Late Late Late

[James Howard]

I've often thought that it would help a bit if the driver could open all of the doors rather than just enable them - at least at the bigger stops. When I used to get off a Longford train in Pearse, it used to happen at least a couple of times a week where somebody would be standing in front on the button and it might take 10 or 20 seconds to get the doors open.

The biggest problem with passenger flow in this country is that people have no manners. It wouldn't occur to 90% of people to step off a train to one side of the door to clear the way for 30 or 40 people and then get back on it. Similarly a fair proportion of people are too thick to realise that everyone will get where they are going a bit faster if they let people off the train before getting on themselves.

Maybe they could have a helpful instructional poster like the one that explains why leaves on the track make the trains go slow. Or an announcement along the the lines of "Hey Thicko, let everyone off before you get on the train".

Another genius thing that would help matters is the fact that every single train in the country seems to be 4 inches higher than every platform in the country (well, maybe it is just the platforms I use). And when you consider that most of the platforms on the DART, Maynooth and Sligo lines have been extended over the last 10 years - specifically to accommodate new trains, why the hell didn't they raise them at the same time? That would save 2 or 3 minutes faffing about with ramps every time somebody in a wheelchair needs to get on or off a train.

Keeping things running just doens't seem to be a priority. Take the example of a medical emergency (which is usually somebody fainting due to overcrowding). This usually results in the train stopping for 20 minutes while somebody makes tut-tutting noises to the victim and waits for the paramedics. Now, it is perfectly reasonable that the person not be moved off the train by an amateur, but they could let the train continue on to one of Connolly, Clonsilla, Heuston or Sydney Parade which are near major hospitals and arrange for the paramedics to meet the train there. This would probably get the person to proper care faster, would lessen the travel time for the ambulance and would keep things moving.

Nobody ever seems to have a plan when entirely predicatable things go wrong.

[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by James Howard

Maybe they could have a helpful instructional poster like the one that explains why leaves on the track make the trains go slow. Or an announcement along the the lines of "Hey Thicko, let everyone off before you get on the train".

Agreed, but it might be phrased a bit more diplomatically.

Another genius thing that would help matters is the fact that every single train in the country seems to be 4 inches higher than every platform in the country (well, maybe it is just the platforms I use). And when you consider that most of the platforms on the DART, Maynooth and Sligo lines have been extended over the last 10 years - specifically to accommodate new trains, why the hell didn't they raise them at the same time? That would save 2 or 3 minutes faffing about with ramps every time somebody in a wheelchair needs to get on or off a train.

Actually, level boarding would benefit everyone - you don't have to hesitate at the door to check where the step is, thereby allowing faster boarding and unboarding. Also CIÉ consider 25% of their passengers to be mobility impaired - its not just people in wheelchairs, but people with young children (with or without buggy), shopping, luggage, older people, etc.

The platforms are set at 915mm (three feet, but often called "three and a bit feet") and this roughly matches the DART fleet. However, the entire diesel fleet is one step higher than this.

Keeping things running just doens't seem to be a priority. Take the example of a medical emergency (which is usually somebody fainting due to overcrowding). This usually results in the train stopping for 20 minutes while somebody makes tut-tutting noises to the victim and waits for the paramedics. Now, it is perfectly reasonable that the person not be moved off the train by an amateur, but they could let the train continue on to one of Connolly, Clonsilla, Heuston or Sydney Parade which are near major hospitals and arrange for the paramedics to meet the train there. This would probably get the person to proper care faster, would lessen the travel time for the ambulance and would keep things moving.

The problem is when that train then breaks down midway between stations and there is no meaningful access for the ambulance crew. While this may not be a profound issue with a simple fainting, it could make a serious difference for someone with a heart attack.