[Summer 2010] Irish Rail - Current Service Alterations
 

http://www.irishrail.ie/news_centre/news.asp?action=view&news_id=794

How can a service to Manulla be substituted by buses when Manulla has no passenger access?:rolleyes:

There in fact is no additional changes compared to recent weeks, its just that all the changes are now stated in public.

Rail Users Ireland lodged a complaint with the National Transport Authority last month specifically about the failure to provide accurate information as to service disruption. Irish Rail may be fined for these failures.

The list is not complete

17:10 Maynooth Pearse
This service terminates at Connolly on Fridays

Notice has been updated with the days that there are bus substitutions. Are the bus substitutions on the Ballina branch to and from Claremorris? I don't think there is public access to Manulla Junction?!:confused:

Does anyone know what the reason is behind the bus transfer 15.30 Heuston to Galway (on Fridays)? Does the set need to return to Dublin to form a later service? There are MK3 sets in Waterford and plenty of locos in Inchicore that could be used if rolling stock is in short supply (which it is!)

Every other day of the week, that's a splitting service from Heuston to Galway and Westport/Ballina which splits at Athlone, sending 3 cars to Galway and 3 to Westport. On Fridays, they need all 6 cars to have adequate capacity to Westport/Ballina, so the Athlone/Galway bit is done by buses.

Updated 14th June 2010
 

http://www.irishrail.ie/news_centre/news.asp?action=view&news_id=794

Well said finnyus. Plenty of locos and plenty of Mk3s lying idle. A total disgrace

The solution to the Friday afternoon bus substitution for Galway is not all that easy. Forget Mk IIIs for a start: the maintenance facilities for them don't exist any more, and I am sure that at this stage bringing them back into service in relatively small numbers would be prohibitively costly.

One of the 6-car ICR sets appears to be out of commission since a shunting mishap at the Portlaoise depot. Tenders were sought for its repair: any one had any news on how things are progressing? Also two 3-car ICR units are missing because they were damaged beyone repair when in transit form Korea: IE are totally blameless (for once) on this last point.

Both Inchicore and Cork are still fully equipped to maintain a Mk3 set. In reality they can run for months on end with little more than replacing the brake disks. There is a 6 coach ICR on standby in Heuston currently. If a Mk3 set was available it would be on standby and take up a Cork or Tralee service if required. There is a serviceable Mk3 set laid up currently

Which further affirms the need for the Mk3 option.

The ICR fleet is cleared for 9 coach operation. As far as I know 9 coach passenger operation is cleared on Dublin/Cork/Tralee and since the platforms on the Galway line are the same length, they could split 3/6 in Athlone

Updated 28 June 2010
 

http://www.irishrail.ie/news_centre/news.asp?action=view&news_id=794

20th July 2010
 

http://irishrail.ie/news_centre/news.asp?action=view&news_id=794