Cork-Kerry services

[comcor]

While waiting for the 06:30 Cork-Dublin this morning, I was able to view the goings on with the 06:20 Cork-Tralee.

A massive three passengers boarded.

Now, perhaps it's as much of a repositioning train as anything else, but that's a pretty shocking figure.

Then when I got to Mallow on the Cork train, I started of getting an inkling of why. The Tralee train was still there. When the Dublin train left, the Tralee train was still there. In fact, on checking the timetable, it seems that the Tralee train stops in Mallow for a whole 17 minutes - a bafflingly long time considering it's not facilitating a connection. It would actually be perfectly possible to catch the 06:30 Dublin train and connect onto the Tralee train. The online timetable even presents this as the possibility instead of showing the direct train.

Given that 40+ passengers leave Cork by bus for Kerry every hour and that some of the fastest trains beat the bus by 10 minutes, I can't help but feel that Irish Rail are missing a trick here if they could actually get the timetable together.

[Colm Moore]

Its slightly more complicated than that as the Tralee-bound train needs to pass the Mallow/Cork-bound train at a passing loop (Millstreet only?)

In the early morning, most of the traffic is in the opposite direction - to Cork and Dublin.

[sean]

3 pax isn't really shocking - a similar pattern occurs out of Dublin, i.e. leaving the city in the early morning (toward a regional/commuter destination) the train will be rather quiet.

It was most likely a train that was running from Cork railyards to Kerry for the purposes of facilitating a early-mid morning train from Tralee to Cork, and I.E. lets it go as a passenger train for the convenience of the few might use it.

IIRC in the very old days, Platform 11 had a "end the ghost trains" campaign, to turn non-revenue workings into 'serve the few passengers who could use it' passenger workings.

[Mark Gleeson]

All empty movements should be made available to passengers.

Note the Portlaoise Heuston services this year

[comcor]

I might need some education on this, but wouldn't a passenger service require a guard (and possibly other staff?). Surely, it would only make sense to open a service to passengers if there was enough revenue to pay the guards wages.

Regarding the service on Monday morning, it might get a few more patrons if it actually appeared in the online timetable (it is on the printed ones). While it is faster to take the 06:30 to Dublin and change, some people may be put off by the change.

Also, if it only needs to leave Mallow at 07:00, why not schedule it out at 06:35 and bring down the journey time?

[plant43]

Originally Posted by comcor

I might need some education on this, but wouldn't a passenger service require a guard (and possibly other staff?). Surely, it would only make sense to open a service to passengers if there was enough revenue to pay the guards wages.

Regarding the service on Monday morning, it might get a few more patrons if it actually appeared in the online timetable (it is on the printed ones). While it is faster to take the 06:30 to Dublin and change, some people may be put off by the change.

Also, if it only needs to leave Mallow at 07:00, why not schedule it out at 06:35 and bring down the journey time?

A passenger service only requires a driver.

[Thomas Ralph]

Originally Posted by plant43

A passenger service only requires a driver.

True, but if you want revenue from the service you either need a guard or ticket gates (which only Cork has). On an empty train there's no heating or lighting required for the carriages and no stops, so fuel consumption is reduced as against running in service.

[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by comcor

I might need some education on this, but wouldn't a passenger service require a guard (and possibly other staff?). Surely, it would only make sense to open a service to passengers if there was enough revenue to pay the guards wages.

Tickets could be checked by the platform staff in Cork, who will be there anyway.

Not having to change train gives the ability to snooze - assuming the destination is Tralee.

[comcor]

I notice that Irish Rail are advertising a €10 day return fare from Cork to Kerry now.

Unfortunately, the only advertising seems to be in Kent Station. Also, I wasn't close enough to the poster to see what restriction (days, departure times) applied.

It might be useful if they paid for a few posters at bus stops or the like.

I don't know if it applies in reverse. I guess there's more day returns taken to Cork than from Cork, except maybe on weekends.

[finnyus]

According to the woman in the Mallow booking office yesterday evening, the €10 Cork/Kerry day return will no longer be available from Saturday onwards. I got quotes of €38.00 before 9.30 and €19.00 thereafter.

[comcor]

On the plus side, the Irish Rail have switched the times of the trains that I listed above.

The Dublin train leaves at 6:15 and the Tralee train at 6:30, so it cuts 10 unnecessary minutes off the journey.

Regarding the fares, as I mentioned in another thread, the fare from Cork to Tralee really should be the same as the Dublin-Kilkenny fare . Similar distance. Similar usage of fast track (Dublin-Cork) and slow track (Kildare-Waterford or Mallow-Tralee). In fact the fare is 10 Euro higher, meaning it's completely uncompetitive with the bus.

There is definitely a fiddle on the Kerry line when it comes to the new fare structure. You see it more extremely in fares starting in Cork, but it applies to the Dublin ones too.

[seamus kilcock]

The 0915 Tralee to Mallow last Tuesday June 19 had on board catering.
Is this a new and permanent improvement for the Kerry to Cork regional trains?

[Mark Gleeson]

Possibly due to the closure of the line Mallow Cork

[finnyus]

Originally Posted by seamus kilcock

The 0915 Tralee to Mallow last Tuesday June 19 had on board catering.
Is this a new and permanent improvement for the Kerry to Cork regional trains?

Certain services Mallow/Tralee have an onboard trolley (Monday - Saturday) for the last few months. Not sure about Sundays.