Rail freight stock of Ireland
# Rail freight stock of Ireland

When formed in 1945, Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ) inherited a GSR wagon fleet insufficient for post-war requirements. A major wagon building programme in the 1950s and 1960s eliminated this pre-war stock. The new stock consisted of open or covered general purpose wagons of the four-wheel loose-coupled design, without vacuum brakes and limited to 35mph. There were also a few specialised wagons built for tar, grain and cattle.

These vehicles were in turn superseded and phased out by the introduction of the intermodal fleet in the 1970s. The new liner-trains, complete with vacuum brakes and Y25/Y27 bogies, enabled high speed (60 mph) transportation.

Today, all of Iarnród Éireann's freight stock is maintained at Limerick Colbert. Most of the company's withdrawn freight wagons are stored here as well, though some can be found at Heuston, North Wall Yard and Tralee. A large number of disused flat wagons are stored on disconnected sidings near the former Comhlucht Siuicre Eireann factory in Mallow.

## Current freight flows

* Lead and Zinc Ore from Tara Mines (Near Navan) to North Wall, Dublin
* Intermodal traffic between Ballina and North Wall, Dublin
* Intermodal traffic between Ballina Belview Port, Waterford
* Timber traffic between Westport/Ballina and Belview Port, Waterford

## Freight listing

| Wagon | Length | Introduced | Numbers | Tare | Coupling | Capacity | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Fertiliser | 42 ft 9 in 13,030 mm | 1974 | 35001-35090 | 21.8 long tons 24.4 short tons; 22.1 t | Instanter | 40 long tons 45 short tons; 41 t |
| Bogie Flat | 42 ft 9 in 13,030 mm | 1971 & 1978 | 30001-30212 | 16 long tons 18 short tons; 16 t | Instanter | | |
| Bogie Flat | 47 ft 6 in 14,480 mm | 1978 | 30219-30278 | 17 long tons 19 short tons; 17 t | Instanter | | |
| Rail Truck | 62 ft 0 in 18,900 mm | 1973 | 24224-24240 | 20 long tons 10 cwt 23.0 short tons; 20.8 t | Instanter | 41.5 long tons 46.5 short tons; 42.2 t | |
| Wagon | | | | | Instanter | | |
| Cement "Bubble" | 20 ft 0 in 6,100 mm | 1964-1972 | 25050-25199 | 10 long tons 4 cwt 11.4 short tons; 10.4 t 10 long tons 10 cwt 11.8 short tons; 10.7 t | Instanter | 20 long tons 22 short tons; 20 t | |
| 4-wheel Flat | 20 ft 0 in 6,100 mm | 1970-1975 | 27101-27791 | 7 long tons 6 cwt 8.2 short tons; 7.4 t | Instanter | 20 long tons 22 short tons; 20 t | 27756 Preserved at Downpatrick & Co. Down Railway |
| Bogie Cement | 42 ft 9 in 13,030 mm | 1979 | 33001-33012 | 22 long tons 25 short tons; 22 t | Instanter | 50 long tons 56 short tons; 51 t | |
| Ballast hopper | 20 ft 0 in 6,100 mm | 1972 & 1977 | 24113-24148, 24250-24263 | 9 long tons 8 cwt 10.5 short tons; 9.6 t | Instanter | 20 long tons 22 short tons; 20 t | |
| Ammonia | | | | | Instanter | | |
| Timber flat | 62 ft 0 in 18,900 mm | | | | Instanter | | In use on Coillte trains between Westport/Ballina and Waterford. |
| Zinc wagon | | | | | | | In use on Tara Mines trains between Dublin and Navan. |
| Shale wagon | | | | | | | All withdrawn at Limerick Colbert. Some converted to zinc wagons. |
| Pocket wagon | | | | | | | In use on DFDS Liner Trains between Waterford and Ballina. |
| Tank wagon | | | | | | | Withdrawn at Limerick and Heuston. |
| Beet wagon | | | | | | | |
