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[Article] 300 stranded as 'ghost' train departs with single passenger

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  • 29-01-2008 2:07am
    #1
    Nostradamus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 621 ✭✭✭


    This is just surreal.

    http://www.irishexaminer.com/irishexaminer/pages/story.aspx-qqqg=ireland-qqqm=ireland-qqqa=ireland-qqqid=53885-qqqx=1.asp

    29 January 2008

    Track record: 300 stranded as ‘ghost’ train departs with single passenger

    By Jimmy Woulfe, Mid-West Correspondent
    MORE than 300 Limerick-bound passengers watched in disbelief as their train left Dublin’s Heuston Station with just one person on board.


    The bizarre incident involved the 7.25pm train from Dublin to Limerick on Sunday night — one of the most heavily booked trains of the week.

    According to passengers, as they stood on the platform before going through the check-in area, a visually impaired man was escorted by Irish Rail customer care personnel onto the train. “It seems when that person was put on the train, the signal was given that this was the last person to board, when in fact, he was the first person to be put on board,” a passenger said. “The doors closed and the train took off.”

    Irish Rail last night confirmed the incident.

    A spokeswoman said communication difficulties arose between the station controller and the guard on board the train.

    “We apologise to our customers for the error and we will be offering them a 50% discount,” said the spokeswoman.

    She said they managed to put the stranded Limerick-bound customers on board the 7pm train to Cork. This train made an unscheduled stop at Limerick Junction where, she said, a shuttle train took the passengers on to Colbert Station, Limerick.

    The spokeswoman said the passengers arrived in Limerick a little more than a half-hour later than their scheduled arrival.

    The incident has caused embarrassment and Irish Rail is investigating how a train with more than 300 passengers, who had paid in excess of 20,000 for their tickets, had left Heuston the flagship station of the company, with just one passenger on board.

    The error will cost the company in excess of 10,000 in refunds.

    A source said once the train had departed there was no question of bringing it back to Heuston as this would have disrupted the entire schedule.


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    #2
    Run_to_da_hills
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,009 ✭✭✭✭Run_to_da_hills


    That single passenger must have felt like a king :)


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    #3
    Ham'nd'egger
    Registered Users Posts: 3,025 ✭✭✭Ham'nd'egger


    Sounds a lot odd.

    The train can't leave without the driver getting a proceed signal, both from the Heuston Signalman (Who would need a clear run from the CTC signalman) and from his train guard. There is an 18:25 Dublin-Limerick, a 19:10 Dublin-Tralee (Change at Limerick Junction) and a 19:25 Dublin-Limerick service on a Sunday; I can only assume that there was a mix up in these three services. Love to hear the explanation of it all though :D


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    #4
    Ste.phen
    Registered Users Posts: 2,808 ✭✭✭Ste.phen


    From http://www.examiner.ie/irishexaminer/pages/story.aspx-qqqg=ireland-qqqm=ireland-qqqa=ireland-qqqid=53885-qqqx=1.asp
    examiner wrote:
    MORE than 300 Limerick-bound passengers watched in disbelief as their train left Dublin’s Heuston Station with just one person on board.


    The bizarre incident involved the 7.25pm train from Dublin to Limerick on Sunday night — one of the most heavily booked trains of the week.

    According to passengers, as they stood on the platform before going through the check-in area, a visually impaired man was escorted by Irish Rail customer care personnel onto the train.

    “It seems when that person was put on the train, the signal was given that this was the last person to board, when in fact, he was the first person to be put on board,” a passenger said. “The doors closed and the train took off.”
    [...]


    *claps slowly*


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    #5
    Ste.phen
    Registered Users Posts: 2,808 ✭✭✭Ste.phen


    Just think of the poor blind fella sitting there on his own.

    "Hello, can someone tell me if this is my stop please?..... hello?..... anyone?...."


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    #6
    Red Alert
    Hosted Moderators Posts: 7,484 ✭✭✭Red Alert


    Another example of IE's tremenduous organizational ability - that's like something off Monty Python.


