The Cork Dublin Express Train has entered service

[Mark Gleeson]

The builders yap about the coaches is here http://www.caf.net/ingles/productos/...c=desc&pais=21

[James Shields]

I know the reason why the map doesn't go above Athlone. But since it was Mark that told me, I think it would be unfair to try and claim the prize, so I'll leave it open for others.

I think it's achademic anyway. The Enterprise map only shows Dublin-Belfast and a couple of bits off it too. I could see the CDEs occasionally doing Dublin-Limerick, but not very likely to get frther afield.

Of course, IE have an option for a few extra sets, so that could all change.

Hopefully we'll see more sets in service in the short term, and Mk3s transferred to other routes.

[sean]

I'm going to guess 2 reasons:

1: They don't expect to be using them anywhere else.
2: Not enough space on the display.

Oh and the underside of the locomotive looks horrible, esp the buffers. What were they thinking?

[Navan Junction]

All I have of the inside. I don't have permission of those in the photos so are photoshopped out.

[Mark Gleeson]

Which one is me though?

Free pint to who can indentify the platform outside

Barry Kenny managed to identify me despite the fact we never met and my indentity is as closely guarded a secret as the 98FM fugitive. I know who gave me away but still.

[Derek Wheeler]

Well, Mark, Ill be honest. If thats you in the second photo, you've got real problems and I could recommend some specialists. You're obviously in the first one. As for the platform outside the window......mine's a budwiser....SALLINS.

[James Shields]

A selection of photos...









Full collection here.

[Mark Gleeson]

The second one is so incredibly screwed up

Originally Posted by Irish Times

Maiden journey by new train?Olivia Kelly

The new Iarnród Éireann Mark 4 trains, the focus of unofficial industrial action that left thousands of commuters stranded last week, began operating yesterday.

The first of the new Spanish trains made its maiden journey from Heuston Station, Dublin, at 9am, arriving at Kent Station, Cork, at 11.50am.

Attempts by the company to introduce the trains last week lead to a two-day strike.

The trains are part of a €117 million upgrade of services on the Dublin-Cork line. They have the same capacity as the old trains, but will be run more frequently. Iarnród Éireann has promised an hourly service from Dublin to Cork by December.

A company spokesman said: "These trains meet all the modern standards of quality and comfort. The seats are more comfortable, there is improved access for the mobility impaired and the toilets are fully accessible."

© The Irish Times 2006
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/ire...NEWTRAINS.html

Originally Posted by Irish Independent

Phwoar! Trainspotters swoon as the new Iarnrod carriages 'boldly go' . . . eventually

WITH the Wildcat Express safely shunted to a discreet siding, it was smiles all round for the relieved worthies of Iarnrod Eireann as they boarded The Phil Flynn Flyer for its maiden outing.

It had all looked so different a week ago, when the non-appearance in Dublin of the nine o'clock train to Cork signalled a snap strike by train drivers, leaving stranded passengers fuming on the platform and sparking two days of chaos on the national railways.

A freshly rehabilitated Phil Flynn - out of commission since a spot of bother over wholly unsubstantiated links to the IRA and a miniature novelty gun - chugged in to spread his legendary troubleshooting balm over union and management. The former union boss-turned-businessman's negotiating skills did the trick, and Iarnrod Eireann's new inter-city trains were back on track.

Memories

Yesterday morning, once the 9am from Heuston rolled away on schedule, company officials relaxed. But not for long. Memories of the Eurostar London launch still haunt people in the railway world, when the first train for France stalled midway in the Channel Tunnel, with the queen stuck in her royal compartment and Prince Philip's shopping list for cheap beer and ciggies burning a hole in her handbag.

So, officially, yesterday's voyage commenced a few weeks of "in-service trials". No brass band played on the platform to mark the occasion. But there was complimentary tea and coffee for all the passengers.

Most of them weren't terribly excited at the prospect of being the first to travel on the Mark lV carriages. Long years spent enduring crowded trains and second-rate facilities tend to dull the sense of wonder.

Iarnrod says the new carriages will see Ireland reverse its standing as the country with the oldest intercity trains in Europe to becoming the one with the most modern fleet.

Sixty-seven of the carriages have already been acquired for €117m, and they are gradually coming into service. A second order for 150 more has been placed at a cost of €322m.

This turnaround, God and Phil Flynn willing, will happen in a couple of years.

But will the trains go any faster? Not quite. It's a case of new carriages, same locomotives.

Barry Kenny from Iarnrod Eireann explains we're never going to get a French TGV or Japanese bullet train-type service here. We don't have the same sort of distance to cover, nor do we have the population density.

However, once all the new stock is in commission, there will be more trains on the network, leading to increased numbers of departures, which mean all the fiddly little stops along the way that slow a journey can be shared out across the timetable, leading to faster arrival times.

By December, a train will leave from Dublin for Cork on the hour, every hour, while the return leg will depart every hour on the half hour.

Naturally, there were trainspotters on board yesterday. Despite the rail company's attempts to play everything down, this was a big event for the trainspotting community.

Apparently, the younger, hipper manifestation of the breed like to refer to themselves as "locosexuals". They inhabit chat boards and websites. Locosexuals are likely to have well-thumbed copies of network timetables from around the world under their mattresses.

They also like to look at pictures of trains, but only when they're not taking pictures of trains.

But back to the Mark lV carriages, which are similar to those in service on the Dublin/Belfast line. Bright, comfortable and clean, they offer swishy doors and automated announcements. No more garbled gurgles drifting in and out of the speakers.

As for the circular-shaped toilets, the high-tech doors hiss open and closed, Star Trek fashion.

