Train for Limerick/Limerick Junc. to Cork

meoklmrk91

I am going to college in Mallow this year and I was planning on getting the train up and down each morning, but I was completely and utterly gobsmacked to find out that the first train that leave the Limerick/South Tipp area for Cork in the morning doesn't leave until 8.50am and doesn't arrive in Mallow until 9.20am and in Cork city at 9.50am. I cannot believe that the links are so late whereas if I were travelling from Mallow to Limerick Junc. I would be able to get a train almost every hour from 5.30am. Now I am going to have to drive from my home which is on to South Tipp/Limerick border into Colbert st. in Limerick City to get a bus which leaves at 7.25am and arrives in Mallow at 8.30. I honestly can't get over this, how can it be right?

Victor

It is unacceptable.

Part of the problem is that the main flow is towards Dublin in the morning and away from Dublin in the evening, but with not having an arrival in Cork before 0830/0900 is a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy.

corktina

thats so unbelievable I had to check for myself! what a way to not run a railway!

meoklmrk91

I find it shocking that you canno get a train from one of Ireland's major cites to another that arrives before 10 in the morning. I don't think that it can be put down as a lack of demand as I am sure that there is. I may end up just driving up and down to mallow each day now at a huge cost petrol wise, my daily commute will end up being around 2 and a half hours where as if there were a train it would be around an hour and 20 mins. Thanks iarnrod eireann, what a stellar service you are providing.

dowlingm

There used to be a commuter service ex Charleville IIRC but it was discontinued. If Thurles-Limerick commuter can exist and a train can leave Limerick at 0600 for Galway then a Limerick-Cork service should be agitated for once the new 22000s are available for service.

meoklmrk91

dowlingm wrote: »

There used to be a commuter service ex Charleville IIRC but it was discontinued. If Thurles-Limerick commuter can exist and a train can leave Limerick at 0600 for Galway then a Limerick-Cork service should be agitated for once the new 22000s are available for service.

Any idea when this would happen.

n97 mini

If you're driving in to Limerick to get a bus why don't you just drive to Mallow?

schemingbohemia

would you not have checked this out before picking Mallow?

OurLadyofKnock

schemingbohemia wrote: »

would you not have checked this out before picking Mallow?

That is a bit unfair and a very CIE response. IE has recived billions in the last 10 years - completely new track and rolling stock. But the underlying issue remains. The culture of CIE and nothing else.

You can sit there asking why the OP did not check - it is because this is supposed to be 2011 and in this part of the world such a service is a generally a given.

So now CIE/IE want more money to compete with the motorways on their now defunct and obsolete inter-city routes. Their future should be services like this. Regional commuter servicing student and workers. Not trying to waste more money to get back the old days when the train was the only real option to the "Big Schmoke".

There is only one answer. Destory CIE and bring in someone who understands a viable rail system cannot live in the past and exists to serivce the lifestyles of the unions and nothing else.

charlemont

Its not called Irish Rail for nothing.

dowlingm

There is commuter service from Mallow to Cork. There's even service from Kerry to Mallow if you can make an 0852 arrival work. The issue is the catchment north of this - Charleville and Limerick Junction. Mallow does not really feature as an inward commuting destination in most people's minds, and perhaps this is something your college (together with the local chamber of commerce) should be raising with the local regional manager at an early date.

It would be useful if the town were willing to bring something to the table - a list of employers willing to put down deposits on annual tickets for their employees in those areas if a service is provided and provision of a shuttle service to bring people to and from the station. I know it's a broken record but it's harder for IE to ignore local requests when the locals put some skin in the game. Given that the service would likely continue to Cork IE should only need enough load to justify sending the train from Limerick to Mallow, not Limerick to Cork.

corktina

you dont know Mallow do you!

meoklmrk91

schemingbohemia wrote: »

would you not have checked this out before picking Mallow?

Well as I was looking to get a train that goes in between two of the largest cities in the country and it is 2011 I honestly didn't think it would be an issue. But thanks for your anyway for your helpful post.

meoklmrk91

n97 mini wrote: »

If you're driving in to Limerick to get a bus why don't you just drive to Mallow?

