Things That Annoy Me About Irish Rail

cson

Not quite a rant hence I'm putting this thread in here for the general commuting boardsie public to add to. What's precipitated this thread is two pretty annoying train journeys I've endured which exacerbated other factors which I would otherwise have let slide. So without further ado;

1. The absolute shambles of the pre-booked seat mechanism. It's highlighted very prominently on their website yet when it comes down to the actual provision of this 'bonus' its quite simply a jokeshop. The latest example [I have a long list of these where I've been on both ends of the divide; mover and movee] a packed 1530h Westport bound train which I arrived to find a lady and her kids occupying my seat. Needless to say had I been a cold hearted bastard and insisted upon my seat the three of them would have had to move. I asked an IR employee who simply shrugged his shoulders and offered no help/solutions whatsoever. Which meant a lovely pleasant standing trip from Heuston to Portarlington.

2. The absolute shambles of the Gaeilge/English double language attempts. Most of the signage around the platforms is as Gaeilge which is bewildering at times for me [and I have a B1 to my name in HL Leaving Cert Irish] nevermind what it must be like for visitors to Ireland. They are also the most non-descript signs ever too; "beware trains approaching at high speed" displayed as if it was a "no littering" sign and not the pretty important message it's supposed to convey. Secondly they have even bollocks-ed up the English language at times "This train is for Westport" - what the **** does that even mean? This train is a gift to the people of Westport? How hard is it to record "This train terminates @ Westport".

3. The absolute shambles of having a high quality rolling stock but feck all infrastructure to get the best out of them. It's frankly disgraceful that the main line between this countries 1st and 3rd cities [DUB-GWY] requires trains east bound to wait for the west bound train to pass at a particular section of the line. I mean how hard would it actually be to double track the main lines around the country ffs? You've got brand new rolling stock and you can't realise their potential whatsoever.

4. The Hyundai Rotems themselves; for brand new trains they are NOT one bit comfortable. IR also missed a massive opportunity with regard to first class services; whilst some carriages masquerade as 'first' they are in reality no more than regular carriages with table lamps. There is a market for a first class train ticket if it was done right - big comfy seats, nice upholstery/tables and a decent food service included.

5. Communication from drivers; you have presumably a brand new PA system; yet why do you mutter into it so that it is indecipherable to passengers? How hard is it to speak in a clear and coherent voice to convey whatever message you have to passengers? I swear the PA's cause more confusion than clarification.

There's more than that but atm they are the biggies that come to mind. I didn't mention the main reason I wrote this until now because I can accept that sometimes these things do happen - my morning train broke down, got put on a replacement 'express' which then proceeded to stop at every station the way into Heuston. I'm pissed off cos it left me an hr late for an interview but anyway, I guess I was in the 2.4% not punctual bracket that they display so proudly around Heuston. It can happen I accept.

There are good things about IR too; mainly price - which is reasonable compared to most other places in Europe. And they are generally reliable. Outside of that I'm stuck for good things.

Judgement Day

You won't last long on this forum with that sort of attitude - the CIE groupies will savage you. More serious response later.

Niles

We're not the only country to use bilingual signage, the Welsh and the Scots have it as well and they seem to get along just fine. Have to agree about the announcements though, hearing the same thing at every station on the way to Dublin gets a bit grating. Okay fair enough to have an announcement at the likes of Bray/Maynooth etc where one can change to a suburban service. God be with the days when people were able to work out where there train was going with out audio aid!

As for the Rotems, can't say I can complain comfort wise - but then again I had to endure 2800s on the Rosslare for years before them so I suppose it doesn't take much to impress me after that!

I believe part of the Dublin-Galway route was double-tracked at one time, but not for the full length. Engineering wise it probably wouldn't be too difficult to reinstate these sections of double-track; they did with Clonsilla-Maynooth about ten years ago. Maynooth-Longford would be another section that would be relatively easy to redouble, as it was also originally double-track. Can't imagine the Government shelling out for it in this day and age somehow!

With the amount of bus operators on the Galway road these days it would make sense to do so if the line is to remain competitive in the long term.

highlydebased

cson wrote: »

language at times "This train is for Westport" - what the **** does that even mean? This train is a gift to the people of Westport? How hard is it to record "This train terminates @ Westport".

