Early Bird from Westport

[Park Royal]

Did I hear there is a new Early bird from Westport?.

[Mark Gleeson]

Its a long term plan, not for 2010 I'm told

[Mark Gleeson]

Despite a statement about 3 months ago, there is an early morning 5:15 service which amazingly couples to a train from Galway at Athlone as of end November

[Ron Burgundy]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

Despite a statement about 3 months ago, there is an early morning 5:15 service which amazingly couples to a train from Galway at Athlone as of end November

Will this change the timetable for stations after this ?

[Mark Gleeson]

There is a 6:05 from Galway which arrives first in Athlone. Its been 40 years since a join railcar has been done by IE/CIE (Mullingar back in the 1960's), it will be fun to see how it goes the morning the trains decide not to couple. It should be fine but this is something which requires practice to nail down.

There are issues with the CIS and reservations to ensure the system works correctly

[Oisin88]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

There are issues with the CIS and reservations to ensure the system works correctly

The joint running is now operational, but of course, the information systems have not been fixed:

0730 to Galway/Westport: platform says westport, train says Galway (all 6 carriages) Galway booked seats occasionally appear in carriages going to Mayo, information system on board says: This is the 0710 hours service Dublin to Galway.

[Oisin88]

This morning the whole train said destination: Heuston Station while heading to Galway and Mayo. There were people with seats booked for Galway which were in the Mayo section of the train and general confusion, with nobody to sort it out!

[Oisin88]

Amazing that this still isn't fixed.

It seems like it is up to the guys on the ground to try and fix it. There was an IÉ employee standing at the gate this morning asking people where they were going, and directing them accordingly. I still had to deal with a lost looking continental european who was looking for Claremorris.

Any reports of people going the wrong way yet? What happens? Will IÉ taxi people from Claremorris or Roscommon if they end up in the wrong section?

How come they didn't have joint running in their spec when they were having the trains built? They must have been planning for it

[Colm Moore]

Surely it should be that difficult?

At Heuston and Athlone, have a sign at the entrance to the platform saying

Galway including
Athenry
...
Ballinasloe

Carriage 1-3 (or whatever combination is used)

Westport including
Castlebar
...
Roscommon

Carriage 4-6

All other destinations: any carriage

Then have the train staff check everyone individually (not just their ticket, as some people may be using the parallel route rule*) between Heuston and Athlone and if anyone is in the wrong section direct them to the other. Have staff at Athlone directing people there. Have the signs on the sides and inside of the carriages correct. Have the sign at the front of the train with all terminii (Galway / Westport / Ballina).


* If your final destination is between (not on) railway lines, you are allowed use the return part of your ticket from the other line in certain circumstances, e.g if travelling to Belmullet from Dublin, you can return from Ballina or Westport.

[Oisin88]

Or, alternatively:

Pasenger Information outside carriages A, B, C reading:
Galway
Inside (scrolling):
Serving Portarlington, Tullamore, Clara, Athlone, Ballinasloe, Attymon, Athenry and Galway. For stations on the Mayo line please join carriages D,E or F.

Pasenger Information on carriages D, E, F reading:
Westport
Inside (scrolling):
Serving Portarlington, Tullamore, Clara, Athlone, Roscommon, Castlerea, Ballyhaunis, Claremorris,Castlebar, Westport. Change at Manulla for Foxford & Ballina, For stations on the Galway line please join carriages A, B or C.

These could run on the system at all stops.

[dowlingm]

over here joined trains are timetabled and ticketed separately. If you're booked to an intermediate station you must join the train that you are ticketed on (e.g. train 40 or train 52 which run as together until they split towards Ottawa and Montreal).

As for IE's complete information fail - who's responsible for regulating them on this stuff - DofT? RSC? I suspect neither wants anything to do with it?

[Mark Gleeson]

Originally Posted by dowlingm

As for IE's complete information fail - who's responsible for regulating them on this stuff - DofT? RSC? I suspect neither wants anything to do with it?

No one

Working it as two separate trains in the booking system would work fine but the train itself doesn't understand as it can only have a single id at a time and that id is what the reservation system on the train looks for

[Oisin88]

Still a complete farce this morning for the 7:30 departure from Heuston. Train arrived at platform 7 (normally we are on 4) at about 7:31 from Portlaoise. All the passengers were there at the same time, and there was only one consciencious Irish Rail employee trying to direct people. Lots of people with Galway bookings in carriage A got on to the first carriage. No PIS info until we got going. No carriage numbers displayed.