Reduced Capacity on Peak service

Jamie2k9

lxflyer wrote: »

Again, as I've posted before I do appreciate the fact that you're frustrated about this.

The information about train sizes that I've quoted is what should apply once the reformation process has completed - that has not happened as yet, but there are only a few sets left to finish, and as such the 17:35 should then be six coaches long going forward, as no sets will be out of traffic any more.

But to be perfectly honest it sounds to me like there was a train failure yesterday. The fact that the train was late boarding would suggest that was the issue, and that some juggling of trains had to take place. I suspect that the only option they had was to use a four coach train (I am guessing here).

As I've posted, seven coach trains cannot be used due to the platform lengths at Kilkenny. This seriously limits operational flexibility in terms of what can be sent as a replacement in the event of a train failure. Another ludicrous and very short sighted decision in terms of infrastructure planning, to add to the issues with platform lengths at Castlerea and Ballyhaunis on the Westport line.

The passenger charter is here:
http://www.irishrail.ie/index.jsp?p=156&n=282

Ixflyer

The 17.35 won't be a 6 piece at all even when the sets are all done and TBH I think they are all more less done now at most 2 FC still being changed, however if it was a 5 piece yesterday you are allowed use all 5 coaches on it, FC doesn't apply. Can't comment on numbers using the service as I don't use it a lot.

TINA1984

corktina wrote: »

It's an intercity service. It isn't reasonable to expect people to stand over long distances.

It may be branded as 'InterCity' but clearly most of the regular patronage of the Dub-Wat line appears to be of the commuter variety, hence people standing from Kildare onwards which isn't all that unreasonable imo.

I'm all for seperating out commuter traffic from Intercity traffic, but could it be a case of what keeps the Waterford line as a going concern is the considerable commuter traffic on the line, as such its unreasonable to eliminate some of the stops on the line like the OP has mentioned?

corktina

I'd suggest if 4 cars are run versus 6 that people would be standing much further out than Kildare

LXFlyer

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Ixflyer

The 17.35 won't be a 6 piece at all even when the sets are all done and TBH I think they are all more less done now at most 2 FC still being changed, however if it was a 5 piece yesterday you are allowed use all 5 coaches on it, FC doesn't apply. Can't comment on numbers using the service as I don't use it a lot.

I would respectfully disagree. I suspect that the 17:35 will be a six piece - it and the 16:35 need to be full length 6 piece trains - I don't think that people can be expected to put up with conditions such as yesterday.

With the increased number of three piece sets available when the reforming process is completed, it should be perfectly feasible to do it.

Re the 17:35 yesterday, what Emme is saying is that it was a 4 piece. Her comments about the 5 piece First Class sets were referring to the 18:35.

As I've said before, in the longer term a timetable recast is needed to separate out the commuter and intercity traffic.

Jamie2k9

lxflyer wrote: »

I would respectfully disagree. I suspect that the 17:35 will be a six piece - it and the 16:35 need to be full length 6 piece trains - I don't think that people can be expected to put up with conditions such as yesterday.

With the increased number of three piece sets available when the reforming process is completed, it should be perfectly feasible to do it.

Re the 17:35 yesterday, what Emme is saying is that it was a 4 piece. Her comments about the 5 piece First Class sets were referring to the 18:35.

As I've said before, in the longer term a timetable recast is needed to separate out the commuter and intercity traffic.

Given that passengers have being putting up with it since before Christmas I can't see it changing. IE say lot of passengers empty out by Kildare (I can't confirm that) so they are going on that line I can't see any change unless that changes.

16.35 has never being touched but if they go back to 6 on the 17.35 they will have no savings made at all. I don't see it happened and IE are taking that line for the foreseeable. Agree new timetable would sort 90% of the problems out but when that will happen. Last I heard was Q2 2014 but since then I heard they are going back to Q4 2014 and for future ones.

foggy_lad

lxflyer wrote: »

That 17:35 service should be a 6 car train - perhaps a unit failed?

With the new configurations will there be any 6 car trains(3+3) given the shortage of 3 car sets?

The 18:35 service is scheduled as a set with first class - they are virtually all reformed as 5 piece sets at this stage.

So this will never be more than a 4 car train for almost all passengers. (Does anyone have numbers for First Class on this service?)

There is a serious issue in terms of flexibility on the Waterford line in that no 7 car trains can travel along the route as the platforms at Kilkenny are too short to accommodate them - another short sighted decision.

