Official launch of new Intercity trains

DerekP11

The official launch of Irish Rail’s new Intercity Trains on the Dublin - Cork route took place on Monday July 10th. Representatives from Platform 11, Derek Wheeler PRO and Mark Gleeson Technical Officer, attended this event on board a special return service to Cork.

LAUNCH CEREMONY

Invited guests were addressed by the Chairman of CIE, Dr. John Lynch, the Spanish Ambassador to Ireland, the Lord Mayor of Cork and Minister for Transport, Martin Cullen over lunch in the Silver Springs Hotel in Cork. Guests were also shown a promotional video outlining the features of the trains and plans for the future.

VERDICT

Platform 11 welcomes the forthcoming introduction of these trains on all Dublin - Cork services. This introduction is already behind schedule due to ongoing issues between some staff and Irish Rail management, as previously highlighted by Platform 11 and the recent dispute. We call on the company to address these issues as soon as possible, in an open and accountable manner, so that customers can quickly embrace this new technology and benefit from the improvements in comfort and frequency.
The new trains were built by CAF (a leading train manufacturer) in Spain and will be capable of running at 200KPH once the track has been upgraded, modifications are made to the braking system and new locomotives are supplied. Platform 11 understands that this work depends on Government funding and that current speeds will be maintained until this happens. However, there is no doubting that the new Intercity coaches are a sign that, “we may actually get there eventually”.

Features of the new trains include,

* A new streamlined design in a new livery.
* Highest standard of comfort and customer facilities, including improved catering.
* Audio and text display passenger information systems on-board.
* Electronic route maps.
* Compliant with international standards for mobility impaired and sensory impaired customers.
* Seat reservation display panels above each seat.
*CCTV and voice communication facilities to enhance customer security.

Platform 11 has noted that the new trains are prone to a poor ride quality at certain times. While this isn’t too bad seating down, it can be problematic when trying to move around the coach and is noticeably worse than the existing trains on the route. In addition to this the Passenger Information System failed, for a while, on yesterdays special train. Irish Rail are aware of these problems and hopefully improvements can be made so the overall experience isn’t spoilt by them.

Maskhadov

will the trains for the rest of the network (that are going to be bought in the next 2 years) going to be the same as what is now operating on the Cork Dublin line ?

Navan Junction

The near train was the 'launch' train whilst the one at the rear seem to shadow it on stand-by.

MarkoP11

The background train 4002 was the normal 9:00 Dublin Cork / 13:30 Cork Dublin, the foreground was 4003 the special train, 4001 (which doesn't carry a number in fact) was the backup it was still en route from Mallow at the time the photo was taken, no one was told about the backup, when it pulled up alongside in Mallow the secret was out.

Minster Cullen only travelled 22 miles on the train yesterday

Navan Junction

I stand corrected...!

Bogger77

are any of the new set housed in Cork over nite, might pop down and get a goo. I live near the station.

Navan Junction

Bogger77 wrote:

are any of the new set housed in Cork over nite, might pop down and get a goo. I live near the station.

You can see some from the rear of the station..

DerekP11

Maskhadov wrote:

will the trains for the rest of the network (that are going to be bought in the next 2 years) going to be the same as what is now operating on the Cork Dublin line ?

These trains are being built at the moment by a completely different company. All we have to go on is an artists representation thats on view in Heuston posters and god knows where else. We do know that they won't require "assistance from a 12 year loco" as they will be railcars, basically a "fancier" version of the commuter stuff except faster and with catering. But expect similar "disputes" about their introduction.

These trains will perhaps be the biggest test as they are the first "stand alone" product to be introduced on the Intercity network ever.

popebenny16

Why do i get the feeling that IE were super confident about the new carraiges (it aint a train folks, just new carraiges).

A second set coming along behind in case it broke down, but why would they think that? Dont they have to do several thousand mile sof testing before being unleashed on the public?

The PIS system failed? Well, its not like that never happens on the DART or on railcars so you cant blame them for not anticipating it.

No-one could hear the driver when he was making the announcments due to the noise of the engine? Well, its not like that hasnt been happening for weeks on the other set in service.

The seat reservation system failed? Just as well there was a boffin on board to re-boot it. Lets hope that as well as a superguard these carriages will come with a resident boffin.

Dodgy suspension? Even the catering staff were stretched to hold their balance and they are experts.

So far so IE. It really is nice to see that, like the first day of the bombardier buses (it broke down at the launch), CIE and its children havent changed all that much. This thing will be bollixed in five years, tops. It's actually heart warming.

DerekP11

Bogger77 wrote:

are any of the new set housed in Cork over nite, might pop down and get a goo. I live near the station.

I doubt it. Only one set in official operation at the mo and this is Dublin Based. Mk4 workings out of the Cork depot have been hampered by some very poor and dated mangement from HQ in Dublin.

DerekP11

popebenny16 wrote:

Why do i get the feeling that IE were super confident about the new carraiges (it aint a train folks, just new carraiges).

