Heuston-Cork all have longer platforms (210m?).

All other new / extended stations are being built to 174m (8-car DART/2600-2900).

I'm not sure about existing stations.

Well that is great news. I wonder are they all in 3 coach formats (17*3) or a combination of 3 coach and 6 coach.

They really should have ordered a lot more 6 coach sets in the first place.

And what about the 6 coach 22k?

Mark you said there should be no problem with a 6 coach 22k going to Rosslare. Are you still of that viewpoint? Any confirmation from Irish Rail about this issue?

There should be no problem with a 6 car 22k set, once there is some way to lock the very rear door at the stations where a short platform exists. It was indicated a long time ago that the new trains had selective door opening turns out they don't

Curiously enough the platform at Woodlawn on the Galway line is short as well, but the new trains stop there. The Mk4 stopped at Templemore and Portarlington which both had very short platforms until recently

There would be no problem operating 6 or 8 carriage trains on the Rosslare line if CIE/IE wished to. They do exactly what suits them and throw up all sorts of Health & Safety concerns when it suits them. Without doubt two of the busiest stations in the country - Cork and Connolly (Platform 5) - are two of the most dangerous for passengers but they are not shut down. I refer to 'mind the gap' - the yawning chasm between the train door and the platforms in these locations. I am not advocating that they be closed but just that CIE/IE cop themselves on and sort out the nonsense about platform lengths.:D

When Rathdrum was extended I guess it lost its grandfather rights?

I guess there would be health and safety concerns if a platform is to short (at the latest when a passenger uses the wrong exit and misses the platform :rolleyes: ) But seriously, when I came to this country 5 years ago (before that I was complaining to Deutsche Bahn :) ) I could not believe that I had to go into the first two carriages to leave the train at Castlebar for example. I considered that a health and safety issue and actually people DID leave the train there off limits the platform because the doors weren't locked.

There is very much a problem running anything longer than a 6-car 2800 set south of Greystones, as that is the longest that the platforms at Rathdrum, Arklow, Enniscorthy, Wexford, and Rosslare Strand can manage.

Wexford is one of the longest platforms in the country.

Mark seems to think a 6 car 22k will be fine once the rear door is locked. Try not to be so negative.

The question is though is it needed?

Where did I hear before that a 6 coach 22k has more seats than an 8-coach 29k? My point is that seperation of Rosslare and Maynooth/Drogheda is about to take place is there sufficent passengers using the rosslare services to warrant a train with that capacity on the line? Especially in light of passenger numbers falling.

They'll rise again once the new trains operate the line! People will realise that the journey will be much more comfortable with the new trains.

It's worth noting that more people will probably be holidaying at home this year which means more people will be using the train. Rosslare is a major holiday destination and if this summer happens to be a good one weatherwise I'd imagine the trains to Rosslare will be packed.

Yes I think it does warrant 6 coaches, maybe not for every train to/from Rosslare but certainly some.

Whoops, scratch Wexford.

The problem with the concept of only opening the front five doors is that it can't be done :(

:)

Don't be thinking negatively :). But I honestly cant blame people for not using the train service on the Calafort Ros Lair line. People have I bet just about enough of these 2800 Commuter Railcars they aren't exactly comfortable especially coming from i.e Gorey & Wexford where the journey is 1hr40mins & Wexford 2hr30mins. Im using the 07.26 Connolly Gorey in the morning and the thought of the 2800 train is literally pissing me off:). Where-as if that was a new 22k train then I guarantee you I and many others would feel different.

Certainly a case for the last train and the first early morning train from Rosslare to Dublin. But the 3car sets can hold 200 people so maybe that will be enough.

"Try not to be so negative." Maybe this messgae should be sent to the head of IE for the Rosslare line.:);)

Where there's a will there's a way...:cool:

well, IE have tendered for the way, we just can't figure out why it wasn't in the original spec...

When is the Rossalre line going to see the new timetable, Its obviously not Sep27th as proposed will it be next month then maybe the next month or with IE the following month.

Is the Malahide viaduct causing this problem with the new timetable to be issued?

It shouldn't be but it looks like it is

Bear in mind that a few things to be factored in...

- Connolly timetable
- DART timetable
- DARTS enroute on the Bray/Greystones route
- Northern/Western commuters in the Connolly Pearse area
- reported new clockface DART timetable which Rosslare needs, in order to work

The new Rosslare timetable is unworkable with the current DART timetable and would be a disaster if introduced before the rest of the DART/Commuters. The timetable has to be integrated.

Malahide has really screwed things up, there are 52 DMU coaches north of Malahide, in simple terms thats a third of the entire fleet

The two remaining 3 car 22k sets have yet to show up

I think Irish Rail should really consider putting the last service to Rosslare/Wexford leaving Dublin @19.30 or 20.00

People as like myself need a late service back home.