IE planning more express services?

[doherty jack]

No one said the early morining train was going ,

-Rumours at this stage seem to be suggesting that morning timetable wont change ,same amount of services , (plus direct train) and at Different times.
but for the evening there will be only 1 service out from limerick and back in again,

-which wouldnt be a bad idea .

[Inniskeen]

Unless things have changed Limerick Junction/Waterford is to loose a train in each direction leaving a service each way, morning and evening only.

Some reductions in frequency proposed on the Waterford/Dublin line, in particular the 0600 Waterford to Dublin is reportedly to be cancelled on Saturdays.

Certainly the expectation is for reduced frequencies on other Heuston routes although I haven't heard any detail of these.

[Jamie2k9]

Some reductions in frequency proposed on the Waterford/Dublin line, in particular the 0600 Waterford to Dublin is reportedly to be cancelled on Saturdays.

Would of thaugh the 07.10 would be canceled on Saturdays but then if you look at Cork, Galway, Westport the first departure dosn't operarte on a Saturday where as the 06.00 does. Do you know of any other specific servuce reductions. I think the 09.10 down and the 16.50 up are weak mid week other than most others are busy with collages and schools being back

Certainly the expectation is for reduced frequencies on other Heuston routes although I haven't heard any detail of these.

All I have heard is that the 11.30 to Galway and 12.30 to Westport may operate like the 07.30 and 15.30 out of Heuston and split in Athlone and possibly the afternoon 13.15 and 15.05 from Galway from Athlone although the departure times will change to allow them meet in Athlone but direct services on busy days like Friday as the 15.30 operates thorugh to Wesport and Galway passengers move to another train at Athlone.

[ACustomer]

Cutting the Limerick-Junction waterford services to 2 each way would be bad news. Given that at present one 2800 set can do 3 return journeys per day, where is the saving? The main thing I can think of is that all the gatekeepers and signalmen might be retuced to one split shift. However with no Sunday service you will have very few trains and all those overheads: not looking good, for a line that has potential, if only management had some imagination and just a little marketing talent.

[Traincustomer]

Not for one minute do I support reducing the service from three to two trains each way but I wonder if the savings such a scenario would achieve could allow a "trade off" of sorts in the provision of one Sunday train each way (Sunday late-afternoon/evening).

Such a move would generate extra business (the student, returning worker and short break market precluded from using rail by the current lack of a Sunday service).

[dowlingm]

I suspect any savings on the LJ-Waterford line will be of a strictly one-way-street variety. As for potential, the only hope for that line is that IE do something with it before the N24 gets improved. The Nenagh/Roscrea branch has the much stiffer challenge of the M7 to contend with.

Is there any possibility that similar speed limit raises are contemplated across the board, so that for example morning Waterford-Limerick Junction service could continue to reach the Junction ahead of an accelerated 0730 ex Cork?

[Kilocharlie]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

The speeds have not changed yet

Waterford line is better engineered that Galway, which suffers from running over some boggy land. It also depends on the signal positioning at stations/level crossings

The mass closure of farm crossings allows higher speeds as in some locations speed limits were required for sighting distances. Half barrier gates require speed limits etc.

At least 2 sections of the Waterford line have 100mph speed limit signs in place:
- Cherryville - Athy (perhaps further)
- Lavistown Jct towards Waterford

[Jamie2k9]

Trains are still doing no more than 80mph on Monday. As far as I know its mainly 100 apart form Lavistown Jct and Thomastown-Waterford.

[Kilocharlie]

Originally Posted by Jamie2k9

Trains are still doing no more than 80mph on Monday. As far as I know its mainly 100 apart form Lavistown Jct and Thomastown-Waterford.

Not much point in going faster than 80mph as they'd have to spend even more time stopped at stations or Cherryville.

It's still 80mph between Carlow (?) or Muine Beag and Lavistown.

[Jamie2k9]

It's still 80mph between Carlow (?) or Muine Beag and Lavistown.

Its 80 everywhere except 55 for points in/out of Kilenny for Dublin and 25 in/out of Kilkenny for Waterford and the loop is 25. Then a good part of Thomastown-Waterford would be 55-70.

[ACustomer]

If Limerick Jcn-Waterford loses its middle of the day services, then a 2800 railcar will be sitting in Waterford between about 1040 and 1640. Not exactly a brilliant way of using resources.

[Traincustomer]

Not sure if this would be feasible...

