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Response times and level crossings

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  • 07-04-2015 9:43am
    #1
    whiskeyman
    Registered Users Posts: 12,564 ✭✭✭✭


    I was stopped at the Merrion Gates level crossing (Dublin) when an ambulance (from Vincent's most likely) came down and stopped waiting to cross to go in the direction of Sandymount.
    It was waiting for 5 mins (I timed it) before the gates went up and it could continue on.
    Given the criticality of time for many serious illnesses, that 5mins waiting at the gates could have been the difference between life and death.
    As it's right next to Vincent's, should this be planned better?
    Are level crossings monitored by the Emergency Services? Is there not / should the be a special exception process in place to radio ahead and stop the trains / lift the bridge if required?

    Surely there's a better way to handle this?
    Anyone in the know have more info on this?
    Thanks


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    #2
    palmtrees
    Registered Users Posts: 69 ✭✭palmtrees


    It does happen (albeit very rarely), but you just have to wait for the train.

    Two reasons for this are:

    1. Safety - if something did go wrong (miscommunication or other) it has the potential to go very wrong. For the sake of a few minutes (5 minutes is a very long wait as far as level crossings go) it makes more sense to wait.

    2. It is not trivial to stop a train. Take the scenario that you turn a corner and see the lights flashing at a railway crossing. You call control, they contact Irish rail, Irish rail contact the driver and then the driver tries to stop. By the time the driver would hear about it, the train would most likely be gone through the crossing.


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    #3
    Hogzy
    Registered Users Posts: 7,544 ✭✭✭Hogzy


    I was waiting 8-10 minutes at Serpentine Avenue level crossing yesterday morning. 3 trains passed by in that time. With todays announcement that Dart frequency times will increase from 15mins to 10 mins the problem is only going to get worse. It seems that the level crossing at Serpentine closes when the Northbound train is at Sydney Parade and when the a good bit before the Southbound train arrives at Landsdowne Road. Why cant they close when the trains are leaving Sandymount and Landsdowne road stations respectively?

    Like 8-10 minutes wait is ridiculous. Not only that but when I had walked through the barriers came down not more than 120 seconds later.


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