Dublin Area Rapid Transit

The paper describes the principal elements of the Dublin Area Rapid Transit (DART), together with details of project management during the construction phase, and operating experience since the service was introduced in 1984. The DART is a modern electrified transit system that runs on a 36 km double line route through Dublin. The system uses the latest developments in signalling, traffic control, and communication, to minimise the operating staff requirements. Chopper controlled semipermanently coupled units are combined to make 4 car or 6 car trains, to operate on the 1500 V DC electrified line from Howth to Bray, seven days a week. By using a blended regenerative-rheostatic electric braking system, these units operate with minimum energy consumption for the required schedule speed. Remote control of all power switches, level crossings, and CCTV supervision, all contribute to maximum flexibility of system operation, with the limited staffing levels adopted. DART was the first electrified line in Ireland, and is one part of an overall transport plan for Dublin, as recommended by A. M. Vorhees and Associates in 1975 [1] to Coras Iompair Eireann (CIE). Since February 1987, CIE has become the holding company, with Irish Rail responsible for railway operation.