Maynooth line this morning

thomasj

So over the past week, there has been capacity issues with the maynooth and Longford/sligo line. So much that irish rail are advising us to avoid such services.

This morning on the line was a complete and utter disaster. Due to level crossing fault, services were suspended.

When they resumed things got worse. The 08.10 express (Sligo train) picked up passengers in leixlip. It had to stop again in Clonsilla, as passengers were fainting on the train.

So starts another week, capacity constraint and long delays on the line. Its getting a joke now.

Wichita Lineman

I drove in 3 days last week from beyond Mullingar and despite the mileage and extra expense of petrol & parking it's amazing how heavy traffic is less stressful than Irish Rail. This morning was an absolute shambles!

thomasj

Services disrupted again

https://twitter.com/IrishRail/status/676361703660081153

Infini

To be fair though the capacity problems are a result of the flooding down the country as trains got trapped in sligo for example and that left them having to use what stock was free which includes reduced capacity. Aint fun but the last week is a case of extrodinary circumstances. As for the crossings its possible flood waters gotten in somewhere as well. Some things just happen and its obviously not good but lets be honest the railway is underfunded in general and it shows when these things happen.

Losty Dublin

Infini2 wrote: »

As for the crossings its possible flood waters gotten in somewhere as well. Some things just happen and its obviously not good but lets be honest the railway is underfunded in general and it shows when these things happen.

Floods wouldn't be an issue here. Barberstown crossing is adjacent to the Royal Canal, a few hundred yards up track from Clonsilla.

Wichita Lineman

If it's not floods it's leaves on the track, signal failures, level crossing failures, or snow, or fog, what next - there's a Y in the day!! The 7.26 train from Mullingar to Connolly is late at it's final destination almost every day - even before the floods - and it will only get worse when they move it to 7.15 to accommodate more Darts! At least Dart users have a service every few minutes as it is. The high paying hard pressed middle / long distance commuters don't!!

Irish Rail = INCOMPETENCE PERSONIFIED

Jem72

While the capacity problems are due to stranded rolling stock, this should not have happened. This section of line floods almost every year and with the weather forecast on December 4th and 5th, Irish Rail should have moved at least some of the sets now stranded to the Dublin side of the flood. These are not "extraordinary circumstances" when the same section of line floods almost every year. I use this line a lot and knew that on that Saturday morning once I looked out the window that the line remaining open was at best a 50/50 proposition.

However, if you want to be fair, they have managed the situation a lot better this year by bussing passengers for the 0545 direct from Carrick to Dublin. The solution just isn't robust - if something else goes wrong as happened this morning, it isn't pretty.

Captain Chaos

Frequency can't go up on the Maynooth line until it's double tracked all the way from Maynooth to Longford at least, and that's probably never going to happen. That's the big issue once all the level crossings are bypassed on the Connolly to Maynooth section.

Jem72

There's not much point in enabling extra frequency if there aren't trains to put on the lines. The present temporary lack of capacity would be entirely resolved by 11 railcars. They are short 4 ICR cars from the 1600, 3 from the 1705 and 4 29Ks from the 1715.

Frequency could be improved somewhat by adding more crossing points - Enfield in particular is low-hanging fruit since it is in the middle of the Killlucan to Maynooth section and all it needs is a passenger bridge and to have the second platform rebuilt but in the long term double tracking would need to be restored to at least some of the section that lost it in the early 1920's.

This line is a massively undervalued asset, as it enables commuting to Dublin from one of the cheapest places in Ireland to live. It's just a pity Irish Rail make such a hames of running it.

LXFlyer

Jem72 wrote: »

There's not much point in enabling extra frequency if there aren't trains to put on the lines. The present temporary lack of capacity would be entirely resolved by 11 railcars. They are short 4 ICR cars from the 1600, 3 from the 1705 and 4 29Ks from the 1715.

Frequency could be improved somewhat by adding more crossing points - Enfield in particular is low-hanging fruit since it is in the middle of the Killlucan to Maynooth section and all it needs is a passenger bridge and to have the second platform rebuilt but in the long term double tracking would need to be restored to at least some of the section that lost it in the early 1920's.

This line is a massively undervalued asset, as it enables commuting to Dublin from one of the cheapest places in Ireland to live. It's just a pity Irish Rail make such a hames of running it.

Getting those railcars back to Longford on the basis of the line *might* be flooded is not as simple as you're making that out to be though - you would need several drivers in Sligo to volunteer to do it (it could not be done in a single move), and at relatively short notice that may not be straightforward.

The real problem here is the one that affects most infrastructural issues in this country - it needs capital funding and that's something that is in short supply - we need to be realistic about that. IE are making the best of what they have, but capital funding is down to what the government will give them.

The first priority on that line has to be re-signalling the inner section as it is a patchwork of different systems.

The second priority has to be eliminating the level crossings between Clonsilla and Ashtown.

After that perhaps reinstating the loop at Hill of Down might be an option, along with putting in a footbridge and platform at Enfield.

At the same time some form of flood prevention measures further along the line will need to be looked at.

But all of that is going to require a fair amount of capital expenditure - and that will have to compete with other projects that some will see as equally/more important.

It certainly does not need double tracking to increase frequency.

L1011

Complete and utter incompetence this morning in relation to giving out information and correctly trying to recover the situation.

PIS not updated reliably. Twitter claiming things were operating normally on M3 when they weren't. Obvious attempt to ghost out the 08:10 M3 train which was obviously, and belatedly, put back on after the 08:35 that was then sent express to Docklands.