It is now a consideration, bit I would have preferred to have gotten the train as it would have worked out cheaper and I will be putting up some serious milage on the car.

trellheim

I feel your pain. From Dublin you cannot get to Cork or Belfast really before 930 AM via train.

There used to be a mondays only early dublin-cork but it was withdrawn a long time ago. ( lack of interest ).

Judgement Day

trellheim wrote: »

I feel your pain. From Dublin you cannot get to Cork or Belfast really before 930 AM via train.

There used to be a mondays only early dublin-cork but it was withdrawn a long time ago. ( lack of interest ).

From whom?

dowlingm

corktina wrote: »

you dont know Mallow do you!

Actually, I passed my driving test there, but it's not anywhere I've worked or anything

dowlingm

trellheim wrote: »

There used to be a mondays only early dublin-cork but it was withdrawn a long time ago. ( lack of interest ).

Back then the option would have been either a rake of Mark 3s or 75mph railcars. Again, the excuse of stock should be solved when the new 22Ks come out of testing.

n97 mini

meoklmrk91 wrote: »

It is now a consideration, bit I would have preferred to have gotten the train as it would have worked out cheaper and I will be putting up some serious milage on the car.

I very much doubt the train will be cheaper. If you're keeping a car on the road anyway, it's likely the most expensive way to do Mallow return will be by train.

meoklmrk91

n97 mini wrote: »

meoklmrk91 wrote: »

It is now a consideration, bit I would have preferred to have gotten the train as it would have worked out cheaper and I will be putting up some serious milage on the car.

I very much doubt the train will be cheaper. If you're keeping a car on the road anyway, it's likely the most expensive way to do Mallow return will be by train.

I know but I just think it would be better seeing as it is a much shorter journey by train a half an hour as opposed to an hour and 15 minutes by car. Also trying not to use the car as much as I'm trying to cut costs every which way I can. It's about 120km-ish up and down to mallow each day even a bit more which means I will be putting up more miles, which means more services, new tires sooner etc.

DWCommuter

OurLadyofKnock wrote: »

That is a bit unfair and a very CIE response. IE has recived billions in the last 10 years - completely new track and rolling stock. But the underlying issue remains. The culture of CIE and nothing else.

You can sit there asking why the OP did not check - it is because this is supposed to be 2011 and in this part of the world such a service is a generally a given.

So now CIE/IE want more money to compete with the motorways on their now defunct and obsolete inter-city routes. Their future should be services like this. Regional commuter servicing student and workers. Not trying to waste more money to get back the old days when the train was the only real option to the "Big Schmoke".

There is only one answer. Destory CIE and bring in someone who understands a viable rail system cannot live in the past and exists to serivce the lifestyles of the unions and nothing else.

A very good sermon Our Lady. However many, many, many, many, (I'll stop now) people just don't get it or refuse to admit it. When EVERYONE realises that CIE/IE are the cause of the problem and absolutely NOT the solution, we may have have chance of progressing.

corktina

dowlingm wrote: »

Actually, I passed my driving test there, but it's not anywhere I've worked or anything

nor do many other people work there. One Horse Town (IMHO)

fh041205

trellheim wrote:

I feel your pain. From Dublin you cannot get to Cork or Belfast really before 930 AM via train.

There used to be a mondays only early dublin-cork but it was withdrawn a long time ago. ( lack of interest ).

AFAIK the new timetable in 2 weeks time is introducing a commuter service from Newry to Dublin to arrive before 9am, and i think to be operate by IR. So they responded to some sort of a demand there. Personally I couldn't see there being as big a demand for Dublin-Cork or Dublin-Belfast. Maybe Belfast. But even if there were its so expensive that I doubt people would take to it quick enough to make it worthwhile for IR.

dowlingm

fh041205 wrote: »

AFAIK the new timetable in 2 weeks time is introducing a commuter service from Newry to Dublin to arrive before 9am, and i think to be operate by IR.

