Cork to Dublin train this morning

Richard Logue · 25-06-2013 10:32am #1

I'm just pulling out of Limerick Junction en route to Dublin and it looks like the promotional fares are working.

Standard was approximately 70% Full before we pulled into Limerick Junction and Citygold where I am sitting is approximately 50% full.

My First Class fare was €40 which in my opinion compares very well with UK and Continental first class fares. In the UK I would be paying over double or even triple that amount for a similar journey.

Is Citygold worth the extra? Well I think it compares favourably with its continental equivalents in terms of comfort and service, however the Standard on the Mk IVs is in my opinion offers a *better* comfort level than many continental and UK services.

City gold has the at seat power supply which means I can work away on my laptop though the wifi signal is patchy to be honest. The power supply is the reason I'm in Citygold and not Standard.

The ride quality is as bumpy as I expected though. Irish Rail do need to do something about that. I was hoping to get a full cooked breakfast this morning - sadly not on this train - but I have got complimentary coffee and my hot breakfast ciabatta is very welcome.

The onboard staff are professional, helpful and friendly and are a good asset to Irish Rail. All in all a good experience.

n97 mini · 25-06-2013 6:36pm

Looking at the City Gold blurb on IE's website and it says 220v outlets at seats. The EU standardised at 230v for domestic supplies, which is what we have in our homes, and have had for quite some time now. Is it really 220v on the train or is that a mistake?

The €40 fare, what was the regular fare at the same time?

We you travelling as a business user?

Richard Logue · 25-06-2013 6:44pm

n97 mini wrote: »

Looking at the City Gold blurb on IE's website and it says 220v outlets at seats. The EU standardised at 230v for domestic supplies, which is what we have in our homes, and have had for quite some time now. Is it really 220v on the train or is that a mistake?

The €40 fare, what was the regular fare at the same time?

We you travelling as a business user?

Well the power supply fed my laptop so whether it was 220, 230 or 240 volts was of no particular interest to me.

I think the walk up standard fare is €35 but I'm sure someone with a more exact knowledge of the IE fare structure will provide the correct information if necessary.

Yes I was travelling on business.

Conway635 · 25-06-2013 9:43pm

Most of the things you use on trains (laptops, phones etc) will run happily anywhere from 110v (the US standard, though called 110 it is more usually + or - 5% of 120 volts) to 240v (which is the actual voltage used on much of the UK system, even though it is identified as 230v).

C635

Richard Logue · 25-06-2013 10:37pm

One thing I did notice on the journey back was the ride quality improved noticeably after Kildare, and that our speed increased significantly.

While I do think the ride quality of the ICRs is *better* than the Mk IVs the track quality must be a significant contributor to the ride quality too.

n97 mini · 25-06-2013 10:41pm

UK dropped to 230v in 1993 to harmonise with the EU, but obviously what's at the socket will vary (cable length etc).

My question was not a criticism of IE, but merely trying to find out what was incorrect, the voltage or the web page.

Jamie2k9 · 25-06-2013 11:16pm

One thing I did notice on the journey back was the ride quality improved noticeably after Kildare, and that our speed increased significantly.

While I do think the ride quality of the ICRs is *better* than the Mk IVs the track quality must be a significant contributor to the ride quality too.

When the locomotive is pulling I find ride quality much better than when its pushing.

purplepanda · 26-06-2013 12:50am

n97 mini wrote: »

UK dropped to 230v in 1993 to harmonise with the EU, but obviously what's at the socket will vary (cable length etc).

UK specified voltage is 230VAC + 10% Most households still run over 245 & up to 253, my mains voltage is usually around 246-248VAC.

Some imported consumer goods can run hot due to having power supplies designed to run at 230VAC, valve amplifiers & LCD monitors especially. I often fix them for people when they eventually fail!!! :pac:

Conway635 · 26-06-2013 7:38am

purplepanda wrote: »

UK specified voltage is 230VAC + 10% Most households still run over 245 & up to 253, my mains voltage is usually around 246-248VAC.

Some imported consumer goods can run hot due to having power supplies designed to run at 230VAC, valve amplifiers & LCD monitors especially. I often fix them for people when they eventually fail!!! :pac:

I once worked on a ship which had originally been wired for DC only, but had had AC installed at a later stage. Most cabins had both AC and DC sockets side by side - cue warning signs, and some very unfortunate accidents with domestic equipment when they were plugged into the wrong power supply! Sockets were non standard also and needed special adaptors. Plus in one part of the ship we also had 110v sockets for some elderly imported US equipment, which if plugged into 240v would blow all its valves. My favourite part of the whole setup was something called the AC/DC Rectifier, a giant cabinet which converted AC from our new generators into DC for the original engine-room equipment and DC circuits. It had a huge "Frankenstien" handle, which was great fun to operate when starting up :-)

Sorry, seem to have drifted off topic a bit.

C635

eejoynt · 26-06-2013 8:17am

This whole post with its fake positivity is obviously posted by a " friend of IE "
Most C and T users that its not experience of actual travel that matters but knowledge of operations gained at the keyboard!

