IÉ 2600 Class

Iarnród Éireann 2600 Class
2601 at Fota in 2013
In service	16 May 1994 - present
Manufacturer	Tokyu Car Corporation
Family name	Tokyu Commuter
Constructed	1993
Number built	17 railcars
Number scrapped	none
Formation	2 cars per trainset
Fleet numbers	2601 - 2617
Capacity	130 seated
Operators	Commuter
Specifications
Maximum speed	110 km/h (70 mph)
Track gauge	1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) 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. Sometimes operates Cork to Dublin route in case intercity stock isn't available. 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. A hybrid unit was based in Limerick until it was withdrawn in 2012 and is now stored in Cork.

2601 at Dublin Heuston in June 1995

Description

2607 At Cobh

The 2600 Class were the first modern set of diesel railcars purchased by Iarnród Éireann, who for several years had only run 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 be shipped 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. Eight trainsets are formed with two railcars each, one with odd number, having a toilet and one with even number. Due to the odd total number of vehicles, a Hybrid set 2609/2716 had been formed. This has been withdrawn and is now stored in Cork Shed. All 2600 Class sets carry the new Iarnród Éireann-Irish Rail logo and silver InterCity livery since August 2013. 2613/2610 was the last 2600 Class DMU to carry the Commuter livery.

Fleet details

Class	Operator	Number	Year Built	Cars per Set	Unit nos.	Notes
2600 Class	Commuter	8	1993	2	2601/2602 2603/2604 2605/2616 2606/2615 2607/2608 2610/2613 2611/2612 2614/2617	2609 operated as a hybrid 2-car unit with 2716 (Now withdrawn)

External links

• Irish Rail Fleet Information page