Northern Commuter - No Heating in Mornings

urbeau

Last couple of weeks there appears to be no heat on my train in the morning (6.37am out of Laytown). Awful this morning, very cold outside and folks shivering in the carriage. Going to complain to Irish Rail - has anybody else raised this with them, also any other folks finding that heating not on in their train?

Cookie_Monster

surely the body heat of being jammed in like sardines two stations further down keeps you warm :pac:

kormak

the lack of heating on this train was already brought to the attention of the Irish Rail senior official at the public meeting in Drogheda.
He swore that the train leaving Drogheda should have it's heating turned on and that he would it "his duty to see that this doesn't happen again!"
so there you go... try complaining if u think they'll listen.

Cookie_Monster

I'm going to assume that at both ends of the journey there is going to be some time when you are outside. Due to this I would also presume you'd dress appropriately for this and have a coat, hat etc. So I fail to see the problem...

At least the train turns up and runs

urbeau

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

I'm going to assume that at both ends of the journey there is going to be some time when you are outside. Due to this I would also presume you'd dress appropriately for this and have a coat, hat etc. So I fail to see the problem...

At least the train turns up and runs

Wow cookie monster, judging by your 2 replies no sympathy coming my direction. Are you an Irish Rail employee, maybe even the manager of the line!

I did think about the sardine effect and for the first time ever was looking forward to the train getting jammers but for some reason it did not work. As to the being dressed for the weather - absolutely, but nice to have the luxury of being able to take the armour off indoors. Even with all of the gear on today I was still so cold I was praying for Connolly when usually I want the journey to last as long as possible so I can have a good second sleep.

Victor

Tell the driver. He is the only one that can control this.

As everyone will be dressed for the weather, he can't turn it up full or he'll have a load of people fainting in the heat later in the journey resulting in serious delays.

loyatemu

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

I'm going to assume that at both ends of the journey there is going to be some time when you are outside. Due to this I would also presume you'd dress appropriately for this and have a coat, hat etc. So I fail to see the problem...

At least the train turns up and runs

unhelpful answer of the week

i was on a bus with no heating this morning and was very cold indeed - I was wearing a heavy coat with a fleece underneath, and a woolly hat. If you sit down in the cold for an hour you're going to feel it - its not the same as walking about outside. This morning was the coldest of the month so far, the heating should have been on (both on my bus and the OP's train) - sadly all to common on CIE that these things either don't work or haven't been turned on by the driver (most often the latter IMO).

urbeau

kormak wrote: »

the lack of heating on this train was already brought to the attention of the Irish Rail senior official at the public meeting in Drogheda.
He swore that the train leaving Drogheda should have it's heating turned on and that he would it "his duty to see that this doesn't happen again!"
so there you go... try complaining if u think they'll listen.

It has happened a few times since the meeting but I have only ever been on the 6.37am so dont know if its just us. Have lodged the complaint and lodged many in the past but all I ever seem to get is an apologetic response from someone in an office who has no connection with operation of the service.

Cookie_Monster

urbeau wrote: »

Wow cookie monster, judging by your 2 replies no sympathy coming my direction. Are you an Irish Rail employee, maybe even the manager of the line!

I did think about the sardine effect and for the first time ever was looking forward to the train getting jammers but for some reason it did not work. As to the being dressed for the weather - absolutely, but nice to have the luxury of being able to take the armour off indoors. Even with all of the gear on today I was still so cold I was praying for Connolly when usually I want the journey to last as long as possible so I can have a good second sleep.

The first post was tongue in cheek, the second more serious.

I just don't see it as a problem tbh, that said I didn't find this morning that cold cos I was dressed for it.

Its far more annoying to be on an overheated train, which is what usually happens in the middle of winter with the train full and the heat belting out.

dowlingm

The Platform 11 folks have been tracking arrival times lately - maybe a regular commuter should start bringing a thermometer and letting them know what temps are like!

positron

Yesterday morning 6:54am service from Drogheda - it was so cold, I could see my breath in the air for first 20 mins, and then it slightly improved when we reached Balbriggan and a small crowd got on board, but still everyone was trying to curl into themselves trying to stay warm! Its funny because in summer they usually insist on having the heating on full blast and there are no windows to open! Free sauna!

kormak

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

The first post was tongue in cheek, the second more serious.