You press a green button to open the door. Once inside, you press another to close it. However, there is a third, red button, which is the lock. A lot of people are overlooking this, which may present a problem.

We went to inspect the facilities, pressed the lighted green button and the door duly did its Star Trek thing, only for us to be confronted by a gentleman bearing an uncanny likeness to William Shatner bending over the sink performing his ablutions.

If we'd gone to check a few minutes earlier, our intrepid Shatner lookalike would have learned the true meaning of what it is to "boldly go".

There's a new menu, and a beefed up trolley service. Thankfully, the full Irish breakfast remains, accompanied by our new national dish, the breakfast roll.

And here's the biggest development of all. The deep fat fryer is gone. No more chips.

The smell of rancid fat will soon be no more on intercity trains.

It's an all-change junction here. Even the locosexuals are nostalgic. The second order of carriages will have in-built thrusters. Phwoar! No more locomotives.

They are already mourning the loss of throb.

There's more to this trainspotting than meets the eye.

Miriam Lord

© Irish Independent 2006
http://www.unison.ie/irish_independe...issue_id=14083

[PaulM]

Wow, that Independant article is worse than anything I have read in a newspaper in my life. That includes the less 'high-brow' publications or celebrity magazines.

[Mark Gleeson]

The prize goes to thomasjstamp not the answer but without a doubt the best idea

The truth is here
http://www.iarnrodeireann.ie/news_ce...iew&news_id=50

The new trains will operate on:
- all regular Dublin-Cork route services

- key Dublin-Limerick and Dublin-Galway route services

The idea was to have the morning/afternoon/evening services to/from all three operated by the MK4/CDE sets deploying the left overs to take other Cork line services. Note the map doesn't have Waterford. CDE sets are permitted to Limerick

[Mark Gleeson]

Originally Posted by Paul Mulcahy

Wow, that Independant article is worse than anything I have read in a newspaper in my life. That includes the less 'high-brow' publications or celebrity magazines.

To see how it is done have a listen to this http://dynamic.rte.ie/av/228-2142818.smil

I did spot a Indo journalist on the train, and I have to agree the 'facilities' have issues with locks, I did speak to the train manager while he struggled to keep control of door that hadn't locked and to his credit he gave an demonstration to a passenger. Given the PA was quite badly sick yesterday its clear the person writing the piece wasn't paying attention

Though this 'fiddly little stops' quote is going to haunt Barry Kenny its not the way to describe the situation in a politically safe manner

[Thomas J Stamp]

I think that Indo journalist is pitching for the vacent seat of Miriam Lord, perhaps?

Edit: Just realised it is her, thought she was off to The Erish Thimes?

Back of the class, girl..............

A second order for 150 more has been placed at a cost of €322m.

Love this bit:

Apparently, the younger, hipper manifestation of the breed like to refer to themselves as "locosexuals". They inhabit chat boards and websites. Locosexuals are likely to have well-thumbed copies of network timetables from around the world under their mattresses.

They also like to look at pictures of trains, but only when they're not taking pictures of trains.

Christ, only one week on Boards.ie and I'm bleedin famous!!! Not to mention, and i will:

younger, hipper

Yes, thats

younger, hipper

They obvously havent seen my profile!!!

[James Shields]

Oh dear. That Indo article is so over the top!

In fairness, they did catch a few things the others missed - like the same old loco on the end of the train.

I've noticed on the Enterprise that a lot of people forget to lock the door, despite a big hand pointing at the lock button and an incessent beeping. On the 2900s, when you close the door from the inside, a verbal instruction tells you to "lock door" (and thanks you when you do). I didn't check on the CDE, but it would seem logical to copy the same system.

[Mark Gleeson]

The Indo article is utter gutter journalism, if it was the Sun I could understand but the biggest selling paper in the country?

[Thomas J Stamp]

Ah, dont get me started on the indo!!! It was Ok (just) untill yer man from the Herald joined up and turned it into pure rubbish.

The gas thing is i cant get away from the bleedin thing, they give it away free to my son in the local school on Wednesday because they have a free schools suppliment, and, as readers of the Phoenix will know, they count these freebies in their circulation figures!! Also, Mrsthomasjstamp is collecting the bloody tokens for schools but I've restricted this act of perversion on her part to Saturdays.

And dont forget 1912 and all that, either!

You cant call that journalism. It's rubbish, I wrote better than that in my leaving cert.

[Navan Junction]

Originally Posted by Paul Mulcahy

Wow, that Independant article is worse than anything I have read in a newspaper in my life. That includes the less 'high-brow' publications or celebrity magazines.

You read celebrity magazines?

I wouldn't worry about it. It sounds like she got the run down on train 'fans' from talking to a real one, and got the humourous part with the real parts..

No harm.. Ye shower of locosexuals..

Oh sh1t, but I took pictures too.. I swear I only wanted to see what a real one looked like.

[PaulM]

Originally Posted by NavanJunction1

You read celebrity magazines?

Oh no! My secret shame.

They were just the worst thing I could think of, until I read that article.

[sean]

After seeing LCPs pix I am so totally jealous.

[James Shields]

Originally Posted by sean

Do my eyes decieve me? Or is it merely the camera angle?

Or have IE finally learned that train floor heights should MATCH (or close enough) platform heights?

There is definitely a step up to the train floor:



But perhaps they've made it more managable than the 2900s. Not having to hide an engine under the floor probably helps.

[Mark Gleeson]

Sure yet more photos

Here it is leaving Thurles, from the footbridge (its a miracle its still standing)


I'm sure I time we will have photos of everything