TRACK laying on the Foynes Rail Project is due to start in January, an Iarnród Éireann spokesman confirmed to The RM. He said that all track on the 42km-long line had been removed with the redundant sleepers being sent to Sweden. In addition, the first 2.4km of track of the mothballed Cement Factory branch to Castlemungret which runs parallel to the Foynes line has been lifted but will also be relaid.
Lead contractor Sisk has engaged a specialist contractor to install the track from Foynes towards Limerick. This work is expected to begin in early January, with the aim to deliver 1000 metres of Continuously Welded Rail (CWR) a week, completing track laying by the end of 2024. Track will be CWR and welded by IÉ’s new mobile welder, with a tamper being brought on site to tamp the newly laid track at a later stage. Vegetation removal within the railway boundaries and refencing continues. Substantial clearance had been completed between Adare and Foynes by early November. It is expected that the rest of the line to Limerick will be totally cleared by the end of the year.
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