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Local Headbangers in Woodlawn Again...

  • 26-04-2011 8:33pm
    #1
    OurLadyofKnock
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 558 ✭✭✭


    Galway residents seek improved train services

    A protest has taken place in the east Galway village of Woodlawn this morning by local people who are demanding improved train services in the area.
    More than 200 people gathered on the platform of the railway station in the village.
    They are demanding that the east bound Galway-Dublin train makes additional stops in the village.
    At present the only east-bounds trains stopping at the station are the 5.20am and the 3.42pm services.
    A local action group is demanding that Iarnród Éireann allow the 7.35am train from Galway to Dublin to pick up passengers at the station.
    They say they are satisfied with the number of stops the train makes on the west-bound service from Dublin to Galway.
    But they say the eastbound Galway to Dublin service is totally unsatisfactory.
    The local action group said today's action was the first in a series of protests.


Comments

  • #2
    Stonewolf
    Registered Users Posts: 1,132 ✭✭✭Stonewolf


    Why does a Dublin-Galway service stop there at all? Put on a feeder service (bus or rail, whichever is most appropriate) to bring them in and out of the city station, let them get the train there and not be delaying it with pointless stops.


  • #3
    dowlingm
    Registered Users Posts: 5,309 ✭✭✭dowlingm


    As I noted on the WRC thread, some stops can be justified since there is a loop at Woodlawn (but not Attymon). That said, it's the middle of nowhere, no question.


  • #4
    Stonewolf
    Registered Users Posts: 1,132 ✭✭✭Stonewolf


    Ability of other trains to pass while it's stopped isn't really my problem, the fact that they're asking an intercity service to stop at a village is.


  • #5
    mgmt
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,361 ✭✭✭mgmt


    Stonewolf wrote: »
    Ability of other trains to pass while it's stopped isn't really my problem, the fact that they're asking an intercity service to stop at a village is.

    Why do they stop there at all :confused: Can't see even a village there . Its just a townland.


  • #6
    TheChrisD
    Registered Users Posts: 4,493 ✭✭✭TheChrisD


    mgmt wrote: »
    http://maps.google.ie/maps?q=Woodlawn&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wl

    Wrong Woodlawn :P
    image.png




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  • #7
    topnotch
    Registered Users Posts: 409 ✭✭topnotch


    OurLadyofKnock wrote: »
    Galway residents seek improved train services

    A protest has taken place in the east Galway village of Woodlawn this morning by local people who are demanding improved train services in the area.
    More than 200 people gathered on the platform of the railway station in the village.
    They are demanding that the east bound Galway-Dublin train makes additional stops in the village.
    At present the only east-bounds trains stopping at the station are the 5.20am and the 3.42pm services.
    A local action group is demanding that Iarnród Éireann allow the 7.35am train from Galway to Dublin to pick up passengers at the station.
    They say they are satisfied with the number of stops the train makes on the west-bound service from Dublin to Galway.
    But they say the eastbound Galway to Dublin service is totally unsatisfactory.
    The local action group said today's action was the first in a series of protests.

    I fail to see how they are headbangers. It seems quite rational to me to protest now rather than have IE try to close the station in a few years time due to lack of patrons.


  • #8
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,523 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    topnotch wrote: »
    I fail to see how they are headbangers. It seems quite rational to me to protest now rather than have IE try to close the station in a few years time due to lack of patrons.

    It would have long since closed had it not been a passing point, ditto Attymon had it not been a junction (which it no longer is).


  • #9
    Aard
    Registered Users Posts: 4,905 ✭✭✭Aard


    Why should they keep the station open? It doesn't even serve a town. They want an Intercity train to stop in the back-arse of nowhere.


  • #10
    topnotch
    Registered Users Posts: 409 ✭✭topnotch


    They should keep the station open because people want to travel by train.
    They should be given a fair chance to travel, then if they are not using the service fine close the station but completely. A strict use it or loose it policy is the only fair way.
    Who wants to get up at 5:30 to travel to Dublin if they can get a 07:30 train instead.

    The timetables are so padded as is, it's not going to delay anything adding another stop. If IE were to get serious about journey times then it would be necessary to elimate stops certainly, but this isn't going to happen any time soon.


  • #11
    CIE
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,463 ✭✭✭CIE


    topnotch wrote: »
    They should keep the station open because people want to travel by train. They should be given a fair chance to travel, then if they are not using the service fine close the station but completely. A strict use it or loose it policy is the only fair way. Who wants to get up at 5:30 to travel to Dublin if they can get a 07:30 train instead.

    The timetables are so padded as is, it's not going to delay anything adding another stop. If IE were to get serious about journey times then it would be necessary to eliminate stops certainly, but this isn't going to happen any time soon.
    The other alternative to fixing journey times is greater acceleration and top speeds. That's not something likely to happen, even though this is an intercity service we're talking about.

    What gets me is why they still depict steamers on level crossing warning signs. I can see this type of sign on Google Street View; it appears to show a 2-4-2 with very small drivers.
    5075783293_897ef6afa7.jpg


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  • #12
    corktina
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,733 ✭✭✭✭corktina


    CIE wrote: »
    . That's not something likely to happen

    ..because it requires investment and we have nothing to invest and wont have for many years to come. There are greater prioriteis on the Long Finger


  • #13
    LXFlyer
    Registered Users Posts: 17,541 ✭✭✭✭LXFlyer


    On the broader issue of why the station is there, well 5 of the 10 weekday trains that serve Woodlawn do so because they are crossing with other trains there in the loop - i.e. they have to stop anyway! So in 50% of the cases it has no impact on journey time.

    The first two trains into Galway and the last two out of Galway (two of which operate from/to Athlone) are primarily commuter services to/from Galway, and carry reasonable loads as such so I don't see that being an issue.

    However, operationally the train that these people want to stop, the 0735 Galway-Dublin, cannot stop there when the new timetable is implemented as there is only one platform in the station, and the 0730 ex-Athlone to Galway which it crosses there will be using it at that time!

    The primary direction of travel from Woodlawn is to/from Galway and I think that won't change.


  • #14
    dowlingm
    Registered Users Posts: 5,309 ✭✭✭dowlingm


    Another odd issue is that a non-stopping train is only permitted to do 40mph in the Woodlawn loop, but the platform is on the 70mph mainline track.


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