational again by the end of November.

Thousands of passengers have been forced to make alternative travel arrangements since the viaduct, which carried more than 90 trains a day, fell into Broadmeadow estuary last month.

Barry Kenny, spokesman for Iarnród Éireann, said the structure will be fully rebuilt, strengthened and independently tested within the company's original three-month timeframe.

"We will be complete by the end of November," he said.

"When it opens it will be fit for purpose, it won't be a partial reopening."

Mr Kenny confirmed an internal review into exactly what went wrong will not be completed before service returns to normal, in time for the usually busy Christmas shopping period.

But he stressed that extra measures will be put in place to monitor the railway bridge for some time after the re-opening.

"We will have very intensive monitoring of that structure for a significant length of time after it opens," he said.

As well as Iarnród Éireann's own internal tests, the section of railway is to be independently examined by structural engineers Roughan and O'Donovan and the Railway Safety Commission.

The internal investigation, expected to take six months, includes a modelling of the estuary and its water flows to establish how one the bridge's piers collapsed.

It is suspected seabed erosion, caused by low tides and heavy rains, was to blame.

However, Iarnród Éireann has come under criticism for its failure to have an early warning system and stricter tests in place at the viaduct, which it says is unique in terms of the geographic features around and underneath it.

Heroic train driver Keith Farrelly averted tragedy when he spotted subsidence on the track moments after evening rush hour commuter services carrying hundreds of passengers passed over it on Friday, August 21.

Engineers had examined the structure four days earlier after a member of the public raised concerns about suspected erosion and markings on the piers.

An Oireachtas transport committee travelled to the scene today for an update on the progress of the reconstruction.

Mr Kenny said a full audit of 84 other rail crossings over water around the country was underway, but no problems had been flagged up so far

[Billys Boots]

I'll believe it when I see it.

[viiv]

Anybody any updates on repairs?