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07-08-2018, 11:49 | #1 |
Really Really Regluar Poster
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Sligo Line
Posts: 1,115
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Would it be possible to mitigate the risk by ensuring that there is a backup diesel locomotive on hand?
The cancellation of scheduled services to allow for specials is ludicrous and counter-productive. For people from Longford and points further on the Sligo line, the fact that there is an hourly service down in the afternoon makes the train very attractive for holiday-time outings to the city since you don't really have to plan your return too seriously. With the 1600 gone for the summer, this makes the service dramatically less flexible. A friend missed the 1505 by 5 minutes a few weeks ago and was dismayed to discover there was no 1600. She eventually got to Edgeworthstown (70 miles) at 1915 after the 1705 was delayed by more than half an hour. Well, delayed by 15 minutes since it is always 10 to 15 minutes late to Edgeworthstown. I could just about cycle the journey in that time. |
07-08-2018, 12:36 | #2 |
Really Really Regluar Poster
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,146
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Failures happen but I would hate to see such a ban imposed. They largely only run weekends and usually against peak flow of traffic so disruption isn't significant.
The issue is the time to clear a failure and this is no different to any failure on the network and its up to IE to see how to improve it. |
07-08-2018, 13:15 | #3 |
Technical Officer
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Coach C, Seat 33
Posts: 12,669
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Delays happens, thats life. The risk of a delay when a steam train is around is vastly more
1. They breakdown, vastly more often per mile operated 2. They get stuck, steam/coal issues 3. They trip the hot axle box detectors The very least we should expect a diesel locomotive to be dragged along as insurance if something goes wrong. This is the land of transparency, will Irish Rail apply the network access statement charges and charge for the full cost of the rescue locomotive and the delay minutes, doubt it. Will Irish Rail charge for the siding space in Inchicore etc. The fare paying passenger should not be contributing a single cent here, nor should the NTA
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08-08-2018, 11:20 | #4 | |
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 951
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Quote:
Steam train operations contribute significantly to Irish Rail in terms of fees and charges which more than cover any costs incurred. They advertise the existence of the railway and generate traffic for regular services not only on the day, but for the future as the next generation are introduced to railways. The steam train operators have a right of access to the infrastructure in the same way as Irish Rail or Belmond do and are subject to the same regulatory framework. There are daily delays and disruptions on Irish Rail due to a combination of mechanical failures, signalling failures, poor traffic regulation and the now ubiquitous operational issues which see trains just disappear from schedules with little or no notice. The incident at Greystones on Monday was compounded by yet another DART failure which contributed to the Rosslare delays. Incidentally when was the last delay due to activation of a Hot Box Detector by a steam train ? |
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08-08-2018, 11:21 | #5 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Drogheda, Ireland
Posts: 1,275
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I do agree there should be more done to mitigate the risk of failure, but I think it would be a real shame to see them banned outright.
I think a parallel issue is that we don't really have any heritage railways in Ireland (I know there are a couple of small sections, but none of them long enough to really constitute a railway). The Navan to Kingscourt alignment is still almost entirely intact, and it's hard to see it having much use as a future commuter line. If this could be turned into a heritage line, it would be somewhere people could see steam trains running regularly within driving distance of Dublin, and would reduce the need for steam trains to run on the mainlines. Obviously, it's a question of funding it, and it should come from tourism/heritage funding and not the NTA. This isn't really a RUI issue, I know. |
09-09-2019, 06:38 | #6 |
Technical Officer
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Coach C, Seat 33
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Another failure yesterday
2 in fact, Hot box trip in Kerry Sunday morning Total failure at Sallins during the evening Sunday intercity peak, delays of up to 100 minutes. Same locomotive sat down in Gorey on July 7th
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09-09-2019, 14:47 | #7 |
Really Really Regluar Poster
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I think a ban is very harsh. I believe all bar 1 service were under 60 late and by IE standards very quick.
If they managed to rescue an IV or even ICR as quick it would be good. I get its more complicated. Single line not used, considering number of departures was low most services would probably been less than 30m if in operation. |
09-09-2019, 19:24 | #8 |
Technical Officer
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Coach C, Seat 33
Posts: 12,669
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That risk is far too high and the performance in recent years shows there is evidence to back the case.
It is completely unfair on passenger paying full fare to be delayed, it also leaves Irish Rail open to significant refund/compensation to delayed passengers. The Mk4 fleet even at its worst in the early days was 10,000km per 5 minute tech failure, the Japanese DART fleet is at 130,000km, 22k is somewhere upwards of 60,000km RPSI is down in the hundred's of km Total number of failures I've had personally account to 1 MK2d (gen van, actually cooled down inside with the AC off!), 1 Mk3 (battery, bussed to destination), 1 Mk4 (MU cable, some physical encouragement was used), 2 DART (brakes) in 30+ years, only two of those required assistance to get moving again. I have a 50% success rate of seeing a steam engine haul a train with the RPSI.
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