3

That's used by railway companies globally- it's not just us.

Zoney

There seem to be definite problems with the toilets on even the new trains. I don't merely mean keeping them clean. I mean actually having them operational (not very professional to stop the train midway for 10 mins so that people can temporarily alight to attempt to use locked station facilities) *and* not emitting odours liable to knock people out. I am not entirely joking - it's beyond a bit of smelliness and more like some dangerous emission of gas from the retention tanks.

Carawaystick

cson wrote: »

2. Secondly they have even bollocks-ed up the English language at times "This train is for Westport" - what the **** does that even mean? This train is a gift to the people of Westport? How hard is it to record "This train terminates @ Westport".

I can't see any issue with this, it's perfectly acceptable hiberno-english.

cson wrote: »

4. The Hyundai Rotems themselves; for brand new trains they are NOT one bit comfortable. IR also missed a massive opportunity with regard to first class services; whilst some carriages masquerade as 'first' they are in reality no more than regular carriages with table lamps. There is a market for a first class train ticket if it was done right - big comfy seats, nice upholstery/tables and a decent food service included.

I think they are fairly comfortable. compared to the trains on the lgv est in France say or the old mark 3's

foggy_lad

Was on a new train today going to Limerick and the power sockets were not working and neither was the information displays which probably meant there was no destination on the outside of the train. The information displays are down to drivers to set up afaik? But was it human error or a maintenance error that left all those lovely new sockets without power?

mikemac

I got a list

• State of the toilets in Colbert Station in Limerick. Truly the worst in Ireland. We even had a thread about it in Limerick forum. Staff do regular checks but the whole place needs to be gutted and rebuilt. Connolly Station did a fine job with theirs. Some of that for Limerick please.
• €25 Nenagh to Dublin return is good value. €40 Dublin to Nenagh return, not so good. Same day, different prices. I understand the reason for the difference but I'd be happier paying €25
• Got the train Galway to Heuston and it was packed and a hen party smoking up my carraige. Who did I contact? Do I knock on a door somewhere? I didn't see staff once the entire trip and twenty plus people smoking away. They nearly got left behind in Athlone when they went smoking on the platform. I was praying we would leave them behind.
• Asked Galway multiple times can I bring my bike on the train and toss it in the guards van. No bother they said, no charge. On the day they charged me €7. I think cycling holidays are something Ireland can excel at. So even tourists should not pay for their bikes or golf clubs on the train. Helps tourism.
• Is this still done? But the amount of times the Dart left Clontarf Rd, got to Fairview Depot and they changed drivers. Why oh why can't the drivers walk a few hundred metres and change at the station. It turns two stops into one. I hope this has ended.

On the plus side, the man in charge of Nenagh station is a legend. The train service is terrible, slower and more expensive then Bus Éireann but his flowers and hanging baskets certainly look beautiful. Seems that's where Irish Rail put their priorities. Full time gardener, part time station master

parsi

I find the Rotems comfortable almost better than the CAFs.

With reference to Irish signage - I still think back to the time Rath Luirc had An Rath as its translation with nary a reference to Charleville.

Chris_5339762

Their absolute apathy when it comes to putting in quiet carriages. I dont want to hear a baby for the whole trip.

trellheim

Most of the railways were double tracked between the major centres. They've been singled to save moolah. The existing Galway route was at the start a sleepy branch line, the original main ran via Mullingar to Athlone .... it's still there but hasn't seen a train in ages.

On some Rotems the IE staff take pride in their real duties and will evict seat-squatters. However, the majority take pride instead in "groundhog day" and cannot be coerced out of their dens.

Now in fairness IE schedulers make an absolute dog's breakfast of rostering sets for turns and should look at typical loadings + internet bookings when deciding what size set pulls up to the platform. I've been on a calcutta express ( who hasn't ? ) 3 car set from Heuston down the country one time , when even a 6-car wouldn't have been enough.

Same goes for actually selling the ticket ( when you've got a full train stop selling tickets for it, and put another set on ) . There are computers now that can handle all the difficult sums, lads.

parsi

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

Their absolute apathy when it comes to putting in quiet carriages. I dont want to hear a baby for the whole trip.