Agree about it being quite short-sighted as 6 car trains can be accommodated but Irish Rail choose not to use them on this line at peak times.

As I said before, this overcrowding issued can really only be addressed by recasting the timetable and stopping patterns, and taking out some of the stops between Heuston and Kildare.

Recasting the timetable and stopping patterns is not the answer here, What is needed is 6 car(standard class) trains on these two peak services every weekday, replace the First Class car because Irish Rail treat these intercity services as commuter trains by virtue of having them stop in Sallins and Newbridge. If these stops are removed from these services another Kildare commuter service would be required to connect with these Waterford trains at Kildare.

And as I said before - ask your government TDs why they voted for cutting the subsidy in 2014. Put some pressure back on them.

The TD's don't run the railways and this appears to be an rolling stock management issue rather than a monetary one so what is wrong with asking Irish Rail or taking them to task on this problem?

lxflyer wrote: »

Well the only consolation I can give you is that I believe the reformation process is almost complete, so going forward availability of units will improve (bear in mind that sets have had to be taken out of service for several days each time they are reformed), and as result I would expect that the 17:35 should be a six coach train each day.

The 18:35 will be a five coach train as it is designated as a service with first class.

We all appreciate that Irish Rail must save money by matching train size to expected loadings(a lot of guesswork and common sense required) but continuing to have a first class car on a packed out peak time commuter service is not the way to instil confidence in their operations.

end of the road

Emme wrote: »

Was anyone on the 17.35 Heuston to Waterford train yesterday (Wednesday)? It was appalling. Boarding was delayed and when the station was eventually announced people had to stampede down to Platform 7, a good 500m walk or more. The train was right down at the end of the platform and it was only 4 cars. A lot of passengers were elderly and were clearly struggling to get to the train after waiting at the platform.

As per usual some people had to stand including some of the elderly passengers. One man was saying why should he give up his seat for an old day tripper who probably didn't pay for their ticket when he pays dearly for an annual ticket and is treated like s**t all year round. I can see his point but it's a sad day when passengers are so fed up with being badly treated on the train that they lose sympathy for those who are older or less capable.

If Iarnrod Eireann are going to continue to treat Waterford passengers in this way they should reduce the fare for Taxsaver passengers. The Waterford train doesn't run as often as trains on other lines and seems to be more crowded. I really think regular commuters should get some compensation as they are not getting the same value for their money as regular commuters on other lines.

I would like to start a thread on the Waterford train in another forum because I feel that there are too many shills here trying to silence people who complain about poor rail service.

There never seem to be any more than 4 cars on the Waterford train at peak time even though there it is obvious 6 would be filled no problem. The 18.35 sometimes has 5 cars - one first class car and 4 standard class cars. This is still 4 cars - 99% of people travel standard class.

Some stations on the Waterford line need upgrading badly. I have heard of people urinating in the car parks of certain stations because there are no working toilets near the train or the station toilets are locked. Is this 2013 or 1913? The stations were probably better maintained in 1913. If passengers on the Waterford line have to put up with a poor timetable, overcrowded trains and primitive stations then we shouldn't have to pay the current overinflated fares.

irish rail don't care about people from the southeast (rosslare and waterford lines) never have never will

n97 mini

Hilly Bill wrote: »

What else do you want on a platform?

Only looking to be treated half as well as staff.

Wichita Lineman

I wonder if the people on here 'gallantly defending' Irish Rail ever actually use the train? It's a hellish experience on the Mullingar route most evenings these days.

Value for money it isnt and I dont care how it compares to the rest of the world, I pay in Ireland and I am now paying more than ever as their service rapidly deteriorates.

Emme

TINA1984 wrote: »

It may be branded as 'InterCity' but clearly most of the regular patronage of the Dub-Wat line appears to be of the commuter variety, hence people standing from Kildare onwards which isn't all that unreasonable imo.

I'm all for seperating out commuter traffic from Intercity traffic, but could it be a case of what keeps the Waterford line as a going concern is the considerable commuter traffic on the line, as such its unreasonable to eliminate some of the stops on the line like the OP has mentioned?

Believe it or not, people commute from beyond Kildare - a significant amount of people get off at Athy, Carlow and beyond.

The amount of people that get off at the stations before Athy is surprisingly small. This is because people getting off at Kildare and before have a choice, they don't have to board the overcrowded Waterford train to get home.

