The Cork Dublin Express Train has entered service

[Maynooth_Line]

It's usually 2800's on the Rosslare route, though the 29000's do make the occasional appearance.

[MrX]

It's a bit ridiculous having the 2700s running on the Mallow-Tralee services too. It's a major tourist route and has a lot of people trying to carry luggage and bikes. Also, it's not really a short trip from Mallow to Tralee!

The cravens may have been ancient, but they did have a luggage van!

[craigybagel]

But the cravens arent disabled accessible and they had to go sometime soon.reliability issues aside the 2700s are the best DMUs for longer trips like the Kerry line and until the new InterCity DMUs come in theyre probably the best trains available for it.

[Mark Gleeson]

I wouldn't call the new CDE coaches fully fully accessible, requires more effort infact to load/unload a wheelchair

To load a wheelchair requires the following steps
1) The wheelchair passenger remains in the defined seat
2) Using the security end of a carriage key unlock the storage compartment (next to the CCTV panel), this blocks the corridor. Its special CDE ramp normal ramps might not attach correctly since they have'nt got the locating lugs
3) Remove the ramp
4) Exit train
5) Open ramp
6) Slot ramp in place making sure the two lugs attach to the floor plate
7) Load/unload
8) Reverse above proceedure

I've seen some wheelchair passengers unload themselves without a ramp on a DART, not for the faint hearted but still

[craigybagel]

But at least the wheelchair will get through the door, akbeit with a lot of help from staff, and the user doesnt have to be placed in a taxi as was the case with the cravens.

[James Shields]

I would have thought in the 21st century we could have come up with something a bit friendlier for mobility impaired users. All kinds of solutions are already in place on busses (though I'm not suggesting we should go as far as kneeling suspensions). Having to wait for a member of staff to deploy a ramp makes a wheelchair user feel like a second class citizen, and the longer that process takes and more hassle it is, the more embarrased they will feel, and the less inclined to travel by train they will be. At least on commuter and DART trains, the ramp is quickly and easily deployed.

Would it be impossible/horrendously expensive to have a ramp that automatically deploys at the push of a button? Failing that, surely we could have a slide-in compartment the ramp could be stored in without having to unlock a cabinet and block the exit.

[craigybagel]

Seems to me that its as quick to put the ramp up ready for a wheelchair user on the Intercity trains (Cravens excepted) as it is on the suburban user, which isnt very long.

[MrX]

I can't see why a flap can't drop down when the door opens to cover the gap. It could signifigantly overhang the side of the train and would allow for all types of platforms.

It would not only provide easy wheelchair access, but also make it easier to get luggage on and off and remove the whole safety issue of the wide gaps at some stations.

[ccos]

Even on the ICE trains which are pretty much state of the art, wheelchairs have to be lifted in and out using a serious looking lifting contraption at the station. Its time consuming and requires two members of staff or people travelling with the wheelchair user.

[Dubpete1]

Great fun today! Booked tickets online for return to Limerick (dep Dublin 11.00, Dep Limerick 1730). Got to Heuston nice and early (1020) picked up tickets etc and headed down before 1030 just to be sure. Train was leaving from Platform 7 so had to wait in that strange passage thing they have constructed while they are rebuilding the roof. Hot, Dusty and Crowded and no lights working.

So, we all stand there, 1050 rolls around and no movement. The natives are getting restless. People are trying to pass by the large crowd waiting for the trains (Plat 7 Cork, Plat 8 Waterford) and coming off another train from somewhere. Tempers get frayed. No announcments at all, whatsoever, full stop. We rang Irish Rail information who told us the train was "on time". I squeezed up to the top of the queue in a vain search for an IE employee. Discovered of course that there was no train at the platform at all. Fantastic. Rang Heuston to ask them where the train was...was told in no uncertain terms that they did not know. More anger from passengers and real discomfort.

