Electrification: Decarbonising Ireland's Railways - Paul Hendrick

Decarbonising Ireland’s Railway
Presentation from the PWI Technical Seminar - Electrification: Into the future (Sheffield)
27 April 2023

[@daraghoshea7858]

Great presentation

[@TheHoveHeretic]

Between 1932-49, the old Great Southern (then the CIÉ), employed battery trains on the ex-D&SER line between 1932-49. Like modern electric buses, they were recharched by strategically placed fast charging overhead pickups. A combination of life expired batteries and electricity supply shortages was what ultimately did for these trains. The batteries themselves, designed by UCD trained industrial chemist Dr James Drumm, were the direct ancestors of today's EV batteries. The scheme was connected with the River Shannon hydro-electric scheme. Pity the resources for serious investment weren't available for a technology which could've put Ireland in pole position for electrification tech.

[@toyotaprius79]

Pity that Ireland had to suffer and inherit for a near-century of small minded, short sighted policies

[@declanburke2703]

Wow , great plans , trains have been so neglected last 100 yrs . Incredible plans , well done Paul , best of luck

[@castelaronly]

UHH QUE MAL TRENES A BATERIAS LO PEOR

[@Andrzej360]

@@castelaronly I agree, the extraction of the lithium, cobalt etc. for the batteries cause quite a lot of pollution on their own. Then there is the issue of them lasting as batteries degrade. They are also heavy so overall a very inefficient system. They should instead like every other country, electifiy the railway lines with overhead wires as that will last a lot longer in the long run and overall be much better for the environment.

[@toyotaprius79]

No reference the the Drumm Battery "Accumulator" ECUs predating the DART? Battery ECUs have every reason to service regional towns across the country. Reopening now disused lines from the Wexford - Waterford abd the West rail Corridor

[@geraldwalsh6489]

Well done,Paul,those new trains look great,especially the one with the sloping yellow front and the green and yellow carriages.....it looks so sexy. Travelled on the other type from Cork to Dublin last July.....very impressive

[@madenaraputra6887]

The Irish Rail (Iarnród Éireann) and Translink NI Railways should joined by Network Rail in GB for reopening of abandoned rail network and electrification railways in existing rail network in Ireland, mainly of East Coast Main Line Network from north to south in other cities. (Belfast - Dublin - Wexford) 🇬🇧 🇮🇪 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@nigelmurphy6761]

Why? The Irish Railway network, including Translink NI has nothing to do with GB. Also, the Irish Railway gauge is 5ft 3 as opposed to the 4ft 8.

[@tomcarr1358]

Meanwhile road building in Ireland continues apace.

[@fjkelley4774]

This would have to involve Northern Ireland, but some service to the Northwest will be necessary.

[@Eagle_Delta]

HST's would be welcomed by Irish people. Make it quick.

[@JasonGrocott-dq4ti]

Not sure there is a business case as they would need to be have major remodelling of bogies and suspension kinematics to run on 1600 gauge track.

[@TheHoveHeretic]

Not exactly electrifying though, is it?

[@VarissNI]

@@JasonGrocott-dq4tiExactly, with electrification and new EMUs, 1600 gauge could do 140mph with updated signalling. Not precisely “high-speed”, but more than enough for the size of our country.

[@toyotaprius79]

So would all diverse forms of transit. Shuttles, flywheels and battery storage , narrow gauge. Ireland's transit will still be stifled if all services and capital flowed to Dublin at the expense of ripping up regional rail lines.

[@mlc4495]

We don't even have 125mph services that Britain has been doing for roughly 50 years. ☹

[@jM-ez7fq]

Pie in the sky where is the navan line where is the airport line wer still waiting 😮

[@dasy2k1]

Longer term a 1435mm high speed line from Dublin to Belfast with a tunnel under the Irish sea (including a car shuttle as per the chunnel). Direct HSR trains linking both Ireland and NI to the UK. (stick an electricity interconnector through it so you can sell the excess offshore wind to the UK and beyond) Guage changing trains as per Spain that can run on the high speed and conventional network to run Belfast-Dublin-Cork

[@oisinmtom]

Its regarded as near impossible to building any bridge or tunnel between Britain and Ireland within any sort of reasonable budget. Theres already an electric interconnector though so (does need upgrading however)

[@jameslarkin395]

Running a train on batteries. Absolute madness

[@tr3c00l91]

Why not? In Canada they are running ferries with batteries 😅

[@TheHoveHeretic]

Wrong

[@toyotaprius79]

1930s Drumm Battery ECUs that ran in Dublin nearly 50 years before the DART. Look it up

[@nigelmurphy6761]

Not really It's happened here in Ireland before with the drumm battery powered trains back in the 1930s. Not madness but practicality.

[@odunadhaigh]

@@tr3c00l91 and in Scotland.

[@castelaronly]

NAA LO MEJOR SON TRENES DIESEL

[@jM-ez7fq]

Never happen 😅as long Irish rail and government involved 😅

[@oisinmtom]

Already happening

[@jM-ez7fq]

@oisinmtom bullshit couple of miles from malahide to drogheda big deal took them 25yrs to get to malahide and another 25yrs to drogheda 3rd world infrastructure in dublin and Ireland..the whole country should be electric no planning no commitment no organisation by anyone 🙄 look at comparable countries and we are richer than any of them...we just do do big infrastructure..eg hospital airport roads railways all over budget 😉

[@jM-ez7fq]

Pie in the sky 😂😂😂😂no navan line no airport line...there must be an election coming 😂😂😂