I just don't see it as a problem tbh, that said I didn't find this morning that cold cos I was dressed for it.

Its far more annoying to be on an overheated train, which is what usually happens in the middle of winter with the train full and the heat belting out.

sorry but you make absolutely no sense.
someone pays €1,930 per annum to use a service and they can't get the basics right of turning on the heat on a winters morning or getting the AC correct on a summers day.

Cookie_Monster

kormak wrote: »

sorry but you make absolutely no sense.
someone pays €1,930 per annum to use a service and they can't get the basics right of turning on the heat on a winters morning or getting the AC correct on a summers day.

you choose to pay that for them to transport you from A to B at the stated time, nothing further.

Want more luxury than that just drive

positron

Cookie_Monster - hilarious indeed! I am not going to comment because I am not sure if you are for real or just having a laugh! :pac:

urbeau

positron wrote: »

Cookie_Monster - hilarious indeed! I am not going to comment because I am not sure if you are for real or just having a laugh! :pac:

The monster is indeed a funny guy. Tomorrow on the train anytime I feel cold I am just going to remember his jokes and warm myself up with schoolgirl giggles.

But seriously, I dont expect the orient express but I dont think it is too much for a driver when going through his startup routine to flip on the heat and set it to something sensible. Of course this assumes he has a startup routine, you know check everything still works, point the train toward the correct track, make sure viaduct not collapsed etc. - Maybe I am confusing these guys with airline pilots.

KC61

If the heating is not on tell the driver - he controls it.

Cookie_Monster

positron wrote: »

Cookie_Monster - hilarious indeed! I am not going to comment because I am not sure if you are for real or just having a laugh! :pac:

Edit: never mid
As others have mentioned its as simple as saying it to the driver rather than whinging about it on boards.

loyatemu

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

you choose to pay that for them to transport you from A to B at the stated time, nothing further.

so is even buying trains with heating installed a needless frippery?

what about windows, electric lighting, seats - all decadent luxuries? Irish Rail could just load us all into shipping containers on the back of flatbed trucks - sure if you don't like it, drive.

Cookie_Monster

loyatemu wrote: »

what about windows, electric lighting, seats - all decadent luxuries?

No, just safety.

The temperature was reasonably on the train. Clearly it was going to be over 0, probably around 8-10. perfectly comfortable

fh041205

I was told lads and lassies that the heaters on the trains have only two settings: Hot and Cold. If they are off it means they're broken.

The problem is that when the doors open at Laytown and its -3 outside the temp in the train immediately drops about 7 degrees.

Also @ Victor, I was under the impression that it is not possible to vary the temp of the heaters. Its a set temp they heat to that can't be changed. So its either turn them on or nothing. Is this correct?

Judgement Day

Cookie Monster what's up, did you get out of bed the wrong side this morning? Anyway, I tend to agree with you. What are they complaining about they are lucky to have wheels on the train. We didn't in the old days and you tell young people today and they don't believe you! I attach a pic of yours truly in one of the delightful pre-DART AEC push-pull trains which frequently made the journey from Bray through to Dundalk. If you were lucky you found a cold plastic seat that didn't have a pool of water on it from the condensed steam heating/leaking roof, and if you were really lucky the door at your end of the carriage opened. Needless to say there were no toilets but the gangways served for that purpose - sorry too much information. Happy Christmas to all CIE's long-suffering patrons!

IPTN 001.JPG

kormak

the guy beside you looks like he might be a KGB spy with a secret message straight from the Kremlin... :cool:

positron

Cookie_Monster, I suppose everyone is bound to meet people like yourself in all walks of life (and internet), and I think I will do the decent thing - ignore! :cool:

Judgement Day, thanks for that photo and story! How old is that photo, if you won't mind me asking?