A second set coming along behind in case it broke down, but why would they think that? Dont they have to do several thousand mile sof testing before being unleashed on the public?

The PIS system failed? Well, its not like that never happens on the DART or on railcars so you cant blame them for not anticipating it.

No-one could hear the driver when he was making the announcments due to the noise of the engine? Well, its not like that hasnt been happening for weeks on the other set in service.

The seat reservation system failed? Just as well there was a boffin on board to re-boot it. Lets hope that as well as a superguard these carriages will come with a resident boffin.

Dodgy suspension? Even the catering staff were stretched to hold their balance and they are experts.

So far so IE. It really is nice to see that, like the first day of the bombardier buses (it broke down at the launch), CIE and its children havent changed all that much. This thing will be bollixed in five years, tops. It's actually heart warming.

All sadly true. IE have had nearly 12 months to tweak these trains. Problems remain and still we only have one set in service. Apart from disputes between staff and management, technical issues still need to be addressed. Its a shame really, as the IE marketing machine is rolling, but the "product" is still struggling out of the platform. Get it right and customers will love them.

Victor

http://www.transport.ie/viewitem.asp?id=7739&lang=ENG&loc=1887

CULLEN LAUNCHES 67 NEW CARRIAGES TO IARNROD EIREANN FLEET
10 July 2006

Transport Minister, Martin Cullen, T.D., today (Monday, 10th July 2006) officially launched 67 new carriages to Iarnród Éireann Intercity fleet, which form part of a €117 million upgrade of rolling stock.

Welcoming the new carriages into Kent Station in Cork, the Minister said: "The new carriages will greatly enhance what is one of the busiest routes on the rail network. These are exciting times for the development of the rail network including the biggest rail investment package in the history of rail in Ireland with 253 new carriages at a cost of €501 million. In addition, 150 new intercity carriages costing €321m will start to arrive next year for service on the other Intercity routes Dublin Westport/Ballina, Sligo, Galway, Tralee, Waterford and Rosslare, providing a consistent standard of service across the Intercity Network."

Serving over 11 million passengers a year, the new state of the art fleet will be designed and built to the very latest standards of safety and comfort. Alongside these improvements will come increased reliability and timekeeping on all routes. The latest on-line reservation systems will be available to book and pay for seats in advance. Furthermore, all of the trains will have full facilities to cater for people with disabilities.

The Minister said that the new trains demonstrate the work that has been undertaken on our railways in recent years. He said: "In the past five years the company has virtually rebuilt the railway network. The railway infrastructure in Ireland has moved to a 21st Century standard. Passenger numbers have increased substantially and last year Iarnród Éireann carried nearly 38 million passengers, making it the fastest growing railway network in Europe.

"All of the work carried out on the railway fixed infrastructure is largely unseen by the travelling public but with the entry into service of the new carriages we will now reap the rewards of this investment. The improvements in terms of timesavings, reliability, frequencies and comfort will now be evident to all who use the Intercity network," said the Minister.

Since 2000, the Government has invested over €2.7 billion in public transport infrastructure in Ireland. This level of investment will be continued and grown under Transport 21. Over €15 billion has been earmarked for public transport projects. These include the completion of the renewal of the railway infrastructure and substantially improved safety management systems, the phased development of the Western Rail Corridor, the construction of a new traincare depot at Portlaoise to accommodate the 150 new railcars and the introduction of commuter rail services in Cork and Galway.

The Minister is currently considering the report of the Inspector on an application made by Iarnród Éireann for a Railway Order to four-track the line between Hazlehatch and Heuston. Ultimately, the Kildare line (to Hazlehatch), the Northern line (to Balbriggan), and the Maynooth lines will be electrified and brought into a 2-line DART system. This will be facilitated also by the construction of a railway interconnector joining up the Southwestern suburban rail line from Heuston Station with the Northern lines, also serving a new underground station at the Docklands.

Work has begun on the construction of the new Docklands Station, the first new station in Dublin city for over one hundred years. It will create additional services on the Maynooth line from 2007, as well as new services from Dunboyne when the first phase of the Navan rail link becomes operational in 2009.

Minister Cullen said he looked forward to seeing the development of a €700 million commercial, mixed-use development of approximately 14 acres adjoining Cork's Kent Station, which will include a reconfigured Kent station concourse together with integrated bus connections. "It is essential that the upgrade of the Kent Station area is developed to deliver improved access to the city centre along with a strong integration of rail and bus services", he added.

All track and signalling on the Dublin/Cork line has been upgraded to modern standards over the past decade with E.U. and Exchequer grant assistance. Currently, a Trans-European Network project is underway to improve the Cork-Dublin route and ultimately onwards to Belfast, through the removal of speed restrictions.

