And they wonder why no one uses the train...

[joey]

I'm on the 1800 Sligo to DUBLIN Connolly.

I highlight Dublin as a matter of fact and in purpose. God bless any tourists that vye to visit these shores. Train is running well apart from
. unknown ten minute delay outside longford as there wasn't other train passing until edgeworthstown
. Toilet facilities currently out if order in one carriage
. Lady tried to get off at mullingar but train stopped and hastily took off within 30 secs, now she is beat out and having to continue the journey to Enfield
. Maybe if the tanoid was working, or the digital display operated correctly she might just recognise her stop to get off.
. All there is displayed is Connolly station, like where is that? We allas regular travellers know well but the nonseasoned traveller holiday maker won't. There should be a fool proof system in place, if the tanoid and the digit display ain't working the driver should make an announcement using his mic. Jus like he did to inform us of a five min delay at Dromod

Beggars belief.

[Jamie2k9]

Your nit picking about the toilet being out of order, there was 3 others onboard. 30 second stops are normal, maybe no pa was a factor but I expect people generally like to stroll off a train as of it has all day to wait for them. She could of easily pressed the emergency intercom beside the door to get off.

[Inniskeen]

You have hit the nail on the head in respect of a number of issues - the name of the town/city to which the train is destined or about to serve should always be announced and displayed.

The subsidiary name should only be used

1. If the train serves more than one station in the same town - really only relevant in respect of Dublin or Belfast.
   
2. If a station has services to multiple destinations in the same town/city - again only really relevent in Dublin or Belfast, particularly on the Maynooth line.
   

Jamie, 30 second stops are anything but common on Irish Rail - one of the trains I use daily typically spends over two minutes at every station and this is a suburban train !

Last monday we were stationary for 14 minutes over six stops on an overall journey of 55 minutes for little more than 30 miles.

On my last trip from Pearse to Howth only one stop was less than 30 seconds.

[m3parkway]

I why Irish Rail have timetabled such long wait times. Especially on the Maynooth and Dart lines where the drivers decelerate far to early. Is this to save money on breaking equipment?
In most other countries trains use full acceleration and deceleration and don't begin to slow until absolutely necessary. Was watching a documentary about railways in Japan when the private companies took over and fine tuned timetables constantly decreasing station dwell and journey times. This seen an increase in revenue - trains could be turned around quicker less trains needed to operate the same number of services. The improvements also attracted greater passenger numbers and revenue was greatly increased. It should be very easy to implement such system on the Dart as the majority of the fleet are the same Japanese trains. If successful Dart services would take up less time on the Connolly - Howth Junction section meaning better faster slots for Enterprise and Commuter services on the northern line.

[Inniskeen]

M3 Parkway - you are on the ball !

Faster DARTs = less sets = same frequency = less crew = more passengers = less congestion

DART does not run at maximum line speed due to an inflexible control system which constrains running speed below the permitted track speed limit over much of the route.

This is a signifigant issue between Greystones and Bray, Killiney and Dalkey, Booterstown and Pearse and on the Howth branch, the latter two sections due to the presence of level crossings and the restrictive signal and ATP controls associated with them.

The other issue with DART is station dwell times which are longer than ideal for a n urban rapid transit system. Target should be no more than 45 secs for city centre stations and 30 secs for other stations.

[Jamie2k9]

Jamie, 30 second stops are anything but common on Irish Rail - one of the trains I use daily typically spends over two minutes at every station and this is a suburban train !

Last monday we were stationary for 14 minutes over six stops on an overall journey of 55 minutes for little more than 30 miles.

On my last trip from Pearse to Howth only one stop was less than 30 seconds.

Ok maybe common isn't the word but it happens but one passenger didn't get off the train, how many managed to get off.

joey
where was the person when the train started moving, at the door, making her way?

On Friday I was on a train and it was at least stopped for 1 minute and 30-40 passengers had managed to get off and then the final person was taking a day to get off the train until doors closed and the buggy got stuck.

At the same time we were running 18 minutes late to suit Irish Rails operational convenience which is now turning into a weekly thing.

What we need to know is the issue dwell times or lack of ticket machines and people turning up last minute to purchase tickets and drivers are doing the kind thing and waiting.

One major dwell time I have is drivers spend an insane amount of time at Thomastown where next to nobody uses the station.

[joey]

She was just approaching the sliding door to enter the vestibule area where the main area of exit is. Typical that if it was a 29k she would have been OK.
He/she driver landed into mullingar at pace and took off fairly briskly, like within 30secs. I am not sure, but I think she may have pressed the intercom button as the train stopped 100 yards out of the station and it wasn't for signals.

If IR have switched off the recorded announcements (which I kind of welcome) there should be a one liner from the driver approaching a station

[Mark Gleeson]

Originally Posted by Jamie2k9

Your nit picking about the toilet being out of order, there was 3 others onboard. 30 second stops are normal, maybe no pa was a factor but I expect people generally like to stroll off a train as of it has all day to wait for them. She could of easily pressed the emergency intercom beside the door to get off.