I have traveled in worse trains (wooden plank for seat that's designed for four but occupied by nine, open windows day or night etc, of course not in Ireland), but luckily those trips were equally cheap, usually two euro or so for 400-1000 miles! And those trains are pulled by electric locomotives! And they are usually on time, despite the distance and over-crowding, unlike our 'beloved' IrishRail, which seems to think it's norm to keep the fares high even if everything else is getting cheaper (and less jobs, less salary, more tax, less commuters etc), and on top they think it's wise to slow down the trains, and this thread shows they don't even care to use what they have at their disposal - a switch or dial to set the heating on or off.

highdef

Any more of those pics, Judgement Day? never saw an interior shot of one of those old AECs - I remember being in them as a kid but never saw a pic.

Judgement Day

Pic of push-pull dates from circa 1979/80 - truly a different era. The push pulls were legendary, sometimes they were so full of steam in the mornings that you couldn't see from one end to the other; frequently three out of four doors would be so swollen from damp that they couldn't be opened; door handles would actually be missing - see link here: http://www.irishrailways.blogspot.com/

I recall people using umbrellas inside them - not a word of a lie! I am rather pleased to say that I haven't any other interior shots to hand as they were a form of transport that I would prefer to forget.

Cookie_Monster

Now that I'm sitting at home waiting for the heating to come on, I'm starting to think I had a rather cynical day in work today

Apologies all.

Guess I should stop swithcing back between here and AH while posting

kingshankly

KC61 wrote: »

If the heating is not on tell the driver - he controls it.

As a driver on the northern line I can tell you that I check my train out every morning and I often find carriages with no heatin but unfortunatly we can only turn the heating on or off. I always report any carriages without heating to the maintenance dept.
I agree it's not to much to ask for proper heating on a train and there has been times I threatened to fail a train due to a lack of heating, but that doesn't exactly help passengers either.
My advice would be to try a different carriage as each one has it's own individual heating settings

Terrontress

kingshankly wrote: »

As a driver on the northern line I can tell you that I check my train out every morning and I often find carriages with no heatin but unfortunatly we can only turn the heating on or off. I always report any carriages without heating to the maintenance dept.
I agree it's not to much to ask for proper heating on a train and there has been times I threatened to fail a train due to a lack of heating, but that doesn't exactly help passengers either.
My advice would be to try a different carriage as each one has it's own individual heating settings

It's difficult to try a different carriage. I tend to stick to the same point on the platform then try to squeeze on, waiting on those behind me to do the same, leading to the inevitable crush.

I couldn't even pick a different spot in the carriage I am in, never mind pick a different carriage.

All train drivers, and even ticket checkers and other railway staff, use their special keys to go in to the drivers' carriages which are out of use while travelling on the Northern Line. They have no idea in the slightest what the customer experience is like.

kingshankly

Terrontress wrote: »

It's difficult to try a different carriage. I tend to stick to the same point on the platform then try to squeeze on, waiting on those behind me to do the same, leading to the inevitable crush.

I couldn't even pick a different spot in the carriage I am in, never mind pick a different carriage.

All train drivers, and even ticket checkers and other railway staff, use their special keys to go in to the drivers' carriages which are out of use while travelling on the Northern Line. They have no idea in the slightest what the customer experience is like.

I can assure you I know how bad our service can be, I would also advice ringing the cme number advertised on trains to complain. A custumer complaint can go further than a drivers.
But I genuinely think we run a decent service on the hole.
But I myself have an issue with poor heating because it should be so easy to get it right. Don't always assume drivers are cosy either twice recently I took a train to Belfast with no heat in the engine and was numb by the time I got there

positron

kingshankly wrote: »

But I genuinely think we run a decent service on the hole.

Yeah, you said it and I totally agree!