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    #7
    Poxyshamrock
    Registered Users Posts: 4,826 ✭✭✭Poxyshamrock


    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055226421

    Great story though! :p


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    #8
    mike65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 88,978 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    I never use trains so am not familair with whatever checks and balances are used so how the hell do you leave with 300 people on the platform?

    Mike.


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    #9
    is_that_so
    Registered Users Posts: 32,136 ✭✭✭✭is_that_so


    The IE explanation of it. :D


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    #10
    Run_to_da_hills
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,009 ✭✭✭✭Run_to_da_hills


    A CIE spokesman said the later train that the passengers were put on was "newer and more luxurious" than the train that had already left for Limerick.This is something like what Ryanair would come out with. :D


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    #11
    fitzyshea
    Registered Users Posts: 285 ✭✭fitzyshea


    OH MY GOD! IE get better and better. This is unbelievable. :eek:


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    #12
    Ste.phen
    Registered Users Posts: 2,808 ✭✭✭Ste.phen


    hm, didn't realise there was another thread. Was it moved to C&T from elsewhere? I didn't see it before I posted this thread.


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    #13
    BanzaiBk
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,285 ✭✭✭BanzaiBk


    As a regular train user I admit I was unphased when my dad recalled this story to me today. The lacsidaisical attitude of some CIE employees in Heuston is an utter joke tbh. I can actually see the whole thing happening now. Talk about massive miscommunication. Another lacking area of Irish transport.

    *golf clap for CIE*


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    #14
    Poxyshamrock
    Registered Users Posts: 4,826 ✭✭✭Poxyshamrock


    Run_to_da_hills wrote: »
    A CIE spokesman said the later train that the passengers were put on was "newer and more luxurious" than the train that had already left for Limerick.This is something like what Ryanair would come out with. :D

    and yet the dublin to limerick line is meant to have only 22000 class!
    :p


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    #15
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 27,118 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    BanzaiBk wrote: »
    As a regular train user I admit I was unphased when my dad recalled this story to me today. The lacsidaisical attitude of some CIE employees in Heuston is an utter joke tbh. I can actually see the whole thing happening now. Talk about massive miscommunication. Another lacking area of Irish transport.

    *golf clap for CIE*

    In fairness, any staff I have met north of the border have had a very professional demeanour and attitude, so 'some' Irish transport bodies can manage it.


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    #16
    Boardsbud
    Closed Accounts Posts: 129 ✭✭Boardsbud


    Trying to figure out how this can happen. Were they late boarding the train, i.e. IR holding back the passengers ? Did the train depart as per the timetable ? Why else would a driver leave ahead of schedule, even with a signal from his guard ?


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    #17
    Run_to_da_hills
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,009 ✭✭✭✭Run_to_da_hills


    Boardsbud wrote: »
    Trying to figure out how this can happen. Were they late boarding the train, i.e. IR holding back the passengers ? Did the train depart as per the timetable ? Why else would a driver leave ahead of schedule, even with a signal from his guard ?
    The train apparently arrived at the platform later than usual, (Probably a change of driver was involved) The station attendant ushered a visually impaired man on board just seconds before the correct time of departure and the train took off on time. It couldn’t stop once it left the station as CIE reckoned it would have caused mayhem with the points settings and other rail schedules, they said it was easier just to let it off and accommodate the 300 passengers on the Cork train (Which they said was more comfortable) I cannot see why there is such a big deal over this, the passengers were only 1/2 an hour late into Limerick which is probably normal for CIE anyway. In fact they did well getting e50 vouchers back, im sure some passengers would wish CIE would make a habit of this.


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    #18
    BanzaiBk
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,285 ✭✭✭BanzaiBk


    spurious wrote: »
    In fairness, any staff I have met north of the border have had a very professional demeanour and attitude, so 'some' Irish transport bodies can manage it.

    I had some italicised!:p I'd agree with you though.


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    #19
    KC61
    Registered Users Posts: 4,316 ✭✭✭KC61


    Poxyshamrock wrote: »
    and yet the dublin to limerick line is meant to have only 22000 class!
    :p

    Eh? Not yet it's not.

