Train delays on Cork to Dublin line

Cool_CM

Apparently the 18.05 from Galway went on fire at sallins, which blocked the line. Stopped at Kildare for about an hour, then crawled to newbridge where we had to get off and wait for buses. Just managed to hop on one now and thankfully on route to Dublin. I'm not going to go into whether or not Irish rail can control trains going on fire, what they can do is have plans in place for when things like this happen, and in this case they hadn't a clue. No information. No organisation. How this company can claim that they are moving forward is beyond me. They may have shiny new carriers (with little or no space for bikes and luggage) but their organisation, staff and attitudes remain the same.

foggy_lad

Cool_CM wrote: »

Apparently the 18.05 from galway went on fire at sallins, which blocked the line. Stoppedtat kildare for about an hour, then crawled to newbridge where we had to get off and wait for busses. Just managed to hop on one now and thankfully on route to Dublin. I'm not going to go into whether or not Irish rail can control trains going on fire, what they can do is have plans in place for when things like this happen, and in this case they hadn't a clue. No information. No organisation. How this company can claim that they are moving forward is beyond me. They may have shiny new carriers (with little or no space for bikes and luggage) but their organisation, staff and attitudes remain the same.

if any train is stopped for more than 15 minutes bus transfers should be put on stand-by as problems that cant be sorted out in that time are usually terminal or will mean delays so long passengers would be faster walking:)

i also wonder does your 5hour journey get classed as a delay in their statistics or just anorther total loss/failure?

can you let us know the general condition of the replacement bus? age condition comfort etc?

paddyland

foggy_lad wrote: »

can you let us know the general condition of the replacement bus? age condition comfort etc?

What has that got to do with anything? If a train suddenly becomes disabled in some remote part of the country, the nearest buses that can be scrambled in reasonable time are unlikely to be top of the range brand new coaches, unless the train breaks down next door to a very large bus company. More than likely it will be a selection of privately owned coaches, which can vary widely in age and condition, but which all, by law, will have passed a DOE.

What is important is how Iarnród Éireann scramble their back up plan, how their staff deal with their 'customers,' and how they communicate with people, which is usually the number one issue that lets them down. Far better to have a local man with a '98 DAF turn up promptly, than wait two hours for Bus Éireann Broadstone to send a brand new Scania down. That's what I would want. The main thing is for Iarnród Éireann to learn how to communicate with people, and to learn the difference between 'passengers' and 'customers.'

Cool_CM

foggy_lad wrote: »

if any train is stopped for more than 15 minutes bus transfers should be put on stand-by as problems that cant be sorted out in that time are usually terminal or will mean delays so long passengers would be faster walking:)

i also wonder does your 5hour journey get classed as a delay in their statistics or just another total loss/failure?

can you let us know the general condition of the replacement bus? age condition comfort etc?

No problem whatsoever with bus conditions. We were simply happy that they arrived, after a wait of course. All new-ish, comfortable and above all they were moving in the direction of Dublin.

The problem lies firmly at the door of Irish Rail for being beyond incompetent when things stop running smoothly.

foggy_lad

@paddyland, I asked about the bus because as said local busses would most likely be used but for longer journeys those local bangers may not be suitable as some are in very poor condition and barely legal. I wonder do the operators contracted to provide these emergency busses for Irish rail simply use their oldest worst bus that they no longer feel is fit for their normal passengers?

Anyway op glad you eventually got to you destination in relative comfort and don't forget to apply for your refund of ticket price from Irish rail!

Ps, just one more question, were passengers offered free tea and coffees during the 5hour delay?

Cool_CM

foggy_lad wrote: »

Ps, just one more question, were passengers offered free tea and coffees during the 5hour delay?

They made an announcement in other carriages (our intercom was broken) that they would be coming around, but this was just as the train started moving again. I'd doubt they gave out many in the space between Kildare and Newbridge.

paddyland

foggy_lad wrote: »

@paddyland, I asked about the bus because as said local busses would most likely be used but for longer journeys those local bangers may not be suitable as some are in very poor condition and barely legal. I wonder do the operators contracted to provide these emergency busses for Irish rail simply use their oldest worst bus that they no longer feel is fit for their normal passengers?

Why do you persistently post about things you know nothing about? There is no such thing as 'barely legal.' The standards of the DOE test are very high, I know because I have personally brought buses through their DOE. There is no room for shoddy maintenance any more.

