[10-9-2006] 12:30 Cork Dublin

Mark Gleeson · 11-09-2006, 15:08

A week on from the last fun incident we try again

So seat booked on the 12:30 Cork Dublin, well from Thurles to Dublin. Show up Thurles, PA is made train is 6 minutes late, 9 minutes late infact

Train rolls in and its packed, I'm standing at the door for coach C as the train halts and the train manager appears on the platform and tires to herd us to the rear of the train

Now at this point I'm rooted to the spot at coach C and I argue I have a reserved seat, no I'm told there are people sitting in them.

Now I'm lucky and grab a seat in coach G at the back. Luggage was thrown everywhere blocking all the doors on the toliet side of the coach, safety violation central, the luggage racks strangely empty

The PIS seems to be working but all the maps bar one in either coach D or C was showing the train still in Cork. The seat reservation system was working, well there were names in coach C, none match me. The fact someone offered 72 seats in coach B didn't help, coach B is the buffet with 30 odd seats

So I bump into the train manager, who does have the list of all passengers and there seats and I'm on it, so why am I in the bumpy seats in coach G? Seat reservations don't work on the MK4 train, hmm worked for me last time I booked on a MK4, train manager thankfully doesn't match my name with P11, it more fun that way

Ride was utterly dire, a constant vibration so bad at times that the trim would vibrate. There was a werid forwards and backwards rocking motion. Its a bit like being in a small boat in a swell, nothing sudden but uncomfortable.

Upside was on time arrival Heuston apart from that nothing good to say about it

Jister · 11-09-2006, 15:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

Ride was utterly dire, a constant vibration so bad at times that the trim would vibrate. There was a werid forwards and backwards rocking motion. Its a bit like being in a small boat in a swell, nothing sudden but uncomfortable.

Are there people puking on these things?

Mark Gleeson · 11-09-2006, 16:04

Yet to see someone but its only a matter of time its getting worse every journey I make. Its not reached the point of dangerous yet but given the decay in ride quality over the last 3 months I think the worst has yet to come

sean · 11-09-2006, 18:36

Question for Mark G:

have you ever taken a 29K on the Sligo line?

If so, how does the CDE ride compare?

Mark Gleeson · 11-09-2006, 23:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by sean

Question for Mark G:

have you ever taken a 29K on the Sligo line?

If so, how does the CDE ride compare?

Never been a Mk4 to Sligo so I can't say, never been on a 29000 at 90 mph either. I've been to Maynooth and Newbridge by 29000 and to be fair its fairly decent when you hit a bump you feel it there is no vibration no forward and back motion, 29000 is firm and heavy MK4 is floating strange both are within a ton the same weight

MrX · 12-09-2006, 17:15

I just hope IE and CAF fix this fairly soon though. The ride should be pretty comparable to the MK3 once everything's adjusted correctly!

The British Rail MK4 had similar issues when it launched and their flirtation with real high speed, the APT genuinely did make passengers throw-up, so much so that it got terrible press which possibly played a strong part in its abandonment.

I wonder did the early MK3s have issues too in the UK? Their suspension seems to be very well tuned to poor quality rails. I'd imagine this was achieved over a few months or longer of tweaks and modifications given that that's how engineering tended to be done in those days, you couldn't and still can't model everything.

I also suspect this is part of the hazard of Ireland's non standard guage too. We can't just pick a standard model off the shelf that's tried and tested.

However, IE seem too fond of the "frankentrain" i.e. a a non atriculated TGV with weird bogies and a fright loco at one end to Belfast and now the Cork-Dublin Express which really ought to have a pair of power cars.

11-09-2006, 15:08	#1
Mark Gleeson Technical Officer Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Coach C, Seat 33 Posts: 12,669	[10-9-2006] 12:30 Cork Dublin A week on from the last fun incident we try again So seat booked on the 12:30 Cork Dublin, well from Thurles to Dublin. Show up Thurles, PA is made train is 6 minutes late, 9 minutes late infact Train rolls in and its packed, I'm standing at the door for coach C as the train halts and the train manager appears on the platform and tires to herd us to the rear of the train Now at this point I'm rooted to the spot at coach C and I argue I have a reserved seat, no I'm told there are people sitting in them. Now I'm lucky and grab a seat in coach G at the back. Luggage was thrown everywhere blocking all the doors on the toliet side of the coach, safety violation central, the luggage racks strangely empty The PIS seems to be working but all the maps bar one in either coach D or C was showing the train still in Cork. The seat reservation system was working, well there were names in coach C, none match me. The fact someone offered 72 seats in coach B didn't help, coach B is the buffet with 30 odd seats So I bump into the train manager, who does have the list of all passengers and there seats and I'm on it, so why am I in the bumpy seats in coach G? Seat reservations don't work on the MK4 train, hmm worked for me last time I booked on a MK4, train manager thankfully doesn't match my name with P11, it more fun that way Ride was utterly dire, a constant vibration so bad at times that the trim would vibrate. There was a werid forwards and backwards rocking motion. Its a bit like being in a small boat in a swell, nothing sudden but uncomfortable. Upside was on time arrival Heuston apart from that nothing good to say about it Last edited by Mark Gleeson : 11-09-2006 at 15:20.

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11-09-2006, 16:04	#3
Mark Gleeson Technical Officer Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Coach C, Seat 33 Posts: 12,669	Yet to see someone but its only a matter of time its getting worse every journey I make. Its not reached the point of dangerous yet but given the decay in ride quality over the last 3 months I think the worst has yet to come

11-09-2006, 18:36	#4
sean Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Dublin Posts: 707	Question for Mark G: have you ever taken a 29K on the Sligo line? If so, how does the CDE ride compare?

12-09-2006, 17:15	#6
MrX Really Regular Poster Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 585	I just hope IE and CAF fix this fairly soon though. The ride should be pretty comparable to the MK3 once everything's adjusted correctly! The British Rail MK4 had similar issues when it launched and their flirtation with real high speed, the APT genuinely did make passengers throw-up, so much so that it got terrible press which possibly played a strong part in its abandonment. I wonder did the early MK3s have issues too in the UK? Their suspension seems to be very well tuned to poor quality rails. I'd imagine this was achieved over a few months or longer of tweaks and modifications given that that's how engineering tended to be done in those days, you couldn't and still can't model everything. I also suspect this is part of the hazard of Ireland's non standard guage too. We can't just pick a standard model off the shelf that's tried and tested. However, IE seem too fond of the "frankentrain" i.e. a a non atriculated TGV with weird bogies and a fright loco at one end to Belfast and now the Cork-Dublin Express which really ought to have a pair of power cars.