"Boltar" wrote in message
...
On Oct 14, 12:16 am, wrote:
Modernisation of the Irish Rail system continues unabated. Quadrupling
from Heuston –Hazelhatch, reopening of the Midleton and Athenry-Ennis
lines, the new line to Pace, and planning for the Dublin
Interconnector are current highlights. The intercity routes have all
been resignalled. New trains are creating the youngest overall train
fleet in Europe . Oliver brings us his inside knowledge of this
incredible transformation of the Irish Rail system.

Ireland is also the only european country to have bugger all
electrification apart from the local DART service around Dublin.
Hardly a modern railway system.

B2003

I don't think you can necessarily say that electrification=modern.

You could say that when the alternatives were steam or electric but that has
not really been the case for many years.

The density of traffic in most of Southern Ireland is such that
electrification would not be justified. A possible exception might be up
as far as Drogheda or Dundalk on the ex GNRI but modern working methods
would still lead to the Enterprise trains being diesel throughout.

Similarly if Dublin-Cork was done there would still be a lot of diesel
working to Tralee/Limerick/Galway/Westport/Ballina/Waterford as those lines
only see a maximum of 4 or 5 trains a day. Not even the SNCF would
electrify them.