Purple Boxes at DART Station

greydiamond

Has anyone seen thoses purple boxes that seam to be at all the exits at DART stations. There on a silver pole with a yellow light at the top. Anyone know what theses are?

Hardly a new swipe dart ticket like the LUAs, the boxes seam to be really out of the way

sitstill

I've been wondering what these things are too!

loyatemu

apparently they're smart-card readers.

highdef

I saw them at Kilbarrack and Howth junction a few days ago. All we need now is the smart cards!

KevR

Whereabouts are they located in the stations? Are they incorporated into the automatic ticket barriers?

highdef

They are on the platforms themselves. The one I saw at howth Junction was on the mainline northbound platform (not sure if its 1 or 4) and it's beside the exit (I think). The Kilbarrack one was on the southbound platform at the beginning of the station building when approaching from the north

ixoy

They're in Portmarnock too - just covered up at the moment. They definitely look like a smart card reader but surely that's too progressive for Irish Rail?

If true someone should tell the train drivers - they should be demanding a 10% pay increase to cope with the stress of having to drive a train containing people with smart cards!

loyatemu

the new turnstiles have smart card readers built in. I presume the readers on the platform are for when the station is closed and people are using the night-gates (certainly in Greystones the readers have been installed beside the night-gates).

bk

loyatemu wrote: »

the new turnstiles have smart card readers built in. I presume the readers on the platform are for when the station is closed and people are using the night-gates (certainly in Greystones the readers have been installed beside the night-gates).

Or alternatively they are just readers to allow you to check the balance on your card orhow many more trips left.

MOH

loyatemu wrote: »

the new turnstiles have smart card readers built in. I presume the readers on the platform are for when the station is closed and people are using the night-gates (certainly in Greystones the readers have been installed beside the night-gates).

There's one beside the night gate in Killester too.

Colm R

There is one in Blackrock in a very odd location. Its next to the building near a gate that is locked. The gate itself leads out onto the road where the TVMs are. However its very obscure and not at all obvious from the platform. Therefore I have to assume that this gate is going to come into use sometime.

EDIT. Just spotted the post above. This gate may indeed be a night gate. I'm never there a night so I don't know for sure.

KC61

Colm R wrote: »

There is one in Blackrock in a very odd location. Its next to the building near a gate that is locked. The gate itself leads out onto the road where the TVMs are. However its very obscure and not at all obvious from the platform. Therefore I have to assume that this gate is going to come into use sometime.

EDIT. Just spotted the post above. This gate may indeed be a night gate. I'm never there a night so I don't know for sure.

That's the night gate.

greydiamond

There doesnt look to be an actual screen on them, so how can it tell u anything. Even the yellow thing on top isnt a light. All very confusing. A smart card system would be a nice change, irish rail probably wouldnt get it to work though. System doesnt work when it rains kinda thing

edanto

See Victors thread re Smart Card system.

Though Smart Card is hardly the right name for what's going on.

As someone else said, COPY THE OYSTER SCHEME!!!

kingshankly

ixoy wrote: »

They're in Portmarnock too - just covered up at the moment. They definitely look like a smart card reader but surely that's too progressive for Irish Rail?

If true someone should tell the train drivers - they should be demanding a 10% pay increase to cope with the stress of having to drive a train containing people with smart cards!

no need for that :mad:






we were looking for 15%;)

dead air

There's a shiny new 4 ft pole beside the night gate at Balbriggan station, that's still covered in a bit of wrapping. However, no purple box.

P_1

dead air wrote: »

There's a shiny new 4 ft pole beside the night gate at Balbriggan station, that's still covered in a bit of wrapping. However, no purple box.

Looks like they've taken the wrapping off today. There's somthing that looks remarkably similar to the Luas smart card readers beside the night gate now.

Wouldn't it be fantastic if you could just use the night gate at all times and avoid the bottle neck that is the station building. Its a bit of a nightmare trying to push past the millions of schoolkids trying to get your train in the morning.

dead air

pithater1 wrote: »

Wouldn't it be fantastic if you could just use the night gate at all times and avoid the bottle neck that is the station building. Its a bit of a nightmare trying to push past the millions of schoolkids trying to get your train in the morning.

Absolutely agree. This is for another topic but I do believe that IE have lodged planning permission for major access work for Balbriggan Station, wider entrances/exits and a larger ticket hall.

Poxyshamrock

highdef wrote: »

I saw them at Kilbarrack and Howth junction a few days ago. All we need now is the smart cards!

But smartcards are coming.

Iarnród Éireann advises customers that as and from Friday 17th April, automatic ticket checking barriers will come into operation at all accesses to Heuston Station Dublin. Similar barriers are operating successfully at Connolly Station as well as many DART and Commuter Stations across the Greater Dublin Area.


Benefits:

Automatic ticket checking facilitates greater movement at peak times and prevents large queues forming at platforms. It also assists in the company’s fight against fare evaders as those not in possession of a valid ticket will automatically be fined by our Revenue Protection Unit on-site at Heuston.

The barriers are also equipped with smartcard readers, to be fully compatible with the future public transport smartcard system currently under development by the Rail Procurement Agency, which will include DART and Commuter rail and Iarnród Éireann’s interim smartcard, which is due to be launched in the summer of this year.


How the system works:

Before you travel, make sure you have a valid ticket. The only circumstance in which you may board a train without a valid ticket is if the booking office is closed, and there is no ticket vending machine available.

Retain your ticket as you leave the train at Heuston. This ticket is then inserted into the validation machine and the barrier opens to permit exit. Similarly for customers departing from Heuston, insert your ticket in the validation machine for the barrier to open to allow access to the platform and the train.