The train only gets tolerable after Athy. More people get off there than at the previous stations combined.

Jamie2k9

TINA1984 wrote: »

It may be branded as 'InterCity' but clearly most of the regular patronage of the Dub-Wat line appears to be of the commuter variety, hence people standing from Kildare onwards which isn't all that unreasonable imo.

I'm all for seperating out commuter traffic from Intercity traffic, but could it be a case of what keeps the Waterford line as a going concern is the considerable commuter traffic on the line, as such its unreasonable to eliminate some of the stops on the line like the OP has mentioned?

There is no such thing as Intercity traffic in Ireland, everything is commuter. No point in suggesting otherwise. All routes have little heavy traffic from start to finish.

end of the road

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

There is no such thing as Intercity traffic in Ireland

those traveling from dublin all the way to either cork, belfast, limerick, waterford killkeny, killkeny to waterford and limerick waterford, are intercity traffic, as those routes are between 2 citties meaning they are infact intercity routes, now whether some of those places should be citties or not is another debate but at the moment all those places i've mentioned are citties, i agree commuter traffic is more promanant then intercity traffic but to say intercity traffic doesn't exist in ireland isn't true

bikeman1

The 17:35 is timetabled to take 31 minutes to Kildare. There is a train (the Limerick) at 10 minutes before, so I hardly imagine that there would be many passengers getting off at Kildare and causing a huge capacity issue.

Nonetheless I would imagine the stop is important for connections from the southwest?

The journey time is nearly 50 minutes to Athy, which is a good length of time to stand, but not unusual, even on other routes in Ireland. I would be interested to find out home many standees there are if everyone took a seat on a 6 car set which is planned for the 1735. I would hazard a guess that as a 6 car it would be very few.

I used to do plenty of travel in the evening peak when the Waterford line only had the 1625 and 1825, both full to the rafters with people. I wouldn't like to know what Emme would call the Mk2s in their final years!

The argument about having less trains than Kildare and therefore you should pay less is a little silly. You are travelling further at the end of the day! That is the same on all routes where trains terminate along the overall route.

Look, for the cost of about €8 per day (2,000÷48 weeks÷5 days) you would never get near that in running a car to Dublin. It is a matter of fact that peak hour trains will be busy and probably uncomfortable, but that is the situation the world over, not just the Waterford line.

SeanW

bikeman1 wrote: »

Look, for the cost of about €8 per day (2,000÷48 weeks÷5 days) you would never get near that in running a car to Dublin. It is a matter of fact that peak hour trains will be busy and probably uncomfortable, but that is the situation the world over, not just the Waterford line.

That is likely but for different reasons: Elsewhere in the world peak hour travel will be uncomfortable because the railway lines were inherited from ... antiquity really, e.g. The London Metropolitan, the New York passenger railroads having been established in 1913 or before, cities like Munich now duplicating their "Interconnectors" because something designed for 250,000 end up carrying 750,000 pax per day, the Tokyo subway where they have a massively dense network but they still have to -literally- shove people into trains. etc.

Yet in Ireland it's not because of any lack of capacity in the infrastructure, in a lot of these cases, but because the money is not there to run trains of the proper length.

Trains that were fine as 6 or 8 coach are now 3 or 4 cars, with many, many standees. Same story on off-peak trains too, like 2-car DARTs.

Emme

bikeman1 wrote: »

The 17:35 is timetabled to take 31 minutes to Kildare. There is a train (the Limerick) at 10 minutes before, so I hardly imagine that there would be many passengers getting off at Kildare and causing a huge capacity issue.

Nonetheless I would imagine the stop is important for connections from the southwest?

The journey time is nearly 50 minutes to Athy, which is a good length of time to stand, but not unusual, even on other routes in Ireland. I would be interested to find out home many standees there are if everyone took a seat on a 6 car set which is planned for the 1735. I would hazard a guess that as a 6 car it would be very few.

I used to do plenty of travel in the evening peak when the Waterford line only had the 1625 and 1825, both full to the rafters with people. I wouldn't like to know what Emme would call the Mk2s in their final years!

I heard about them from a friend who travelled to college in Dublin from Athy. She only stuck it for a few months before moving into a houseshare.

bikeman1 wrote: »

The argument about having less trains than Kildare and therefore you should pay less is a little silly. You are travelling further at the end of the day! That is the same on all routes where trains terminate along the overall route.[/B]

It isn't silly and in the early 1990s it was cheaper to travel by train to Athy than to Kildare. I remember when someone got fined for getting off at Kildare with a Heuston to Athy ticket. It was a FairCard ticket but I think that in those days all Kildare tickets were more expensive than Athy tickets.

