US rail workers set the line to follow here

I READ with interest your report on the growing delays connecting Midleton to the Cobh-Cork rail line (July 20).

I was struck by the way modern technology and modern attitudes have impacted on projects of this kind.

When they were building the transcontinental railway across America, Chinese, Mormon and Irish labourers were able to install between five and 10 miles of track per day. This would mean about two or three days to connect Midleton to the Cobh-Cork line.