Those in possession of an “online reservation” must use the barrier marked “online tickets” where their tickets will be validated.


Customers with special needs will still be assisted by the Customer Service Duty Officer through the barriers and to and from their chosen train. A special wide gate will be provided at each station for the passage of mobility impaired persons, including customers in wheelchairs, but also catering for those with buggies and with heavy luggage.


Those not in possession of a valid ticket for travel will be subject to an on-the-spot penalty fare of €50 plus the price of the ticket, and may face court prosecution

lostexpectation

i certianly dont' want a system that can track my movements.

Zebra3

No sign of them at Broombridge yet.

Kieo

as far as i know they are introducing a m50 toll barrier type ticket which means when you use your ticket, you swipe it through this machine at the gates which saves time queing at the booking office. i think you prebuy the ticket and you can top it up. if you dont have a valid ticket for the journey or get off at the wrong station you wont get out the gate. i think people will have to register their details for this.

Rawr

Zebra3 wrote: »

No sign of them at Broombridge yet.

I will be interesting to see if smart card readers are installed there.....It will be even more interesting to see how long a smartcard reader would survive

Ste.phen

Rawr wrote: »

I will be interesting to see if smart card readers are installed there.....It will be even more interesting to see how long a smartcard reader would survive

Mere seconds, I imagine.

Was walking that way a few months ago and there was a guy at the back of the water tower beside the bridge over the canal, chipping some of the bricks out with a chisel...
If 200 year old water towers can't survive, a flimsy piece of aliminium has no chance ;-)

sdanseo

Zebra3 wrote: »

No sign of them at Broombridge yet.

I like your wit

Run_to_da_hills

Kieo wrote: »

I think people will have to register their details for this.

Of course they will, how can you expect the authorities to track your movements if you don't. :pac:

KC61

Kieo wrote: »

as far as i know they are introducing a m50 toll barrier type ticket which means when you use your ticket, you swipe it through this machine at the gates which saves time queing at the booking office. i think you prebuy the ticket and you can top it up. if you dont have a valid ticket for the journey or get off at the wrong station you wont get out the gate. i think people will have to register their details for this.

Not necessarily - Oyster have an option to register or not.

bk

KC61 wrote: »

Not necessarily - Oyster have an option to register or not.

Yes, assuming that it works the same way as the Luas Smart Card, then you will have both an option to register or not.

With the Luas, you can buy a smart card in a shop and top it up at the luas machine. No way of tracking you then.

The advantage of registering is that it will top-up automatically when you run low, no need to waste time at ticket machines and you can cancel your card if it is lost or stolen, saving you money. The only disadvantage is privacy.

Victor

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

Of course they will, how can you expect the authorities to track your movements if you don't. :pac:

Keep it on topic. Keep the conspiracy theories to the Conspiracy Theories board.

lostexpectation

Victor wrote: »

Keep it on topic. Keep the conspiracy theories to the Conspiracy Theories board.

its not a conspiracy theory, oyster types cards will enable just that.

Tipsy Mac

I doubt they are for any kind of ticketing machine at all, they look to me like emergency contact points where someone can press a button and contact emergency services.

patrickmooney

I have an annual bus/rail ticket. Even though Dublin Bus supports smartcards, my ticket hasn't been upgraded. I had to get mine replaced (it lasted a month before the magnetic strip refused to work). Talking with the CIE staff when getting it replaced, I was told Dart tickets would be upgraded to this interm smart card from July, but my annual ticket won't.

ro2

Tipsy Mac wrote: »

I doubt they are for any kind of ticketing machine at all, they look to me like emergency contact points where someone can press a button and contact emergency services.

They're ticket machines alright. They are exactly the same as the luas ones. The front part of the reader detaches from the back, so they can replace them if they're faulty.

Polar101

patrickmooney wrote: »

I have an annual bus/rail ticket. Even though Dublin Bus supports smartcards, my ticket hasn't been upgraded. I had to get mine replaced (it lasted a month before the magnetic strip refused to work). Talking with the CIE staff when getting it replaced, I was told Dart tickets would be upgraded to this interm smart card from July, but my annual ticket won't.

I was hoping to get a smart card too, the magnetic strip tends to self-destruct in Dublin bus readers every few months. My this year's ticket has failed twice in two months, which is getting a bit irritating (15% more price, 50% less reliability).

Tipsy Mac

Having looked at these again they seem to be all positioned at additional exit gates not normally open at the station, perhaps they will be used to allow people to exit who have a valid ticket or perhaps for disabled people who will have some special card to open them.

paulm17781

Tipsy Mac wrote: »

Having looked at these again they seem to be all positioned at additional exit gates not normally open at the station, perhaps they will be used to allow people to exit who have a valid ticket or perhaps for diabled people who will have some special card to open them.

They're smart card readers. When IR start issuing smart cards, they will be used when the station is closed.

Red Alert

Maybe they should be used when the station is open - I have never seen turnstiles as slow to read cards as IE's ones in any country.

paulm17781

Red Alert wrote: »

Maybe they should be used when the station is open - I have never seen turnstiles as slow to read cards as IE's ones in any country.

I think the newer machines can read smart cards too. That said, they are very slow. It's only about a 2 second wait but in London it is instant. All those 2 seconds (Tara st. for example) can add up.

KC61

Tipsy Mac wrote: »

Having looked at these again they seem to be all positioned at additional exit gates not normally open at the station, perhaps they will be used to allow people to exit who have a valid ticket or perhaps for diabled people who will have some special card to open them.

They are being placed beside the night exit gates so that people can tag their smart card tickets on/off as appropriate when the main station building entrance/exits are locked shut.

liamog

They have them up in Clonsilla Station and Liexlip Louisa Bridge now. They look weird with the completly blank front.