People are ignorant and don't give a fiddler. Travelling on their social welfare pass and drinking Dutch gold. Give out to them and they'll throw a punch safe in the knowledge that they are close to untouchable.

foggy_lad

parsi wrote: »

People are ignorant and don't give a fiddler. Travelling on their social welfare pass and drinking Dutch gold. Give out to them and they'll throw a punch safe in the knowledge that they are close to untouchable.

They can be excluded from travelling on the rail network including light railways(luas), the bye-laws have been in place for years just never used! The companies would rather see decent customers both fare paying and pass holders abused and terrorised by the scum they are too terrified to deal with!

The problem is litigation! Irish Rail/Veolia don't allow staff confront or in any way deal with the scumbags in case they get assaulted then sue their employer. They are happy to lose a certain percentage of revenue by allowing the scumbags drive decent people back to busses and cars!

parsi

While I'm on the topic :

I wonder would it be a good idea to revoke all Social Welfare passes given to non-pensioners (harder to fake that you're over 65) and replace them with passes which allow a specific number of journeys or indeed maybe impose a nominal charge of €5 per trip.

This would possibly cut down on the skangers travelling around and maybe prevent public transport becoming a substitute for day care.

foggy_lad

parsi wrote: »

While I'm on the topic :

I wonder would it be a good idea to revoke all Social Welfare passes given to non-pensioners (harder to fake that you're over 65) and replace them with passes which allow a specific number of journeys or indeed maybe impose a nominal charge of €5 per trip.

This would possibly cut down on the skangers travelling around and maybe prevent public transport becoming a substitute for day care.

Just on that topic i saw a woman with her two kids travelling free yesterday using a travel pass got because she is her sons(who had ADHD) carer, no wonder things are going down the spout.

Geting back on topic i hate when i have decided to not take the train again but i have to go to dublin or somewhere else and find the train is the best option.

Aard

In France, there's a 90% discount for the disabled with a minimum fare of about €1.10. It would be the equivalent of both Dart and Intercity. On local services, however, I believe there's free travel. So there is a precedent, even in heavily subsidised France.

parsi

foggy_lad wrote: »

Just on that topic i saw a woman with her two kids travelling free yesterday using a travel pass got because she is her sons(who had ADHD) carer, no wonder things are going down the spout.

There isn't any general need for a carer of a child with ADHD or dyspraxia to be given a free travel pass _by default_. There would need to be an examination of the situation - what point in issuing a card to a family with a car or a card to a family for whom public transport just wouldn't get them to a treatment spot ?

There needs to be a re-evaluation of the issuing of free passes.

The public transport system shouldn't exist just to provide pass-holders with a free jaunt every day or save them a short walk to the shops.

We've all seen folk waltzing on to the bus waving their free pass and you know that the only thing wrong with them (or their companion) is that they are wasters.

newmug

My biggest problem with Irish Rail is that it doesnt come to my town:mad:

donspeekinglesh

feelingstressed wrote: »

• Is this still done? But the amount of times the Dart left Clontarf Rd, got to Fairview Depot and they changed drivers. Why oh why can't the drivers walk a few hundred metres and change at the station. It turns two stops into one. I hope this has ended.

Still happens all the time. But better than it used to be years ago where you could be waiting ten minutes for the replacement driver. These days the replacement driver is usually waiting.

L1011

parsi wrote: »

There isn't any general need for a carer of a child with ADHD or dyspraxia to be given a free travel pass _by default_.

You can get a free travel pass with dyspraxia? *applies*

Victor

cson wrote: »

The latest example [I have a long list of these where I've been on both ends of the divide; mover and movee] a packed 1530h Westport bound train which I arrived to find a lady and her kids occupying my seat. Needless to say had I been a cold hearted bastard and insisted upon my seat the three of them would have had to move. I asked an IR employee who simply shrugged his shoulders and offered no help/solutions whatsoever. Which meant a lovely pleasant standing trip from Heuston to Portarlington.

I'm pissed off cos it left me an hr late for an interview but anyway, I guess I was in the 2.4% not punctual bracket that they display so proudly around Heuston. It can happen I accept.

You may be entitled to refunds.

Niles wrote: »

God be with the days when people were able to work out where there train was going with out audio aid!

