Trains that stop before fully arriving at platform

wile1000

This is more of a question out of curiosity (because I'm sure there is a reason for it), but I've noticed this quite a bit at Pearse Station (Southbound platform) when waiting on my morning commute.

Often the train pulls into the station, but then brakes and comes to a near complete stop with only half of the train in station, before then accellerating again to fully pull into the platform. This doesn't seem limited to Pearse either.

Why? Is it a safety thing? Seems like just a bit of a waste of time to me, and making it a wee bit more difficult to keep trains to schedule.

Yours etc., inquisitively...

foggy_lad

Seems unusual and I doubt it is safe to be doing this as it may encourage people to approach the trains as they are about to move again.

Jehuty42

It's the ATP(Automatic Train Protection) system on the DART. It enforces a speed limit over sections of the track by applying the brakes, and I think through stations it's at the lowest setting, especially so at stations with a red signal at the end of the platform, as happens at Pearse.

What's happening is the driver hasn't slowed down fast enough, so ATP takes over and applies the brakes until the limit is reached. It's a bit overzealous I think, it underestimates the braking performance the train. Personally speaking, it also seems some drivers don't even try to brake and let the system do it for them when approaching stations.

Heisenberg1

Jehuty42 wrote: »

It's the ATP(Automatic Train Protection) system on the DART. It enforces a speed limit over sections of the track by applying the brakes, and I think through stations it's at the lowest setting, especially so at stations with a red signal at the end of the platform, as happens at Pearse.

What's happening is the driver hasn't slowed down fast enough, so ATP takes over and applies the brakes until the limit is reached. It's a bit overzealous I think, it underestimates the braking performance the train. Personally speaking, it also seems some drivers don't even try to brake and let the system do it for them when approaching stations.

Thats correct but some spots on the network you can have an intermittent

break in the code in the track which has the same affect as a train approaching a red signal.

wile1000

Thanks all, particularly Jehuty42. Curiosity satisfied.

I might position myself on the platform in such a way now as to see whether the driver is doing his job or allowing the system to do it for him. :-D

Victor

Occassionally, you will have people too close to the edge of the platform, which can be a particular problem with Luas.