Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson
Its great to dream of 22k and Mk3 but
Who needs a 183-500 seat train when the average load is under 20?
A 3 car ICR costs twice as much in fuel as a 2 coach 2700 does and is actually slower point to point when the line speed is low
Mk3 option would be horribly expensive as you need a guard and a generator van, not happening. The UK trainspotters have been and gone
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This might all be the case, but you are failing to see that the customer doesn't give a damn how much fuel the thing uses. I can imagine a bus uses less fuel again than a 2 coach 2700 and it is cleaner, quieter, quicker and more comfortable. So why will any customer chose the train if the bus is superior in every way?
I don't hold any romantic notions about locos or indeed trains in general. My motivation for using the train is that is my best option. The morning intercity train from Sligo to Dublin is very comfortable, reasonable quiet and basically meets my needs. I am getting rightly cheesed off with spending over 90 minutes on the 1805 29k as it is too crowded and noisy to work on. If I was faced with needing to take a 29k in the morning as well, I would probably switch to using the bus especially if it were to cost me a few hundred euro a year less.
If I were commuting from Galway to Limerick and faced with choosing between spending 60 minutes longer per day on the train over the bus and paying more money for the slower, less comfortable service, this would not be a difficult decision at all.