Irish Rail - are they always this bad?

Hi micamaca, the think about bank holidays is there just aren't enough of them If at peak times the system is already near capacity there isn't much room for extra services in either the infrastructure or the rolling stock and adding carriages is not quite straightforward as far as I understand, I think with the railcars it is easier but there are limits about what the engines can do and what carriages you can connect. I agree with you about the need for some more properly late services, I wonder what the uptake would be like? The other thing to consider is that certainly in the UK a high proportion of on-track maintenance is carried out at night, I suspect it is the same here. I wouldn't want to sacrifice time from proper maintenance regimes just to get a later train home, however I reckon that with IR it is more likely to be a (dare I say it) union issue than a maintenance one. I have noticed recently that some train crews are more inclined to keep you informed than others, dunno if there is an official position on it. I have arrived delayed at Heuston and been greeted by not only taxis laid on by Irish Rail but people handing out flyers detailing the claims procedure. I think the taxi's were because of the number of people trying to make connections to the airport, the port and Connolly, other times I have only got the flyer.

Hi purple - think I am the classic Libran, can't disagree with me cos I agree with everyone!

almo - the service is called the Enterprise

jmayo - that is one thing that doesn't seem to get discussed or addressed very often. Connections are very inefficient on the network. The only one I can think of working well is the connection at Manulla Junction!!
 
ludermor said:
you can pre book your seats online now, have only done it on the cork train but it works out ok, no need to be there an hour beforehand
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How reliable is this? I've done it about 5 or 6 times on the Enterprise to Belfast, and one busy morning they had it all mixed up. People with same reservation numbers, lables all wrong etc. Don't know how common this is though.
 
Plenty of discussion on online reservation on Platform 11. Doesn't seem to work to well.
 
Sorry CC I didnt read that part of your earlier post!

I must say that the new Kerry service (using commuter trains to Mallow) is working out very well. Trains run 15 mins after each odd hour beginning at 5am each day.

I got a family day return to Dublin for €90 which was good value. The trains left and arrived on time. Breakfast in the morning was great but the service on the return evening consisted of soggy toasted sandwitches.

aj
 
A major complaint over on Platform 11 is the variablity in the quality and availability of catering services.

Good to hear that new services are working out.
 

Maintenance regimes...maintenance regimes! That's a giggle! , I'm quite tickled after that one!

Was on the "one train an hour" commuter train to Dublin yesterday...train delayed due to a technical fault. Fair enough but still, it's one train an hour...can they not manage one train an hour? There's one at 16.16, 17.17 and 18.13...I'm not exaggerating...they can't manage one train an hour...have now dubbed them Irish Snail.
 
micamaca said:
Fair enough but still, it's one train an hour...can they not manage one train an hour?
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Capacity constraints is one reason. There is very little 'wiggle room' at Connolly-hence the opening of Docklands earlier this year. There are many other reasons as to why services aren't more frequent. Rather than going into them here, have a read of the dicussions on Platform 11 and you will get some understanding of 'why'.

Not for a second am I saying the service is 'good enough'-it's not-and it won't improve substantially for 10+ years.
 
I'll have a read so...anything would be better than sitting there fuming without understanding why.

cheers m
 
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