Quote:
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.
|
They do have the 22's available for the service, they were able to spare 2"3 piece sets before the fleet changed.
I'm sure a taxi service for one of the drivers to Maynooth would be more efficient than running services such as the 17.15 to Longford.