Major Disruption of Dublin Train Services 30 July 2007 [title changed]

godtabh

I got the 7 train to Maynooth at 7:15 which wasnt all that bad in the scheme of things.

I could make out what the PA was saying but thats not always the case and it probably had something to do with where you stand.

Irish Rail get out side companies to do the PA stuff. They just dont get value for money. Or test it out properly.

While Irish Rail may not appear to be the best in the bunch when working under these conditions there maybe things going on in the back ground such as health and safety issues that result delays experienced last night due to the power line being down.

godtabh

The Denouncer wrote:

1) Well, that's what you get for choosing to live on the Northside.

2) 10pm? Yeah right, Irish Rail staff need a life too you know.

3) Yes 4 tracks, but part of the overhead line that fell was near one of those tracks so rather than move it, we cancelled all Diesel trains for a few hours, while we stood around and decided where to put it.

Not very helpful

Pineapple stu

Stuff like this happens from time to time on a busy network so we should just get on with it and stop whinging about any little thing that happens. I'm wondering just how some posters on here havent had heart attacks yet.You have to admit that ireland is a nation of whingers, calm down i say and enjoy the experience of travelling with irish rail.

The Denouncer

Originally posted by cymro
Stuff like this happens from time to time on a busy network so we should just get on with it and stop whinging about any little thing that happens. I'm wondering just how some posters on here havent had heart attacks yet.You have to admit that ireland is a nation of whingers, calm down i say and enjoy the experience of travelling with irish rail.

I hate these posts, people posting just to whinge about the whingers. Hate them. "Just get on with it" he says, as people "trying to get on with it" had no way to get home other than taxi, and Irish Rail couldn't be arsed letting people know what was going on. I bet you weren't one of those delayed yesterday just sitting back relaxing and reading boards..yeah you're right after a hard days work go down to the train station and be delayed over 2 hours and if you complain to Irish Rail or make comments on Boards we are just a nation of whingers. Why do you think there are so many whingers? Transport and services are brutal!
Denounce away I say and some day something might be bloody done about the mess. And it gives you some hope that other feel about it the same way, and not everyone walks around blind like cymro, happy to live with mediocrity.

jjbrien

matressmonkey wrote:

So after all the rant and raving, who do we call/e-mail to complain about the disastrous state of our transport systems?

MM

Your local TD is the best person to compain to dont bother with IE as your will get a standard reponce.

Pineapple stu

But the main thing is, you did get home safely. No i dont sit at home reading the boards all day you seem to be on it more than i am. Just hope you dont use the Galway line at the weekend then.:DDo you think irish rail is doing these thing on purpose?, .

The Denouncer

I suppose Cymro, its just down to different personalities, that's all. Some people have more patience than others about certain things..I travel to other countries a lot and see lovely airports or fantastic metros..everytime I take public transport in them a train comes in a matter of minutes. All those people in those cities take that for granted.
For years we have taken what passes as an airport, what passes for roads and public transport for granted..then we switch on the radio or read the news papers and find out we are one of the richest countries in the world. For 10 years we have crept up the wealth league, billions in the coffers, and still now, in 2007, a car can overturn on a motorway and cause 5 hours gridlock, an overhead line can break and cause 30,000 people to be hours delayed during rush hour..sometimes you have to stop and say "This is not good enough, not anymore".
All the best thinkers, inventors, leaders, writers etc have all 'whinged' at some point or another. Wander around NYC, London, Paris for example and you'll hear a load of complaining - its the natural human instinct to strive for something better. Its the yearning for progress.

Pineapple stu

I agree their is a poor standard of service sometimes from irish rail, but it can be down to internal politics at times. Take the delays yesterday for example, if you asked a station staff on one of the platforms why the unusual delay, he wouldnt know because nobody told him. If the overhead lines were damaged then the power would have to be shut off ( obviously) so repairs can be made and also emergency possesion of the affected lines had to be taken to allow maintenance vehicles on the line. The only people that would know what was going on would be the regulator (who should inform the staff on the ground of whats going on) the signalman and the maintenance crew.In a nutshell some depts dont tell the others whats going on. Its like the goverment, they are only playing at running a country and irish rail are only playing at running a rail network.

Poxyshamrock

matressmonkey wrote:

So after all the rant and raving, who do we call/e-mail to complain about the disastrous state of our transport systems?

MM

I do it all the time for both Iarnrod Eireann and Bus Eireann. They stopped giving me sympathy replies after a while but I just want to annoy them so they will cop on to themselves (or perhaps ban me from all CIE related transport systems ). We need to continue with the complaints so then they can see what the main problems are and how they can improve.

It's funny...I never have to contact the RPA
Early Days yet perhaps?

markpb

cymro wrote:

I agree their is a poor standard of service sometimes from irish rail, but it can be down to internal politics at times.

The sheer incompetence at communication (never mind accident recovery) is down to laziness. I'm sure everyone here knows what happens when there's a delay on the Tube. An employee wanders out the door and uses only the best in cutting-edge chalk and blackboard technology telling people where the delay is, how long the delay will be and who to contact. It's amazing really. They also make announcements that people can hear and understand, in English too - not train.

Its like the government, they are only playing at running a country and irish rail are only playing at running a rail network.

Hah! Zing. I love it

Rashers72

I also think a contributing factor is poor journalism. I did not get a chance to listen to a single news item yesterday about the feedback from the delays.
While the majority of the feedback on this board relates to poor communication following the incident, I doubt a single journalist actually asked the spokesman/woman about that.
And whenever you hear any spokesman from Irish Rail, they refer to years of underinvestment, infrastructure and new trains. Nothing about what is being done to impove customer services/communication. Or why staff won't actually use the PA systems on the trains?
If the staff are not be told by the control centre what is happening, why does nobody do anything about it? I remember complaining about this a few times years ago, but nothing changed, so I gave up complaining to Irish Rail.
You get the feeling Irish Rail think they are simply transporting 'mushrooms', and not passengers.
But what makes my blood boil is when journalists fail to ask the most basic questions of the Irish Rail spokesman when they get them on their shows. Journalists and their researchers fail to do the most basic research (e.g. read the feedback here, or on the Platform 11 rail users board).
Rant over! :mad:

positron

And the train drivers should be given a motivational lecture perhaps, to make them believe that they are important and they are 'captain of the train' and passengers are waiting for a word from them!

Yesterday the Drogheda bound 5:36 (at Connolly) service rolls into Rush & Lusk and thats it - after about 10 mins later - thought I heard PA coming on, but no one could tell. Then comes mummble mummble minutes mumble mumble mumble mumble, and more mumble mumble mumble! Everyone was like, what did he say??! Another 10 mins later the train slowly rolled out of the station!