Elderly passengers have now been stuck in the hot, dusty, cramped passageway for 45 minutes. IE employees appear and go off searching for a train. Eventually at 11.25 a new MkIV set appears on the platform. People for the Waterford train are now panicking thinking they will miss their train. An announcement is finally made on the stations PA system that the trains are delayed and will not leave without the passengers. None of them could hear this of course, because there is no loudspeaker in the aformentioned hot, dusty, cramped passageway.

So, eventually we get to the train, head for coach A with our tickets and wait for the train host to be ready for us. Everyone else mills up the train and of course fills it up. We get to the train host, he looks at our tickets and says "them A's aren't working, you have to find your own seat up the train". Baffling. Myself and my colleague have work to do for a presentation on the way down (thus the whole booking 2 seats together thing). We eventually find two seperate seats at either end of a carriage both facing backwards. Brilliant.

We eventually set off at 11.50. No explanations, no apologies, nothing. Get to Limerick Junction and into Limerick just under 50 minutes late. Hurry to presentation, eventually get back to the station for the 1730.

Lots of room on this one (MkII set). Very very hot. No air conditioning working on the train. Measured the temperature...nearly 40 degrees! Ticket checker checks ticket, gets so hot that ink runs off the ticket! No catering, no announcment there would be none, luckily had a drink which was pretty awful by the time we reached Dublin. Got off the train, poster on the platform said "Whats a queue Daddy?". Fellow passengers guffawed at the irony. €49.50 well spent eh?

Pete

[Mark Gleeson]

Firstly the roof works were needed, its a 160 year old roof the improvement on station is fantastic its bright and airy. The pa problem has been brought to the attention of IE management, we have heard no change. Why so many off peak trains use P6/7/8 has also been queried, lots of excuses no action

The 17:30 ex Limerick AC was working its just that it can't cope with temperatures above about 27 degrees, most of the Midlands was 29 ish yesterday. Actually switching off the AC in these conditions would cool things down

If you arrived Limerick more than 1 hour late you are entitled to a refund http://www.platform11.org/passenger_...hp#their_fault this still applies even if you missed the connection as a result

The 11:00 Dublin Cork has been causing trouble. Since July 11th it has been rostered for a CDE set, on the 11th the driver refused to take it out claiming he wasn't trained. The set enters service from Dublin so there are no excuses for it to be late. If the train had a fault the old set which is sitting idle would be used

Little point in complaining to IE since you get a shallow apology, should be able to find out exactly what went wrong in a day or so

[James Shields]

If you arrived Limerick more than 1 hour late you are entitled to a refund

If you booked seats and were unable to sit at the seats you reserved, are you entitled to any refund? His point about specifically booking seats together because they wanted to work on their presentation is significant.

Isn't there also a refund if catering was advertised but not available?

[Mark Gleeson]

Since you actually got a seat you you have no come back on IE, but can you confirm the electronic gadet wasn't working. Irish rail have screwed up seat res on the 11:00am since there are no standard seats in coach A

Catering refund only applies in first class

[Thomas J Stamp]

The main point here for the customer is the shamefull behaviour of the IE staff in Heuston. I've posted here before that if roboman (the automatic announcments in the station) says they train to Limerick is at platform 7 and it isnt, the lads in IE will tell you it is because their screens tell them what roboman is telling you, in order words they simply will nnot belive a passanger because you know, we have thing really great urge to mess around with their smooth running rail syaytem.

I'm sorry Mark, but there is no excuse whatsoever to say that the Ac cannot cope wiith over 27 dedrees, if so it should be fixed or replaced to cope with over 27 degrees. It will get over 27 degrees on at least several days every summer, esp in the midlands where virtually all of our trains traverse.

Also, no matter what the state of the old roof in Heuston was and how wonderfull the new one is (and it is i couldnt get over how nice it looked on Sunday) there is no excuse for the bottleneck that exists on the way to platform 7/8/9. That side of the station should have been given priority for completion given the vast amount of people who use it. But then again, it was typical of IE thinking - build extra platforms, build a secondary councourse to cope with all of the people from and to the trains, then fix the roof and close off most of the concourse. Typical.