Some businesses run along the lines of charging customers more if they offer customers several options than if they only offer the customer one option. It costs the retailer less to give the customer only one choice. This may not apply to Iarnrod Eireann but I still think that passengers who get off the Waterford train after Kildare are paying over the odds for the service they get.

bikeman1 wrote: »

Look, for the cost of about €8 per day (2,000÷48 weeks÷5 days) you would never get near that in running a car to Dublin. It is a matter of fact that peak hour trains will be busy and probably uncomfortable, but that is the situation the world over, not just the Waterford line.

You're right. It's cheap at the price when you consider what a professional dom/dominatrix would charge to torture you.

TINA1984

Emme wrote: »

Believe it or not, people commute from beyond Kildare - a significant amount of people get off at Athy, Carlow and beyond.

The amount of people that get off at the stations before Athy is surprisingly small. This is because people getting off at Kildare and before have a choice, they don't have to board the overcrowded Waterford train to get home.

The train only gets tolerable after Athy. More people get off there than at the previous stations combined.

When you say the train is overcrowded, do you mean to say there's people standing? Likewise when you say the situation is tolerable after Athy, are you saying that's the point when everyone can sit in a seat?

Is that not the profile of just about every peak time commuter train the world over?

corktina

I imagine she's talking about when it is 6 cars, no doubt it's dreadful when there are only 4 cars.

bikeman1

So how was the commute home this evening? What size was the 1735? Did it leave from its usual platform or was it a shambles again?

I'm just trying to find out if it's a daily problem that the 1735 is a 4 car train?

I was just thinking there, that the journey time to Athy is pretty good on some of those services. It takes one lad I know in work 1 hour to get in on Dublin Bus from the southside and we're talking the back of Terenure, not some place far out.

I am the last person to stand up for Irish Rail, but if they are addressing the issue of costs (which are way too high, causing the high fares we all moan about) there is going to be some disruption while they work out what is best.

Now I agree that a child could work out the 4 cars is in adequate on many services at peak hour, but they are not the only trains on the network.

The DART capacity issues seem to have worked themselves out, albeit you have fairly full 4 cars which are usually following 8 cars, instead of the other way around. Also shortening the period that 2 car DARTs are in traffic to the proper off peak periods.

Hilly Bill

n97 mini wrote: »

Only looking to be treated half as well as staff.

You didnt answer the question. What else would you like on the platforms?

Hilly Bill

end of the road wrote: »

irish rail don't care about people from the southeast (rosslare and waterford lines) never have never will

I doubt that comment to be true now.

Hilly Bill

Andy Dunne11 wrote: »

I wonder if the people on here 'gallantly defending' Irish Rail ever actually use the train? It's a hellish experience on the Mullingar route most evenings these days.

Value for money it isnt and I dont care how it compares to the rest of the world, I pay in Ireland and I am now paying more than ever as their service rapidly deteriorates.

What evening train is it hellish on Andy?

end of the road

Hilly Bill wrote: »

I doubt that comment to be true now.

well if they did care their would not be a single 29 operating rosslare services ever

Hilly Bill

end of the road wrote: »

well if they did care their would not be a single 29 operating rosslare services ever

Is that all?

n97 mini

Hilly Bill wrote: »

You didnt answer the question. What else would you like on the platforms?

A means for avoiding semantics?

SeanW

Hilly Bill wrote: »

You didnt answer the question. What else would you like on the platforms?

Speaking only for myself, more/better shelters, and seats that don't freeze your backside off because they're bare metal. Or wet. Or both.

Wichita Lineman

Hilly Bill wrote: »

What evening train is it hellish on Andy?

18.05 Connolly - Longford. Used to be fine. Proper modern train and everyone got a seat. All of a sudden we are on an older shorter cramped train with hundreds standing.

n97 mini

SeanW wrote: »

Speaking only for myself, more/better shelters, and seats that don't freeze your backside off because they're bare metal. Or wet. Or both.

Waiting rooms like the one in Hazelhatch. Tea/Coffee vending machines. Could never understand why no enterprising individuals didn't set up stalls in the mornings outside very busy stations like Clonsilla.

