Many years ago, when the Kildare Route Project was being proposed as Irish Rail’s Celtic Tiger vanity project, I (unsuccessfully) lodged an objection to same, suggesting that an alternative (and cheaper) method of improving capacity between Inchicore and Hazelhatch and Celbridge would be to 4 track the stations and have commuter trains pull into the loops at such stations to allow mainline trains to overtake.
I was out and about in Dublin yesterday, which included taking me to Clongriffin Station. The DART I was on pulled into the loop on the Down side of the station and waited. The reason for this – to allow a Belfast bound train to overtake.
Amazing what can be done when you don’t have access to taxpayers’ money to spaff up against a wall.