Where do you get off making a statement that operators would choose their 'oldest, worst' bus for rail replacement services? An operator will send whatever bus and driver is available on the day, the same as for whatever job comes in at the last minute. Buses and drivers are scheduled as much as possible for whatever is in the diary, but when the phone rings and a bus is needed right away for a train broken down, or any sudden case of urgency, you get whatever is able to be scrambled at short notice. Stick to the relevant debate, which is the ability or willingness of Iarnród Éireann to respond to problems and communicate effectively with their customers.

foggy_lad

And at short notice the only bus that can be scrambled is usually the Saturday night disco bus that is a past its life coach because the interior has become too shabby and uncomfortable for normal use and these busses are used for late night revellors and for cheap runs to the local bingo. They are only road legal by doe standards but the doe does not take passenger comfort into consideration as long as the bus is roadworthy it will pass.

Where do you get off making a statement that operators would choose their'oldest, worst' bus for rail replacement services? An operator will send whatever bus and driver is available on the day, the same as for whatever job comes in at the last minute. Buses and drivers are scheduled as much as possible for whatever is in the diary, but when the phone rings and a bus is needed right away for a train broken down, or any sudden case of urgency, you get whatever is able to be scrambled at short notice. Stick to the relevant debate, which is the ability or willingness of Iarnród Éireann to respond to problems and communicate with their passengers.

and my point is that the emergency busses are usually ones that are not in regular daily use but because of the failure of Irish rail to regulate the busses used often they are not fit for use. I have been on rail replacements that have had all the outer glass of the double glazing broken away, no air conditioning poor interior lighting and water splashing around between the panes of glass in the few remaining double glazed windows. I could never see that particular bus ever used for regular work as paying public customers would kick up and reject It but it was considered ok as rail replacement from waterford to Dublin!

foggy_lad

They probably waited until they knew the train would be moving again to offer the free beverages to save themselves a packet as rail gourmet has to be paid for all the free beverages.

Cool_CM wrote: »

They made an announcement in other carriages (our intercom was broken) that they would be coming around, but this was just as the train started moving again. I'd doubt they gave out many in the space between Kildare and Newbridge.

Run_to_da_hills

Any word on the fire?

Damage etc ?

Will it mean another 22,000 out of action?

foggy_lad

Ah they can take another one from the Sligo service if needed! I noticed there was no mentions on the Irish rail website but understandably they would not like to be advertising things like fires on new trains or telling people how to get their refunds!

Cool_CM

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

Any word on the fire?

Damage etc ?

Will it mean another 22,000 out of action?

Turns out somebody left the parking brake on

rte.ie wrote:

Smoke discovered on Galway-Dublin train
Friday, 6 August 2010 23:04

Rail passengers experienced delays following the discovery of smoke coming from a carriage on the Galway-Dublin train.

A spokesperson for Irish Rail said passengers on the 18.05 service from Galway to Dublin were moved to a safer part of the train while the incident was dealt with.

The train was stopped close to Sallins, Co Kildare.

It is thought that the incident occurred when a parking brake was left on.

Other services from the west and south-east were affected.

Bus services were provided passengers affected by the stoppage.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0806/irishrail.html

Run_to_da_hills

Cool_CM wrote: »

Turns out somebody left the parking brake on



http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0806/irishrail.html

How long dose it take toi fit a new clutch into a 22,000.

foggy_lad

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

How long dose it take toi fit a new clutch into a 22,000.

i would think they will also need to fit a new parking brake if they can cut the old one out? although it might be better to leave this out untill staff are trained/retrained in its use?

does anyone know was it a 3 or 6car set that was damaged? and will there be room in portlaoise for this one with all the others they have undergoing "long term repairs"?

dowlingm

One would think the diagnostics in a 22K would indicate this sort of thing...

Run_to_da_hills

dowlingm wrote: »

One would think the diagnostics in a 22K would indicate this sort of thing...

Or the driver for that matter, a serious restriction in power. It would be like trying to drive off in a car with the hand brake on.

foggy_lad

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

Or the driver for that matter, a serious restriction in power. It would be like trying to drive off in a car with the hand brake on.

I can't help thinking that if the smoke detectors in the toilets on the brand new trains are set off by the fumes from urine or a strong curry as has been the case then are warning lights in the drivers cab similarly screwed up?

And are the wiring issues with the smoke alarms going off being dealt with properly or are the detectors just being disabled as would most likely be the Irish rail way of dealing with it?

Rud

foggy_lad wrote: »

does anyone know was it a 3 or 6car set that was damaged? and will there be room in portlaoise for this one with all the others they have undergoing "long term repairs"?

i drove by the depot yesterday and there was only 2 sets in the sidings so maybe there will be room to park this set up!

dowlingm

Maybe they'll be able to make a working set out of all the broken ones now :rolleyes:

foggy_lad

dowlingm wrote: »

Maybe they'll be able to make a working set out of all the broken ones now :rolleyes:

the ones in there from the recent derailment incident will not be repaired till 2011-2012 around the time the replacements arrive from taiwan so i doubt they will make anything except a shocking loss from them.