LXFlyer

Andy Dunne11 wrote: »

18.05 Connolly - Longford. Used to be fine. Proper modern train and everyone got a seat. All of a sudden we are on an older shorter cramped train with hundreds standing.

Out of curiousity, how far are these people standing until?

Hilly Bill

n97 mini wrote: »

A means for avoiding semantics?

If you are going to give out about the lack of facilities on platforms then at least add what you would like to have on platforms.

Hilly Bill

SeanW wrote: »

Speaking only for myself, more/better shelters, and seats that don't freeze your backside off because they're bare metal. Or wet. Or both.

A lot of the shelters have been replaced and are better than the old ones. I dont know what can be done about the seats that are in the open platform as rain is common here and seats need to be vandal proof. Maybe have them at a slight angle so that the rain flows off them and give them a chance to dry quicker. Heated seats would be a good one .

Wichita Lineman

lxflyer wrote: »

Out of curiousity, how far are these people standing until?

Often as far as Kilcock. Not acceptable when the on the same route for the last number of years the numbers standing was minimal and then only to Maynooth - still too far to be standing in my opinion considering the amount I pay annually.

Hilly Bill

Andy Dunne11 wrote: »

18.05 Connolly - Longford. Used to be fine. Proper modern train and everyone got a seat. All of a sudden we are on an older shorter cramped train with hundreds standing.

When was the last time you were on it? Its far from cramped leaving Connolly. A few people standing all through the train but enough room to walk around if you wish. Its a 6 piece 29 set with plenty of standing room. How come you never get a seat ? do you arrive at the last minute? Its an exaggeration to call it cramped an hellish.

Hilly Bill

Andy Dunne11 wrote: »

Often as far as Kilcock. Not acceptable when the on the same route for the last number of years the numbers standing was minimal and then only to Maynooth - still too far to be standing in my opinion considering the amount I pay annually.

Andy, there isnt a hope that people are standing on that train until Kilcock and if they are then its by choice. There are more standing on the Pearse to Maynooth trains at peak times and at that its not crammed.

Hilly Bill

n97 mini wrote: »

Waiting rooms like the one in Hazelhatch. Tea/Coffee vending machines. Could never understand why no enterprising individuals didn't set up stalls in the mornings outside very busy stations like Clonsilla.

There was one in Coolmine.

L1011

Hilly Bill wrote: »

What else do you want on a platform?

Shelters with intact walls (Clonsilla has missing panels, for instance) at the least, preferably solid walls so you don't get random draughts through them. Heating would be next on that, once its actually controlled by external temperature and doesn't stay on all summer.

Toilets

Vending machines - which would make money for CIE.

Information signs actually visible from all areas of the platform (Clonsilla is the example here again - the Westbound platform has a pole in front of the sign from 80% of the length of the platform)

The stations are currently configured are set-up for very high frequency services, yet they don't get them.

SeanW

Hilly Bill wrote: »

When was the last time you were on it? Its far from cramped leaving Connolly. A few people standing all through the train but enough room to walk around if you wish. Its a 6 piece 29 set with plenty of standing room. How come you never get a seat ? do you arrive at the last minute? Its an exaggeration to call it cramped an hellish.

Hello Barry Kenny? There is no such thing as a 6 piece 29 set, and "plenty of standing room" is not what people are looking for on a long distance journey.

This was a train that had more than a few standees even as an 8 coach train which it was, is now only 4 coaches, and if its not a hellhole now, its only because anyone with any choice has abandoned it.

Hilly Bill wrote: »

Andy, there isnt a hope that people are standing on that train until Kilcock and if they are then its by choice. There are more standing on the Pearse to Maynooth trains at peak times and at that its not crammed.

Nonsense! Both the 18:5 and 19:05 were fairly full leaving Connolly as 8 and 6 car trains respectively. They're now miserable sardine cans being both 4 car.

The same is true of trains going into Dublin, the same railcars that make the 18:05 out also make an early morning train going in, there were reports of that being so full it was leaving passengers behind.

Last time I used a Sligo train was a Sunday evening, going into Dublin. Train was 4 coaches (previously would have been 6) and had people standing from further back from Edgeworthstown, such that there were already no seats and standees when I joined it. By Mullingar, there were at least two dozen standees in each carriage.

It's pathetic. And it sends a clear message to anyone who has a choice, stay the hell away from the railways/get yourself a car.