    There are two 6-car 22000 sets (formed of two 3-car sets each) in operation on the route.

    However, there is still one Mk 3 set in operation on the route on the principal services (0735 ex-Limerick and 1705 ex-Heuston) providing first class accomodation. There are several other Mk 3 operated services on the route on weekdays.


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    #20
    Random
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19,082 ✭✭✭✭Random


    Loving it :)


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    #21
    corktina
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,733 ✭✭✭✭corktina


    I bet the Cork train wasnt more comfoirtable with 300 extra passengers.....


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    #22
    SeanW
    Registered Users Posts: 8,744 ✭✭✭SeanW


    Just when you think IE can't f@#k up anymore ...


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    #23
    MOH
    Registered Users Posts: 6,464 ✭✭✭MOH


    corktina wrote: »
    I bet the Cork train wasnt more comfoirtable with 300 extra passengers.....

    Spartans, tonight we dine in he--, oh hang on, the train's gone without us.


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    #24
    dudara
    Registered Users Posts: 33,519 ✭✭✭✭dudara


    Just when you think that you've seen every kind of ineptitude from Iarnrod Eireann, they play another blinder.


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    #25
    mike65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 88,978 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    Run_to_da_hills wrote: »
    I cannot see why there is such a big deal over this, the passengers were only 1/2 an hour late into Limerick which is probably normal for CIE anyway.

    In Japan someone would have jumped under a train by now.

    Mike.


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    #26
    El Stuntman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,720 ✭✭✭El Stuntman


    presumably there will be several sackings/severe disciplining over this?

    oh wait....


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    #27
    daymobrew
    Registered Users Posts: 6,490 ✭✭✭daymobrew


    dudara wrote: »
    Just when you think that you've seen every kind of ineptitude from Iarnrod Eireann, they play another blinder.
    Maybe we should accept that it was a mistake and that they will put in procedures so that it shouldn't happen again. We've all made mistakes, we're human. I'm quite critical of Iarnrod Eireann but let's not go mad here.

    Think about when you fly - ever had your bags miss your flight or go somewhere else? These bags are barcoded but still the humans moving the bags make mistakes.

    I think Iarnrod Eireann did surprisingly well to resolve the situation so that net delay to passengers was only 30 mins. I admit that they were probably lucky that the Cork train was available.

    The guy in the radio clip was making a big deal about the different prices. Has he ever tried to book a flight to a UK city when the local Premiership team is playing? It's called loading. Every business uses discounts to move product.
    Maybe he should have concentrated on the high price, not the relative price.


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    #28
    bill_ashmount
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,047 ✭✭✭bill_ashmount


    :D Unreal


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    #29
    deRanged
    Registered Users Posts: 3,744 ✭✭✭deRanged


    daymobrew wrote: »
    Think about when you fly - ever had your bags miss your flight or go somewhere else?

    sure - but I've never gotten on a plane and had the plane land somewhere else (weather diversions aside). I've gotten on more than one train that went in the opposite direction.

    this is a horrendous error that's inexcusable. that's all there is to it.


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    #30
    Nostradamus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 621 ✭✭✭Nostradamus


    Last week we had a manager of Irish Rail publically refusing half a billion euro cheque to build a new railway to Navan, and now this Craggy Island-like event. Has anyone seen the TV ad about adults with reading and writing problems? It clearly shows a middle age man in a IE uniform putting on his IE cap and smiling because he can now read the timetable in Hueston. Can you imagine any other rail company in the world allowing their staff to be potrayed in such a manner. Very strange.


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    #31
    Gazzetta
    Closed Accounts Posts: 28 ✭Gazzetta


    Run_to_da_hills wrote: »
    ... I cannot see why there is such a big deal over this, ...

    Truly a story of the most inept organisation in Ireland today. Its a big deal because so much is done poorly by CIE which is not publisized and they never own up to. Trivial example: the early bird from Galway would arrive Heuston and the passengers would pour out to find that they had to open the gates themselves to get through and out of the station. Question: were they not expecting us!!

    These things should catelogued somewhere so that we look back at it all and laugh!
    G


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