Why is the 06:00 Cork to Dublin running 10 minutes late?

laoisfan · 07-10-2014, 14:10

Irish Rail replied to my tweet with the following link.

Linky

berneyarms · 07-10-2014, 14:15

I'd say it's adhesion problems with the leaves. Same issue every year around this time of year unfortunately.

I don't really think you need to diminish your (legitimate) query with suggestions like "driver slept it out" - that's really a bit below the belt to be honest.

While we all may have gripes, I think that's taking things a bit too far.

laoisfan · 07-10-2014, 14:22

@berneyarms

In the 3 weeks the 06:00 Cork-Dublin has been running late not a single staff member at Ballybrophy/Portlaoise was able to offer a reason why it was late. RPU staff were unable to offer a reason too. The RPU staff go in/out to the driver's cab a lot so you would think that the driver might know or just mention it in passing to them.

"diminish" seriously?

my gripe, like other customers, is that I pay a lot of money over to Irish Rail each year and I would like a certain level of service (I can dream). Delays I can handle. Lack of information I can't handle. Inexcusable.

Jamie2k9 · 07-10-2014, 14:57

Traveled to Cork last week and there was no wheel slip or TSRs in place. Its an excuse which we put up with for 4 months.

Why cant they place one or two hundred more of those things on the rails or ever plaster the rail heads with the grit manually.

The invisible leaves that fall on Irish Railways are amazing!

laoisfan · 07-10-2014, 15:06

Thanks Jamie2k9, I'm not buying the leaves on the track excuse...certainly not for 3 weeks straight!

Mark Gleeson · 07-10-2014, 15:11

Train left Cork ontime this morning, arrived Dublin 6 minutes late

Delay issue appeared to be in the North Cork/Tipperary area

Colm Moore · 07-10-2014, 16:49

I can understand issues since about last Friday, but was there really much leaf fall before that? Given that we had one of the warmest and driest Septembers in a long time? http://www.westmeathexaminer.ie/news...ber-on-record/

berneyarms · 07-10-2014, 20:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by laoisfan

@berneyarms

In the 3 weeks the 06:00 Cork-Dublin has been running late not a single staff member at Ballybrophy/Portlaoise was able to offer a reason why it was late. RPU staff were unable to offer a reason too. The RPU staff go in/out to the driver's cab a lot so you would think that the driver might know or just mention it in passing to them.

"diminish" seriously?

my gripe, like other customers, is that I pay a lot of money over to Irish Rail each year and I would like a certain level of service (I can dream). Delays I can handle. Lack of information I can't handle. Inexcusable.

I'm not excusing a lack of information - that is just not good enough, and of course you are entitled to an explanation of why the train is running late. I think any delay should be explained. It is something IE are atrocious at.

And thinking about it, leaf fall would really only have impacted since the end of last week. So like you I'm kinda at a loss to explain it - you'd need to be on to them every day.

But let's be honest, including a comment such as "driver slept it out" is a bit insulting to staff. Do you really think that staff are going to turn up late for work on a regular basis? I understand (and agree with) your frustration, but I just think that comment's a bit uncalled for.

Mark Gleeson · 07-10-2014, 20:37

All the evidence shows the train leaves on time

berneyarms · 07-10-2014, 21:11

Is there an extra temporary speed restriction (TSR) along the line possibly?

The 06:00 and 07:00 are very tightly timetabled with little slack if an additional TSR is put in place.

Jamie2k9 · 07-10-2014, 21:32

The Limerick shuttle usually has a lot to explain when it comes to OTP. Was that on time.

As for times the same as all routes and gets 5/6 minutes lee way and it would take a lot of TSR to make it late. Given the 07.00 does the same time with an extra stop the 06.00 should of being able to absorb a couple of TSRs if they were in place. Did the 07.00 run to time?

Thomas J Stamp · 08-10-2014, 16:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

All the evidence shows the train leaves on time

maybe the driver has a snooze at the junction.

ACustomer · 08-10-2014, 16:31

The 0600 is not tightly timed, assuming its an ICR. I recently came up from Cork on the 1620, six scheduled stops in 2.45. We arrived 13 minutes early: 2.32 for six stops, so 2.30 for 3 stops should be easy. And by the way there were severe TSRs at Lisduff and Kildare.

