Limerick–Tralee railway line

The Limerick and Foynes Railway, starting at a junction just outside {{Stnlnk|Limerick}} to {{Stnlink|Foynes}} some {{Convert|26+1/2|mi|km}} distant via Ballingrane Junction. The Rathkeale and Newcastle Junction Railway Company were responsible for the section {{Convert|10|mi|km}} section from Ballingrane Junction to Newcastle West with the Limerick and Kerry Railway Company taking responsibility for remainder of the line to Tralee which opened in December 1880. All sections were operated by the Waterford and Limerick Railway (W&LR) as they opened.{{Sfnp|Ahrons|1954|p=29}}{{Sfnp|Casserley|1974|p=79}}{{efn|It was common for sections of the railway to be financed and built by separate companies supported by an operating company with the operating company leasing or buying the line section following completion}}{{efn|{{harvp|Casserley|1974}} and {{harvp|Ahrons|1954}} may have discrepancies in the opening dates of intermediate sections}} An additional {{Convert|8|mi|km}} branch opened from Tralee to Fenit in 1887.{{Sfnp|Ahrons|1954|p=29}}

At {{Stnlink|Tralee}} the Great Southern and Western Railway (GS&WR) line approached from the east while the {{abbr|W&LR|Waterford and Limerick Railway}} came in from the northwest, the two lines being connected but each initially having their own independent station until 1907.{{sfnp|Casserley|1974|p=79}}

In 1901, the WL&WR was bought by the {{abbr|GS&WR|Great Southern and Western Railway}}, then during the grouping of 1925, the {{abbr|GS&WR|Great Southern and Western Railway}} was merged with three other companies to form the Great Southern Railways (GSR). After the war, the Transport Act 1944{{cite web| url=http://www.irishstatuebook.ie/ZZA21Y1944.html| title=Transport Act 1944| website=Irish Statute Book}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}{{dead link|date=July 2016}} dissolved the {{abbr|GSR|Great Southern Railways}} and brought its assets into the ownership of Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ) on 1 January 1945. The line stayed in the ownership of {{abbr|CIÉ|Córas Iompair Éireann}} until the line was closed to passengers on 4 February 1963 and for freight up to Listowel in 1977 and to Tralee on 6 February 1978.

The Foynes–Limerick section of the line was open to freight traffic until 2001, when it was closed and mothballed. In November 2022, it was announced that work had begun on restoring the line, which is scheduled to reopen to freight in 2025, with the possibility of passenger services being restored at a later date.{{cite web |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/regional/2022/1114/1335959-foynes-limerick-rail-line/ |title=Work to begin on reopening Foynes-Limerick rail line |date=14 November 2022 |publisher=RTÉ |accessdate=14 November 2022 |last1=Halloran |first1=Cathy }}

The line travelled through the countryside of County Limerick and County Kerry, linking the city of Limerick and the town of Tralee with towns primarily along the N21 road corridor. It began at Colbert station in Limerick, and passed through: Patrickswell, where a branch line to Charleville connected there with the Dublin-Cork railway line, Adare, a second branch connected with the freight port at Foynes diverging at Ballingrane Junction, Rathkeale, Newcastle West, Abbeyfeale, Listowel, where a connection was made with the Lartigue Monorail to Ballybunnion, Lixnaw, Abbeydorney, Ardfert, and finally Tralee, where trains continued to Killarney and Mallow, and a branch line went to Fenit.

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{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book|title=Locomotive and train working in the latter part of the nineteenth century"|publisher=W Heffer & Sons Ltd|volume=six|last=Ahrons|first=E. L.|editor=L. L. Asher|date=1954}}
• {{cite book|title=Outine of Irish Railway History|last=Casserley|first=H.C.|isbn=0715363778|publisher=David & Charles|location=Newton Abbot|date=1974}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Limerick-Tralee line}}

Category:Closed railways in Ireland

Category:Railway lines opened in 1880