And, if you have reserved 2 seats on the 11 o clock train to Cork you have reserved two bloody seats. Its not your fault the right train didnt turn up you have reserved two seats and it is not good enough to be told find two yourself, if so what is the point? These lads specificly wanrted two seats facing each other, they didnt get them.

I've been taken to task wondering why the CDE sets will be "trash" after 5 years... i said reservation will be a joke. 5 years? 2 months!!!

Finally, we all know that the one hour rule is a bloody awful joke. It is amost phyisicly impossible for a train to be more than an hour late, and this mans experiance shows exactly why it is there, its sole purpose - the screw the custoner over, sit down shut up, pay your money and feck off.

We are doing a new customer charter, one that will be realistic and fair to passangers, and therefore wont have a hope in hell of being adopted by the company

[Mark Gleeson]

The AC spec on the 1972 built coaches goes to 27 ish degrees, its life expired and was never the same when the new CFC rules came in and global warming, it can't be fixed, turning it off tends to work best, scrapman is waiting in Inchicore. The MK3 coaches are able to cope with 30+ degrees (32?) and the new CDE coaches should be good into the mid to high 30's

The customer charter can't cope with seat reservations thats the problem if you is offered seat E51 you should get seat E51 problem is this is now and there is no recourse available today

[Colm Donoghue]

unless you wanted to go to the small claims court, Dubpete1.

People have won against Ryanair and other airlines.
Just read the terms annd conditions.
There is nothing there to excuse IE from providing the service they sold you
i.e. "your seat reservation does not guarrentee ayou a reserved seat" or some sh1te

you entered a contract, IE breached it.

At the least write a letter pointing out that you will be taking a case to the small claims court.
Sale of goods and supply of services won't apply (to transport) but if they give you hassle saying "bylaws yada yada yada" then you can hit them with the EU regulation regarding unfair terms in consumer contracts
Council Directive 93/13/EEC of 5 April 1993

The website says to cancel before time of travel but your train was late so by the time you got to where your seat was, this time had passed so this term cannot apply.

for 48cents stick it to them, you could be getting a 200x return

[Mark Gleeson]

Problem is you got a seat, a seat is a seat now if you didn't get a seat then you have a serious case

Irish Rail are a slimy bunch when it comes to terms and conditions

[Thomas J Stamp]

The customer charter can't cope with seat reservations thats the problem if you is offered seat E51 you should get seat E51 problem is this is now and there is no recourse available today

Which is why it's useless. That and the biased late arrival times. Why not make it that if the train is 6 hours late we'll give you a free hotel bed in the Great Southern Hotel (doesnt apply if your train gets cancelled, only if its 6 hours late or more) or, if your train is 10 hours late we'll give you a new Ferrarri, presented to you by Dick Fern wearing a nappie. That's how biased it is.

[Mark Gleeson]

Do I get to go for the star prize?

I know exactly what went wrong with the booking system, we have a contact who I will be in touch with later who hopefully will fix it

[Dubpete1]

Thanks for the responses lads, much appreciated.

You know the weird thing is that, as much as it annoyed me, I could almost live with the very late train, the ridiculous "reserved seating" fiasco, the lack of announcements, the lack of apologies, the lack of even a drink of water on a train with no air conditioning or catering, the deeply unhelpful phone assistance at Heuston and all the other mad stuff. Not that I accept it, and I will definitely be persuing it, but I can live with it!

The thing I cannot accept though is sending hundreds of people into that passageway and leaving them there for over an hour. I accept of course that the roof repairs are needed but that is no reason whatsoever to compromise passenger safety. And I firmly believe that leaving people in there with no idea what is going on is not safe, particularly on such a hot day like yesterday.

Pete