29000 reliability

L1011 · 23-04-2019 6:04pm #1

Is there an increasing issue with reliability on the 29k fleet or am I just noticing more problems? May be travelling on them more than before but I don't think so

As well as getting noisier and noisier and noisier over time I'm seeing more engine restarts at stations, power issues in running (lights cycling) and running with one car unpowered

Have also seen some services cut from 8 to 4 as well as having whatever 22k can be found swapped in

They're nearly 15 years old for the newest model and are getting worked harder than before now. Bi-mode order can't go in quick enough

Jamie2k9 · 23-04-2019 9:07pm

Have had a few trips recently when they were down an engine but in my experience there have always been power issues and rather noisy.

I think the issue might be that overhaul/repaint has slowed if not stopped. They were also fitted with a remote diagnostics system to provide fault data like the 22s.

tabbey · 24-04-2019 2:01am

They were always noisy, but I noticed one vehicle exceptionally noisy on an eight car train this evening.

loyatemu · 24-04-2019 9:47pm

they're in sh!te condition too, the floors are disintegrating on many of the carriages.

L1011 · 24-04-2019 10:36pm

Missing flipdown seats is another semi common sign of general wear inside

Del.Monte · 25-04-2019 8:41am

One their worst features, apart from the noise, lack of tables, grime and smell are the interconnecting doors which require Charles Atlas to wrench them open. I know some enthusiasts will want to lynch me for saying it, but the horrible 29000s are like their beloved Park Royal carriages with the addition of underfloor engines.

Rashers72 · 27-04-2019 8:22pm

100% agree with all the above. As a daily user on the Northern Suburban line, here are my experiences:
> Engine noise has definitely disimproved. It is particularly bad when idling in the 3 city centre stations. If you were on the phone at the platform when one of these pulled in, you would hang up.
> Frequent water leaks on floors, emanating from toilets I would think.
> Linked to the above, the floor covering is now mainly a mismatch as sections are removed and replaced piecemeal. 'Bubbling' of the floor covering is a lot worse.
> Doors out of action are now more frequent but not a showstopper.
> Exterior paintwork has deteriorated, especially in past 2 years.
> PA systems /customer information on board has deteriorated, but not sure of root cause.

In a nutshell, only recently IE boasted as to having the youngest rail fleet in Europe. However due to a complete lack of funding by NTA in past 5 years, the assets have been completely overworked and I fear things will get a lot worse before replacement trains come into service in 2-3 years time.
Present NTA/IE logic seems to work assets so intensely they last a lot less when compared to UK/European operating model, where mid life servicing gets another 10-15 years. Look at the railcars let deteriorate so badly in Inchicore works. Despite their young age, they will probably end up being scrapped. Instead we will eventually get shiney new railcars, and so the cycle continues ðŸ™

Ireland trains · 27-04-2019 9:12pm

I nearly cried in last week when i was going to wexford and a 29000 pulled into the station.
Was standing room only still after wicklow which is not usually the case with the ICR's.
So noisy you can barely hear anything else. Also walking between coaches is difficult and the toilets are in poor condition.
But having said all that they have luggage racks and toilets which darts do not.

zilog_jones · 30-04-2019 12:39pm

I wonder how much of this is down to the general quality of the manufacturer? I found the Mk. 4 coaches seemed to age poorly, the seats are uncomfortable (lumbar support often broken), aircon not working, etc. I don't use trains in Ireland an awful lot, but any of the Tokyu cars I've been in seemed to be in comparatively respectable condition, and the 22000's seemed OK.

Losty Dublin · 02-05-2019 12:14am

Given the fact that they've had the bollocks worked out of them on a near 24/7 basis it's no wonder that they are showing their age. Some of the sets will be 17 years in traffic this year; a rebuild and refit for the entire set is urgently required but unlikely given the lack of available stock to cover 29000 duties.

Captain Chaos · 02-05-2019 8:14am

There was a tender put out about 6 years ago to start refitting the floors and under floor equipment cabinates, I don't know if these works have commenced.

As said these sets are worked very very hard with 98% of the fleet in service 5 days a week. They are or were the most reliable fleet DMU fleet in Europe for a number of years.

Even looking at the repainting of the sets, it stared 6 years ago and only about 6 sets out of 29 are in the new livery as they cannot afford to take them out of service for repainting.

goingnowhere · 02-05-2019 9:39am

There is a proposal for new engine/transmission for the 29k's if the 22k hybrid drive works.

While the 2600's are the most reliable they have a very easy life in Cork, be interesting to see how they would cope with daily crush loads and the hard running needed in Dublin. The 29k reliability numbers were world beating in the early days and to be fair it is very rare to have a 29k sit down, the numbers haven't gone down its the 2600 has gone up. There was a time when Drogheda was able to turn out 28 of 29 sets.

Jamie2k9 · 03-05-2019 12:26am

They should be able to withdraw a set or two over the summer and do work on them. I believe there are 3 sets (possibly 4 on a good day) not in regular traffic. Captain Chaos unless something has changed recently.

Waiting for hybrid drive testing is probably about 4 years off when you consider testing and fitting out 22s first. I am not sure demand is the only reason why refurbs have stopped, must be something at play.

XPS_Zero · 04-05-2019 2:19pm

Del.Monte wrote: »

One their worst features, apart from the noise, lack of tables, grime and smell are the interconnecting doors which require Charles Atlas to wrench them open. I know some enthusiasts will want to lynch me for saying it, but the horrible 29000s are like their beloved Park Royal carriages with the addition of underfloor engines.

I'm 5ft 10, 14 stone most of that is dense muscle. I have to struggle to open those doors, and it always comes with one of those old man lifting noises.
I can only imagine how hard it would be for a small woman in the event of some kind of accident that required passengers to change carriage.
They actually strike me as a hazard.

I was in Belfast one time and I asked what the delay was, the staff member said they were waiting for a CAF to replace the Enterprise which had broke down. I thought she meant an Irish Rail CAF and I thought ''oh jesus no...no no no...not that freezing cold, drafty uncomfortable train all the way to Dublin no no no"....thankfully it was a NI CAF which, though not great for a 2 hour journey is still better than an IE CAF.

Stephen15 · 04-05-2019 9:37pm

It would have been better I think if IE and NIR both teamed up when ordering stock surely this might reduce the cost of buying 5ft 3in gauge stock. I quite like the look of the NIR CAFs personally I think IE would have been better off ordering these instead of the 29000s and the ICRs that are used for commuter work.

L1011 · 29-05-2019 6:49pm

On one today where the accessible lav was clearly leaking incredibly badly and lifting off the subfloor - entire floor inside bubbling and squishy to walk on, the step/ramp was lifting up; and a tear in the floor covering outside revealed a brown goo.

It didn't smell so I suspect it was corrosion/rot rather than something that should be in the retention tank!

A set like that should be out of service to prevent further damage, but they've nothing to replace it.

PukkaStukka · 29-05-2019 11:35pm

Yes they stink and are noisy. They are certainly showing their age. But in 16 years of using them, I've only ever had one failure in 2006. That's not bad going in fairness. They are far better than nothing, and noting was better than a 2700 which were an utter abomination

29000 reliability

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