Wichita Lineman

You are WRONG :mad: Hilly Bill

I am on it almost every day and it's not a 6 set anymore. Precisely why I am complaining. They took our nice train away!! I turn up like most people a few minutes before departure - train isnt sitting there for half an hour waiting for us you know. I'm not a trainspotter geek so I dont know the precise numbers or configurations but we used to have this -

-

and now we have one of these with 4 coaches max - on which it is cramped and uncomfortable by comparison - (I'm not a big fat guy either by the way). I actually pay through the nose to travel this route which gives me the right to call it as I see it.

Hilly Bill wrote: »

When was the last time you were on it? Its far from cramped leaving Connolly. A few people standing all through the train but enough room to walk around if you wish. Its a 6 piece 29 set with plenty of standing room. How come you never get a seat ? do you arrive at the last minute? Its an exaggeration to call it cramped an hellish.

Jem72

I've been taking the 1805 4 days a week for nearly 10 years (it used to be an 1810 Sligo service). But since Christmas, I am one of those lucky enough to be able to avoid it as it has become completely intolerable. That being said, the last time I took it (Thursday Jan 23) it wasn't massively overcrowded and there were a few free seats in my car past Maynooth.

Similarly the 1705 and the 1905 are generally OK lately. So long as you turn up 15 or 20 minutes early you'll get a seat except on a Friday. I think that the general traffic on the services I use has dropped a lot since these cutbacks started. I honestly can't see how Irish Rail are saving 3 million a year from this as they have got to have lost at least this much from passenger revenue.

For me, the big problem is that I am no longer prepared to spend 8 to 10 hours per week on 29Ks - to me, this is not a suitable train for a 2 hour run and a bus would actually be more comfortable. It isn't possible for me to get any work done on it unless I can get the single comfortable seat outside the non-accessible toilet.

Jamie2k9

MYOB wrote: »

Shelters with intact walls (Clonsilla has missing panels, for instance) at the least, preferably solid walls so you don't get random draughts through them. Heating would be next on that, once its actually controlled by external temperature and doesn't stay on all summer.

Toilets

Vending machines - which would make money for CIE.

Information signs actually visible from all areas of the platform (Clonsilla is the example here again - the Westbound platform has a pole in front of the sign from 80% of the length of the platform)

The stations are currently configured are set-up for very high frequency services, yet they don't get them.

Make money for CIE, they would smashed up 5 minutes after installed. Would be significant cost.

foggy_lad

Jem72 wrote: »

I've been taking the 1805 4 days a week for nearly 10 years (it used to be an 1810 Sligo service). But since Christmas, I am one of those lucky enough to be able to avoid it as it has become completely intolerable. That being said, the last time I took it (Thursday Jan 23) it wasn't massively overcrowded and there were a few free seats in my car past Maynooth.

Similarly the 1705 and the 1905 are generally OK lately. So long as you turn up 15 or 20 minutes early you'll get a seat except on a Friday. I think that the general traffic on the services I use has dropped a lot since these cutbacks started. I honestly can't see how Irish Rail are saving 3 million a year from this as they have got to have lost at least this much from passenger revenue.

For me, the big problem is that I am no longer prepared to spend 8 to 10 hours per week on 29Ks - to me, this is not a suitable train for a 2 hour run and a bus would actually be more comfortable. It isn't possible for me to get any work done on it unless I can get the single comfortable seat outside the non-accessible toilet.

They seem to have eased some of their train size cutbacks but it is too little too late for many who are on the bus or in a car and wondering how or why they ever got the train at all. This has led to people despising the train and seeing it as the worst option and to be avoided at all costs which can only lead to more cutbacks going forward.

L1011

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Make money for CIE, they would smashed up 5 minutes after installed. Would be significant cost.

Tvms are no sturdier.

n97 mini

Hilly Bill wrote: »

If you are going to give out about the lack of facilities on platforms then at least add what you would like to have on platforms.

You know I'm talking about stations. Not semantics.

n97 mini

MYOB wrote: »

Information signs actually visible from all areas of the platform

Confey is worse. City bound platform has the info display blocked by random signs for the length of the platform, the first sign only 2 metres away. And it's on the wrong end of the platform. It should be positioned between entrances to the platform, not down the Maynooth end of the platform.

n97 mini

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Make money for CIE, they would smashed up 5 minutes after installed. Would be significant cost.