Not everybody can read, see where they are, understand where they are, etc.

foggy_lad wrote: »

Was on a new train today going to Limerick and the power sockets were not working and neither was the information displays which probably meant there was no destination on the outside of the train. The information displays are down to drivers to set up afaik? But was it human error or a maintenance error that left all those lovely new sockets without power?

This has been reported more frequently recently. It could be that there isn't enough electricity available or a fuse that needs resetting. http://railusers.ie/forum/showthread.php?t=13494

feelingstressed wrote: »

[*]State of the toilets in Colbert Station in Limerick. Truly the worst in Ireland. We even had a thread about it in Limerick forum. Staff do regular checks but the whole place needs to be gutted and rebuilt. Connolly Station did a fine job with theirs. Some of that for Limerick please.

Take picutres, complain to Irish Rail, enclosing pictures. If they are a positive health hazard, complain to HSE.

[*]Got the train Galway to Heuston and it was packed and a hen party smoking up my carraige. Who did I contact? Do I knock on a door somewhere? I didn't see staff once the entire trip and twenty plus people smoking away.

Complain to smokers and staff. Go looking for staff (sometimes to be found hiding in first class).

[*]Asked Galway multiple times can I bring my bike on the train and toss it in the guards van. No bother they said, no charge. On the day they charged me €7. I think cycling holidays are something Ireland can excel at. So even tourists should not pay for their bikes or golf clubs on the train. Helps tourism.

Free, off-peak, on commuter routes. Pay on InterCity.

On the plus side, the man in charge of Nenagh station is a legend. The train service is terrible, slower and more expensive then Bus Éireann but his flowers and hanging baskets certainly look beautiful. Seems that's where Irish Rail put their priorities. Full time gardener, part time station master

Nenagh has six trains a day, he would probably be better employed as a conductor. But if he isn't, at least he is doing something with his day.

parsi

MYOB wrote: »

You can get a free travel pass with dyspraxia? *applies*

Relax. Kids with dyspraxia get **** all. Kids with ADHD get **** all. Junkies get free travel.

Victor

parsi wrote: »

I find the Rotems comfortable almost better than the CAFs.

With reference to Irish signage - I still think back to the time Rath Luirc had An Rath as its translation with nary a reference to Charleville.

In fairness they were the official names of the town. It would have been a bit "Irish" to have the station called Charleville and the town called Rath Luirc / An Rath.

tombliboo83

foggy_lad wrote: »

Was on a new train today going to Limerick and the power sockets were not working and neither was the information displays which probably meant there was no destination on the outside of the train. The information displays are down to drivers to set up afaik? But was it human error or a maintenance error that left all those lovely new sockets without power?

As regards the sockets,the power surge circuit breaker when tipped out will cut power.

Lustrum

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

Their absolute apathy when it comes to putting in quiet carriages. I dont want to hear a baby for the whole trip.

You should really break up with that girlfriend of yours

connundrum

The security guards in Heuston Station. I'm embarrassed by their presence every time I walk through.

*I realise that they are outside contractors, but someone in IR took the decision to have them there.

cson

connundrum wrote: »

The security guards in Heuston Station. I'm embarrassed by their presence every time I walk through.

*I realise that they are outside contractors, but someone in IR took the decision to have them there.

They're one of the better things about IR tbh.

elekid

donspeekinglesh wrote: »

Still happens all the time. But better than it used to be years ago where you could be waiting ten minutes for the replacement driver. These days the replacement driver is usually waiting.

This really annoys me when the DART is packed. I don't understand why they can't wait at the top of the platform at Clontarf Road. The rest of us manage to get to the station on time, and it's really not that far..

The seats on the DART are very uncomfortable and they take up a lot of space which would be better used as standing room.

I also agree with the seat booking system, I've booked seats which turned out not to exist when I got on the train, but the staff didn't care.

foggy_lad

cson wrote: »

They're one of the better things about IR tbh.

They are not much use as they have no real powers unless the scumbags become violent when they can and do restrain them, but they cant use force against scumbags shouting abuse at passengers.

