December 2007 Timetable

[eugene]

Hi

has anyone any information on any additional services on the Maynooth line planned for this December? Like new Docklands- Clonsilla services? Probably little chance of Maynooth -Bray getting a extra train? cheers

[Mark Gleeson]

Originally Posted by eugene

Like new Docklands- Clonsilla services?

Likely to be a revision which might increase service frequency slightly

Probably little chance of Maynooth -Bray getting a extra train? cheers

No chance

[Thomas J Stamp]

No major changes expected this year. The only real change will be re-deployment of the 29000's being replaced (if they are) off the Sligo line.

[ThomasJ]

will there be any change to sunday evening with regard to maynooth line. connolly are apparently getting alot of queries about this.

[Mark Hennessy]

May as well stick my oar in if this is the timetable crayonism thread.

It would be nice if there was a service between 1900 and 2000 from Pearse to Maynooth. Perhaps around 1930.

The evening service goes 1808, 1830, 1900 and then 2000 so if you are working any way late forget about about being home before 2045

[ThomasJ]

My thoughts would have been there is no point of having a 30-minute frequency service the demand is not quite there. I would say the best we should be looking for which in IE's mind would be viable and profitable would be 45 minute frequency as follows:

19.00 connolly-sligo (remove kilcock and enfield)
19.00 pearse-maynooth
19.30 pearse-enfield (new service)
20.15 pearse-maynooth (20.00 put back)
21.00 pearse-maynooth (possible extension to longford?)
21.45 pearse-maynooth (21.55 brought forward)
22.30 pearse-maynooth (new service)
23.15 pearse-maynooth

[Mark Gleeson]

That would be more or less the best setup

Just to note to balance the 21:00 to Longford there would need to be a corresponding train from Longford to Connolly at about the same time

Doing that would avoid the need for an extra driver based in Longford

[sean]

Will Sligo get its train every 2 hours this year?

Or will there be partial-year schedules to allow increases in frequency to come on stream with the new railcars during 2008?

[Chopper]

Did'nt someone mention increased capacity with the Phoenix Park 'Park & Ride' facility opening ( whenever ) ?

[ThomasJ]

i thaink that was to do with a number of four-cars on the maynooth line being extended to eight-cars once the intercity railcars are introduced to the sligo line

[Colm Donoghue]

I can't believe people don't think there'd be demand for something better than hourly service to Clonsilla. There should be at least DART frequencies on the Western line to be better than the bus.

One train an hour to Drumcondra, Cabra or Ashtown is a joke, a particularily non-funny joke at that.
Why shouldn't the Maynooth Line to at least Clonsilla, which would have a larger catchment have as good as a service as the DART?

[Thomas J Stamp]

Yes well, I think that IE have to examine this. One the one hand they say that this line will be turned into a DART line, with DART frequencies, in the near future. We know that demand exists for it to be done today, and IE know it as well and they have started that process. As for using diesel in the meantime to fill the gap, well, you cant run what IE have in diesel terms at such frequencies, due to problems in acceleration and deceleration. Also, even with the release of rolling stock from Sligo duties, it's not enough, if it happens.

They will want to throw something out that looks good in December, the problem is that we don't know if the 22000's will all work right away, although they should. IE have such capacity restraints that it would be foolish to announce new services on Portlaoise/Drogheda/Longford lines based on a cascade which may not happen st right away.

[AZ1]

Aren't the other lines (other than Cork) going "clockface" starting from the new timetable in December?

[dowlingm]

Originally Posted by Thomas J Stamp

the problem is that we don't know if the 22000's will all work right away, although they should.

Better have someone check for cows on the line

[ThomasJ]

Any odds being offered on the lifetime of the current timetable being extended like last year?

[John J]

Hi - does anyone know if service levels to Enfield, Mullingar & Longford are being improved this year?

I've been using the service for some years now and in addition to being near the end of my tether with it, the timetable will no longer suit my working patterns from later this year.

I need to know what the timetable will look like next year - if it's not going to improve I will have to order a ticket to Maynooth and drive the rest of the way to Longford each day.

I remember a girl was going around a few months back getting names for a petition and she had a few hundred, not sure if that's going anywhere?

The main bugbears at the moment (leaving aside lack of heat etc) would be:
- lack of service in the evening... last train leaves Dublin at 7.05pm - wholly inadequate.
- morning service inadequate and painfully slow... takes 2+ hours from Longford, average speed from Mullingar is 33mph.

[And]

Re. earlier comments on the frequency of the Maynooth service from December '07, I would have thought that IE should move to generally providing a half-hourly frequency off-peak between Maynooth and Pearse, for the following reasons:
1. The demand is there, or is close, along such a heavily populated corridor - surerly such a service would attract reasonable numbers from say 06:00 to 21:00 Mon-Sat. Fair enough though, an hourly service could prob suffice from 21:00 and all-day on Sundays.
2. People like clock-face regularity and more will use the train if they know there is one every 30mins - increased supply will itself help to increase the demand and boost passenger numbers. Surely IE should try to boost public transport use (and revenue) where possible rather than just strugggling to barely meet existing demand?
3. We're moving to a DART level of service (supposedly) over the half decade or so anyway, so surely now is the time to ramp up towards it.
4. What are the constraints? Off-peak there is enough signal/track capacity to generally support 2 trains per hr over Connolly-Pearse (and at times when this doesn't hold the service could be limited to/from Connolly), and the rolling stock should be available after the IC railcars enter service...

So why not? In any case, IE should introduce a more regular clock-face service. That's what the public want.

[ThomasJ]

Sorry to sound like a broken record but talking to one of the IE lads over the weekend and they said that there might be extra maynooth services sunday night at around 8 and 10. People are constantly asking them about these

Anyone have any information on this? any hope?

Getting the bus home on sunday night is getting on my nerve

its the only bad thing i think about the maynooth line apart from weekday nights the service is not perfect. but is good.

[Mark Gleeson]

Well unconfirmed reports suggest that the planning (for failure) guru in Northern and Eastern has chopped services west of Maynooth at peak times

[ThomasJ]

Longford? how come?