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Unread 03-04-2007, 11:52   #1
zag
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Default (Not So) New carriages - Refurbished DART finally appears

Does anyone know when the refurbished carriages which sit outside the shed at Clontarf Road these days are going to enter service ?

I normally get slightly off peak trains so there is never a major crush issue when I'm on.

It just seems like they have been trialling them for a *long* time now.

z
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Unread 03-04-2007, 11:58   #2
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They were on the Howth line yesterday during the day. Couldnt tell if they were in service or not.
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Unread 03-04-2007, 12:33   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zag View Post
Does anyone know when the refurbished carriages which sit outside the shed at Clontarf Road these days are going to enter service ?

I normally get slightly off peak trains so there is never a major crush issue when I'm on.

It just seems like they have been trialling them for a *long* time now.

z
They have been let out in day time since last week

Siemens screwed up the refurbishment project and one of the changes they made (which the contract explicitly said they didn't have to do) meant the electrics had to be recertified for compatibility which adds a month to the delay it also means the drivers will probably need to trained to drive the refurbished coaches since they have a different traction system now

They seem to like sitting in the sun
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Unread 04-04-2007, 12:53   #4
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A 6 coach refurbished unit past northbound out of Pearse at 13:40. It sounds very like the original, I heard it coming and thought it was a normal one.

Its the first time I've seen it move under its own power daytime.

The last date we where given was spring 2007. Word floating around says next week though I doubt that
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Unread 04-04-2007, 13:39   #5
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They passed my house under their own steam on Monday or Sunday - cant remember which.
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Unread 05-04-2007, 08:49   #6
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There is a 6 coach set on test, the interior is finished all the seats are now in, its been fitted with the usual signs and notices including the somewhat misleading you must have a ticket poster

There are two other two car sets in Fairview as well, 8139/8339 and 8124/8324. Note that set 8140/8340 which went out in the first batch in December 2004 still isn't back, the fact IE had used that set for spare parts is yet another reason for a hold up in the project

Last edited by Mark Gleeson : 05-04-2007 at 08:51.
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Unread 05-04-2007, 09:22   #7
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Destination sign was under test last night in Clontarf. "Binn Éadair" was on the front but such was the display size that the É is quite small.
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Unread 05-04-2007, 09:35   #8
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Of course the original roller blind actually worked, was ultra reliable and readable

How much taxpayers cash did this electronic one cost?
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Unread 05-04-2007, 22:56   #9
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In the last few days, there have generally been a 6-car refurbished set parked at the front of the depot, while a further 2 cars are parked at the back (aren't they supposed to be able to run as 8-car sets after the refurbishment?). As far as I know, none of the other 12(?) cars that were sent away have returned yet. I presume no more will be taken out of service until the refurbished ones actually reenter service.

All of doors have "train under test, do not enter" (or something like that) taped to the windows.
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Unread 05-04-2007, 23:39   #10
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A set stopped in sandymount this morning destined for Howth.
It actually came up on the countdown timer on the platform.

However, when it arrived, it had TEST TRAIN DO NOT ENTER or something on the doors.

This was at about 1:30pm
Also the train had new Iarnrod Swoosh logos on the body, not the old ones that seemed to be on the trains when they arrived back.
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Unread 06-04-2007, 20:50   #11
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Saw a new six car unit for the first time tonight arrive at tara street. They look very nice. The only thing i dont like is despite it still being old seating format it looks like the harder cushions being used on the newer darts are being used as opposed to the soft cushions on the older darts.
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Unread 07-04-2007, 10:08   #12
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When I passed through Fairview last night, all 8 refurbished coaches were formed into a rake, so it looks like they're finished 6-coach testing and are moving to 8-coach testing (just a guess).
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Unread 25-04-2007, 21:25   #13
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Default They're in service!

Saw the new set pass Landsdown Road today complete with a full complement of passengers on board en route to Bray/Bré.
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Unread 25-04-2007, 21:34   #14
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yup, saw them at greystones too !
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Unread 27-04-2007, 08:13   #15
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Was on them this morning, they were on at 8am from monkstown northbound. Lots more standing room and the automatic PA and electronic signage was all in working order. Pretty good signage showing a plan of the new escape exits that are in place. Seemed to be all smooth sailing.

Only negative seemed there's no overhead bars in the middle of the carriage to hold onto so you have just grab the seat next to you or else one of the poles in the standing area.
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Unread 27-04-2007, 09:44   #16
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Is 8124 one of these? Was on it this morning.

Seems fine apart from the incredibly annoying 'door closing' warning beeps.

They're really irritating: seem to be much shriller, louder and longer than the usual ones.
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Unread 27-04-2007, 09:57   #17
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8107/8307/8113/8313/8124/8324 is the set, some nice detail photographs in the members area http://forum.platform11.org/showthre...newpost&t=2395

The door closing buzzer will drive you mad, also the doors open a lot slower than before. The buzzer is not compliant with the relevant regulations RVAR 4.3 the buzzer is not required to buzz after the door begins to close.
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Unread 30-04-2007, 15:32   #18
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MIght as well put this in the public section since IE will read it

PIS is crap chops letters off the end of I'd say at least a quarter all stations. There is No Cead Staisiun Eile to match the Irish Name and it gets lost so Next Station Clontarf Rd pulling into Pearse. Someone failed to notice that Dun Laoghaire exists only in Irish but it gets both Irish and English PA's. The font size and weight on the PIS varies, breaks the accessibility rules

Nearly every aspect of the doors breaks the accessibility rules, basically most of section 4.3 RVAR 1999

The vertical grab rail at the doors is missing, breaks the accessibility rules

Even with a technical assistant and a Siemens representative on board they couldn't get the PIS on leaving Bray it took two attempts to get it on correctly, fairly fruitless since it got really lost at Pearse. (Yes that was me in the first coach taking notes). That said I heard the really confidence instilling discussion between drivers during a shift change at Fairview, "I knew I was going to get this one, you hold this down right?"

Some of the seats are not bolted down in coach 8313 (I have exact details)

The doors open noticeably slower than before.

The no smoking signs are quite funny, one says up to a €3000 fine and the others say €500 so which is it?

The build quality of the interior panelling is rubbish it lacks that reassuring solid feel on the original

No effort to hide the CCTV cameras, too obvious and the vandals will deal with them in due course, average passenger would struggle to find the CCTV cameras on the Japanese DART fleet

What on earth happened to the celling and lights ?

Now slightly technical

Siemens have replaced the traction electronics that was one of the reasons for the delay. The original DART had an exceptionally clever specially designed 3 stage GTO system which was at least 5 years ahead of anyone else, it still out accelerated the higher powered fancy 21st century stuff, it did however have a lurch at 25 mph when the main GTO gated. The replacement is totally smooth and quieter. However the regenerative brakes are not working, so energy consumption is about 12-15% above the original not to mention the brake disks won't last long.

The release from a full service brake application (step 4) results in a nasty lurch and there be a lot of releases from step 4. Not nice if you are standing and the train does a full brake you brace yourself only to be caught out when it lurches.
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Unread 01-05-2007, 15:17   #19
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On one of these for the second time this morning. Made the mistake of sitting near the door. Actually had a pain in my ear by the third station.
Surely those door closing beeps are breaking some kind of health and safety laws? Any idea what the decibel level coming out of them is? Or is it just the shrillness that make them seem louder?
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Unread 01-05-2007, 15:22   #20
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It is in breech of the accessibility regulations which say it need sound for no more than 3 seconds, and need not sound when the door begins to close, the buzzer should not irritate passengers
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