Inniskeen · 08-10-2014, 16:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thomas J Stamp

maybe the driver has a snooze at the junction.

Highly unlikely to be a staff issue - no doubt somebody is late now and again but drivers normally sign on well in advance of scheduled departure time and in any event an alternative driver would typically be available in Cork.

Driving style can significantly affect train punctuality, some drivers drift along at speeds well below the speed limit or are excessively cautious in braking or are slow to accelerate. Some drivers exibit more than one of the above tendencies and consequently services run late as a result.

In this instance I would guess that the predominant issue is a combination of wheelslip, TSRs and perhaps locomotives running with traction motor defects.

07-10-2014, 14:57	#4
Jamie2k9 Really Really Regluar Poster Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 2,146	Traveled to Cork last week and there was no wheel slip or TSRs in place. Its an excuse which we put up with for 4 months. Why cant they place one or two hundred more of those things on the rails or ever plaster the rail heads with the grit manually. The invisible leaves that fall on Irish Railways are amazing! Last edited by Jamie2k9 : 07-10-2014 at 15:01.

07-10-2014, 15:11	#6
Mark Gleeson Technical Officer Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Coach C, Seat 33 Posts: 12,669	Train left Cork ontime this morning, arrived Dublin 6 minutes late Delay issue appeared to be in the North Cork/Tipperary area __________________ Unhappy with new timetable - let us know

07-10-2014, 16:49	#7
Colm Moore Local Liaison Officer Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 5,442	I can understand issues since about last Friday, but was there really much leaf fall before that? Given that we had one of the warmest and driest Septembers in a long time? http://www.westmeathexaminer.ie/news...ber-on-record/ __________________

07-10-2014, 20:37	#9
Mark Gleeson Technical Officer Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Coach C, Seat 33 Posts: 12,669	All the evidence shows the train leaves on time __________________ Unhappy with new timetable - let us know

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07-10-2014, 14:10	#1
laoisfan Regular Poster Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Lovely Laois Posts: 100	Irish Rail replied to my tweet with the following link. Linky

07-10-2014, 14:15	#2
berneyarms Really Regular Poster Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 602	I'd say it's adhesion problems with the leaves. Same issue every year around this time of year unfortunately. I don't really think you need to diminish your (legitimate) query with suggestions like "driver slept it out" - that's really a bit below the belt to be honest. While we all may have gripes, I think that's taking things a bit too far.

07-10-2014, 14:22	#3
laoisfan Regular Poster Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Lovely Laois Posts: 100	@berneyarms In the 3 weeks the 06:00 Cork-Dublin has been running late not a single staff member at Ballybrophy/Portlaoise was able to offer a reason why it was late. RPU staff were unable to offer a reason too. The RPU staff go in/out to the driver's cab a lot so you would think that the driver might know or just mention it in passing to them. "diminish" seriously? my gripe, like other customers, is that I pay a lot of money over to Irish Rail each year and I would like a certain level of service (I can dream). Delays I can handle. Lack of information I can't handle. Inexcusable.

07-10-2014, 15:06	#5
laoisfan Regular Poster Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Lovely Laois Posts: 100	Thanks Jamie2k9, I'm not buying the leaves on the track excuse...certainly not for 3 weeks straight!

07-10-2014, 21:11	#10
berneyarms Really Regular Poster Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 602	Is there an extra temporary speed restriction (TSR) along the line possibly? The 06:00 and 07:00 are very tightly timetabled with little slack if an additional TSR is put in place.

07-10-2014, 21:32	#11
Jamie2k9 Really Really Regluar Poster Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 2,146	The Limerick shuttle usually has a lot to explain when it comes to OTP. Was that on time. As for times the same as all routes and gets 5/6 minutes lee way and it would take a lot of TSR to make it late. Given the 07.00 does the same time with an extra stop the 06.00 should of being able to absorb a couple of TSRs if they were in place. Did the 07.00 run to time?

08-10-2014, 16:31	#13
ACustomer Really Regular Poster Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 767	The 0600 is not tightly timed, assuming its an ICR. I recently came up from Cork on the 1620, six scheduled stops in 2.45. We arrived 13 minutes early: 2.32 for six stops, so 2.30 for 3 stops should be easy. And by the way there were severe TSRs at Lisduff and Kildare.