Not if they were placed inside the station buildings where staff can see them. Most stations are manned in the mornings, and I believe, as the TVMs are all being placed outside now that those buildings will be locked up when the staff leave.

Emme

bikeman1 wrote: »

So how was the commute home this evening? What size was the 1735? Did it leave from its usual platform or was it a shambles again?

I didn't get out of work in time for the 17.35. The 18.35 was a 4 car standard class/1 car first class. No problems with the platform and the 4 standard class cars were packed with people standing up to Kildare.

bikeman1 wrote: »

I'm just trying to find out if it's a daily problem that the 1735 is a 4 car train?

I can't say it's daily because I don't get it every day. However any time I've got it since last October it has been 4 cars.

bikeman1 wrote: »

I was just thinking there, that the journey time to Athy is pretty good on some of those services. It takes one lad I know in work 1 hour to get in on Dublin Bus from the southside and we're talking the back of Terenure, not some place far out.

If he cycled he might get there faster.

Heuston to Carlow is approximately and hour and five or or an hour and ten minutes. A lot of people seem to agree with you in Athy as it is a very busy station. Even so the choice of trains is poor.

bikeman1 wrote: »

I am the last person to stand up for Irish Rail, but if they are addressing the issue of costs (which are way too high, causing the high fares we all moan about) there is going to be some disruption while they work out what is best.

I don't think Irish Rail are going to cut their fares any time soon. As it is they increase their fares every year while decreasing the quality of their service. What private sector business could get away with doing that?

end of the road

were going to end up like the UK where cattle carts are common apart from the main intercity services between london and wherever. time for the new IE boss to be told either improve things or go

Jem72

Emme wrote: »

I don't think Irish Rail are going to cut their fares any time soon. As it is they increase their fares every year while decreasing the quality of their service. What private sector business could get away with doing that?

My commuter pass from Edgeworthstown has gone up by close to 10% this year. They are getting away with it because they have targeted the long-distance commuters disproportionately as they know that we have no option but to cough up.

The stupid thing is that they are trying to cut a little more than 1% off their cost-base with this capacity reduction but they've got to have eliminated something like 10% of their passenger revenue on the Sligo line.

Hilly Bill

Andy Dunne11 wrote: »

You are WRONG :mad: Hilly Bill

I am on it almost every day and it's not a 6 set anymore. Precisely why I am complaining. They took our nice train away!! I turn up like most people a few minutes before departure - train isnt sitting there for half an hour waiting for us you know. I'm not a trainspotter geek so I dont know the precise numbers or configurations but we used to have this -

-

and now we have one of these with 4 coaches max - on which it is cramped and uncomfortable by comparison - (I'm not a big fat guy either by the way). I actually pay through the nose to travel this route which gives me the right to call it as I see it.

Yes you are right its a 4 piece, i mixed it up with the 7 piece 17:15 which you would have been spoiled for choice on seats tonight.
The 4 piece 18:05 was full seat wise tonight with a handful standing and you could have done the Hokey Cokey with the standing room that was available.
With Maynooth being the first stop then 35 mins is the most that you would be standing anyway as a good few would get off there.
If you arrive a few minutes before departure then you will always run the risk of not getting a seat. The 18:05 was on the platform 30 mins at least before departure tonight Andy so at least give yourself a chance of getting a seat by not leaving it late.
You have the right to call it as you see regardless of how much you pay.

"They took our nice train away" Is that it?

Hilly Bill

n97 mini wrote: »

You know I'm talking about stations. Not semantics.

You havent really added to this comment though have you?

IE don't seem to give a rats ass about customers. New stations were built on the Maynooth line in the last 10 years and while the staff (when they are there) have lighting, heating, TV, WC and so on, customers have bus shelters on the platforms and nothing else.

I asked you what else you want but you have refused to answer. At least others have said what they want so why cant you when you are the one complaining about the lack of facilities?

MDFM

Hilly Bill wrote: »

When was the last time you were on it? Its far from cramped leaving Connolly. A few people standing all through the train but enough room to walk around if you wish. Its a 6 piece 29 set with plenty of standing room. How come you never get a seat ? do you arrive at the last minute? Its an exaggeration to call it cramped an hellish.

18.05 is always jammed anytime I'm on it..You are wrong in saying its an 'exaggeration'..its a 4 piece, not a 6 piece..It's used next morning for the 5.40am longford-pearse, which is also jammed & generally from Maynooth onwards there's people standing.