đŸ’¾ Archived View for gem.amigausers.ie › news_ie › rtedub1639414440.gmi captured on 2021-12-17 at 13:26:06. Gemini links have been rewritten to link to archived content
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
New DART carriages on track to enter service in 2025
Monday, 13 Dec 2021 16:54
IarnrĂ³d Éireann has signed a contract for 750 new DART carriages to be purchased over the next ten years.
The first of the electric and battery electric carriages will enter service in 2025 and will eventually form part of the DART+ network.
The first battery electric carriages will be deployed on the Dublin to Drogheda commuter route and the new electric carriages will be deployed on the existing DART network to increase capacity.
Iarnrod Éireann said it is the largest and most sustainable fleet in Irish public transport history and that it will increase capacity on routes before they are electrified.
The contract has been awarded to the French company Alstom, who will deliver the first carriages in two-and-a-half years' time.
An initial order for 95 carriages, comprising of six sets of five-carriage conventional electric trains and 13 sets of five-carriage battery electric trains, has been placed at a cost of €318m.
Alstom already has 2,000 of these kind of carriages in service in more than ten countries, but there will be refinements to meet the needs of DART+ and Ireland's specific track gauge.
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said the new fleet "will result in increased capacity for passengers as well as improved accessibility, facilities and comfort."
"The battery electric trains included in this contract will be used on the Northern Line before electrification of the line is complete," he said.
"This will free up the diesel units to be redeployed elsewhere thus boosting capacity further. Expanding and improving public transport is key to reaching our climate goals."