Irish Rail hopes old diesel trains can be redeployed to this route once new battery-electric Dart trains come on stream. Incoming Irish Rail chief executive Mary Considine last week acknowledged that the new Darts have been delayed until at least the spring of 2027. This will delay any cascade of additional trains hitting the network’s black spots for a while yet. The announcement came the same day The Irish Times took the early morning train from Rathdrum to talk to passengers about their commuting experience. Ross Marron on board one of the Irish Rail services.

Source: The Irish Times November 07, 2025 06:16 UTC