Does Waterford-Limerick have passenger potential?

[Sealink]

Think I could try it?

[Traincustomer]

Originally Posted by Sealink

Think I could try it?

You could upgrade?! "Ah go on" as Mrs. Doyle would say!!!

On a serious note it appears that a "block" in the booking engine is omitted i.e. if Carrick to Limerick Jct involves more than one train it is not via the direct South Tipp line so a higher fare needs to reply.

[Thomas Morelli]

A couple of days ago I took the 16:25 train from Waterford to Cahir.

The train left Waterford with 40 people on board, and it had 26 on board when I got off.
Would anyone know if this is the amount of people who would typically be using the service?

[Jamie2k9]

A couple of days ago I took the 16:25 train from Waterford to Cahir.

The train left Waterford with 40 people on board, and it had 26 on board when I got off.
Would anyone know if this is the amount of people who would typically be using the service?

40 is a good number, by any chance were some of those part of a Rail Tours Ireland group? (likely they were)

[Thomas Morelli]

Originally Posted by Jamie2k9

40 is a good number, by any chance were some of those part of a Rail Tours Ireland group? (likely they were)

Yes, there were people on the train in a Rail Tours Ireland group, but I would say there weren't any more than ten people part of the group.

How many people would usually be on the train?

[Thomas Morelli]

Does anyone know how much time stopping at a station typically adds to journey times (for the 2800 class for example)

[ACustomer]

Stopping at intermediate stations on LJn-Waterford should add 2 or 3 minutes per stop (asuming it spends a minute or less actually stopped). No real difference if it's ICRs (as opposed to 2800s). Trains would in many cases have to slow for staff exchange and the low line speed means less time loss.

Also in response to an earlier post, mainline nonstop trains can pass Limerick Junction at 60mph, ususally only 2 or 3 trains on weekdays and maybe more on Sundays.

[Traincustomer]

Originally Posted by Jamie2k9

40 is a good number, by any chance were some of those part of a Rail Tours Ireland group? (likely they were)

Some time ago I was on the 16.25 out of Waterford and counted 50 something passengers in the course of walking through to the leading carriage several minutes prior to departure. All individuals or small family groups and no folks on a tour apparent on that particular occasion.

[Traincustomer]

A well-written piece appears in the current Tipperary Star:

At the end of August, the railways between Limerick Junction and Waterford and Limerick and Ballybrophy were in the news again as a result of the latest Irish Rail (IR) negotiations with the unions in the Labour Court over pay claims.

Documents deposited by IR highlighted that both routes could close unless the company is adequately funded.

Media, led by the Irish Independent and RTE, focused on the alleged €761 per passenger subsidy for the Nenagh line, instead of investigating the root causes behind the under-performance of these lines.

These lines serve eight large towns and despite the millions of euro in infrastructural investment in the last decade, little attempt has been made to run a service which is more than marginally relevant to the requirements of the communities they serve. It’s akin to opening a supermarket without stocking the shelves.

The full article can be read at source:
http://www.tipperarystar.ie/news/new...-services.html