Ashtown implication over January 2008 timetable

[Chopper]

Maybe I'm looking at the timetable which is effective from 27th January 2008.

1. There still seems to be only two peak hour services to Docklands. 07:11 goes to 07:16. The 07:56 remains the same. I had assumed there would be
increased frequency with the opening of the Phoneix Park Station.

2. There seems to be an additional 07:04 service only.

So the questions are :

1. Why no extra services to Docklands ?

2. Assuming the Phoneix Park Station opens soon, what is the projected numbers which will be using this.

3. Are the services with four carriages going to be shifted to eight ?


If the Phoneix Park station takes off as a Park n' Ride, Ashtown and
Broombridge could be left suffering.

Thanks

[ThomasJ]

its not all bad a few services will not serve phoenix park. including the 07.58 maynooth-bray

[Thomas Ralph]

I doubt the services with four carriages will jump to eight very quickly, there's barely enough railcars to operate the existing timetable and the 22000s to Sligo and Rosslare will only free up so much capacity.

And that's assuming (and apologies for the off-topicness) that Dublin-Cork doesn't try to swipe a few 22000 sets.

[KSW]

Originally Posted by tralph

And that's assuming (and apologies for the off-topicness) that Dublin-Cork doesn't try to swipe a few 22000 sets.

Dublin/Cork can swipe a few from the Rosslare Line if they like, Those MkIV's are really nice..................

[ThomasJ]

if they were to take the Rosslare 22ks Rosslare won't get the mk4s, god knows what they would end up getting .... 2800s for life!!!!

If Cork were to swipe 22ks I cant see what would benefit them swiping the 22ks off the sligo/rosslare lines they are not benefit the cork line, it would be a downgrading. more than likely if they were to swipe 22ks it would be the six car sets that will be used on heuston lines with proper catering facilities.

Back on topic.... the 07.58 maynooth bray will not stop at phoenix park so no change there, the 08.15 maynooth pearse (starts from longford) will start from maynooth not longford so there will be extra capacity and i'm sure the 07.22, 07.37 and 08.40 ex maynooth might have increased capacity its not all bad. Phoenix park will not take off straight away, it will take time.

[Mark Gleeson]

Back on topic folks

There is a early morning Sligo Dublin service which will spread the load on the earlier train from Longford and provide more seats out of Maynooth as well. That service is likely to be a 6 coach IC railcar, yes the proper 6 car one when it arrives

The 7:20 from Maynooth will be 8 coaches

Its likely that some Ashtown passengers will choose to board at Phoenix Park, it doesn't look like there will be a surge of new passengers

So there will be 550 extra seats, plus another 430 standees not accounting for standees on the Sligo service. Thats the guts of an extra 1000 capacity

[Chopper]

Thanks for replies.

One question I still have is the lack of additional services to
Docklands.

Three services during morning peak hours does not seem to
be optimal use of that resource.

Are there operational restrictions ?

Tks

[Mark Gleeson]

Only 2 4 coach trains are available to cover the Docklands services, both manage 2 trips each inwards before 9:10 am, actually impossible to do better with the limited resources

The key problem is the current Irish Rail timetable for all services through the Connolly area is incredibly inefficient

[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

Only 2 4 coach trains are available to cover the Docklands services, both manage 2 trips each inwards before 9:10 am, actually impossible to do better with the limited resources

I'll get eaten for this, but run all peak Sligo line services to Docklands, close Drumcondra and run a proper 93 service into the south city. 50% of trains should get an extra run due to the time savings on the approach to Connolly.

Sometimes people try too much and get nothing done.

[Maynooth_Line]

Originally Posted by Victor

....run all peak Sligo line services to Docklands, close Drumcondra ....

You might as well send the trains to Broadstone instead.

Sorry for going Off Topic.

[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by Victor

close Drumcondra

So you can do electrification work!

[bryan]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

The 7:20 from Maynooth will be 8 coaches

Hi Mark, The 7.20 from Maynooth is still 4 coaches. It leaves a good number behind at Ashtown every morning. Any idea if & when the capacity will increase as you suggested? Thanks.

[Mark Gleeson]

We are still waiting, was mean't to happen January 23rd hasn't

Irish Rail seem to be scared of using 3 car intercity railcar trains to Sligo, until the 9:00 to Sligo is the new railcar the chaos will continue. Irish Rail have more than enough intercity railcars signed into service to make this happen

I'm fully familar with the 7:20 situation got left behind myself, its not on

[bryan]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

We are still waiting, was mean't to happen January 23rd hasn't

Irish Rail seem to be scared of using 3 car intercity railcar trains to Sligo, until the 9:00 to Sligo is the new railcar the chaos will continue. Irish Rail have more than enough intercity railcars signed into service to make this happen

I'm fully familar with the 7:20 situation got left behind myself, its not on

Is there any hope/indication that the 7.20 will be upgraded from 4 carriages soon? We are now a full 12 months behind the scheduled 8 carriage upgrade.

[ThomasJ]

Hey Bryan, I haven't been taking the train in the morning for a while and i do everything to avoid the evening peak.

How is Ashtown these days? are passengers still being left behind?

[bryan]

Generally can squeeze on it if it's not late. If late then there's problems.

The other problem with 4 carriages is that it can stop anywhere on a platform with a capacity for 8 carriages. So, if there's a change in drivers and it stops at either extreme of the platform, half of passengers have to go running towards the first/last carriage and all try to squeeze on. At least if drivers were told to stop in a paricular position, given the number of carriages, the passengers would naturally spread along the platform.

[Mark Hennessy]

Originally Posted by bryan

Generally can squeeze on it if it's not late. If late then there's problems.

The other problem with 4 carriages is that it can stop anywhere on a platform with a capacity for 8 carriages.

Thats a very good and valid point.

In other countries, i've seen signs on the platform indicating what length trains stop at a certain point on the platform.

Seems like such a simple issue for Irish Rail to rectify and won't cost a penny.

[Mark Gleeson]

We certainly had stop markers for 2, 4 and 6 coaches on the DART for over 20 years, they vanished 5 years ago

Drivers are under orders to stop at the very end of the platforms in order to use the mirror/cameras

[Thomas Ralph]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

Drivers are under orders to stop at the very end of the platforms in order to use the mirror/cameras

Pity they don't do so consistently.