Quote:
Originally Posted by Jamie2k9
While your right the Sligo timetable is very inefficient and costing IE more. Clearly nothing major will change until a new timetable if even then. They are suiting two drivers based in Longford which is costing them greatly. That needs to change and there is lots of ways to change it.
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I didn't say anything about the Sligo timetable being inefficient - I was referring to what rolling stock operates what trains. The problem is that there is not enough money to run all of the trains - that's the reality the company faces, and that means some of the trains being operated by a pool of stock - ICR and 29k.
The main problem with the ICRs in Connolly is that they are now maintained in Drogheda and not in Connolly anymore - this reduces maintenance budgets but means that the rostering is far more inflexible, as trains have to go to Drogheda for servicing.
I don't see any problem in having two drivers in Longford - would you prefer they go back to taxiing them from Connolly again? Having the local based drivers makes far more sense.
The only issue I have with the Sligo route is that one set remains in Sligo from 18:00 one day until 11:00 the next, which again reduces the availability of ICRs. That would be solved be returning to the old timetable pattern with a 07:05 and 09:05 from Dublin and a 17:00 and 19:00 from Sligo.
Ultimately a timetable change is the only way of better matching sets with services, but I suspect that you will still have some oddball workings.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jamie2k9
Can anybody confirm the number of Dundalk/Drogheda services operated by 22's, I don't think its a massive amount and as with the Portlaoise shuttle many of the sets are probably scheduled to visit Drogheda deport anyway so the argument of them being on that route instead of the Longford route can't necessary being justified.
Just had a look at the PT piece on IE and tbh Leo V's antidote towards IE doesn't do much for future commitment to rail transport. Yes IE need to cut costs and I'm sure a wages deal will be done but in general Leo V was clearly very uninformed about a railway and comparing to a bus was a little stupid on his behalf. It seems like IE is completely on their own from now on, wonder will his tune change if IE start to cut frequency across the network to make a point to him?
The only positive point was how well the WRC was exposed and now just about everybody knows about it.
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There is one full roster on Drogheda/Dundalk that is ICR operated. Apart from that the handful of other trains operated by ICRs on the route double up as positioning moves to/from the depot, but operate in service.