Will the cork to Youghal railway ever re-open

[InterCity:125]

will Iarnród Éireann ever re-open the line? From what I can see on google maps the line appears to be intact and the station at Youghal is still there. Only the Midleton to Youghal section needs to be re-opened because Iarnród Éireann has already re-opened cork to Midleton.

 

[cactustwirly]

Given IEs large financial problems, the last thing they need is another railway line.

 

[30907]

Used to be excursion trains only, but that was around 1973...

 

[Billy A]

Not in this universe. The track has been lifted long since. Iarnrod Éireann are still legally obliged to maintain bridges on the route in the hypothetical event that they ever replace the track, but they're trying to have this lifted. The population of Youghal and other towns along the way wouldn't justify it.

 

[duesselmartin]

I thought it was part of the Transport 21 initiative before the financial crisis. So hypothetically there is a chance.
The western corridor Athenry to Claremorris also lacks population yet it is not fully off the agenda.

 

[Calthrop]

Topic-drifting; but I've always found it a bit surprising that a rail link was never made between Youghal and Dungarvan (20-odd miles as the crow flies). This would have created a significantly more direct rail route between Cork and Waterford / Rosslare, than has ever existed in fact: even before closure of the Mallow -- Waterford line in 1967, there was a situation of a somewhat annoyingly long way round: first due north to Mallow, then turning sharply east.

 

[daodao]

Not in this universe. The track has been lifted long since. Iarnrod Éireann are still legally obliged to maintain bridges on the route in the hypothetical event that they ever replace the track, but they're trying to have this lifted. The population of Youghal and other towns along the way wouldn't justify it.

The rail line from Cobh Junction to Midleton was re-opened as a commuter route. Youghal itself only has a population of 8,000 and there are only 2 small villages between it and Midleton. Youghal is adequately served by hourly Expressway service 40 (Cork-Waterford) and a limited local stopping service from Cork to Ardmore. Its former station was situated some distance from the town centre.

 

[InterCity:125]

Its former station was situated some distance from the town centre.

The station is right by the beach though.

 

[craigybagel]

will Iarnród Éireann ever re-open the line? From what I can see on google maps the line appears to be intact and the station at Youghal is still there. Only the Midleton to Youghal section needs to be re-opened because Iarnród Éireann has already re-opened cork to Midleton.

I thought it was part of the Transport 21 initiative before the financial crisis. So hypothetically there is a chance.
The western corridor Athenry to Claremorris also lacks population yet it is not fully off the agenda.

Highly unlikely we'll see it reopened. As has been pointed out, there just isn't the potential traffic. If the glory days of throwing money around were still with us then maybe - that's why the political vanity project of the Western Rail Corridor was built after all (Ennis - Athenry), and it's notable how gold plated the rebuilding of the section from the junction with the Cobh line at Glounthaune to Middleton was (it features a 2 platform terminus at Middleton and a very long dynamic passing loop at Carrigtohill, despite the lone only seeing a 2 car hourly DMU for most of the day) which suggests that they did have an extension in mind.

Topic-drifting; but I've always found it a bit surprising that a rail link was never made between Youghal and Dungarvan (20-odd miles as the crow flies). This would have created a significantly more direct rail route between Cork and Waterford / Rosslare, than has ever existed in fact: even before closure of the Mallow -- Waterford line in 1967, there was a situation of a somewhat annoyingly long way round: first due north to Mallow, then turning sharply east.

Had it been built that way it's arguable that the Waterford - Cork line would still be open today, as the road between the two cities is very busy and the train would be able to compete much better then it could with the lengthy route via Mallow. The problem however is one of geography - between Dungarvan and Youghal there is both a very large hill and a river estuary to deal with. The road on that section struggles as it is - building a railway would be extremely difficult.

 

[Hornet]

Was on the Midleton line last week. First time over the route. Knowing the ability of Dial Eireann to throw money at vainglorious projects like the WRC, and then approve the build the M18 parallel to it, it wasn't surprising to see both Carrigtwohill and Midleton as two platform Stations, complete with disabled access lifts. The dynamic passing loop could have been built before Carrigtwohill, allowing a single platform Station, with Midleton having a two platform Station, but no disabled access lift, as there is a level crossing at the Cork end of the Station, which can be reached through the Station car park. As it was an early afternoon on a Tuesday you would have thought both car parks would have been quite busy. You could have held an All Ireland in either, such was the lack of cars! Also the convoluted junction arrangement at Glounthaune (a sort of double junction with a ladder, instead of a single lead) shows that money was no object. (To give you an idea of Station build costs, a new Station is proposed at Pelletstown for €6.5million. Meanwhile the four platform Station at Kishoge has still to open 10 years after being built at over €6million, not to mention the two Green LUAS Line platforms yet to open).

http://www.thejournal.ie/new-e6-5-train-station-in-dublin-gets-green-light-4191066-Aug2018/
http://www.thejournal.ie/kishoge-3202996-Jan2017/

 

[craigybagel]

Was on the Midleton line last week. First time over the route. Knowing the ability of Dial Eireann to throw money at vainglorious projects like the WRC, and then approve the build the M18 parallel to it, it wasn't surprising to see both Carrigtwohill and Midleton as two platform Stations, complete with disabled access lifts. The dynamic passing loop could have been built before Carrigtwohill, allowing a single platform Station, with Midleton having a two platform Station, but no disabled access lift, as there is a level crossing at the Cork end of the Station, which can be reached through the Station car park. As it was an early afternoon on a Tuesday you would have thought both car parks would have been quite busy. You could have held an All Ireland in either, such was the lack of cars! Also the convoluted junction arrangement at Glounthaune (a sort of double junction with a ladder, instead of a single lead) shows that money was no object. (To give you an idea of Station build costs, a new Station is proposed at Pelletstown for €6.5million. Meanwhile the four platform Station at Kishoge has still to open 10 years after being built at over €6million, not to mention the two Green LUAS Line platforms yet to open).

http://www.thejournal.ie/new-e6-5-train-station-in-dublin-gets-green-light-4191066-Aug2018/
http://www.thejournal.ie/kishoge-3202996-Jan2017/

The junction was related exactly as it was originally - the old rails were still in place up to the rebuild of the line, so rather then go for a new design they merely rebuilt the junction as it was. The semaphore signals for the junction were still in place up until the rebuild as well, with the signal box still open but nominally switched out and points set for the Cobh line.

 

[Calthrop]

Had it been built that way it's arguable that the Waterford - Cork line would still be open today, as the road between the two cities is very busy and the train would be able to compete much better then it could with the lengthy route via Mallow. The problem however is one of geography - between Dungarvan and Youghal there is both a very large hill and a river estuary to deal with. The road on that section struggles as it is - building a railway would be extremely difficult.

Last year I travelled Cork -- Waterford by bus (fascinating and, mostly, beautiful journey): got en route, some inkling of the obstacles you mention between Youghal and Dungarvan. I tend to the sentiment that "with railway-building, where there's a will there's a way"; but finance, of course, enters into the equation too !

 

[Doctor Fegg]

It looks pretty likely that Youghal-Midleton will become a cycleway ('greenway'), just as Dungarvan-Waterford has become. This could potentially share the trackbed with a reinstated single-track railway, just as the Waterford & Suir Valley Railway shares with the Waterford Greenway, though I suspect any reinstatement is vanishingly unlikely.