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

Nostradamus

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.

Run_to_da_hills

That single passenger must have felt like a king

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

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*

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?...."

Red Alert

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

Poxyshamrock

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

Great story though!

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.

is_that_so

The IE explanation of it.

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.

fitzyshea

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

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.

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*

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.

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

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.

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 ?

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.

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.

KC61

Poxyshamrock wrote: »

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

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.

Random

Loving it

corktina

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

SeanW

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

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.

dudara

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

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.

El Stuntman

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

oh wait....

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.

bill_ashmount

Unreal

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.

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.

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

Nostradamus

daymobrew wrote: »

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.

What if the train had of been the last one out to Limerick that night? IE got very lucky they had a Cork train leaving later. IE managed the situation due to luck and not due to their on-the-fly problem solving abilities.

Heads need to roll at IE for this fiasco. Only way a message will be sent out and this not happen again.

Nostradamus

MOH wrote: »

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

LOL! Anyone out there good with photoshop!

Victor

MOH wrote: »

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

I'm not sure if much dining done unless they brought an extra snack trolley.

daymobrew wrote: »

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.

Sure, something under 1% of baggage goes temporarily astray. Not 99.7% of the passengers.:)

trellheim

Yes folks I've the truth here.... this was the promotion test to become an "Iarnrod Eireann Senior Manager"

and the person responsible passed with flying colours.

There will be much one-upmanship in the current months to try and outdo this, so hang on to your hats !

corktina

it's a cock up...they happen...I'm sure the people responsible have had an ear-bashing and have to live with the embaraasment for the rest of theri careers....a bit severe to take away their livliehood over it isnt it? Don't forget, this isnt a mangement cock up, it's a couple of the "other ranks" getting theri wires crossed.

LemmingMuppet

Nostradamus wrote: »

What if the train had of been the last one out to Limerick that night? IE got very lucky they had a Cork train leaving later. IE managed the situation due to luck and not due to their on-the-fly problem solving abilities.

It would probably have been more straightforward to bring the errant train back if it was the last one out. These things happen all the time. eg. the diving couple who were left behind at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, my friend who was left behind in Budapest on the school tour, the time the space shuttle went to the ISS with only the pilot.

KC61

Nostradamus wrote: »

What if the train had of been the last one out to Limerick that night? IE got very lucky they had a Cork train leaving later. IE managed the situation due to luck and not due to their on-the-fly problem solving abilities.

Heads need to roll at IE for this fiasco. Only way a message will be sent out and this not happen again.

If it had been the last train, it would have been recalled to Heuston.

The reason it wasn't was that there were too many other trains going to leave after it, and stopping it and bringing it back would have caused far more disruption, and there was a feasible connection 35 minutes later.

At the end of the day it should not have happened full stop. But, it was (it would appear) down to an honest mistake that certainly won't happen again! Two people got their wires crossed which can happen in any organisation (private or public), although it doesn't necessarily discommode 300 people albeit temporarily.

mike65

the time the space shuttle went to the ISS with only the pilot.

I missed that one.

Mike

Run_to_da_hills

No doubt the person responsible for all this will get promoted

Schuhart

daymobrew wrote: »

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.

In fairness, this mistake cost €10,000 in refunds on top of the cost of sending a fully staffed and fueled train to Limerick - and really just should not have happened. That's worth getting annoyed about, as public tolerance for that level of mistake will only lead to more of the same.

KC61

Schuhart wrote: »

In fairness, this mistake cost €10,000 in refunds on top of the cost of sending a fully staffed and fueled train to Limerick - and really just should not have happened. That's worth getting annoyed about, as public tolerance for that level of mistake will only lead to more of the same.

Just to point that the train did actually stop at stations all along the route picking passengers up. So it did not travel "empty" for the entire journey.

Victor

Schuhart wrote: »

In fairness, this mistake cost €10,000 in refunds on top of the cost of sending a fully staffed and fueled train to Limerick - and really just should not have happened. That's worth getting annoyed about, as public tolerance for that level of mistake will only lead to more of the same.

