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01-09-2016, 19:23 | #1 | |
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This morning your train got a clear run between Maynooth and Connolly in terms of other traffic - this meant that it was considerably quicker than usual. Similarly there will always be engineering allowances along the entire route to permit temporary speed restrictions to be put in place when engineers require them, without impacting on the overall schedule. That's not the same as adding recovery time for the sake of it. Sure there certainly is recovery time that is there to allow for a degree of resilience and reliability in terms of arrival time in Connolly, but it does not amount to 27 minutes. As for the proposed timetable, I would share your frustration at the original draft timetable, but we haven't seen the final proposed timetable post-consultation which may have managed to address that issue. |
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01-09-2016, 19:56 | #2 |
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Making up 15 or the 23 minute delay by Mullingar is not normal especially as lot of train recovery from delays is from altered crossing patterns so a 3-6 minute schedule wait would be eliminated but the 05.45 has no crossings. Yes there is a few minutes for TSR's however that's at the end of journey. Some station stops may of been slightly faster but there is no way a train should be making up such time.
You might expect 5-6 minutes made up at most. If IE produced this type schedule for direct Limerick/Galway services at Heuston myself and others would only be delighted. Last edited by Jamie2k9 : 01-09-2016 at 20:02. |
02-09-2016, 07:28 | #3 |
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Recovery time and engineering allowance is spread all along the journey these days rather than just at the end.
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02-09-2016, 08:01 | #4 | |
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The scheduling of longer distance trains in the Dublin area is such that the train is generally less competitive than alternative modes which are routinely quicker, cheaper and less crowded, hence patronage has declined to the point where a lot of services are barely relevant. |
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02-09-2016, 08:27 | #5 | |
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What you seem to want would need extra track and I can't see where you'd possibly fit that in on the Maynooth line. It's all well and good saying journey times on longer distance services have extended on the Connolly side, but so has the number of local commuter/DART services to try and meet the needs of Dublin residents, and trying to fit both on a two track railway and still please everyone is the art of the impossible in my view. |
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02-09-2016, 10:30 | #6 | |
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Now it could be different for Connolly but at Heuston it's the end (data on TSR times will back it up) but the fact is the train should not of been able to make up such a delay before the Maynooth padding is factored in. Then IE have the nerve to add a further 5 minutes based on the draft timetable they plan to implement. On a recent GAA special the services was timed for 2h15m, a few weeks lather the same service is timed for 2h because the first week was able to make up a 15 minute delay and both weeks they had a clear run. On another service it arrived 15 minutes ahead of schedule. I fully accept a reasonable degree of recovery but this takes it to far. Last edited by Jamie2k9 : 02-09-2016 at 10:38. |
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02-09-2016, 15:57 | #7 |
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I know that I am drifting off topic slightly by referring to the Heuston side of Irish Rail. I find that there is not nearly so much padding on trains to/from Heuston, especially Intercity services, following accelerations in timings a couple of years ago. On Dublin-Cork trains, services operated by Mark4s have virtually no time to spare: the 22ks being much faster to accelerate can however recover some time.
Is there a different management philosophy on the Heuston side, or is it that the infrastructure on the lines out of Connolly has (by comparison) been hopelessly neglected? |
02-09-2016, 17:58 | #8 |
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I'd say the main reason is the quality of the infrastructure. The stretch of four-tracking keeps the intercity trains out of conflict with local trains. The DART is the main reason why Belfast and Rosslare are so slow.
On the single Sligo there is a very long stretch between crossings at Maynooth and Killucan which means that they need to leave a huge amount of padding since they can't easily change the crossing point if a train is running late. Enfield has a crossing but it's not a lot of use since there is only one platform. Adding a usable crossing between Maynooth and Killucan would make a huge difference in terms of knock-on delays from crossing and would allow for tighter timings. Of course this isn't cheap but they could probably eliminate the Enfield crossing or achieve the same effect by fixing up the second platform at Enfield. |
02-09-2016, 18:17 | #9 |
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3-5 minutes lee way on Heuston services (average) and another benefit is for example IE will give priority to Intercity over Portlaoise commuter. They would happy hold it for 10-15 minutes if Intercity services were delayed to allow them a clear run or as minimal stopping to made up time.
DART rules Connolly, followed by Commuter, followed by Intercity. Did they not apply for planning for a second Enfield platform in the last 2 years or so. Last edited by Jamie2k9 : 02-09-2016 at 18:20. |
06-09-2016, 00:16 | #10 | |
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Incidentally DART frequency has increased little since the service was introduced, the trains have just gotten slower and slower creating ever more congestion and degraded scheduling. The extension of DART to Malahide has been a disaster operationally as the layout at Malahide is totally unsuitable for the service pattern while the Bray/Greystones line is not capable of reliably supporting the half hourly service. There is little case to be made for the proposed ten minute interval DART service at off peak periods given the significant further downgrading of other services, the relatively modest levels of demand and the ease with which additional capacity can be added by increasing train sizes. On the Maynooth line, it should be very easy to separate Sligo trains |
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