Irish Rail selects Alstom for train-charging infrastructure

author: FutureCar Staff    

Irish Rail has awarded a €28 million contract to Alstom for the installation of new charging infrastructure for their BEMU trains. The infrastructure will be installed at Drogheda and will enable the new battery-electric DART+ trains to operate to and from Drogheda before the planned electrification of the line. The project is part of the DART+ Programme and is funded by the National Transport Authority.

The charging infrastructure will be installed on two platforms and one siding at Drogheda and is expected to be completed by the end of 2024. It will allow the battery-electric DART+ trains, which will enter service in 2025, to be recharged during service turnaround at Drogheda. The project also includes the electrification of three lines at Drogheda and the construction of a new sub-station at Marsh Road.

The initial order of 95 DART+ carriages includes 65 battery-electric powered units and 30 electric units. The battery-electric trains will have 840 kWh of energy per five-carriage train and will be capable of operating in up to 10-carriage formation. They will run on battery power between Dublin and Drogheda, using the existing overhead lines on the DART from the city centre to Malahide.

The charging process will be automated, with the pantograph extending to the charging platform upon arrival and lowering again once the train is ready to depart. The charging infrastructure will be able to charge up to three 10-carriage length trains per hour. Overnight charging and regenerative braking will also help replenish the train's batteries.

In addition to the initial order, a further 90 battery-electric carriages have been ordered as part of the DART+ Programme. These trains will be delivered from Spring 2026 and will enter service from Summer 2026. Similar charging infrastructure is also being considered for other areas in the Greater Dublin Area, as well as the Cork Commuter network and Wicklow.

The CEO of Irish Rail, Jim Meade, expressed excitement about the investment and how it will benefit customers on the Drogheda commuter route. He also mentioned the ongoing public consultation for the full electrification and capacity improvements of the Drogheda line under the DART+ Coastal North project. Anne Graham, the CEO of the National Transport Authority, welcomed the progress being made and highlighted the improved passenger capacity and service frequency that DART+ will bring to the Greater Dublin Area.

FutureCar Staff