New Irish Rail Intercity, Commuter and DART Timetable Public Consultation

Starts 22nd May according to IE.

The return as a scheduled working should really make the case for the Mullingar one.

https://twitter.com/IrishRail/status/1655546888995713025?s=20

it's an improvement, though 8pm is still pretty poor for a last service.

One bonus is that it provides an extra service back into Dublin from Bray/Greystones/Dun Laoghaire after the last Dart.

It's great to see this service coming on stream. The driver situation is working through. Plenty of classes in the school at different stages, which will be coming on stream. There remains a shortage due to long term illness and retirements plus a heavy reliance on rest day working, but they are getting on top of it at last.

With every hop the next timetable consultation will be able to actually deliver more of what people have been asking for.

agree but we know they won't do that.

they have their regime in terms of rolling stock operations and diagramming and they will not change from it at any and all costs even though it is causing huge issues.

we are wasting our time, they know best in their imaginations.

But they have had years (since the financial crisis) to work through the MKIV issues. It beggars belief that a full extra set cant be found to run a service . According to what you say above of 8 full sets thats only 5 in service at any time which is nearly 40% of the fleet out at any given time - which is dire.

Also keeping a full set spare/cover is ridiculous - a 5 ICR kept spare would be better is its more versatile and can cover against nearly any type of set failure on all the routes. Something else going on I'd say here.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. The utilisation of the MkIV fleet is way below par. They do use them and work great (I'm a regular user on them) and are put on top link jobs, just they are not diagrammed anyway enough.

One of those sets comes out to play for the 19:00 Dublin Heuston to Cork and that's it for the day. One set is out for modifications, which is fine but they have another set available too. The 19:00 was the "spare" set on maintenance during the day.

I would also like to see a MkIV set head to Tralee each day or Limerick on one of the directs to free up an ICR that way. Think outside the box kind of thing.

Would a 30 minute turnaround (assuming 2h 30 min travel) be too tight at either end. Would allow xx:00 departures at both end and result in less sets being required.

If not now, then surely as line improvement works reduce journey time.

Waterford line could really do with a later service now. Ie extend the later one from Carlow.

Not sure if this is the appropriate thread but I just went to book online the Killarney to Cork train for tomorrow morning and not only is it sold out, but this message is showing up with it;

”Customers are advised that if this service is not available online, it is sold out and as a result tickets will not be available for purchase at the station.”

First time ever seeing this message. So if I turn up at the station tomorrow morning and buy a ticket from the machine, I’m going to be denied boarding?!

Given its a busy weekend with Bloom IE are fully entitled to enforce online only access to services. While they often put the message up I am not sure it's ever enforced in practice.

Unless you know more and IE have badly worded it.