This shows the depths to which this forum has sunk since foggy lad was banned:mad:

end of the road · 26-06-2013 9:13am

eejoynt wrote: »

This whole post with its fake positivity is obviously posted by a " friend of IE "

yeah shur begorra begosh and begorra one can't have a positive experience with IE at all, if they do their a "friend of IE" and condone everything they do and will stick up for them no matter what, yeah, complete gibberish

davidlacey · 26-06-2013 11:42am

This annoys me that someone who has a good experience on public transport cannot express how his experience was without the whole "friend of IE" dig. Before we had the whole do you work for IE argument If someone was positive towards the company. On the ride quality subject, I personally think the ride quality has alot to be desired on Ireland's premier route but I do no believe its down to the Mark IVs.

Richard Logue · 26-06-2013 12:00pm

Certainly the ride quality was much better and faster after Kildare. The stretch between Cork and Limerick Junction was pretty rocky and relatively slow. Are there known problems on the track down there?

davidlacey · 26-06-2013 12:05pm

When was limerick junction track last upgraded? You should expect the kildare to heuston ride to be smooth and fast as most of is covered by four lines and recently partially upgraded by the kildare route project which is still unfinished due to lack of funding

Losty Dublin · 26-06-2013 12:24pm

Richard Logue wrote: »

Certainly the ride quality was much better and faster after Kildare. The stretch between Cork and Limerick Junction was pretty rocky and relatively slow. Are there known problems on the track down there?

A few things at play, Richard.

Some sections of the track have 52KG/M track and others 60KG/M; the heavier track is conducive to higher speeds as a rule. There will be places which have new track laid but not have had the follow on work done to the PW, such as heavy duty tamping and ballast packing and vice versa. Also, some stations won't have had new higher speed points fitted yet; these again will affect ride quality the odd time. Finally, some sections simply need new track to be laid; some of it has been in place since the mid 90's!

All a work in progress, subject to the cash being there.

Rud · 26-06-2013 1:36pm

davidlacey wrote: »

recently partially upgraded by the kildare route project which is still unfinished due to lack of funding

What has still to be done with the KRP?I thought it was all done and dusted

Rocky Bay · 26-06-2013 2:21pm

eejoynt wrote: »

This whole post with its fake positivity is obviously posted by a " friend of IE "
Most C and T users that its not experience of actual travel that matters but knowledge of operations gained at the keyboard!

This shows the depths to which this forum has sunk since foggy lad was banned:mad:

Don't mean to sound rude but......what are you trying to say???

Jamie2k9 · 26-06-2013 2:24pm

What has still to be done with the KRP?I thought it was all done and dusted

The line between portarlington and Hazelhatch more less has to be replaced with heaver track apart from through Cherryville, down Kildare, Nass and parts between Nass and Hazelhatch.

As for the line between Cork and Limerick J that's the best part of the Cork line all renewed and more less 100mph, charleville station has new corssovers and tracks ready to be fitted with months so that will go form 60 to 100.

I last took the route a few weeks ago and after those bridge works not TSR removed and I would even go and say the line is worse state now. They may just be allowing time after the works before they increase the speed but I used it around 6 weeks after it was done.

Most of the problems are with the MarkIV's and not the line, in an ideal world those trains should get new bogies that are much better, but the cost would be better spent on new trains, can't see CAF going to foot the bill a second time.

This whole post with its fake positivity is obviously posted by a " friend of IE "
Most C and T users that its not experience of actual travel that matters but knowledge of operations gained at the keyboard!

This shows the depths to which this forum has sunk since foggy lad was banned

But yet its fine for people to post about their love affair with Aircoach and other bus operators.

room_149 · 26-06-2013 2:34pm

Richard Logue wrote: »

I'm just pulling out of Limerick Junction en route to Dublin and it looks like the promotional fares are working.

Slightly off topic here but I really hope you don't have to commute this length of a journey each working day! I've heard of people commuting on that train from places like Thurles to Dublin- insane. That must be a 2hr commute each way? Heuston isn't even as central as Connolly either for Dart/ both luas lines/ buses etc.

dowlingm · 26-06-2013 3:26pm

room_149 wrote: »

Slightly off topic here but I really hope you don't have to commute this length of a journey each working day! I've heard of people commuting on that train from places like Thurles to Dublin- insane. That must be a 2hr commute each way? Heuston isn't even as central as Connolly either for Dart/ both luas lines/ buses etc.

1h36m arr 0805 or 1h30 arr 0855. It would help of course if both trains didn't also stop at Templemore AND Ballybrophy. By contrast, the 0657 ex Limerick Junction speeds through Thurles to arrive Heuston 0830, so people in that catchment spend less time on the train despite being further away.

room_149 · 26-06-2013 3:48pm

dowlingm wrote: »

1h36m arr 0805 or 1h30 arr 0855. It would help of course if both trains didn't also stop at Templemore AND Ballybrophy. By contrast, the 0657 ex Limerick Junction speeds through Thurles to arrive Heuston 0830, so people in that catchment spend less time on the train despite being further away.