The real cost should be quite modest. They won't have to run any extra trains, so the cost won't increase. Income will be slightly dented by the vouchers they will issue (assumming people ask and they are given). But they are vouchers, not cash, you can only spend them with IÉ.

Run_to_da_hills

Victor wrote: »

The real cost should be quite modest. They won't have to run any extra trains, so the cost won't increase. Income will be slightly dented by the vouchers they will issue (assumming people ask and they are given). But they are e50 vouchers, not cash, you can only spend them with IÉ.

CIE will no doubt gain from this, like Ryanair who also thrives on publicity whether its good or bad. Those vouchers must be used and many who have them may of had no intention of travelling on the train after that journey and will be stuck with them but feel obliged to make use of them.

For those that are computer illiterate a voucher may not get you very far as you are usually ripped off at the station when buying a ticket so you will be handing more money over to CIE. and they might want to bring their missus with them thats another ticket!

There is probably an expiry date on them. It is only 300 seats that they are "loosing" on, how many "free" seats dose Mr. O' Leary give away? These people will of buying additional snacks and will be hanging around mainline stations all day spending cash.

CIE could have been in a far worse scenario, Imagine if they had to fork out on several coaches and taxies or an additional train. Worse has been done before. They got out of this one handy and they are not as stupid as you think.

Victor

Its not €50, its 50% of the one-way fare. Not sure how they'll work out the one-way fare though.

Run_to_da_hills

Victor wrote: »

Its not €50, its 50% of the one-way fare. Not sure how they'll work out the one-way fare though.

Thats worse, that would just about pay for the price of a coffee on board :eek:

Zynks

If only the driver was not too busy with his sudoku and got off his excessively elegant derriere, he might have noticed something unusual. I don't think he should be fired, but a desk job might be more appropriate for such an observant individual.

Ham'nd'egger

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

CIE could have been in a far worse scenario, Imagine if they had to fork out on several coaches and taxies or an additional train. Worse has been done before. They got out of this one handy and they are not as stupid as you think.

There was two other services to Limerick that evening; the 19:10 to Tralee stopped at Limerick Junction while the 19:25 Limerick. To their credit, IE did well to sort passengers out after this in such short notice and get them to Limerick as soon as possible; it would have been all to easy to put them on later trains and then pack them out.

Schuhart

KC61 wrote: »

Just to point that the train did actually stop at stations all along the route picking passengers up. So it did not travel "empty" for the entire journey.

Fair point - but at the same time I don't think we should be making excuses for IE. I'd also frankly wonder how many passengers were picked up during the journey - does it actually make a material difference?

Victor wrote: »

The real cost should be quite modest. They won't have to run any extra trains, so the cost won't increase. Income will be slightly dented by the vouchers they will issue (assumming people ask and they are given). But they are vouchers, not cash, you can only spend them with IÉ.

I think we're running the risk of being too understanding. If the train runs largely empty, then it simply is a waste of resource. Put another way, if the Cork train could accommodate them every Sunday then surely they should cancel the Limerick service. (Troll elimination statement: I am, clearly, not advocating cancelling the Limerick service.)

As to the vouchers, if claimed and used they simply do mean there is a loss of €10,000. The fact they can only be redeemed by IE makes them less liquid - but still lost revenue. (I don't see the point of acknowledging that an unredeemed voucher won't cause a loss, as I think we should let IE rubbish their own offer.)

parsi

Zynks wrote: »

If only the driver was not too busy with his sudoku and got off his excessively elegant derriere, he might have noticed something unusual. I don't think he should be fired, but a desk job might be more appropriate for such an observant individual.

He was given the right away and went away. He didn't pass a signal at danger.

Is he supposed to walk down the train and check that there are people on it ?

parsi

deRanged wrote: »

I've gotten on more than one train that went in the opposite direction..

What do you mean ?

You were standing on a platform. A train pulled in. You got on and it went back the way it came ? Sort of like the way the Cork train arrives in Heuston, empties its load, takes on new folk and then goes back in the opposite direction ?