Rocky carriages on the Dublin/Cork train

Judgement Day

The saga over the poor riding of the Mk.IV carriages rumbles on and on and...

Last year I think tenders were sought for remedial work but what happened as new tenders are now being sought? Where's Craig Doyle when you need him.


http://www.etenders.gov.ie/search/show/Search_View.aspx?ID=JUL159757

Run_to_da_hills

Can they not just replace the inferior bogies of the MK4's with the superior bogies from the MK3s.

(Whats left of them. )

Zoney

I do indeed find the regional railcar journey from Limerick to Dublin smoother than the journey via Limerick Junction on Mark IVs from Cork. However, for me, by far the biggest issue is still using a clapped out commuter train as the Limerick Junction shuttle. Yes it is a short trip, but on my last journey (Limerick to Cork) the railcar was leaping up and down enough to make one sick. Still worth the €15 more than bus to avoid a seemingly endless journey on mostly country road and through Mallow.

The Mark IVs are aesthetically quite nice inside and this is important too - I was happy too that there was a cleaning lady going up and down the train and food available from the dining car for about the same prices as buying stuff in a city centre. Trolley service too was handy.

Regional railcar service is unfortunately lacking compared to those aspects (although a strange omission on Mark IVs that is on the railcars is the power socket under each table - handy for laptops).

Judgement Day

Zoney - Couldn't agree with you more regarding the Limerick/Limerick Junction shuttle but it always this way. In the days of the MkIIs on the Cork line the branch connection would be provided by Cravens (if you were lucky) but more often various Park Royals/laminateds and any other old sh1tboxes that could be found. Not the inter-city experience that was being marketed.

triple-M

http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0715/rail.html

could this be related to it?

center15

triple-M wrote: »

http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0715/rail.html

could this be related to it?

I'm looking for more info on this, does anyone know what carriages it refers to?

Run_to_da_hills

Why weren't these just thrown back at the Spanish manufacturers? This is the second time this has happened, ie Dart 8200's.

If they slowed down to perhaps 50mph the rocking should stop.

Judgement Day

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

Why weren't these just thrown back at the Spanish manufacturers? This is the second time this has happened, ie Dart 8200's.

If they slowed down to perhaps 50mph the rocking should stop.

Do they reach 50 mph?

BenShermin

Hmmm, where oh where are IÉ going to get spare carriages to stand in for the MK4s while they're off on their spa holiday:rolleyes:?

lord lucan

BenShermin wrote: »

Hmmm, where oh where are IÉ going to get spare carriages to stand in for the MK4s while they're off on their spa holiday:rolleyes:?

MKIII's ftw.:pac::pac:

Run_to_da_hills

lord lucan wrote: »

MKIII's ftw.:pac::pac:

8200 push pulls :pac:

foggy_lad

BenShermin wrote: »

Hmmm, where oh where are IÉ going to get spare carriages to stand in for the MK4s while they're off on their spa holiday:rolleyes:?

commuter railcars?

Judgement Day

The two-piece railcar that will be available when the Waterford/Rosslare line closes?

Southsider1

Does nobody check these carriages before delivery? Surely there's safety issues if they're not 100% fit for purpose?

I hope they kept the receipt....:rolleyes:

foggy_lad

Southsider1 wrote: »

Does nobody check these carriages before delivery? Surely there's safety issues if they're not 100% fit for purpose?

I hope they kept the receipt....:rolleyes:

they were fit and safe to be used but you could easily get seasick on their brand new train set from the very bumpy rock-n-roll ride:D

highlydebased

Southsider1 wrote: »

Does nobody check these carriages before delivery? Surely there's safety issues if they're not 100% fit for purpose?

I hope they kept the receipt....:rolleyes:

Testing/checking in Spain would have been limited- they dont have our gauge track

Run_to_da_hills

Neon-Circles wrote: »

Testing/checking in Spain would have been limited- they don’t have our gauge track

No excuse for bad craftsmanship, most of the testing would have been carried out on simulators with computers. CIE should have copped on to this fault when commissioning them 4 years ago on a dry run and should have thrown them back at them immediatly in the early stages before the batch arrived.

Spain is one of the forerunners in the world in bogie and tilting technologies and it is totally unacceptable that CIE has received two separate batches of substandard trains from this country. I.e. the 8200's and now these

Davy

Wasn't this christened 'the vomit comet'?

Zoney

Neon-Circles wrote: »

Testing/checking in Spain would have been limited- they dont have our gauge track

I thought there was testing in Ireland before most of the units were delivered. Besides, maybe they tested elements of the train with a set in Spain kitted out with bogies for their gauge of track? Maybe not, but it is probably too cynical to assume a lack of testing even so.

highlydebased

Zoney wrote: »

I thought there was testing in Ireland before most of the units were delivered. Besides, maybe they tested elements of the train with a set in Spain kitted out with bogies for their gauge of track? Maybe not, but it is probably too cynical to assume a lack of testing even so.

They could have indeed- but different bogies might not replicate the problem. Plus, I reckon their standard of permanent way may not be as third-world as ours

Judgement Day

I wonder is the whole thing not a case of CIE/IE engineers being aware of the problem from the outset during their trials and saying sure it will do, and the present admission of the problem is only due to public complaints over the poor ride?

foggy_lad

Judgement Day wrote: »

I wonder is the whole thing not a case of CIE/IE engineers being aware of the problem from the outset during their trials and saying sure it will do, and the present admission of the problem is only due to public complaints over the poor ride?

they were just concerned with the free trips to spain they were getting out of the deal!