Cool, thanks for the info- that's pretty fast considering how far away Thurles and Limerick Junction both are from Dublin.
All things considered though, the train journey still 1:30 mins to Heuston. That's before you even get into 'town'. So I guess if you had to bus , luas or Dart it after for your office, factory etc then the journey would be 2:00+ or so...that's a crazy commute!
My heart goes out to anyone who has to do that each morning

markpb · 26-06-2013 4:02pm

room_149 wrote: »

Cool, thanks for the info- that's pretty fast considering how far away Thurles and Limerick both are from Dublin.
All things considered though, the train journey still 1:30 mins to Heuston. That's before you even get into 'town'. So I guess if you had to bus , luas or Dart it after for your office, factory etc then the journey would be 2:00+ or so...that's a crazy commute!
My heart goes out to anyone who has to do that each morning

+1

Don't forget how utterly stuck they are whenever there's a delay of any kind: broken down train, broken signals, strikes (thankfully rare) or even if the service is reduced/delayed due to cutbacks.

SpaceTime · 26-06-2013 4:06pm

On the 220V thing. There's nothing wrong with what IE are saying and their generators may actually output 220V/380V.

Ireland historically used 220V single phase / 380V three phase, in common with all of continental Europe.

The UK and Australia and NZ and a few other places used 240V.

They split the difference and moved (in theory) to 230V 50Hz. In reality they changed the allowable voltage tolerances to ensure a EU single market including the UK.

You'll find a lot of supplies in Ireland and France and other places are still targeting 220V and a lot of UK supplies are still targeting 240V.
IE should probably say "230V" but in reality it makes no difference. It's completely within the European and Irish regulations.

dowlingm · 26-06-2013 4:31pm

Services that go nonstop from Thurles to Heuston or the reverse such as the 1800 can do it in an hour and a quarter.

davidlacey · 26-06-2013 4:46pm

Rud wrote: »

What has still to be done with the KRP?I thought it was all done and dusted

Phase two was deferred due to lack of funding
http://www.irishrail.ie/index.jsp?p=124&n=191

While most of it was dart related there was scope for four lines up until kildare which would have further decreased intercity times

room_149 · 26-06-2013 4:46pm

dowlingm wrote: »

Services that go nonstop from Thurles to Heuston or the reverse such as the 1800 can do it in an hour and a quarter.

hmm, I've seen the 1.15min time on getthere.ie
I took that train from Thurles to Dublin a few years back and it definitely took longer than 75mins without stopping...that must the double line allowing the train to go faster i guess?

Still, it goes to Heuston though- not quite 'town'
It's the equivalent of being let off at Ashtown/Broombridge on the Maynooth/ Mullingar line..
The whole thing seems like commuter Babylon in my book- surely no-one down there does this 5 days a week?

bk · 26-06-2013 8:32pm

Richard Logue wrote: »

Standard was approximately 70% Full before we pulled into Limerick Junction and Citygold where I am sitting is approximately 50% full.

But how many carriages were there?

I'm hearing rumours that they have reduced the number of carriages significantly. So 70% of a reduced number of carriages could still be a big reduction in the number of passengers on the route.

LXFlyer · 26-06-2013 9:03pm

bk wrote: »

But how many carriages were there?

I'm hearing rumours that they have reduced the number of carriages significantly. So 70% of a reduced number of carriages could still be a big reduction in the number of passengers on the route.

It was a train with Citygold - that means a full Mark 4 set. Also, from the time of his post would mean the 09:20 from Cork which is most definitely a full Mark 4 set.

LXFlyer · 26-06-2013 9:04pm

room_149 wrote: »

hmm, I've seen the 1.15min time on getthere.ie
I took that train from Thurles to Dublin a few years back and it definitely took longer than 75mins without stopping...that must the double line allowing the train to go faster i guess?

Still, it goes to Heuston though- not quite 'town'
It's the equivalent of being let off at Ashtown/Broombridge on the Maynooth/ Mullingar line..
The whole thing seems like commuter Babylon in my book- surely no-one down there does this 5 days a week?

Nothing really to do with quadrupling the track, but more to do with eliminating the various temporary speed restrictions on the route, and increasing the line speed at various locations.

bk · 26-06-2013 9:27pm

Yup just checked, according to the online booking tool, all the Mark IV's to Cork are 5 carriage sets, rather then 8 you had in the past!!

Of the 14 services a day to Cork, according to the online booking tool:

4 are 3 carriage 22ks!
2 are 6 carriage 22ks
8 are 5 carriage Mark IV's

That seems to be a significant reduction from the past!

I stand to be corrected on the Mark IV's, but in the past I remember the online booking tool showing all carriages on the train, with just some unbookable.

LXFlyer · 26-06-2013 9:41pm

Well I am very happy to correct you.

The online booking tool does not show all the coaches on the Mark 4 sets.

They are certainly not 5 coach trains - they are the full length trains (as I can testify having walking from the quiet coach to the buffet several times recently!).

Cork to Dublin train this morning

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