Ghosting out services on Docklands/Parkway is the norm rather than an irregular any time there's disruption. I can only assume its to do with punctuality stats to the NTA - better to cancel a service entirely and force everyone on to one (already at capacity) train rather than run it 25mins late.

The RSC are a disgrace for refusing to accept there is a safety issue with the capacity Irish Rail pack trains to also, but seeing as they consider it OK to have no internal lighting on a train that runs through a tunnel, a cutting and under a stadium (has happened repeatedly) says volumes.

Cilar

L1011 wrote: »

Complete and utter incompetence this morning in relation to giving out information and correctly trying to recover the situation.

PIS not updated reliably. Twitter claiming things were operating normally on M3 when they weren't. Obvious attempt to ghost out the 08:10 M3 train which was obviously, and belatedly, put back on after the 08:35 that was then sent express to Docklands.

Ghosting out services on Docklands/Parkway is the norm rather than an irregular any time there's disruption. I can only assume its to do with punctuality stats to the NTA - better to cancel a service entirely and force everyone on to one (already at capacity) train rather than run it 25mins late.

The RSC are a disgrace for refusing to accept there is a safety issue with the capacity Irish Rail pack trains to also, but seeing as they consider it OK to have no internal lighting on a train that runs through a tunnel, a cutting and under a stadium (has happened repeatedly) says volumes.

I usually directly write to NTA for complains (not to Irish Rail or Dublin Bus), they then go check with Irish Rail and Dublin Bus, and keep you in the loop. In addition, there is a track of record in their system.

https://www.nationaltransport.ie/contact-us/intro-and-general-enquiries-press-contacts-and-oireachtas-liaison/

beauf

In fairness most of the year the line runs well. But its uncomfortably packed at peak. For all the reasons given by others above.

They also tend to have the heating on full blast on cold days when everyone is in coats and the windows can't be opened. Why?

The lack of an update system, that you can reliably check what's going on is the worst failing. I have other options, but I tend to get caught out with the lack of updates.

Twitter is not good enough and gets its information too late.

MrMorooka

Would it be possible to remove the trapped units from Sligo via road? Obviously a big undertaking, having to uncouple all the carriages, transport individually, then reassemble elsewhere. But I seem to recall this has been done in Britain before. Seems like getting at least a 4car set out of there might help with capacity issues closer to Dublin.

Of course, if the WRC was finished they could come out that way

cython

MrMorooka wrote: »

Would it be possible to remove the trapped units from Sligo via road? Obviously a big undertaking, having to uncouple all the carriages, transport individually, then reassemble elsewhere. But I seem to recall this has been done in Britain before. Seems like getting at least a 4car set out of there might help with capacity issues closer to Dublin.

Of course, if the WRC was finished they could come out that way

Given that the trapped units are DMUs (as opposed to locomotive-hauled rail cars) and splitting/joining them is a huge undertaking (see the recent restructuring of the 22000 class fleet) that would never be financially viable, nor would it likely even be completed before the flood waters recede anyway!

end of the road

MrMorooka wrote: »

Would it be possible to remove the trapped units from Sligo via road? Obviously a big undertaking, having to uncouple all the carriages, transport individually, then reassemble elsewhere.

it could be done but it would be more hassle then its worth. with modern units and their complicated systems its not as simple as de-coupling and re-coupling somewhere else unfortunately

MrMorooka wrote: »

I seem to recall this has been done in Britain before. Seems like getting at least a 4car set out of there might help with capacity issues closer to Dublin.

i believe this is rather common in britain depending on where something is being sent, due to the fragmented nature of the rail network and the various charges and drivers not being signed to travel to somewhere by rail meaning it can sometimes be cheeper and easier to send rail vehicles by road then by rail (you couldn't make it up) .

loyatemu

send them down the Burma Road - would give the squatters a surprise.

thomasj

Not for the first time this week on this line, the 17:28 Connolly maynooth is delayed waiting on an ambulance to arrive for an Ill passenger.

Alot of reports of people fainting on trains over the past few weeks since the flooding

Orion

The 17.05 was like a tin of sardines too. Heard someone say the 4pm train was cancelled.

thomasj

Orion wrote:

The 17.05 was like a tin of sardines too. Heard someone say the 4pm train was cancelled.

It's been cancelled for the last week and a half

LXFlyer

thomasj wrote: »

It's been cancelled for the last week and a half

Orion wrote: »

The 17.05 was like a tin of sardines too. Heard someone say the 4pm train was cancelled.

With five trains trapped on the Sligo side of the flood, the cancellation of the 16:00 is somewhat inevitable.

foggy_lad

beauf wrote: »

In fairness most of the year the line runs well. But its uncomfortably packed at peak. For all the reasons given by others above.

They also tend to have the heating on full blast on cold days when everyone is in coats and the windows can't be opened. Why?

The lack of an update system, that you can reliably check what's going on is the worst failing. I have other options, but I tend to get caught out with the lack of updates.

Twitter is not good enough and gets its information too late.

There are no windows and also no staff on most trains to turn up or down the heating and air conditioning as the train fills up with bodies. Most of the railcars have heating and air-con set for a normal number of passengers seated throughout the train and when the aisles and vestibules become packed with bodies this upsets the settings and the atmosphere can quickly become unbearable.

thomasj wrote: »

It's been cancelled for the last week and a half

It is probably stuck in Sligo with no replacement or stand-in available from the units in storage.