9_Iron

I'd like to see a facility to compare online ticket prices with walk-up prices on the IR website.
UK train websites have this (usually termed Advance for the online prices) and it is very helpful in seeing whether it's worthwhile booking online and paying the credit card/debit card fee and/or reservation fee or not.
The Advance fares are for the specific train time you book and can't be transferred without a charge, but that is exactly how IR run their pre-booked tickets anyway.

I booked a return journey online recently and paid exactly the same as the walk-up fare (so said the station-master when he saw the price on my pre-booked ticket) but with the additional booking fee.
Not good.

BabyBirch

It drives me nuts that there's no Dart going south from town between 21.58 and 22.37 on weeknights. Then the next one's at 22.43. What happened to clock-face timetable? How can they justify it? Plus it's perfectly timed so that there's also no 7 bus service at the same time. I know it's a niche complaint but it's so irritating :mad:

parsi

Victor wrote: »

In fairness they were the official names of the town. It would have been a bit "Irish" to have the station called Charleville and the town called Rath Luirc / An Rath.

I know but everyone else called the place Charleville. Imagine the hordes of tourists who never realised they were there and were deprived of a trip down main street.

corktina

hoards of japanese trooping down the main street to see the empty shops at the shopping centre and the corrogated iron cow....not to mention the steam trains calling at the creamery

parsi

And missing out on the cuisine from the Chip Basket.

corktina

ah now, it would have to be supermacs if I ate in Charleville...keep it in the family.

prististanice

I think it's good that they have bilingual signs and that there are automated announcements. As a previous poster said, not everyone can see...not only that, but for foreigners or tourists that are looking for a particular stop, they don't need to be on the edge of their seat squinting into the distance looking for a sign. The automated man will tell them when their stop is coming up! And I also think it's a good way of Irish language getting some exposure...it might encourage people to speak it more!

The other thing is that under the Official Languages Act 2003, all signage MUST be bilingual and all recorded announcements will have to be bilingual by 2012 (or else 2013 - I can't remember!). So the Luas and IÉ are ahead of schedule. DART services will have to translate more of their automated announcements or it would constitute a breach of the OLA 2003 and someone can make a complaint to An Coimisinéir Teanga!

Stonewolf

I don't like the automated announcements.

It's not that I don't like the idea of automated announcements, but they're far too long winded and drawn out which is made even worse because they have this huuuuuuuuuge multinote tone to tell you there's going to be an announcement accompanied by some junk data scrolling on the screen, tis mad.

Judgement Day

I just love the way on the Down Rosslare trains an announcement comes on as you cross the Loop Line bridge advising you that you can change for the 90 bus to Heuston? Jeez, like you hang about in Connolly to catch a train one stop to Tara Street. You'd walk it quicker than the train. :rolleyes:

n900guy

[*]Got the train Galway to Heuston and it was packed and a hen party smoking up my carraige. Who did I contact? Do I knock on a door somewhere? I didn't see staff once the entire trip and twenty plus people smoking away. They nearly got left behind in Athlone when they went smoking on the platform. I was praying we would leave them behind.

I wonder what would happen if you videoed it, and then pulled the emergency stop. What is inappropriate use?

[*]Asked Galway multiple times can I bring my bike on the train and toss it in the guards van. No bother they said, no charge. On the day they charged me €7. I think cycling holidays are something Ireland can excel at. So even tourists should not pay for their bikes or golf clubs on the train. Helps tourism.

There is no understanding of cycling and rail in Ireland.

Niles

Judgement Day wrote: »

I just love the way on the Down Rosslare trains an announcement comes on as you cross the Loop Line bridge advising you that you can change for the 90 bus to Heuston? Jeez, like you hang about in Connolly to catch a train one stop to Tara Street. You'd walk it quicker than the train. :rolleyes:

You'd think that but before the Point extension opened I'd often people hang around at Busáras waiting to get a Luas to Connolly - on I've occasion got off a Luas at Busáras and got to Connolly before it!

StrawberryJazz

Personally, I hate that every timetable says gates will close two minutes before departure to ensure punctuality and low and behold three minutes after youre meant to be whizzing down the tracks, youre still stuck on platform 1 with the doors open.

Choose already!