Not a 29k there are not.

Please be considerate to other posters opinions.

[Jamie2k9]

It scheduled for 22.

Will take other point onboard.

[James Howard]

30 seconds is nowhere near enough to get off an ICR if you are in the middle of a car and it suddenly pulls into your station with no warning. It takes me twice as long to pack up my laptop and get ready to leave and I've been doing it 4 times a week for 10 years.

Also, there is no train back down from Enfield after the 1800 up-train so she would be stuck with trying her luck with a bus or a taxi.

That's a good point regarding Connolly station and tourists. Most trains actually display "Connolly Station" - why not "Dublin Connolly" which is shorter. It is a train so is self-evident that it is going to a station. Where's it going to go, Connolly Ice-cream parlour?

Again, the notice saying X-hundred euro fine for misuse could easily scare somebody into keeping quiet in this case. Who is to say what is misuse and is it going to be different if the driver has had a row with his wife the same day?

[Jamie2k9]

30 seconds is nowhere near enough to get off an ICR if you are in the middle of a car and it suddenly pulls into your station with no warning. It takes me twice as long to pack up my laptop and get ready to leave and I've been doing it 4 times a week for 10 years.

Also, there is no train back down from Enfield after the 1800 up-train so she would be stuck with trying her luck with a bus or a taxi.

That's a good point regarding Connolly station and tourists. Most trains actually display "Connolly Station" - why not "Dublin Connolly" which is shorter. It is a train so is self-evident that it is going to a station. Where's it going to go, Connolly Ice-cream parlour?

Again, the notice saying X-hundred euro fine for misuse could easily scare somebody into keeping quiet in this case. Who is to say what is misuse and is it going to be different if the driver has had a row with his wife the same day?

The 30 seconds could easily not be totally correct and for example if it was 45 or 50 seconds stopped. Mark can you access the train data?

I don't believe there is a notice about fines for the intercom beside it and the driver would not have the power to say you have being fined and to be honest there has not being any such case reported in the media so I expect IE have never collected a penny for such fines. The same with the smoking fines.

I agree that Dublin Connolly should be displayed and the same at Heuston which doesn't happen however the Mark 4 sets use Dublin Heuston.

[berneyarms]

Originally Posted by James Howard

30 seconds is nowhere near enough to get off an ICR if you are in the middle of a car and it suddenly pulls into your station with no warning. It takes me twice as long to pack up my laptop and get ready to leave and I've been doing it 4 times a week for 10 years.

Also, there is no train back down from Enfield after the 1800 up-train so she would be stuck with trying her luck with a bus or a taxi.

That's a good point regarding Connolly station and tourists. Most trains actually display "Connolly Station" - why not "Dublin Connolly" which is shorter. It is a train so is self-evident that it is going to a station. Where's it going to go, Connolly Ice-cream parlour?

Again, the notice saying X-hundred euro fine for misuse could easily scare somebody into keeping quiet in this case. Who is to say what is misuse and is it going to be different if the driver has had a row with his wife the same day?

Most Intercity stops are scheduled for 1 or 2 minutes, with the only exceptions being stops at small halts which may be 30 seconds. If the electronic pa system is not working, then of course the driver should be announcing each stop in advance. I would hope that IE would cover the cost of that lady getting from Enfield back to Mullingar as it would be the least that they could do.

And I'd agree that the displays should read "Dublin Connolly" - that makes far more sense.

However, I don't agree with your comments about using the alarm buttons. If you find yourself in a situation such as that outlined above, or where anti-social behaviour was taking place, and you do use the button, then you will not be penalised for doing so.

The signs are there to deter messers from pressing it out of devilment rather than anyone with a legitimate problem. Anyone with what they consider a legitimate reason will not be penalised, and I think to suggest otherwise is frankly daft.

I think that you are to a degree scaremongering in this regard and frankly being unnecessarily insulting to professional railway staff by your last comment.

[James Howard]

Are we really disputing whether a train was stopped for 30 or 45 seconds and asking that people spend time looking up the dwell time?

I'm not scaremongering, just stating the obvious in that people are reluctant to use the emergency communication button for fear of being accused of mis-using it.

[berneyarms]

Originally Posted by James Howard

Are we really disputing whether a train was stopped for 30 or 45 seconds and asking that people spend time looking up the dwell time?

I'm not scaremongering, just stating the obvious in that people are reluctant to use the emergency communication button for fear of being accused of mis-using it.

No I'm not disputing that at all - just pointing out that it shouldn't have been stopped for 30 seconds at Mullingar - I'm agreeing with the OP that it shouldn't have happened. The only place 30 second stops take place are (and should be) small halts.

I think you are scaremongering with regard to the alarm button. It's utter nonsense suggesting people are going to be afraid of using it. Are we to become a complete nanny state that everyone needs their hand held at all times? I think people need to grow up a little if they do.

Your last line of the original post was completely OTT about railway staff.

[grainne whale]

Ah, forget about using the train (Dublin - Sligo or visaversa), use the car - quicker and far more comfortable.