Anti Social Scumbags

[Mark Gleeson]

They have struck again reports of passengers assaulted on the 17:55 Heuston Newbridge service

[James Howard]

We can expect a decisive response from Irish Rail in the near future. They will be printing up large stickers with a phone number to ring which will be manned from 09:30 to 16:30 Monday to Thursday.

Joking aside, in all seriousness, a swift response in terms of security on board a large percentage if not all trains is required for the next few days. Obviously these lads decided that since the last lot got bail anything goes so I won't be surprised to see a spate of incidents. This incident appears to be a lot more serious as it seems a passenger was actually assaulted.

According to Irish Rail's twitter feed, the driver (and I presume by extension nobody at Irish Rail) was aware until they were contacted by the Gardai. Unbelievable. Also, I would hardly call 18:30 or so out of hours for a rail company.

Iarnród Éireann ‏@IrishRail 19m
@experteasy @rosslaregooner Our twitter feed is not always manned out if hours. The driver was not aware until the Gardai made contact

[Mark Gleeson]

There is the somewhat unknown emergency number 01 8555454 staffed 24-7-365

Its basically connects you to the same person the driver gets if he pushes the emergency button

For the circumstances tonight its use is completely justified.

Protocol is
Dial if there is a risk to life
When answered state 'This is an emergency call'
Clearly and slowly give the details, if on a train the trains origin/departure time otherwise if at station/level crossing/bridge give the location and the reference number as shown
Give your name and number
Follow instructions given

In a railway emergency dial this number FIRST before 112 (I know its illogical but thats the protocol) the biggest risk in a railway incident is other trains still moving

[Jamie2k9]

James
why would they know when nobody including the person involved decided to alert the driver. There was enough passengers to do it and even if the two people were going through the train somebody could of used the toilet to alert him.

Safe to assume they have free travel, no way could they afford Irish Rails prices to travel around so much.

As for transport police airport and ports fund them fully from commercial revenue received. Needless to say transport operators here couldn't afford to.

According to the journal 3 have being arrested.

[James Howard]

The point is that nobody alerted the driver because to do so is to draw attention to yourself and hence become a target. Also, why bother if all the driver can do is ring the guards. You may as well cut out the middleman.

The problem is that for several years now there have been some trains with no Irish Rail staff presence aside from the driver. On these trains, routine anti-social behaviour such as smoking, playing music, etc goes entirely unpunished and so escalates. It is this development of a threatening atmosphere that any staff presence on the train prevents. This is what has escalated into these two incidents.

Obviously a transport police is the ideal solution, but there is little point in having it as a Garda division as they staff will just get reassigned to more important and glamourous duties. But having any kind of presence is better than none - where this be private security or even just not having the expectation of NEVER seeing a ticket collector an a given service.

[Jamie2k9]

Don't buy not alerting him at all. Yes possibly draw attention however there is over 200 passengers on a train. Somebody could of easily pulled the hammer beside themselves and the driver would of had to come out and the CCTV would clearly show the people in the coach.

He could easily of slowed down the train so guards would meet its arrival and there is at least 200 passengers onboard which could easy detain the two suspects.

As for only driver onboard only a few weeks ago I was on a train which was supposed to have security but didn't and had a ticket checker and the driver was easily made away of problems onboard and nothing was done whatsoever.

This doing nothing approach is the problem.

[Mark Gleeson]

There seems to be a passenger education issue here which contributed to the issue this evening

1. Pulling any of the emergency handles or breaking the seal on any emergency equipment does not sound an alarm in the passenger cabin or in any way indicate they have been activated

2. With the exception of the emergency door release none of the emergency handles actually cause the train to stop. The driver has to press a button within 5 seconds to override the emergency stop

3. When any handle or seal is broken the driver display in the cab immediately shows the location and the nearest CCTV

4. There are 11 ways to trigger an emergency in each ICR coach, 4 inside the coach (glass hammer + fire extinguisher) , 3 at each end (doors *2 plus driver communication button), 1 in the toilet

[ocian]

I remember travelling to Galway and Westport a number of years ago and there was two of the rail security guys that you find on the Luas or in Connolly and Heuston stations on board each train. As expected, having these 2 big tough lads in stab-proof vests etc discourages any antisocial behaviour.

Anyone have any idea why this arrangement of having them on the trains stopped, and if it would be possible for Irish Rail to start putting them on trains again?