Each set comprises two driving end cars and two intermediate cars They are capable of operation as two sets of their own class or in formations of up to 10 cars with either 2600 Class or 2800 Class DMUs. Each car is fitted with a 294 kW MANtraction engine and a Cummins generator engine, both mounted underfloor. Each 4-car set is long, high and wide. They have a maximum permitted speed of 120 km/h. Passenger capacity is 185 seated and 634 standing. The original delivery of twenty sets were numbered 2901-2980. However, to avoid conflict with the existing numbering system of the NIR 3000 Class, all cars were renumbered e.g. set 2901-04 becoming 29101-401. The 2005 batch of nine sets are numbered 29021-29029. The railcars were the first to be shipped with the new Commuter branding rather than the "Arrow" branding previously used, and as such were the first Iarnród Éireann rolling stock not to feature the company's traditional orange and black livery, which was phased out from passenger service in 2006. The Commuter brand was also extended to Classes 2600, 2700 and 2800 railcars. It has since been replaced by the InterCity livery on these DMUs. In 2014, a new all-over two-tone green livery was introduced for the class. This has not yet been applied to all vehicles.
Deployment
They work most Northern Commuter and Western Commuter services. They have proven to be a very reliable unit despite operating a variety of demanding services including Sligo. They were largely returned to their intended Commuter service since deliveries of 22000 Class DMUs commenced in 2007, which displaced them from Sligo line workings in 2008, though there are still services to and from Rosslare Harbour with the 29000 Class DMUs. However, they remained in their "Commuter" livery when working this long-distance line. The November 2009timetable change finally saw the end of the 29000s running West of Dublin from Heuston Station to Newbridge/Kildare and Carlow. The services have been covered by 22000 Class DMUs since 2009.
A 29000 Class Unit features in the intro to RTÉ’s Fair City.
Accidents and incidents
On Monday 16 November 2009, unit 29026 was derailed near when it collided with a landslip obstructing the line.
On Tuesday 7 June 2016, one unidentified unit caught fire whilst operating the 09:40 Drogheda to Dublin Pearse service. Since then, concerns have been raised about the safety of the units.
