Rail Users Ireland Forum

Go Back   Rail Users Ireland Forum > Irish Rail Customer Service Issues > Intercity and Regional > Dublin Kerry
Register FAQ Members List Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Unread 12-04-2010, 09:57   #1
comcor
Really Regular Poster
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Cork-Dublin, Cork Commuter and occasionally DART and Dublin-Wexford
Posts: 855
Default Cork-Kerry services

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.
comcor is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 12-04-2010, 11:50   #2
Colm Moore
Local Liaison Officer
 
Colm Moore's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,442
Default

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.
__________________
Colm Moore is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 12-04-2010, 13:11   #3
sean
Member
 
sean's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Dublin
Posts: 707
Default

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.
sean is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 12-04-2010, 13:44   #4
Mark Gleeson
Technical Officer
 
Mark Gleeson's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Coach C, Seat 33
Posts: 12,669
Default

All empty movements should be made available to passengers.

Note the Portlaoise Heuston services this year
Mark Gleeson is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 13-04-2010, 11:03   #5
comcor
Really Regular Poster
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Cork-Dublin, Cork Commuter and occasionally DART and Dublin-Wexford
Posts: 855
Default

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?
comcor is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 13-04-2010, 11:30   #6
plant43
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 278
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by comcor View Post
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.
plant43 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 13-04-2010, 11:38   #7
Thomas Ralph
IT Officer
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Greenwich, London
Posts: 1,860
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by plant43 View Post
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.
Thomas Ralph is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 13-04-2010, 18:12   #8
Colm Moore
Local Liaison Officer
 
Colm Moore's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,442
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by comcor View Post
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.
__________________
Colm Moore is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 29-06-2010, 13:28   #9
comcor
Really Regular Poster
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Cork-Dublin, Cork Commuter and occasionally DART and Dublin-Wexford
Posts: 855
Default

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.
comcor is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 03-02-2012, 10:00   #10
finnyus
Member
 
finnyus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Cork City/Midleton/Mallow
Posts: 211
Thumbs down €10 Cork/Kerry day return

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.
finnyus is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 03-02-2012, 12:17   #11
comcor
Really Regular Poster
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Cork-Dublin, Cork Commuter and occasionally DART and Dublin-Wexford
Posts: 855
Default

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.
comcor is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 22-06-2012, 12:09   #12
seamus kilcock
Regular Poster
 
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 103
Default tralee to mallow with on board catering

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?
seamus kilcock is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 22-06-2012, 13:21   #13
Mark Gleeson
Technical Officer
 
Mark Gleeson's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Coach C, Seat 33
Posts: 12,669
Default

Possibly due to the closure of the line Mallow Cork
Mark Gleeson is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 22-06-2012, 13:24   #14
finnyus
Member
 
finnyus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Cork City/Midleton/Mallow
Posts: 211
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by seamus kilcock View Post
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.
finnyus is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 09:42.


Powered by vBulletin
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.