Smoking on train!

[AD11]

I hadnt seen this in a long time but there was one, possibly even two people standing between 2 carriages smoking on the 18.05 from Connolly to Longford yesterday evening.

As if it wasnt uncomfortable enough the stench of smoke was disgusting. Added to that the unfortunate fact that there was a distinct smell of urine coming in too made it for one of the worst trips ever.

The only consolation was that I did have a seat for a change. I've had to make arrangements at work to slip away 5 minutes before time just to have a chance of a seat. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesnt.

Getting back to the smoking, there were 2 Gardai at Mullingar but I dont know if that was only a coincidence.

Where are the Irish Rail staff when something really unpleasant not to mention illegal like that is going on?

[Mark Gleeson]

Toilets are all fitted with smoke alarms.

The coaches are stuff full of emergency handles, passenger driver communication alarms and so on.

[AD11]

They werent in the toilets. They were between carriages.

[James Howard]

There was somebody smoking on the 1905 to Sligo last night as well. There aren't smoke alarms in all trains or they don't work. Just before Christmas I was beside the able-bodied toilet on a 29K and there was an couple who nipped in every 5 minutes to take a quick puff on a joint.

You daren't do anything about it - particularly if you are trying to get a bit of work done because at the very least you are likely to get your laptop smashed. It is not up to the customer to do anything about this - they need a staff member in the passenger area of the train. I haven't seen an Irish Rail staff member on the 1805 to Longford for at least 5 years.

[AD11]

I agree James, any one challenging scumbags on the train is more likely to end up in hospital or worse. Sad times we live in.

[Jamie2k9]

Mark

Do the alarms on the 22's actually alert the driver, they get set off with a little wind and I don't believe for one minute staff are informed as they say as they never do anything so its pointless.

[Mark Gleeson]

They do set off an alarm in the cab and the driver CCTV display shows the camera above the alarm activated. If the driver fails to acknowledge the alarm within 5 seconds the train stops

[Mark Gleeson]

They do set off an alarm in the cab and the driver CCTV display shows the camera above the alarm activated. If the driver fails to acknowledge the alarm within 5 seconds the train stops

[Jamie2k9]

I see but while the driver acts in the cab, nothing is done about the passengers who are smoking, now I know some of the cases are purely by accident but doing nothing defeats the purpose.

[Destructix]

Cigarettes very rarely set off smoking alarms. Burning toilet roll would set it off but I doubt a cigarette would. Chain smokers in this house and every room has an alarm and it's never ever went off.

[James Howard]

I've had one go off a couple of times while in the toilet and nothing was burning and I heard nothing from the driver. I've even heard them go off when there was nobody in the toilet. So I would guess that nuisance alarms have reduced the effectiveness to the point where drivers just reflexively dismiss them. But the 29Ks mustn't have an alarm given how regularly I see people smoking in toilets there.

Surely this is a bit dangerous as if there was actually a fire in a toilet nothing would be done about it until it had caught hold and a passenger noticed it and pulled the cord or whatever it is nowadays. Perhaps they are hoping that a passenger will intervene with a fire extinguisher rather than actually provide staff to do anything about potential emergencies.