How Reliable is the Cork-Dublin train?

foggy_lad

i was on the 17:30 from cork to dublin this evening(saturday) and although it was 10 minutes late leaving ballybrophy and also portlaoise it quite miraculously arrived in Heuston a full 10 minutes ahead of time. trains that run late with irish rail usually only get much later instead of making up time.

i was amazed that the driver was able to make up 20 minutes in a distance of about 70 miles considering all the restrictions on that stretch of track. i wonder too if the fact that the chairman of irish rail was sitting in 1st class hastened the journey and was the driver made aware of this when the train was seen to be running late?

regardless it was nice for a change to arrive on time and even early so well done irish rail for doing your job although the people waiting in portlaoise and ballybrophy for an extra 10 minutes would scarcely agree.

does anyone else have stories of other trains arriving on time or even early as long as they have not left passengers behind at intermediate stations?

amacachi

There is a huge amount of padding in the timetables, I've been on the train from Dundalk to Dublin only stopping at Belfast along the way which has arrived a couple of minutes early despite being stuck behind a DART right from Malahide.

OhThePenguin

Can't fault the Cork-Dublin service. I get it pretty regularly and its nearly always on time. The odd time it can be 15-20mins late but that doesn't bother me too much, especially when I'm only paying €10 single

Victor

foggy_lad wrote: »

i wonder too if the fact that the chairman of irish rail was sitting in 1st class hastened the journey and was the driver made aware of this when the train was seen to be running late?

If anything, that would be seen as an attempt to put inappropriate pressure on a driver, which is dangerous and would cause all sorts of hassle.

The simple reality is that the timetable is padded to bits. Trains are given extra time at the end of their journey to make sure they aren't late according to the timetable. Of course, sometimes even with this extra time, they still can't match the timetable. Time at intermediate stations tend to be a little tight, but manageable. This manifests itself as a late train, suddenly being on time in the last stretch.

Cork-Mallow is timetabled for 21-26 minutes (railcars have better acceleration). Mallow-Cork is timetabled for 25-36 minutes, even though it is an easier journey (Mallow is at a higher altitude). That indicates 1-15 minutes of padding on that section on top of what is reasonably needed.

From this week. http://railusers.ie/forum/showthread.php?t=12410

31 May 2010 - 05:05 Cork-Dublin Heuston
06:13 05:05 Cork-Dublin Heuston is running 19 minutes late. Likely to make up some time.
07:22 Only 9 minutes late now.
08:03 8 Minutes late at Hazelhatch.
08:07 On time at Cherry Orchard.

The 0613 time was for somewhere around Mallow-Charleville. I don't know if the train departed late, but its interesting how it could be 19 minutes late after only 49 minutes of scheduled travel. Most of the time was made up at Thurles and Ballybrophy.

Run_to_da_hills

I took the Dublin to Cork train twice in the last month (Limerick Junction) and it was reliable.

foggy_lad

Any time I have been on the same train in the last few months it has been 10-30minutes late. Also the Sligo train is usually late from my recent experiences from sligo or mullingar to Dublin.!

Victor

foggy_lad wrote: »

Also the Sligo train is usually late from my recent experiences from sligo or mullingar to Dublin.!

This is particularly so in the evening when there is a large number of crossing trains on the single track section.

T Corolla

We need some double tracking between Edgeworthtown and Mullingar even a mile or two stretch would allow the train to leave Edgeworthtown and continue to Mullingar and hopefully both trains could pass one another without a time delay.

Cookie_Monster

foggy_lad wrote: »

. i wonder too if the fact that the chairman of irish rail was sitting in 1st class hastened the journey and was the driver made aware of this when the train was seen to be running late?

I doubt the driver was even aware of him on board

Victor wrote: »

If anything, that would be seen as an attempt to put inappropriate pressure on a driver, which is dangerous and would cause all sorts of hassle.

It may be innapropriate, but everyone in any business has to work harder when directors are around. Just a fact of life.