{"id":1927,"date":"2013-04-04T06:00:10","date_gmt":"2013-04-04T10:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/briansolomon.com\/trackingthelight\/?p=1927"},"modified":"2013-04-04T06:20:05","modified_gmt":"2013-04-04T10:20:05","slug":"he-sun-doesnt-always-shine-in-dublin-but-it-did-on-april-2-2013","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/briansolomon.com\/trackingthelight\/he-sun-doesnt-always-shine-in-dublin-but-it-did-on-april-2-2013\/","title":{"rendered":"The Sun Doesn\u2019t Always Shine In Dublin; But it did on April 2, 2013!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Irish Rail<\/a>‘s Day in the Sun\u2014April 2, 2013.<\/span><\/p>\n

It was a rare day in Dublin<\/a>. After what has been reported as the coldest March on record (and, undoubtedly one of the grayest), waking up to a clear blue dome was a joy. As a weekday, Irish Rail had fair bit on the move, above its normal schedule of passenger trains.<\/p>\n

\"Irish_Rail_224_IWT_Liner_Islandbridge_Jct_Vert_IMG_0463\"<\/a>
Irish Rail Class 201<\/a> number 224 rolls through Islandbridge<\/a> Junction with the Dublin-Ballina IWT-Liner on April 2, 2013.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

My first move was to catch the \u2018down IWT Liner\u2019 (Dublin to Ballina International Warehousing and Transport<\/a> container train) from my usual spot. This place is easy, too easy, so has often become my default location. Not to linger, I hopped on the LUAS<\/a> (Dublin\u2019s tram system) to meet my friend Colm O\u2019Callaghan down (at) the North Wall<\/a> (near Dublin port).<\/p>\n

We proceeded to a favored overhead bridge at Claude Road on Dublin\u2019s North Side to catch Irish Rail\u2019s last orange 071 (number 084) working a long welded rail train up from the permanent way depot (track maintenance yard). This was delayed coming across from Islandbridge by the passage of scheduled trains on the Sligo Line.<\/p>\n

\"Rotem<\/a>
A Sligo to Dublin Connolly<\/a> passenger train passes Claude Road, Dublin.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"071<\/a>
The long welded rail train approaches Claude Road in Dublin on April 2, 2013.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"<\/a>

Once standard, orange trains have all but vanished from Irish Rail in recent years. General Motors-built class 071 number 084 is the last locomotive in traffic to wear orange paint. A new livery is being applied to the 071 class presently.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After catching this unusual train, we moved down to the Cork Line at Lucan South to wait for the \u2018Up IWT Liner\u2019 from Ballina led by another of the 071 Class General Motors diesels.<\/p>\n

All of these images were exposed with my Canon EOS 7D. Had I anticipated such a productive venture, I would have brought along a film camera. Perhaps next time!<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The Ballina to Dublin IWT liner works \u2018up road\u2019 on the slow line near Lucan South in west suburban Dublin. Not far behind is a Cork to Dublin-Heuston Mark4 on the fast line. This will overtake the freight in a few minutes.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"Irish_Rail_083_w_IWT_Lucan_South_close_view_w_pylon_IMG_0497\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I\u2019ll be presenting my illustrated talk \u201cIreland through American Eyes 1998-2008 My first Decade in Ireland\u201d to the\u00a0London area Irish Railway Record Society<\/a>\u00a0on April 18, 2013.<\/p>\n

The program begins at 1900 (7pm) upstairs at the Exmouth Arms, 1 Starcross Street, LONDON NW1, (advertised as a 5 minute walk from London\u2019s Euston station). A nominal donation of \u00a33.50 is asked of non-IRRS members (members \u00a32.50)<\/p>\n

For more on the IRRS see:\u00a0http:\/\/www.irrs.ie\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Related articles<\/h6>\n