The Cork Dublin Express Train has entered service

[Mark Gleeson]

1) Can't fix the AC problem, DoT refused Irish Rail the funds. Irish Rail did refurbish one set of those coaches and the AC was lovely which highlights the problem

2) Should be able to fix the booking system someone set the booking system incorrectly or wasn't told

3) We have tried in vain to get some kind of change on the P6/7/8 situation, promises no actions, after 9am there is no need to use the secondary platforms

4) We should know shortly what did go on in Heuston

5) Can't find any direct way to screw some cash out of IE

[James Shields]

I've changed my mind. If IE are unable to provide you with your correct pre-booked seats, you should be entitled to a free upgrade to first class. If seats are not available there, you should be entitled to your money back.

[Dubpete1]

Just a quick query here...going to write the letter (for what its worth) to Irish Rail. Anybody in particular I should address it to where I might get some response?

Thanks in advance,

Pete

[Mark Gleeson]

Allegedly there is a new customer service office in Heuston, can't confirm its existance but that said it has staff that I can confirm

Odds on you will get a bull**** response, the last paragraph will contain some yap about investment, who cares you where on the most modern train in the country from the recently rebuilt Heuston station. So be clear about the fact it was the new train that went wrong

This is normally a two pronged game, first port of call is Customer Services, InterCity, Connolly Station, Dublin 1. If you don't hear back within 14 days I have another address which works its more fun to send two letters since they then have to find the first one

And the fact IE have already read this thread means you probably will be dealt with quickly that said expect to be told it didn't happen and you are dreaming

[Colm Donoghue]

dubpete,
I've seen several IE ads on trains and around stations touting the availability of online seat reservation. sending a pic of this along with your complaint letter and maybe Cc'ing the advertising standards agency might get some satisfaction.
I know P11 got some success with the ASA before re double capacity on DARTS.

[Mark Gleeson]

IE will blame this on a misunderstanding they are a slimy bunch

[CSL]

No, only that "Customer Service" is , "The Undiscovered Country"

[Derek Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Dubpete1

Just a quick query here...going to write the letter (for what its worth) to Irish Rail. Anybody in particular I should address it to where I might get some response?

Thanks in advance,

Pete

Pete,

Send it to Barry Kenny in Connolly station. In your letter state the fact that you have contacted P11 and we recommend that you send the complaint directly to him and you expect a decent outcome to what is a very important complaint about the way you were treated. You may quote my name if you wish. Barry reads the board and will now be expecting your letter and I trust he will deal with it in a satisfactory manner. If not, please get back to us. We are snowed under with passenger complaints that go unresolved and until P11 and IE can find some workable system to cooperate on these matters, I fear the shambles will continue.(We are currently taking steps to address this with management and expect more news by the end of the Summer) We still await the new "call centre" that was mentioned by IE management in March. IE enagaging with us should not be seen as a failure, but rather an attempt to recognise representative bodies and project a willingness to address complaints through any means possible.

Get the letter off Pete and don't be afraid to post it here.

[Thomas J Stamp]

Pete, send it by registered post, give them 14 days to reply, and if they do not let us know, also let us know what they say.

[MrX]

The MK3 7:30pm Cork-Dublin on Sunday was horribly hot.

Seemed the AC was out in at least 50% of the coaches. If you walked along the train some were cool others were just unbarably warm.

Anytime I board a MK3 I arrive early and leave the coach if I can't hear the AC fans running and find one where they are.

Also, our coach's AC seemed to run, then stop then the coach would get really hot.. then it'd clunk back into service again and cool down.

Seems they're controlled by a rather primative thermostat much like a domestic central heating system rather than proper AC system.

BREL's AC spec is just very poor generally. Same with their UK MK3 cousins, dire AC.

[Mark Gleeson]

As of Monday 24th July the following will be CDE/MK4

7:00, 9:00 Dublin Cork
11:30, 13:30 Cork Dublin

The 11:00 Dublin Cork and 15:30 Cork Dublin returns to MK3 operation

Seat booking is correctly programmed for these trains

There are currently 3 serviceable MK4 sets, 4001/2/3

[James Shields]

There are currently 3 serviceable MK4 sets, 4001/2/3

So have they managed to panel beat the cow shape out of the front of 4001?

More importantly, any progress on the industrial front?

[Mark Gleeson]

Originally Posted by lostcarpark

So have they managed to panel beat the cow shape out of the front of 4001?

4001 was the backup train on the press run, its fixed for several months now, most of the damage was underneath the train

Originally Posted by lostcarpark

More importantly, any progress on the industrial front?

Its not looking good, conflicting reports

[Mark Gleeson]

The 7:00 Dublin Cork is still a MK3 its just left Mallow

That means yet more seat booking confusion

[Derek Wheeler]

Industrial relations issues on the Mk4s still relate to "train hosts" and an unresolved issue in the new shed in Cork.