The Minister also spoke of the development of the proposed commuter rail service for Cork. It involves the re-opening of the line from Glounthaune to Midleton, and on the Cork-Mallow line, the construction of new stations along the route and the provision of park and ride facilities at strategic locations. Iarnród Éireann has recently applied to Minister Cullen for a Railway Order in respect of the Glounthaune to Midleton railway project and he has appointed Mr Pat Butler, SC as inspector to the public inquiry, which will commence later this year. The project is scheduled for completion in 2008 and it is proposed that, ultimately, a service every 15 minutes will operate at peak times.

ENDS

MarkoP11

All track and signalling on the Dublin/Cork line has been upgraded to modern standards over the past decade with E.U. and Exchequer grant assistance. Currently, a Trans-European Network project is underway to improve the Cork-Dublin route and ultimately onwards to Belfast, through the removal of speed restrictions.

So the 40+ year old track in Limerick Junction is new ? and the mechnical signalling isn't early 20th century its really a super modern system in disguise I must be seeing things but you do get plently of time at 25 mph to see everything, of course before the investment you went through at 80 mph

Red Alert

so we're getting a load of diesel-mechanical/hydraulic-driven tincans to replace the nice smooth ride from our 12-year-old diesel/electric locos (when the UK and others routinely run locos as far as 20 years)......... IE have really lost the plot.

get used to the CDE - it'll be the most comfortable train for a while to come!

Victor

MarkoP11 wrote:

So the 40+ year old track in Limerick Junction is new ? and the mechnical signalling isn't early 20th century its really a super modern system in disguise I must be seeing things but you do get plently of time at 25 mph to see everything, of course before the investment you went through at 80 mph

Maybe its a heritage thing?

Cantab.

New CIE trains = a pile of poo.

They remind me of the glass egg-box apartment complexes with fancy facades that are being built all over commuterland - nice looking on the outside, shame about the performance and quality.

These new trains are: slow, expensive, dirty. I can't see why we can't get to Cork/Galway/Belfast in 90 minutes via a high-speed train link. It's been done all over the world for decades now and we're supposed to be living in one of the richest, most high-tech economies in the world.

CIE should have some ambition for once in their lives.

(p.s. I couldn't be bothered replying to any of the IE PR gurus who will enevitably reply since, for some reason, they feel the need to infiltrate boards.ie in a vain attempt to gloss over the state of the company)

dowlingm

Cantab

what part of "crappy track means slow trains" do you fail to get?

BuffyBot

Cantab. wrote:

I can't see why we can't get to Cork/Galway/Belfast in 90 minutes via a high-speed train link. It's been done all over the world for decades

It's been discussed to death on this board about the lack of viability.

(p.s. I couldn't be bothered replying to any of the IE PR gurus who will enevitably reply since, for some reason, they feel the need to infiltrate boards.ie in a vain attempt to gloss over the state of the company)

Handy "Get out of jail free" card, that.

popebenny16

As you know I am a great fan of IE.

In fact I dont know of anyone on this board who defends IE itself. There are members who defend the Irish Rail Unions, but not IE.

spacetweek

Cantab. wrote:

New CIE trains = a pile of poo.

They remind me of the glass egg-box apartment complexes with fancy facades that are being built all over commuterland - nice looking on the outside, shame about the performance and quality.

These new trains are: slow, expensive, dirty. I can't see why we can't get to Cork/Galway/Belfast in 90 minutes via a high-speed train link. It's been done all over the world for decades now and we're supposed to be living in one of the richest, most high-tech economies in the world.

CIE should have some ambition for once in their lives.

(p.s. I couldn't be bothered replying to any of the IE PR gurus who will enevitably reply since, for some reason, they feel the need to infiltrate boards.ie in a vain attempt to gloss over the state of the company)

Rail on the scale that countries like France and Germany have, with their huge internal markets and international connections, will never exist in Ireland. If you think there's going to be a maglev linking Farranfore with Dublin you've another thing coming. Sure, you could build it, but would it be justified or appropriate?

The best we can hope for is a decent service, with frequent departures, timely arrivals, a smooth ride, and prices competitive with the new express bus services which will be using our motorway network. I'd settle for that. If that's not enough for you, take the express bus.

>These new trains are: slow, expensive, dirty
They're not slow - they're just the same speed as before.
Expensive, yes, but I predict they'll be forced to cut fares when they start going up against the buses.
Dirty - sounds like your personal opinion?

And your shotgun approach of giving your opinion but refusing to listen to our rebuttals isn't very sporting. :rolleyes:

bk

spacetweek wrote:

The best we can hope for is a decent service, with frequent departures, timely arrivals, a smooth ride, and prices competitive with the new express bus services which will be using our motorway network. I'd settle for that. If that's not enough for you, take the express bus.

I would add less stops, improved track and removing various speed restrictions so that trains can travel faster and make the journey quicker.

I'm not on about Maglev type services, just improving the current network so that the current trains can go closer to their top speed for longer. I think they badly need to do this, the other things you mentioned above won't help against the new motorways unless the journey time is also reduced.