Maynooth Line This Morning (8-1-10)

[ofjames]

things were fairly chaotic on the maynooth line this morning.

i arrived at castleknock before 8.20 for the scheduled service that terminates in Bray.

after about 15 mins delay, a 6 car intercity train pulled up to my surprise but was absolutley wedged. the platform was full with people but hardly anyone managed to squeeze on. it looked to painful for me so i didnt even bother trying.

with pretty much everyone left waiting on the platform, less than 5 mins later another intercity train came through the station but didnt stop, obviously running straight through to connolly. there were empty seats on the train and nobody standing. more than enough room to take everyone left standing on the platform.

another 10 mins later, yet another intercity train pulled up (this time a 3 car) and again it was like sardines. Like before, only a few people squeezed on from the platform.

my question is, given the fact the through-running train was going to end up crawling along behind the "commuter" train as it stopped at every station just ahead of it (and the fact the two trains either side of it were so full practically nobody could board after coolmine), why the hell didnt someone in IR have the good sense to have the through running train stop at the platforms of each station instead of a couple of hundred metres before the stations and pick up the passangers who were left stranded?

i eventually got an 8-car commuter set to connolly at around 5 past 9. a 45 minute wait in all.

[ColmmacO]

There's been a fair few services operated as 22k this week.
I'm guessing that there has been some problems with the 29ks given the breakdowns of longford services and the fact that the two morning docklands services were cancelled today due 'technical problems'.
Perhaps the 22k's are more reliable in very cold conditions?
Still bad form nonetheless.

[Mark Gleeson]

22k's get to spend the night in a nice warm shed in Connolly.

Capacity wise they are no match for the vast standing room on a 29k

[ColmmacO]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

22k's get to spend the night in a nice warm shed in Connolly.

Capacity wise they are no match for the vast standing room on a 29k

too true. Have seen people standing in luggage rails / racks on these.

[fergn]

3 Car Intercity trains should not be used on commuter services. A few weeks ago a perfectly good 4 car 28k train was used on the 0600 Gorey to Connolly and the 3 Car Intercity was used on 0625 Enniscorthy to Dundalk which ran as far as Connolly where passengers were transferred over the 4 car train. Why on earth would they randomly decide to allow an intercity run a service that is normally fairly busy for no reason is beyond me!

[Thomas Ralph]

Funnily enough there is quite a number of people saying that Intercity equipment should be used on longer commuter runs (e.g. anything south of Gorey).

[Thomas J Stamp]

Originally Posted by Thomas Ralph

Funnily enough there is quite a number of people saying that Intercity equipment should be used on longer commuter runs (e.g. anything south of Gorey).

22k commuter railcars are for those purposes.