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Limerick was first served by
rail when the Waterford & Limerick Railway opened their line from
Limerick City to the Great Southern & Western's main line at Limerick
Jct in July 1848. The W&LR was re-titled to become the Waterford
Limerick & Western Railway who added an additional line from Limerick
City to far away places such as Collooney via Athenry and Claremorris
The Great Southern & Western Railway also built an additional line to
Limerick from Foynes and Tralee via the North Kerry route. Finally in
1901 the GSWR took over the WL&WR lines, becoming Ireland's largest
railway company. The line from Limerick to Claremorris lost its
passenger services in 1976, but was reinstated in March 2010 as far as
Athenry. The North Kerry line however lost its passenger service in
February 1963, but remained in use for freight as far as Foynes until
2002.
Limerick is the starting point for trains to Galway, Ballybrophy via
Nenagh, Waterford and of course Dublin. Unfortunately the modern freight
depot beside the station is now out of use. Limerick was also the home
to the W&LR workshops, now used by Irish Rail as a railcar and wagon
depot. The signal cabin at the station replaced the original mechanical
one in the late 1970s. |