Line closure due to COVID-19

GerardKeating · 27-03-2020 3:49pm #1

As per the latest update.

Services will not operate on the following routes from Monday 30th March until further notice:

Waterford to Limerick Junction
Limerick to Ballybrophy (via Nenagh)

Del.Monte · 27-03-2020 4:06pm

GerardKeating wrote: »

As per the latest update.

Services will not operate on the following routes from Monday 30th March until further notice:
Waterford to Limerick Junction

Limerick to Ballybrophy (via Nenagh)

Great news, it will be like the fuel closures of 1947 and the opportunity to leave them closed can be taken.

Curb Your Enthusiasm · 27-03-2020 4:11pm

What a pity. Much of Tipperary basically left with no rail service so.
Irish Rail's fantasies of closing more lines may soon become a sad reality.

whisky_galore · 27-03-2020 6:13pm

IR have been itching to close these for years, now they've got an excuse and dress it up as doing a service for the nation.

Jamie2k9 · 28-03-2020 2:14pm

Both routes are currently only closed until 20 April (as are all rail reductions) in line with guidance. No Goverment = No Closure and I can't see rural and Greens supporting such a move when they form a Goverment...

My issue is why they have closed these routes and what the rational is.

Numbers have dropped even further but they are saving little. Couple of extra drivers but when you consider Limerick-Dublin, Waterford-Dublin cuts such resourcing shouldn't be an issue if there was a major breakout among staff.

Previous type closures during snow and storms make a lot of sense because intercity routes required a lot of works from fallen trees, snow clearing and inspections.

You could argue its protecting staff but we all know that is complete bull as closures to prevent non-essential travel which makes up these routes.

end of the road · 28-03-2020 4:56pm

i would expect the reason is, because they can.

goingnowhere · 28-03-2020 7:22pm

The two routes are the only two manually signalled and require a large number of signalling and gate keeping staff. Also need a guard, any single person calls in sick you are at risk of shutdown.

A lot of staff to carry effectively nobody, Irish Rail is under staffed anyway.

end of the road · 28-03-2020 7:46pm

goingnowhere wrote: »

The two routes are the only two manually signalled and require a large number of signalling and gate keeping staff. Also need a guard, any single person calls in sick you are at risk of shutdown.

A lot of staff to carry effectively nobody, Irish Rail is under staffed anyway.

to be fair that's IE's problem and their own fault.
no sympathy here from me i'm afraid on this one.

Curb Your Enthusiasm · 28-03-2020 8:23pm

end of the road wrote: »

i would expect the reason is, because they can.

Would the NTA not have to approve such a move? I mean, they're effectively cutting off many villages/towns from a rail service for the next few weeks.

Jamie2k9 · 28-03-2020 8:35pm

goingnowhere wrote: »

The two routes are the only two manually signalled and require a large number of signalling and gate keeping staff. Also need a guard, any single person calls in sick you are at risk of shutdown.

A lot of staff to carry effectively nobody, Irish Rail is under staffed anyway.

Fair point however I don't think it justifies closure. Someone on this route could phone in sick any day of the week. If you have to cancel the service that's fair enough.

Its the old reliable Limerick Regional and M3 Parkway (weekends). Amazing the WRC always survives...

end of the road · 28-03-2020 8:38pm

Curb Your Enthusiasm wrote: »

Would the NTA not have to approve such a move? I mean, they're effectively cutting off many villages/towns from a rail service for the next few weeks.

i would think so, and they will either have approved it, or at least they will do nothing about it.
as mentioned over on another thread, 1 branch of the dart line will get a 30 minute service whereas the other will get an hour with some gaps of 2 hours of a service.
i have no issue with service reductions given the current situation but dropping a line's service altogether or treating 2 services within the same service grouping differently should not be on.

91wx763 · 29-03-2020 11:45am

goingnowhere wrote: »

The two routes are the only two manually signalled and require a large number of signalling and gate keeping staff. Also need a guard, any single person calls in sick you are at risk of shutdown.

A lot of staff to carry effectively nobody, Irish Rail is under staffed anyway.

Quite correct. Off topic but related Exmouth Junction signal box in the UK and the lines controlled by it are shut today, signaller taken ill with C-19 and nobody to decontaminate the box available.

end of the road · 29-03-2020 3:37pm

91wx763 wrote: »

Quite correct. Off topic but related Exmouth Junction signal box in the UK and the lines controlled by it are shut today, signaller taken ill with C-19 and nobody to decontaminate the box available.

that's a different situation though to be fair.

91wx763 · 29-03-2020 9:19pm

end of the road wrote: »

that's a different situation though to be fair.

Not really, Birdhill or Roscrea or Clonmel signaller goes sick and it's game over. CTC or Waterford or Greystones etc is a bit more manageable.

Losty Dublin · 29-03-2020 11:33pm

91wx763 wrote: »

Quite correct.

It takes about 30 staff to run the two closed branches. The gate staff and signalmen are the bulk of what's needed to keep things going. Apparently just one passenger used the Waterford Limerick services yesterday :eek: The closure at least frees up a railcar set that will allow for a longer formation on other train operations.

Jamie2k9 · 30-03-2020 9:15am

Losty Dublin wrote: »

It takes about 30 staff to run the two closed branches. The gate staff and signalmen are the bulk of what's needed to keep things going. Apparently just one passenger used the Waterford Limerick services yesterday :eek: The closure at least frees up a railcar set that will allow for a longer formation on other train operations.

22s are not required now, there is a lot of spare capacity. Guinness sidings in Heuston are now been used to park them up.

It just seems like an option they have gotten used to with these routes. Staff sickness is always an issue and on routes like this only marginally higher probability now. Services should be running (even once a day) unless anyone can put another reason to the closure.

end of the road · 30-03-2020 5:39pm

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

22s are not required now, there is a lot of spare capacity. Guinness sidings in Heuston are now been used to park them up.

It just seems like an option they have gotten used to with these routes. Staff sickness is always an issue and on routes like this only marginally higher probability now. Services should be running (even once a day) unless anyone can put another reason to the closure.

it would certainly make a lot of sense that it's an option they have gotten used to.
they get away with it, there is no comeback on them, so they have nothing to lose.

Line closure due to COVID-19

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