Passengers make tracks to get on board new train
LOCAL rail commuters were pleased to find themselves travelling in style last Thursday as the first of Iarnród Éireann's new trains hit the tracks on the Dublin to Waterford line, which passes through Kilkenny.
The 9.30am train from Heuston pulled into MacDonagh Station a little ahead of time at about 11.15am on Thursday before heading on to Waterford and passengers were very impressed with the journey.
Edward Ryan, from Cascade, Freshford, said he was a regular commuter on the Dublin to Waterford line and he found the new train substantially more comfortable than the old ones.
"It was right on time as well, which was nice," he quipped.
He said the carriages were much more modern inside and the journey a lot quieter.
A trio of Dublin women who caught the first new train into MacDonagh hadn't realised they were on the first new service but were very impressed with it!
Lilian O'Brien, from Poppintree, Dublin said she often travelled by train to visit her son and daughter-in-law who live in Kilkenny.
"I was very impressed with it," she said. "It was just fabulous."
"It was spotlessly clean and it's just really, really lovely.
"But as the first passengers, they should have let us travel for free," she joked.
Travelling with Mrs O'Brien were Phillis and Audrey Meehan, from Finglas, who said they didn't catch the train very often but shared Mrs O'Brien's sentiments about the new railcars.
Initially, only one new train will traverse the Dublin to Waterford route, making a single journey in each direction every day, before the rest of the fleet is rolled out later in the year.
As well as the morning service from Dublin, the train will also run on the 1.15pm service from Waterford, arriving in Kilkenny at 1.58pm.
The new fleet will transform Ireland's train system from one of the oldest in Europe to one of the newest - and also the greenest.
The trains already meet stringent new EU rail standards for emissions, which other countries will have until 2012 to fall into line with.
This makes Ireland's fleet the greenest diesel fleet in the EU.
Iarnrd ireann is carrying out a staged overhaul of its entire fleet, which includes 183 new carriages being brought in from Korea and Japan to complement the 67 new carriages already operating an hourly service between Dublin and Cork.
The new trains will allow higher frequency and passenger capacity across all routes, as well as more comfortable journeys and improved accessibility for passengers with mobility problems.
Iarnrd ireann said the trains would also be more reliable that the old ones, because the new trains are all railcars that each have an independent engine, unlike the old trains that were run by a locomotive engine at the front.
This means if one engine breaks down, the engines in other carriages can be used to power the train - reducing the likelihood of delays.
The trains are all fully air-conditioned and have internal CCTV systems to improve security and safety on board, have a sleek carriage design and a comfortable, modern interior.
Passengers are also able to make electronic seat reservations when booking their tickets online - a feature not offered under the old system.
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Weather for Kilkenny
Monday 21 May 2012
Today
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Temperature: 10 C to 17 C
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Temperature: 11 C to 17 C
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