Train late

[zag]

Every year the zag family decamp down to Rosslare Strand for a bit of lolling about on the beach.

Every year we consider taking the train down, given that we live within spitting distance of the Rosslare line.

And every year I have to remind myself that we could drive down, stop in Arklow for tea and buns, stop in Courtown for some amusements and *still* be faster than the train.

The schedule is a joke and nobody with any value on their time would take the train when they could take the bus or drive faster. And cheaper.

z

[KSW]

Originally Posted by zag

And every year I have to remind myself that we could drive down, stop in Arklow for tea and buns, stop in Courtown for some amusements and *still* be faster than the train.

The schedule is a joke and nobody with any value on their time would take the train when they could take the bus or drive faster. And cheaper.

The service is behond a joke, There is alreday potential there for the journey to go 2hr30 from Connolly to Rosslare and not 2hr50mins and in some cases 3hrs its only 105miles. Same with Gorey to Dublin 1hr25min & 1hr30mins can be done as I've withnessed this over the years!!

[ThomasJ]

It's fairly obvious that the busy DART line is having a huge impact on Gorey/Rosslare services but that is asking alot to impact on that line, what is clear is that in order to get a fast direct Rosslare train you need a clear run on the Southside DART section of about 15-20 minutes gap departing connolly (take for example the 13:05 connolly rosslare europort the fastest of the lot - there is 16 minute gap between last southbound DART before that departs connolly- but that is afternoon!) but that is asking alot at peak evening hours

Take for example the 5th May 2008, the new 16:40 Connolly Gorey runs non-stop from Pearse to Bray at 16:46 taking 36 minutes.(arrives Bray 17:22)

The DART that runs ahead of it departing Pearse at 16:40 (taking in 14 stops) takes 39 minutes to get to bray, (arrives Bray 17:19)

For a non-stop train to be only 3 minutes faster than a train (ok maybe more efficient as electric) that makes 14 stops is incredible. That 16:40 train is going to be some train it would almost be better to put in more stops. I'm glad I don't have to take that train!!!

[Thomas J Stamp]

This entire thing is a joke. I have spoken before of stopping Rosslare Trains in Pearse, the more I think about it the more I think they actually stop in Bray. This may become a reality post Interconnector, in fact.

Think about it, in any decent system the Rosslare trains would be segregated all the wway into the city, four track or even three tracked. Same on the Northern line. In fact IE are doing this with the KRP. They cant do this on the DART line, there is no room. The DART was a model idea when it started, it was s set system much like the Luas is. It was only when they started shoving trains from Rosslare, Droug and Mullingar into the system that things ended up as bollocked up as they are now.

If you have a proper singaling system, and DARTS every 2 min during rush hour you would stop all Railcars at Howth Junction and Bray and there would be capacity in the system. As I said, post interconnector, post DASH2, this is maybe what you'll get. Maybe you'll get what DART is actually supposed to stand for - Rapid Transit. In this vein, not extending the DART line to Drougheda/Dundalk is nuts. As nuts as stopping the KRP in Hazelhatch actually.

Edit to add:

This is of course breaking my own rule on infrastructural posts. It's Friday after all. I'll move all such to the members section over the weekend.

[ThomasJ]

ThomasJstamp on the point you made regarding transferring passengers, in an interview with CIE Chairman John Lynch said the following which made sort of some sense but more for your reasons than his

Extract taken from: http://archives.tcm.ie/businesspost/...story25645.asp (taken last august)

The increasing number of passengers using the Arklow and Gorey lines to Dublin is also proving somewhat problematic for the state company, as extending rail lines on windy coastal tracks is not practical or possible.

As a result, CIE management are considering providing a transfer service from Arklow and Gorey to Greystones for the onward journey to Dublin.

‘‘People don’t like having to change trains, but if it means we can increase the services from these areas, it is worth it,” Lynch said.

‘‘The demand on commuter lines has shot up and we are doing our best to cater for this in every way.”

[Mark Gleeson]

The Rosslare line was never designed with speed in mind, Dublin Cork and indeed Dublin Kilkenny where.

The Rosslare line is affectionately known as the damn slow and easy railway, the alternative to its correct Dublin and South Eastern Railway.

As I have stated numerous times the cost to sort out the Rosslare line is in the order of several hundred million and the return is even worse than the WRC

[ThomasJ]

But seriously mark surely there would be more on offer for gorey-rosslare passengers if their services went from bray or greystones (ie more services)

as much as people wouldn't like going to bray to get their train it cant be much worse than it already is. maybe if the three rosslare services went from dublin and there was a gorey commuter connection at bray.