IE 2600 Class

Ianród Éireann 2600 Class
In service	1993 - Present
Manufacturer	Tokyu Car
Family name	Tokyu Commuter
Number built	8 trainsets
Formation	2 cars per trainset
Operator	Commuter
Specifications
Maximum speed	110 km/h (70 mph)
Gauge	1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) Irish gauge See Rail gauge in Ireland

The 2600 Class is a type of Diesel Multiple Unit operated on the Irish railway network by Iarnród Éireann, used mainly for short-haul Commuter services. At present the entire class is based in Cork, and is used on local services to Mallow, Midleton, Cobh and on token services to Tralee. The hybrid unit is based in Limerick.

Description

The 2600 Class were the first modern set of diesel railcars purchased by Iarnród Éireann, who for several years had only ran multiple units on the electrified DART service. A total of seventeen individual railcars were constructed by the Tokyu Car Corporation in Japan and delivered between 1993 and 1994 for use on the commuter service between Dublin and Kildare. The stock were the first rolling stock to be delivered in "Arrow" livery, initially used to refer solely to the Dublin-Kildare commuter service upon which they were deployed, although they were rebranded in 2003 to the new Commuter livery. They were the very last Iarnród Éireann rolling stock to ship branded with the firm's original "IR" logo, though this was replaced with the "IÉ" version shortly after the trains entered service.

Deployment

Class 2600 were initially deployed on the brand new Dublin-Kildare Arrow service (now rebranded South Western Commuter). Although purchased for the new service, which began in 1994, they were also to be seen up until the early 2000s supplementing the locomotive hauled "Craven" coaching stock on Western Suburban (now Western Commuter) services, and occasionally on other lines also. Since January 2010, all 2600 class railcars have been moved to Kent Station Cork, where they work Cork-Cobh, Cork-Midleton and Cork-Mallow services.

Fleet details

Class	Operator	Number	Year Built	Cars per Set	Unit nos.	Notes
2600 Class	Commuter	8	1993-1994	2	2601/02 - 2615/16	2609 operates as a hybrid 2-car unit with 2716

External links

• Irish Rail Fleet Information page
• Eiretrains - Irish Railcars & DART units