Run_to_da_hills

foggy_lad wrote: »

the ones in there from the recent derailment incident will not be repaired till 2011-2012 around the time the replacements arrive from taiwan so i doubt they will make anything except a shocking loss from them.

Taiwan?

Korea I thought.

KC61

foggy_lad wrote: »

Ah they can take another one from the Sligo service if needed!

There hasn't been one "taken" from the Sligo line - there never were sufficient sets to operate every service on that route using 22000s due to the original delivery being short by the two sets damaged.

nanu nanu

What was the number of the train? This should tell you if it was a three or six cabin set or even two threes together.

Rud

nanu nanu wrote: »

What was the number of the train? This should tell you if it was a three or six cabin set or even two threes together.

The train was 22246 apparently

highlydebased

Time to drag out the MKIII's!







Oh wait....they're orange.

lord lucan

Neon-Circles wrote: »

Time to drag out the MKIII's!







Oh wait....they're orange.

That's the saddest part about this. There's a load of 201's mothballed at Inchicore and rakes of MKIII's in the yard at Heuston but because they're orange and black they'll most likely never turn a wheel in anger ever again. No matter what the shortage,it seems passengers will suffer through reduced services because of IE's intransigence on this.:mad:

Run_to_da_hills

lord lucan wrote: »

That's the saddest part about this. There's a load of 201's mothballed at Inchicore and rakes of MKIII's in the yard at Heuston but because they're orange and black they'll most likely never turn a wheel in anger ever again. No matter what the shortage,it seems passengers will suffer through reduced services because of IE's intransigence on this.:mad:

There is no reason why they can't just paint them up in new colours like they have done with the 2700's on the WRC..

Hungerford

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

There is no reason why they can't just paint them up in new colours like they have done with the 2700's on the WRC..

But they are locomotive hauled and hence their use is against IE religion policy

Cookie_Monster

Hungerford wrote: »

But they are locomotive hauled and hence their use is against IE religion policy

especially since they are ripping up all the run around points

foggy_lad

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

Taiwan?

Korea I thought.

They seem to fit the old "made in taiwan" tag from the number of complaints and failures they have. Faulty wiring switches etc and coupling that doesnt work properly and dodgey smoke detectors in the toilets that are set off by urine fumes!

foggy_lad

KC61 wrote: »

There hasn't been one "taken" from the Sligo line - there never were sufficient sets to operate every service on that route using 22000s due to the original delivery being short by the two sets damaged.

Afaik there was a set reassigned from weekend services following the derailment incident but you are correct in saying the national railway company has not got enough trains to run proper services on the sligo route.

purplepanda

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

There is no reason why they can't just paint them up in new colours like they have done with the 2700's on the WRC..

How fecking hard is it to respray a train FFS!!!!!!

Must be plenty of companies & workers nowadays available to tender for the work instead of letting these trains rot when their counterparts are still being used all over Britain.

There's a shortage of rolling stock which could be eased by using these train sets, so why the lack of action???????

KC61

foggy_lad wrote: »

Afaik there was a set reassigned from weekend services following the derailment incident but you are correct in saying the national railway company has not got enough trains to run proper services on the sligo route.

There were no sets reallocated from any services on the Sligo route.

The same number of trains are currently operated by 29k sets as always have been since the increased frequency was introduced:

Monday/Thursday & Saturday - 1 return service
Friday & Sunday - 2 return services

evenmicheal

From my experience train delays on Cork to Dublin line is very common. They also almost never give a reason why. Tickets are overpriced and I feel that things have got worse in the last year or so. There is no incentive to travel by rail anymore. Is cheaper, longer and is a very frustrating experience. If only I could drive!!!!!

Kingdom

evenmicheal wrote: »

From my experience train delays on Cork to Dublin line is very common. They also almost never give a reason why. Tickets are overpriced and I feel that things have got worse in the last year or so. There is no incentive to travel by rail anymore. Is cheaper, longer and is a very frustrating experience. If only I could drive!!!!!

I have to be honest I agree with this. I (like a lot of you) use the train at least twice a day, sometimes four times. The last Cork train in from Port is usually late, and there's never a reason. It might only be a few mins (5-10) but thats still late.
I actually got the train to and from Tralee a couple of weeks ago, the Tralee train going down was unexplainedly late no obvious reason as it arrived in Port on time, and the changeover left Mallow promptly, however it arrived in Tralee about 15 mins late, and as it was the return train to Mallow, it caused a delay for the Cork train going back towards Portarlington, as the Cork train pulled into Mallow as soon as the Tralee commuter train did.

It's disappointing when there are no obvious reasons for the delays.