Thats the latest we have.

[Mark Gleeson]

Its a three fold problem

There are no Cork based train managers so a train can't start the day there
The Cork based staff don't like the new maintenance facilities so a train can't start the day there
All the technical staff seem to be Dublin based and a small team seem to travel on each and every train to babysit it

4 sets have now been accepted by Iarnrod Eireann from CAF, only 2 are in service (they rotate) and each manages only 330 miles a day, the old coaches manage 500 with ease

As of Monday 10 of the 16 departures could be covered by the new fleet, only 4 are due to the ongoing industrial relations mess

[sandraoh]

I caught the 15:52 service from Mallow to Portlaoise yesterday after a lovely weekend in tralee. Here is my experience.

I was delighted to see the nice new train pull up as I had never experienced a journey on one since they entered service.

We got on the train and it was nicely air conditioned and even through a huge number of people boarded at Mallow we managed to get seats together.
Once the journey began the nice robotic man started his announcement as gaelige about moving bags off seats etc. It didn't mention anything about stopping in Portlaoise and the English annoucement was the same. I went to have a look at the electronic journey planner thingy and it didn't include Portlaoise either. I wandered down the train and found not one but 2 ticket checker people sitting with their feet up and I asked them what the story was, they told me that "it should be yeah" when I asked if the train was stopping in Portlaoise.

I then wandered off to try and find the dining car. I have to say it was a very rough ride and I must have appeared drunk to all of the passengers that I fell on as I tried to make my way through the train. I was thrown from side to side quite roughly in patches. When I got to the dining car there was an enormous queue and no wonder as tweedle dum and tweedle dee were working behind the counter. Only one was serving, the other appeared to be working the till or checking what was in stock when the other shouted back. They mustn't have understood me when I asked for 2 ribena drinks as I was handed 2 packets of fruit pastilles instead. I finally got what I wanted by using hand gestures and a lot of pointing.

After a very rocky journey it was announced that we would be stopping in portlaoise, next station is portlaoise. This was before we had even passed through Ballybrophey! Lots of people stood up in order to alight and were left being thrown around by the doors for a good 20 minutes.

By the time we arrived in Portlaoise I was seasick from rocking around so much and the electronic journey display thing said we had already passed through Portarlington and was almost in Monasterevan.

Can the do anything about the horrible motion sickness problem. Vomits per mile statistics should be made available. I wouldn't like to be feeling a little hungover or suffering from morning sickness!

[Mark Gleeson]

Since day one we have had talk of werid suspension problems on day 0 May 22nd we all piled on for a trip to Thurles and it was pretty good, very good

On July 10th we went to Cork on the press run and it got quite giddy on the way back it got entertaining to say the least I was in liquid lunch mode so the ride was the last thing on our minds but it was bad bad enough for the catering staff to complain when pouring the wine

I made a trip July 27th and due to a suspension fault the train crawled along at 60mph and even then it was bumpy

The grapevine is alive with talk of what is going on some blame the train some blame the track some blame the locomotive next thing they will blame the phases of the moon. I could go knee deep into technical blurb but there is no need

The onboard systems give trouble possible the PIS was not programmed for a bank holiday thence the confusion, current issue is they don't do reboots of the computer while in motion since it takes everything off, computer is not needed for the train to move

A word from the wise, there is a recognised medical condition which may trigger nausea, travel sickness etc
1) Travel back to direction of travel
2) Low frequency vibration transmitted through body, a given on a 23m long coach with bad suspension
3) High speed corners the illusion of tilt by banking combined with eyes and ears getting confused by seeing the corner and not feeling it can lead to it

Normally this only applies on perfect compensation tilting trains i.e. the one British Rail had in the 1980's they worked out it made people sick since the mind got confused signals

[Derek Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

A word from the wise, there is a recognised medical condition which may trigger nausea, travel sickness etc
1) Travel back to direction of travel
2) Low frequency vibration transmitted through body, a given on a 23m long coach with bad suspension
3) High speed corners the illusion of tilt by banking combined with eyes and ears getting confused by seeing the corner and not feeling it can lead to it

Normally this only applies on perfect compensation tilting trains i.e. the one British Rail had in the 1980's they worked out it made people sick since the mind got confused signals

I thought you said you weren't going to get technical.

Thanks for the feedback Sandra. Rumour mill has been in overdrive today. Journalists called me about this. Apparently some or all MK4 sets were being sent back to Spain for modification due to computer problems and suspension. I spoke to an IE representative today and it was denied. Last set is being shipped from Spain next month and suspension problems are being resolved here.

[Mark Gleeson]

Its a medical condition its going to be technical, RAF navgators in a certain jet fighter faced the wrong way around had serious flight sickness problems

If you do feel unwell facing the destination can help