In the Waterford - Clonmel - Limerick Junction two train each way scenario - wonder would it be possible to advance the first train (ex Waterford) by about an hour to 05.40/05.30 so that instead it would connect at the Junction into the 06.15 ex Cork train (it connects with the 07.30 ex Cork at present). In turn this would see it depart the Junction a tad after 07.00 thus providing an useful commuter link into Waterford.

The evening departure could be adjusted to circa 17.30 ex Waterford.

Downside is that there would be no link from the Dublin direction first thing in the morning but this would be by far outweighed in a positive sense by the provision of a service into Waterford which realistically can significantly tap the commuter market. It would allow a pre-0900 arrival into Dublin and a slightly longer day there too. Checks two key boxes in my view.

[Jamie2k9]

http://www.independent.ie/national-n...f-3291881.html

JOURNEY times by rail between Dublin and the main towns and cities will drop by up to 20 minutes early in the new year.

This is because Iarnrod Eireann is increasing the speed limit on sections of the network as part of efforts to get people out of their cars and on to public transport.

Services from Dublin to Cork, Galway, Waterford, Limerick, Westport and Kerry will benefit, with drops of up to 20 minutes on some trains.

The improvements will allow trains to travel at up to 160kmh – 40kmh faster than motorways.

Dublin to Cork, which currently takes between two hours 40 minutes and three hours five minutes, will fall to two hours 30 minutes to two hours 45 minutes – a maximum reduction of 20 minutes.

And 10 minutes will be taken from the Dublin-Waterford journey, which takes up to two hours 25 minutes, while the Dublin-Galway trip will drop by 15 minutes to a maximum of two hours thirty minutes.

The changes are possible because of a more targeted maintenance programme across the rail network.

Speed restrictions have been removed along sections of the line including Kildare, Portarlington and Limerick Junction, which were being upgraded until recent months.

Funding

The company said the works were funded out of existing maintenance budgets, and that further investment was planned.

"While rail journey times remain competitive, there is no doubt that the motorway investment has provided us with a competitive challenge," a spokesman said.

"Our trains are equipped to deliver 160kmh (100mph) speeds and above, so the key to journey-time improvement is the network. Further improvements would require investment, and we have already highlighted this as a key medium-term priority.

"It is hoped these changes will attract more people to services which will help make the case for further improvements."

A strategic report published earlier this year said if €250m was invested over the next five years, journey times could drop to just two hours on services to Galway, Limerick and Waterford, and two hours 30 minutes on the Cork route.

The investment would establish rail as a "strong option" for these trips, and bring a high level of consistency to journey times.

Iarnrod Eireann also said timetable changes were being finalised which will be put out for public consultation later this month.

The changes will be introduced early next year, if approved by the National Transport Authority.

If 10 minutes being knocked off Waterford service then why bother upgrading the line to 100 when 12-15 minutes can be knocked off right away.

According to boards trail services serving Athy-Waterford was done in 2 hours so allow crossovers then max it should be is 2h06m based on two crossings. Then services stopping in Kildare/Newbridge should have 2h12m max based on two crossings also. 18.05 on Sundays operates in 2h15m with two crossings as could most others I do be on.

Then this could just be more poor research from the Indo as before...

[comcor]

Did the Indo actually read the timetable before publishing that? 2h 30 is already the speed of the fastest Cork-Dublin train.

[Thomas J Stamp]

its now 80 mph through ballybrophy

[Jamie2k9]

Noticed a lot of new tracks in the sidings at Charleville including 4 sets of points.

Also Cork station looks to be facing a 7-10 day closure (Cork-Dublin services only) in the new year for works. From a conversation I overheard it will cost IE a lot of money and its a serous problem. Not going to post as I didn't hear eveything but its with the tunnel.

[Mark Gleeson]

Lets keep away from things which were overheard, 99% of it is rubbish and you have no idea of the context

I've lost count of the number of rumors in the past, we are aware of Irish Rail spreading stories to staff to see where it leaks to,

[Jamie2k9]

You may be correct but the part I heard dosn't sound like it was made up or IE staff made up some fine details about it. We will just have to wait and see.

[dowlingm]

If IE was to close for 7-10 days the Christmas Day-New Years Day period is when it should be happening. Wasn't that how it was done when they dealt with Dun Laoghaire's slab track?

Of course, if this had been built (with a crossover) maybe it wouldn't be quite such a big deal to do it, though train storage might have meant some truncations to Mallow and early morning deadheads.

[Inniskeen]

Mind you the slab track renewal was never finished - the northbound line has only been spot repaired while both lines at Sandycove station are still on concrete slabs.

Needless to say DART still limps along at 20 mph on both lines.