Also I hate the existence of platform one at Heuston ...ridiculously far away...completely alters the commuting time

coolperson05

StrawberryJazz wrote: »

Personally, I hate that every timetable says gates will close two minutes before departure to ensure punctuality and low and behold three minutes after youre meant to be whizzing down the tracks, youre still stuck on platform 1 with the doors open.

Choose already!

Also I hate the existence of platform one at Heuston ...ridiculously far away...completely alters the commuting time

Adding to your first point, when a train is EARLY (heaven forbid), they have to wait incase they arrive at the next station early! Any hope of gaining even a minute is gone!

And Heuston platform 7 for Waterford trains. Between that and those automatic gates that despise my tickets, I've missed the luas EVERYTIME!

Transportuser09

coolperson05 wrote: »

Adding to your first point, when a train is EARLY (heaven forbid), they have to wait incase they arrive at the next station early! Any hope of gaining even a minute is gone!

The danger here is that if a train arrives early and leaves early then people expecting the train to leave at its appointed time could miss it, as they wouldnt be expecting it to have left early (which is fair enough).

StrawberryJazz

coolperson05 wrote: »

And Heuston platform 7 for Waterford trains. Between that and those automatic gates that despise my tickets, I've missed the luas EVERYTIME!

Major empathy here. The 145 has a talent for drifting up to the traffic lights the moment I exit Heuston!!!

And the amount of trains I've forsaken because I've only gotten to Heuston five minutes before its due to depart. In my heart I know if I sprint I could make the train but realistically what with the barriers "closing" its a long shot to make it...and exhausting

Automatic ticket barriers are a joke...or at least the flimsy little tickets are. I don't know why Irish rail haven't bothered converting all their tickets to smart card format...they are a hundred times more durable:mad:

bk

StrawberryJazz wrote: »

Automatic ticket barriers are a joke...or at least the flimsy little tickets are. I don't know why Irish rail haven't bothered converting all their tickets to smart card format...they are a hundred times more durable:mad:

They have, you can get smart cards with either monthly/annual tickets on it or epurse (load it with money and it deducts money for the ticket from your purse when you go through the barriers).

I have the latter for the Dart and works really well, don't even need to take it out of my wallet.

Transportuser09

StrawberryJazz wrote: »

Automatic ticket barriers are a joke...or at least the flimsy little tickets are. I don't know why Irish rail haven't bothered converting all their tickets to smart card format...they are a hundred times more durable:mad:

For that to work it would require everyone in the country to have a smartcard, including occasional travellers. I suppose its an incentive to get one though! I

StrawberryJazz

bk wrote: »

They have, you can get smart cards with either monthly/annual tickets on it or epurse (load it with money and it deducts money for the ticket from your purse when you go through the barriers).

I have the latter for the Dart and works really well, don't even need to take it out of my wallet.

They certainly don't have them for the Kildare Commuter line...possibly they have some options as far as Hazelhatch but any further and youre almost back to hand written receipts

L1011

Transportuser09 wrote: »

For that to work it would require everyone in the country to have a smartcard, including occasional travellers. I suppose its an incentive to get one though! I

I'd presume he meant all their multi-use tickets. GVB in Amsterdam provide thin carboard smartcards for these.

bk

Transportuser09 wrote: »

For that to work it would require everyone in the country to have a smartcard, including occasional travellers. I suppose its an incentive to get one though! I

I believe exactly that will happen within the next 5 years.

The new integrated smart card is planned to not only work across all public transport in Dublin, but will also be rolled out to Cork, Limerick, etc.

If they do this right, I can see it becoming very popular and more and more services being added to it (Dublin Bikes, On Street Car Rental Services, Credit Cards, Loyalty Cards, etc.).

I won't be surprised if it is built into every smartphone in 5 years time. That is certainly the plan of Google, Paypal and Apple.

foggy_lad

On the Waterford-Dublin train Now and again there is no power available! DMU number 22638 also several trains were running today with no destination showing inside or out and no station announcements it is becoming the norm for Irish rail.

Heisenberg1

foggy_lad wrote: »

On the Waterford-Dublin train Now and again there is no power available! DMU number 22638 also several trains were running today with no destination showing inside or out and no station announcements it is becoming the norm for Irish rail.

I am really shocked for a person who can't stand IE and everything they do to be travelling by train i can't understand why you didn't get the BUS:D