Iarnród Éireann orders DMU cars to increase commuter capacity

[spudfan]

https://www.railwaygazette.com/traction-and-rolling-stock/iarnrod-eireann-orders-dmu-cars-to-increase-commuter-capacity/54951.article

[StevieB]

Good new. Governments and their agencies can take a long time to make decisions and then act on them, so don’t always blame the boys at the coalface. IE recognised the problem and made the request some time ago.

Stephen

[RANGERMOUSE]

While investment in additional fleet is to be welcomed, I can't help but think IE could utilise their existing fleet better.
I was travelling on the 19:15 Connolly to Sligo last Friday. The fact that this is the last train is in itself ridicules. It was absolutely packed with people crammed in the gangways. It was a 4 carriage unit. 
We had to wait in Mullingar for the Sligo to Connolly to pass. It was an 8 carriage unit and there was nobody on it, just a few in the first couple of carriages.

Surely the second unit of 4 could be better used on the Connolly to Sligo where the capacity is needed. Even if they sent the 8 car unit as far as Mullingar then split it with the front 4 carrying on to Sligo leaving the rear 4 to return to Dublin if needed. The train is less busy from Mullingar on. This happens in the UK with no issues.
Maybe I'm over simplifying things.

[Noel]

Here's hoping one day they can get funding for electrification of some main lines, especially Cork-Dublin.

[thewanderer]

8 hours ago, RANGERMOUSE said:

While investment in additional fleet is to be welcomed, I can't help but think IE could utilise their existing fleet better.
I was travelling on the 19:15 Connolly to Sligo last Friday. The fact that this is the last train is in itself ridicules. It was absolutely packed with people crammed in the gangways. It was a 4 carriage unit. 
We had to wait in Mullingar for the Sligo to Connolly to pass. It was an 8 carriage unit and there was nobody on it, just a few in the first couple of carriages.

Surely the second unit of 4 could be better used on the Connolly to Sligo where the capacity is needed. Even if they sent the 8 car unit as far as Mullingar then split it with the front 4 carrying on to Sligo leaving the rear 4 to return to Dublin if needed. The train is less busy from Mullingar on. This happens in the UK with no issues.
Maybe I'm over simplifying things.

I think you are.

The 1305 Connolly - Sligo is 8 x 29000 on FO. I doubt this would carry as 4 x29000 past Mullingar as you suggest. It's 8 x29000 for a reason, i.e. its rather busy leaving Connolly. The 1505 Connolly - Sligo is increased from 4ICR to 7ICR on Friday's.

On the Heuston side two extra 3ICR;s from the maintenance pool are pressed into traffic on Friday's to allow the FO 1615 Heuston - Waterford to operate and increase capacity on the 0735 Heuston - Westport, 1310 Westport - Heuston from 4ICR to 7ICR. 1815 Heuston - Westport from 5ICR to 7ICR and the 1710 Heuston - Athlone F.X. (Westport F.O.) from 4ICR to 5ICR.

The fleet is intensively used, even more so on Friday's with little options for recovery if things go wrong due to the demand on capacity on this day.