Irish Rail is seeking approval for a new order of 100 electric-train carriages worth an estimated €250 million to replace the original Dart fleet.
The original Dart fleet dates from 1984 and comprised 80, German-made carriages, 76 of which survive. The service was augmented between 2000 and 2004 by the addition of 68 Japanese-made carriages which are to remain in service.
Safety certification for the original Dart fleet was initially scheduled to expire in 2014 but was extended to July 2024 when the fleet was then 40 years old. Earlier this year it was extended again until the early 2030s.
However, Irish Rail has now determined that the cost of keeping the original fleet is prohibitively more than the cost and advantages of buying new carriages. This is based on the cost required for more frequent heavy maintenance, a new train protection system and the limited passenger amenity offered in comparison to new trains.
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Irish Rail has confirmed it is in discussions with the National Transport Authority on a business case which will be presented to the Cabinet for approval.
Irish Rail spokesman Barry Kenny said it was hoped the order for new trains would be placed with French train maker Alstom “early in the new year”.
Irish Rail has not confirmed the cost of the new trains. However, industry sources suggest a figure of €2.5 million per carriage, with battery trains being more expensive than those powered by connecting to overhead wires only. On this basis, the cost of 100 new carriages to replace the original fleet would come to €250 million.
Irish Rail has already placed two orders with Alstom to expand its electric fleet largely for the Dart+ programme.
The first order was for 95 carriages, 65 of which are powered by batteries and 30 of which will be powered by overhead electric cables. The order was announced in December 2021 and these carriages are expected to go into service in early 2026.
The second order, placed in December 2022, was for 90 battery electric carriages which are expected to go into service from the summer of 2027.
If approved by Cabinet, the replacement carriages for the original Dart fleet would go into service from the summer of 2028.
The procurement process under EU rules allows Irish Rail to keep adding orders with Alstom for up to a total of 750 carriages, subject to funding and approval from Government.
However, Irish Rail chief executive Jim Meade has said a big constraint in the network is track capacity and Irish Rail has a longer-term plan to add additional tracks on the northern line in and out of Dublin, to separate commuter from intercity services
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