Lavistown Loop Line
| Lavistown Loop Line | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Type | Heavy rail |
| Status | Operational |
| Locale | Maddockstown, County Kilkenny |
| Termini |
Dublin (Heuston) – Kilkenny Kilkenny – Waterford |
| Operation | |
| Opening | 25.03.1996 |
| Owner | Iarnród Éireann |
| Rolling stock |
Class 071 Class 201 |
| Technical | |
| Line length | .56 mi (0.90 km) |
| No. of tracks | 1 |
| Track gauge | 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) |
The Lavistown Loop Line provides an important function in transporting freight and timber liner trains. Before the loop was constructed, freight and timber liner trains would have to turn around at Kilkenny railway station to continue on to their destination in Sallypark, near Waterford railway station. Non-passenger trains such as the "DFDS Freight Train" from Ballina–Waterford avoid Kilkenny by using the "Lavistown Loop Line" which joins both lines going to Kilkenny. The loop has allowed Irish Rail to run a daily morning limited stop service between Waterford and Heuston departing Waterford at 07.10 and arriving Heuston at 09.00.[1][2]