[05/03/2012] Nenagh, Limerick and Commuter service improvements

[dowlingm]

Originally Posted by Destructix

The new direct that service at 13:40 should be earlier like 11:30. Although it will get the numbers for Limerick at Thurles. Templemore should also have been included.

How many people in Templemore will want to go to Limerick off peak? Enough to stop a speeding 22000 for?

[2200DMU]

19 passengers used the via Nenagh branch of the line on 5 March.

[Mark Gleeson]

Wow 19, just about covers the extra hour on the staff wages. How many of that 19 were 'real' passengers, i.e. excluding journalists, hangers on and IE staff

It was 15 minutes late out of Ballybrophy on the 5th which delayed other trains, was about 7 minutes late this morning

Be interesting to see what the numbers are like in a months time

[Colm Moore]

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...312851843.html

[Inniskeen]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

Wow 19, just about covers the extra hour on the staff wages. How many of that 19 were 'real' passengers, i.e. excluding journalists, hangers on and IE staff

It was 15 minutes late out of Ballybrophy on the 5th which delayed other trains, was about 7 minutes late this morning

Be interesting to see what the numbers are like in a months time

The 0515 from Limerick was less than three minutes late approaching Cherryville Junction on Monday. It was subsequently delayed by the late running 0600 from Waterford. In fact the Limerick train could have been been about 18 minutes earlier into Heuston had it preceded the Waterford train at Kildare and not been required to stop at Sallins, Hazelhatch and Adamstown.

The following 0725 from Portlaoise and 0515 from Westport arrived in Heuston one and a half and two and a half minutes late respectively.

[ACustomer]

How many of the 19 passengerd were migrants from the usual, later service?

[Destructix]

Heard a very funny story about Alan Kelly today but Colm won't let me post it

Can't blame poor advertising if it doesn't pay off. Hmm 19 will go down to 8 next week and down to 4 after that.

[Mark Gleeson]

Its been blasted around north tipp for the last two weeks and made the Independent (which they read in Tipp) so claims of we didn't know won't wash

[Thomas J Stamp]

Originally Posted by Inniskeen

In fact the Limerick train could have been been about 18 minutes earlier into Heuston had it preceded the Waterford train at Kildare and not been required to stop at Sallins, Hazelhatch and Adamstown.

The following 0725 from Portlaoise and 0515 from Westport arrived in Heuston one and a half and two and a half minutes late respectively.

the fall-back selling point of the service is that it calls to those stations.
Reality is that this is a typical square peg round hole solution by IE to fit in with the whim of a political master using the trains for parish pump advantage. This train was always going to call to those stations, it was to start off in portlaoise depot and head to dublin but it was pulled all the way back to limerick for this purpose.

it was 15 mins late in monesterevin this morning too. sort of defeats the purpose of getting into work before 9 am.

[Destructix]

How many people used it today I wonder?

[Kilocharlie]

Originally Posted by Thomas J Stamp

This train was always going to call to those stations, it was to start off in portlaoise depot and head to dublin but it was pulled all the way back to limerick for this purpose.

.

This is an additional service. The existing trains from Portlaoise, 0725 and 0743, are still there.

Is there a suggestion that there would have been an extra Portlaoise service anyway?

[Inniskeen]

Originally Posted by Thomas J Stamp

the fall-back selling point of the service is that it calls to those stations.
Reality is that this is a typical square peg round hole solution by IE to fit in with the whim of a political master using the trains for parish pump advantage. This train was always going to call to those stations, it was to start off in portlaoise depot and head to dublin but it was pulled all the way back to limerick for this purpose.

it was 15 mins late in monesterevin this morning too. sort of defeats the purpose of getting into work before 9 am.

The calls at Sallins, Hazelhatch and Adamstown and the scheduling of the new service behind the 0600 from Waterford mean that it is less attractive than it might be. There was already ample capacity at these stations and in any event logic would dictate that a fast run up the main line would compensate somewhat for the pedestrian operation on the branch.

It is clear that Irish Rail (and others) would prefer to see the service fail.

[Mark Gleeson]

More like trying to make some money by stopping where there might be some actual business

[dowlingm]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

Wow 19, just about covers the extra hour on the staff wages. How many of that 19 were 'real' passengers, i.e. excluding journalists

Like they would be out of bed

[Mark Gleeson]

Down to 18 as I can eliminate one Irish Rail manager and his camera

[Destructix]

-3 Rail enthusiasts

[dowlingm]

If I understand correctly AK's big idea is having an impact on suburban punctuality?