Why is the 06:00 Cork to Dublin running 10 minutes late?

[laoisfan]

Hi,

Just wondering can anyone explain why the 06:00 Cork to Dublin train is running consistently 10 minutes late each morning for the last 3 weeks?

This impacts on several other trains, in my case the 07:44 from Ballybrophy and the 08:10 from Portlaoise (I go to Park West).

The guys in the office at Ballybrophy & Portlaoise have been unable (or unwilling) to give an answer.

Leaves? Track works? Driver slept it out?

Anyone?

Thanks.

[laoisfan]

Irish Rail replied to my tweet with the following link.

Linky

[berneyarms]

I'd say it's adhesion problems with the leaves. Same issue every year around this time of year unfortunately.

I don't really think you need to diminish your (legitimate) query with suggestions like "driver slept it out" - that's really a bit below the belt to be honest.

While we all may have gripes, I think that's taking things a bit too far.

[laoisfan]

@berneyarms

In the 3 weeks the 06:00 Cork-Dublin has been running late not a single staff member at Ballybrophy/Portlaoise was able to offer a reason why it was late. RPU staff were unable to offer a reason too. The RPU staff go in/out to the driver's cab a lot so you would think that the driver might know or just mention it in passing to them.

"diminish" seriously? my gripe, like other customers, is that I pay a lot of money over to Irish Rail each year and I would like a certain level of service (I can dream). Delays I can handle. Lack of information I can't handle. Inexcusable.

[Jamie2k9]

Traveled to Cork last week and there was no wheel slip or TSRs in place. Its an excuse which we put up with for 4 months.

Why cant they place one or two hundred more of those things on the rails or ever plaster the rail heads with the grit manually.

The invisible leaves that fall on Irish Railways are amazing!

[laoisfan]

Thanks Jamie2k9, I'm not buying the leaves on the track excuse...certainly not for 3 weeks straight!

[berneyarms]

Originally Posted by laoisfan

@berneyarms

In the 3 weeks the 06:00 Cork-Dublin has been running late not a single staff member at Ballybrophy/Portlaoise was able to offer a reason why it was late. RPU staff were unable to offer a reason too. The RPU staff go in/out to the driver's cab a lot so you would think that the driver might know or just mention it in passing to them.

"diminish" seriously? my gripe, like other customers, is that I pay a lot of money over to Irish Rail each year and I would like a certain level of service (I can dream). Delays I can handle. Lack of information I can't handle. Inexcusable.

I'm not excusing a lack of information - that is just not good enough, and of course you are entitled to an explanation of why the train is running late. I think any delay should be explained. It is something IE are atrocious at.

And thinking about it, leaf fall would really only have impacted since the end of last week. So like you I'm kinda at a loss to explain it - you'd need to be on to them every day.

But let's be honest, including a comment such as "driver slept it out" is a bit insulting to staff. Do you really think that staff are going to turn up late for work on a regular basis? I understand (and agree with) your frustration, but I just think that comment's a bit uncalled for.

[Mark Gleeson]

All the evidence shows the train leaves on time