Rail Users Ireland Forum

Go Back   Rail Users Ireland Forum > Irish Rail Customer Service Issues > Commuter Services > Longford-Maynooth-Dunboyne-Clonsilla-Dublin line
Register FAQ Members List Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Unread 09-05-2011, 06:35   #1
James Howard
Really Really Regluar Poster
 
James Howard's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Sligo Line
Posts: 1,115
Default Timetable Padding

On Friday, I caught the 1715 Connolly - Longford at Maynooth which is a train I very rarely get as there is a faster train that leaves 10 minutes earlier. However, it did serve to highlight just how ridiculously padded the Longford/Sligo timetimetable is. I didn't notice what time we left Maynooth, but by the time we got to Enfield, it was 5 minutes early and it actually left early.

We arrived in Mullingar a full 15 minutes early where we had to wait for an up-train. We left Mullingar about 3 minutes late and again, by Edgeworthstown we was 4 or 5 minutes early. I never noticed the speed being excessive at any point - indeed at some points we were dawdling along.

The thing is that the current timetable is an impediement to a lot of people commuting. Few people are as mad enough to stick more than a couple of years of 3 hours per day on the train. Given that this line has had millions poured into it over the last 10 years, it is rediculous that there has been no journey time improvement with the exception of one morning service being replaced with an express. There is obviously huge potential for improvement if a 29k can beat its timetable by 20 minutes.
James Howard is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 09-05-2011, 13:46   #2
Mark Gleeson
Technical Officer
 
Mark Gleeson's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Coach C, Seat 33
Posts: 12,669
Default

This is a classic example of the single track pinch point, you can't move until the guy in front has moved and the train going the other way has past

Its like the classic movie math question if a train leaves Dublin at 4pm at 50mph and another leaves Sligo.....

Double track to Mullingar is desperately needed
Mark Gleeson is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 10-05-2011, 08:04   #3
cullenswood
Regular Poster
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 34
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson View Post
Double track to Mullingar is desperately needed
I am assuming there is nothing about this in the planning stages and realistically it would be at least 10 years before a double line would be built?
cullenswood is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 10-05-2011, 08:31   #4
Mark Gleeson
Technical Officer
 
Mark Gleeson's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Coach C, Seat 33
Posts: 12,669
Default

It was built as 2 tracks originally so no planning is required to put the second track back. Clonsilla Maynooth was done in serious hurry when the Luas project stalled and the EU money had to be used somewhere

It would be a low cost project start at Maynooth and work out as funds available
Mark Gleeson is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 10-05-2011, 15:40   #5
Kilocharlie
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 395
Default

IE is not alone in timetable padding. I travelled in Switzerland and UK recently and there is ample evidence of padding in both places. It is quite noticeable that the dwell times in stations, even small ones, is longer than typical IE stops. I've seen dwell times of 5 to 10 mins or more at major stations. When you have long dwell times, it is easy to keep to schedule. Having said that IE do this too; for example recently the 1805 Heuston-Portlaoise was 5 mins early in Kildare and sat there for the 5 minutes.

Swiss railways work like clockwork with many, many interdependent connections and precise passing on single tracks, so time keeping is very important. Without padding this would probably be impossible to maintain.

I suppose the question of IE is that, even with the padding, why do so many trains run late?
Kilocharlie is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 11-05-2011, 04:10   #6
Colm Moore
Local Liaison Officer
 
Colm Moore's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,442
Default

There are a lot of crossing movements between Maynooth and Longford, especially in the evening and if one goes wrong it can all go very bad.
__________________
Colm Moore is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 20-05-2011, 12:58   #7
James Howard
Really Really Regluar Poster
 
James Howard's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Sligo Line
Posts: 1,115
Default

I agree that the evening peak is a big problem between Connolly and Longford. I think the 17:00 from Sligo has to cross with about three trains. They could make this run a lot smoother by scheduling the 1700 from Sligo to take a lot longer which would help matters. Also, there is too much of a gap between Killucan and Maynooth as Enfield cannot be used for unscheduled crossings. Giving Enfield a second platform or adding a crossing near it would help a lot.
James Howard is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 12:42.


Powered by vBulletin
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.