Joking aside, IMHO, I don't have any issues with any individual driver, or signal operator of IrishRail - but about the whole company itself and how they run the system. The value for money for consumer is just not there, and by first world standards, the overall service is poor, and in getting worse!

kormak

kingshankly wrote: »

I can assure you I know how bad our service can be, I would also advice ringing the cme number advertised on trains to complain. A custumer complaint can go further than a drivers.
But I genuinely think we run a decent service on the hole.
But I myself have an issue with poor heating because it should be so easy to get it right. Don't always assume drivers are cosy either twice recently I took a train to Belfast with no heat in the engine and was numb by the time I got there

Well Mr. Train driver....
how do YOU feel about being stuck being a slow moving DART every single morning?
This morning's 7.12 Drogheda train was over 10 minutes late by the time it hit Lansdowne Rd.
I can assure (without exagerating...) this train has been late EVERY SINGLE DAY for the past 2/3 weeks! :mad:

kormak

positron wrote: »

Yeah, you said it and I totally agree!

Joking aside, IMHO, I don't have any issues with any individual driver, or signal operator of IrishRail - but about the whole company itself and how they run the system. The value for money for consumer is just not there, and by first world standards, the overall service is poor, and in getting worse!

On that note did anyone hear Barry Kenny on Newstalks The Right Hook yesterday evening???
Smug as you like... brushed off and skipped around every single question like he didn't have a care in the world.
Tosser! I wonder how he'd feel if he had to spend 4 hours a day in his freezing sh*tboxes.... :mad::mad:

Cookie_Monster

kormak wrote: »

On that note did anyone hear Barry Kenny on Newstalks The Right Hook yesterday evening???
Smug as you like... brushed off and skipped around every single question like he didn't have a care in the world.
Tosser! I wonder how he'd feel if he had to spend 4 hours a day in his freezing sh*tboxes.... :mad::mad:

missed that, he's always entertaining.
If you didn't know any better he'd make IE sound like the best train system in the world

kingshankly

kormak wrote: »

Well Mr. Train driver....
how do YOU feel about being stuck being a slow moving DART every single morning?
This morning's 7.12 Drogheda train was over 10 minutes late by the time it hit Lansdowne Rd.
I can assure (without exagerating...) this train has been late EVERY SINGLE DAY for the past 2/3 weeks! :mad:

Speaking for this morning I was on an earlier train and rail conditions were poor, continous slipping when accelerating and sliding when braking

Cookie_Monster

kingshankly wrote: »

Speaking for this morning I was on an earlier train and rail conditions were poor, continous slipping when accelerating and sliding when braking

As fun as that is in a car I'd say its scary as hell in a train weighing several hundred tonnes :eek:

kormak

kingshankly wrote: »

Speaking for this morning I was on an earlier train and rail conditions were poor, continous slipping when accelerating and sliding when braking

yeah fair enough.
If anything the front buffers might give the DART in front a little "love touch" and make it hurry the f*%k up!

kingshankly

kormak wrote: »

yeah fair enough.
If anything the front buffers might give the DART in front a little "love touch" and make it hurry the f*%k up!

Believe me I would love to

Terrontress

kingshankly wrote: »

Believe me I would love to

shankly, I'm sure being stuck behind a train is like a lorry driver being stuck behind a slower lorry. Frustrating as hell but you have to follow the rules as it is your job.

I am sure you and your colleagues put good effort in and to do the job to the best of your effort but it's easy for commuters to get angry with the public face - the drivers and station staff!

kingshankly

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

As fun as that is in a car I'd say its scary as hell in a train weighing several hundred tonnes :eek:

Tbh leaf fall season is 100 times worse

dowlingm

kormak wrote: »

On that note did anyone hear Barry Kenny on Newstalks The Right Hook yesterday evening???
Smug as you like... brushed off and skipped around every single question like he didn't have a care in the world.
Tosser! I wonder how he'd feel if he had to spend 4 hours a day in his freezing sh*tboxes.... :mad::mad:

BK is a way better Information Minister than Muhammad Saeed al-Sahhaf.

fh041205

I have to share my own experience here. Partly to play devils advocate and partly because its true. So far since the trains started operating after the disruption, I've found EVERY service I've used to be more than adequately warm. I've told people that the only compliant I could possibly have is that its too warm sometimes, but I can live with that very easily.

I usually travel in the rush commuter traffic and thats what I've experienced so far. I usually find I have to shed my coat,scarf etc. very quickly to avoid becoming all 'hot and bothered', as it were.