Deiseach Express loadings

[Traincustomer]

Just wondering has anyone travelled on the new, 0710 Waterford - Carlow - Heuston express and what patronage levels are like.

IÉ definitely need to pursue express services like this across the radial routes to the capital to provide a product that is highly competitive with journey times on the ever-improving road/motorway network.

The service has apparently become known informally as the Deiseach Express, recalling a train service of that name some years ago.

[zag]

What is this 'express' of which you speak ? It's not a concept I'm familiar with. Is it something to do with removing padding ?

z

[Mark Gleeson]

The idea is nice but

a) Punctuality could be better
b) The number of seats out of Waterford is the same as before which has resulted in problems at Kildare where a 6 coach train was the norm, only to find 3 car arriving from Waterford

I remember the time the first train from Waterford was 8 mk2 coaches

[Traincustomer]

Good point Zag, I just took thye term express from a media report about the service. Express is a term that seems to have been displaced from Irish railway vocabulary....

[Kilocharlie]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

I remember the time the first train from Waterford was 8 mk2 coaches

First train is the 06:10 which is a 6-car premier unit - this normally has room at Kildare. The 'express' at 07:10 and the 7:40 are 3-piece each and replace a six piece. I presume it is the 07:40 (9:26 at Kildare) that has capacity problems.

[Kilkea]

Originally Posted by Kilocharlie

First train is the 06:10 which is a 6-car premier unit - this normally has room at Kildare.

Not on a Monday!! They are running a 3 car set on the 06.10 service every Monday morning as they can't seem to figure out how to run the Sunday timetable and have a 6 car set available in Waterford on Monday morning. The 3 car set is overloaded by the time it gets to Athy and its still stops at both Kildare & Newbridge to pile on even more. I'm having email battle with IE at the moment over it but they don't seem to give a toss.

[carlowgirl]

This train is good enough, as people have already said if you can get a seat on one of the 3 carriages as they are quite full by the time it gets to carlow and aslo if you could be sure of it getting in on time sometimes its hit and miss.

[Kilkea]

Originally Posted by carlowgirl

This train is good enough, as people have already said if you can get a seat on one of the 3 carriages as they are quite full by the time it gets to carlow and aslo if you could be sure of it getting in on time sometimes its hit and miss.

I do not agree, it is not good enough to have a lottery on an Intercity route as to whether you get a seat or not. This is not a short haul commuter route where standing is acceptable, it is supposed to be a fully fledged intercity route, and the ticket price reflects this.

There was further comedy supplied by IE on this mornings 06.10 Waterford-Dublin. Doors on the left side of the train packed in after Kildare so they loaded the passangers at Newbridge via the drivers door, through the cab and out into the carriage, not what you would expect on a 1 year old train

[Mark Gleeson]

Originally Posted by Kilkea

There was further comedy supplied by IE on this mornings 06.10 Waterford-Dublin. Doors on the left side of the train packed in after Kildare so they loaded the passangers at Newbridge via the drivers door, through the cab and out into the carriage, not what you would expect on a 1 year old train

Prize for the driver for using a bit of cop on to keep things moving, if HQ knew they would have thrown everyone off and cancelled the train

[Kilkea]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

Prize for the driver for using a bit of cop on to keep things moving, if HQ knew they would have thrown everyone off and cancelled the train

Agreed, I am one of IE's biggest critics but they have kept things moving this week as far as I can see. Just wish they put this kind of effort in all year round, they would get a lot more respect than they have now.

[Mark Gleeson]

Thats Irish Rail's problem captured in a single event

When backs are to the wall, management and staff seem to pull together and the system works in the face of serious challenges, Wednesday evening was an example of keeping things going in the face of horrible conditions, if it wasn't for a train going on fire it would have been an excellent evening for commuting

[Oisin88]

I think this thread illustrates a point about Irish Rail. There should be a separate set up for the Waterford-Dublin service and the Carlow/Dub.lin part, with more capacity at peak on the Carlow/Dublin part and something consistent on the intercity/interregional part. Does this go over Irish Rails head or is there some sort of a plan, I wonder?

[Kilkea]

Originally Posted by Oisin88

I think this thread illustrates a point about Irish Rail. There should be a separate set up for the Waterford-Dublin service and the Carlow/Dub.lin part, with more capacity at peak on the Carlow/Dublin part and something consistent on the intercity/interregional part. Does this go over Irish Rails head or is there some sort of a plan, I wonder?

Very good idea, the number of passangers travelling from Athy & Carlow is ever increasing. Even if they simply had the new 07.10 Waterford-Dublin service stop at Athy then that would relieve some of the pressure without affecting the timetable.

Maybe when the new Luas extension to Citywest is opened this might finally give us the alternative to IE that we need.

[Kilocharlie]

Originally Posted by Kilkea

Not on a Monday!! They are running a 3 car set on the 06.10 service every Monday morning as they can't seem to figure out how to run the Sunday timetable and have a 6 car set available in Waterford on Monday morning. The 3 car set is overloaded by the time it gets to Athy and its still stops at both Kildare & Newbridge to pile on even more. I'm having email battle with IE at the moment over it but they don't seem to give a toss.

Meanwhile a 6-car set was running the Kildare/Newbridge service this morning (Monday).

[sublimity]

Originally Posted by Kilocharlie

Meanwhile a 6-car set was running the Kildare/Newbridge service this morning (Monday).

Absolute joke. Such a short distance.

[Kilkea]

Originally Posted by Kilocharlie

Meanwhile a 6-car set was running the Kildare/Newbridge service this morning (Monday).

Thanks for letting me know, this is yet another thing that I can go back to them on. I am still having email battle with them....probably pointless, but all I can do is try and make them see sense

[Mark Gleeson]

The problem is on Sunday there aren't enough trains to carry the needed 3 car set to Waterford. The go down as 6 and come back as 6

Logically there is a spare set in Dublin as a result

[Kilkea]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

The problem is on Sunday there aren't enough trains to carry the needed 3 car set to Waterford. The go down as 6 and come back as 6

Logically there is a spare set in Dublin as a result

True, but that should not be our problem, it should be théir's. I'm not sure what incoming service to Waterford on Sunday provides the set for the 06.10 on Monday morning, but they surely should be able to organise themselves better.

[Mark Gleeson]

There should be a way to get the train in position, even if go forbid it was sent from Limerick on Sunday evening, hmm there is an idea.

[Oisin88]

Originally Posted by Kilkea

Maybe when the new Luas extension to Citywest is opened this might finally give us the alternative to IE that we need.

Luas from Citywest will take you an age to get into town, and the Citywest people will no doubt charge you a nice premium to park. You will also be spending a lot more time on the M7/M8. Doesn't sound like a great alternative!