Already running (dep 0645 arr 0830). The irritating things are:

• IE have made no effort to schedule stops at Drogheda and Dundalk on the northbound run to Newry (presuming the 29K is Drogheda based) which would give Louth people the opportunity to reach Belfast early on a train going north anyway. There is a connecting service departing Newry 0650 for Belfast. (It is actually possible to travel from Portadown to Dublin before 9 if you get the 0615 Portadown-Newry which presumably returns as the 0650)
• Use of 75mph 29Ks rather than 90mph capable, TPWS fitted 22Ks for a long run like that.

Victor

dowlingm wrote: »

IE have made no effort to schedule stops at Drogheda and Dundalk on the northbound run to Newry (presuming the 29K is Drogheda based)

I imagine its the set that operates the 00:18 Drogheda-Dundalk (arrive 00:42) that is an extension of the 23:20 Dublin Connolly-Drogheda (arrive 00:15), but yes, they could run Dundalk-Newry in service (may require a guard).

fh041205

Ah I was 90% sure it was already running but its not on the timetable yet. Very good. Wouldn't there be less seats and a lot less standing room on a 22k set though?

Also, I was under the same asumptions as victor, i.e. the set comes from Dundalk. Now a Drogheda-Newry service would be interesting. I wonder how IR gauge the demand for these new services. Is it simply trial and error by introducing them and seeing what the passenger numbers are like?

Losty Dublin

fh041205 wrote: »

Ah I was 90% sure it was already running but its not on the timetable yet. Very good. Wouldn't there be less seats and a lot less standing room on a 22k set though?

Also, I was under the same asumptions as victor, i.e. the set comes from Dundalk. Now a Drogheda-Newry service would be interesting. I wonder how IR gauge the demand for these new services. Is it simply trial and error by introducing them and seeing what the passenger numbers are like?

A 3 car 22 set actually seats a few more than a 4 car 29 set; maybe 5 more. A 29 is generally better suited for for commuter services at rush hour given it's extra standing space and it's door arrangements allow quicker boarding/alighting. Also, there isn't a spare 22 set to run additional services on the Northern line just yet so the 29 is probably all that is to hand for now; for th.

If it is the set that works the last train from Dublin, we can safely assume that the Newry service in the morning is staffed with a Dundalk driver. I will check my WTT when I get in, unless somebody else beats me to it first

goingnowhere

Actually two drivers, even if a 22k was used still need driver + another

Losty Dublin

goingnowhere wrote: »

Actually two drivers, even if a 22k was used still need driver + another

Remind me again why a second man is needed on this trip.

dowlingm

Different safety rules in NI.

Losty Dublin

dowlingm wrote: »

Different safety rules in NI.

Oh sorry, forgot that not all sets have TPWS, the Tin Pan Warbling System on board

goingnowhere

Losty Dublin wrote: »

Oh sorry, forgot that not all sets have TPWS, the Tin Pan Warbling System on board

Even with that its still driver + another, except another can read the paper down the back

meoklmrk91

Hello all just to let you know that my problem has been solved, I am in luck in that none of my classes start until 9:40, so will in fact be able to get the train. However I still think that the lack of service from the Tipperary and Limerick area to Cork is appalling and definately needs to be looked at. Anyway thanks for contributing to my thread.

Losty Dublin

I decided to follow this Newry train thing up and get the definitive answer.

Last night I asked a friend of mine who works on NIR train exactly what the story is in relation a second man on this working. The position is that NIR require the services of a guard on board any train that runs on their network. This applies to Irish Rail services that crosses the border so a guard must travel on the service in order to comply with same.

parsi

That Limerick <> Cork link has been poor for years. It used be worse with up to an hour scheduled wait because the Limerick trains used connect with Dublin trains and Cork was an after thought.

Many a Sunday was spent sitting waiting at the Junction . What was worse was if you got the 05:50 on a Monday you'd be fearful of sleeping your way though the junction wait.