Project Specific FAQs
Click on a logo below for the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) related to that DART+ project.
DART+ Fleet
There is a premium for battery electric carriages over electric carriages, in terms of capital cost and maintenance costs. Therefore, above a certain frequency of service, it is more economical to provide Over Head Electrification as a power source and utilise electric carriages.
In addition, charging requirements for battery electric carriages can become an issue at end stations when the frequency of service is high.
Iarnród Éireann, supported by the National Transport Authority (NTA), have provision to commission up to 750 electric/battery electric powered vehicles over a 10-year timescale. This order represents the purchase of the largest and most sustainable public transport fleet in Irish history.
The first order will include 13 battery electric DART trains and 6 electric DART trains
Thereafter, the exact quantities for subsequent orders will be confirmed based on passenger demand and rail infrastructure capacity.
The batteries will have a minimum life as traction batteries of 9 years on the units. At that point they will still retain a very large capacity and it is most likely that they will be repurposed for a static energy storage system. There is also the option that the batteries can continue to be used as a traction battery beyond 9 years on shorter services requiring BEMU operation.
Rail user groups and Iarnród Éireann staff have been and continue to be involved in the design and development of the new DART+ Fleet. We expect to hold a public consultation for the wider population when the unit design is nearing finalisation. Details of how to take part in the consultation process will be published on www.dartplus.ie when they are confirmed.
Battery Electric Multiple Units (BEMUs) are almost identical to the traditional electric DART trains we are familiar with; however, they contain a large battery pack to provide traction power where no overhead line exists.
It is currently proposed to use the battery electric trains on the northern line between Drogheda and Dublin City Centre. They will allow us to make full use of existing infrastructure and provide the necessary capacity and frequency uplift on this line while electrification is being progressed.