Rail Rovers

[Mark Gleeson]

The Limerick Junc connection issue is down to the fact the 10:00 from Dublin stops in Limerick Junction, there is only one platform, so only one train can stop, the 10:00 gives a direct connection to Waterford.

Both trains could stop but since both pass each other just outside Limerick Junc if the Dublin bound one stopped it would really slow things down and cause all kinds of other problems

There is a morning connection to Dublin off the Clonmel route which gets to Dublin by 10:20am. Remember connections work via Limerick Junc and Waterford, at this time of day its an hour faster go via Waterford

Second platform is planned to resolve the issue as is a 2 hourly service Limerick Junc Waterford

[CSL]

Plenty of scope to put the hammer down on the cork-bound train and get there 10 mins earlier to avoid the issue.

[Mark Gleeson]

That would actually make it worse since the trains pass on the Thurles side of Limerick Junction.

Fact is there is a perfectly good connection via Waterford mid morning which has a direct sub ten minute wait with a simple 20 foot walk across a island platform.

Options Carrick on Suir are
10:09 to Limerick Junc wait Dublin 14:20
10:08 to Waterford change Dublin 13:26

In fact in all cases if there is an excessive wait at Limerick Junc or Waterford there is a much quicker option at almost the same time via the other station, 4 services each way with a sub 15 minute wait at the connecting point. Its surprisingly well thought out.

If the Cork train stopped you get to Dublin a magic 6 minutes faster however with considerable possibility of delay.

[david673]

Evening,

Re value for money etc:

Remember we Brits are getting 20% less for our money due to the low exchange rate with the Euro compared to last year.
I purchased a 5 day rover at 145.00 euros.
Eating out and buying drinks was expensive compared to UK.
What was cheap was entrance fees to places like Kilkenny Castle, Westport House etc and always with a guided tour.
The drinks on the trains were on a par with the UK.

Re the Limerick Junction issue, I noticed platform 3 can't be used anymore, so everything on the main line has to use platform 1. is this a permanent thing, or are they planning to build a platform next to the south bound line?

I take it the line from Waterford to Limerick will be upgraded before a 2 hour service is introduced, come to think of it I did see a couple of ballast trains in loops along the line.

David

[Mark Gleeson]

Currently there is only one platform for Cork line trains, the second one was never used anyway, not long enough. The Waterford platform was removed a few years back when they split the Limerick platform into two halves

A new platform on the opposite side is planned I'm told, footbridge and so on included. Will eliminate finally the Limerick Junction delays due to the shortage of platforms and clear up the timetable

Expect Cork line trains to arrive at the same time every second hour with connections to Waterford and Limerick (potentially Galway) It will be very much in the Swiss model of regional trains arrive first, then the long distance arrive followed by a quick change and everyone heads off

Part of the engineering work next week are at Limerick Junc, place is getting a total rebuild which should save several minutes on all service

[Thomas Ralph]

I did stop on platform 3 on a Cork-Dublin several years back but they had to tell passengers to move to the front of the train. And that is not permitted any more.

[dowlingm]

Is Selective Door Opening permitted if the set has it, and if so do the new Mk4/22k trains have it?

Quite frequently used by GO Transit over here - even printed in the timetable.