Trains going to the very front of the Platform?

Madworld

I have only noticed it over the last couple of months but why are train drivers along the Maynooth line going to the very front of all the platforms? If you get off at Ashtown coming from Maynooth, you are nearly in at Broombridge!

Run_to_da_hills

It seems to be the trend these days,

I started a thread on the subject last year sometime. It can be very frustrating with shorter 4 car DMU / EMU units particularly for the elderly and those with physical disabilities if it is carried out intermittently at certain stations where one boards at the end / beginning of a platform such as Pearce ST, Tara St, GCD and Dunlaoghaire.

Eiretrains

It might be the fact that the train driver VDU screens, for assisting the driver's sight of the platform when passengers are boarding, are located at the end of the platforms, naturally positioned for the longest trains (8-cars).

afatbollix

In London they have signs telling the driver to stop at certain points if he has 4 carriages or 6 or 8. Could the drivers not know if the last carriage is on the platform? so go the whole way down the other end

Mr Simpson

afatbollix wrote: »

In London they have signs telling the driver to stop at certain points if he has 4 carriages or 6 or 8. Could the drivers not know if the last carriage is on the platform? so go the whole way down the other end

In london the vdu for the driver is in their cab, with the feed transmitted in each station, so it doesn't matter where they stop.

Terrontress

mmcn90 wrote: »

afatbollix wrote: »

In London they have signs telling the driver to stop at certain points if he has 4 carriages or 6 or 8. Could the drivers not know if the last carriage is on the platform? so go the whole way down the other end

In london the vdu for the driver is in their cab, with the feed transmitted in each station, so it doesn't matter where they stop.

There are definitely monitors on some platforms though. Maybe not all trains have a monitor in them. They also tend to have something on the electronic display telling passengers how many carriages the train will have.

To me it makes sense to stop at the end. Regardless of how long the train is, it will make it simpler for the driver always to stop at the same point. Doing otherwise increases the risk of opening the door where there is no platform.

Mr Simpson

Terrontress wrote: »

mmcn90 wrote: »

afatbollix wrote: »

In London they have signs telling the driver to stop at certain points if he has 4 carriages or 6 or 8. Could the drivers not know if the last carriage is on the platform? so go the whole way down the other end

In london the vdu for the driver is in their cab, with the feed transmitted in each station, so it doesn't matter where they stop.

There are definitely monitors on some platforms though. Maybe not all trains have a monitor in them. They also tend to have something on the electronic display telling passengers how many carriages the train will have.

To me it makes sense to stop at the end. Regardless of how long the train is, it will make it simpler for the driver always to stop at the same point. Doing otherwise increases the risk of opening the door where there is no platform.

It is much easier to just stop at the end. On the vdu's, im not sure if all trains in london have in-cab, im just going by the london underground programme by sky1.

Run_to_da_hills

Terrontress wrote: »

There are definitely monitors on some platforms though. Maybe not all trains have a monitor in them. They also tend to have something on the electronic display telling passengers how many carriages the train will have.

If they were to introduce that over here they would need to have it displayed also as Gaeilge which would pose problems, I don't know how DB was able to get away with it.

afatbollix

mmcn90 wrote: »

It is much easier to just stop at the end. On the vdu's, im not sure if all trains in london have in-cab, im just going by the london underground programme by sky1.

Im on about the trains, All underground trains are max length all the time. But I think most of the trains also have a guard. I dont think its up to the driver to make sure the doors are closed.

positron

In India trains are often 20-30 coaches long, and every station has either electronic or a basic black board that will be kept up to date to show where each class / coach is going to stop, so that passengers can move to that part of the platform. It changes daily for long distance trains, as they add more coaches based on demand and availability. India isn't exactly Germany or Japan, and yet If they can manage it there, I can't see it can't be managed properly here. Just saying.

n97 mini

positron wrote: »

India isn't exactly Germany or Japan, and yet If they can manage it there, I can't see it can't be managed properly here. Just saying.

Ireland isn't up to Indian standards either, it would seem. Not surprising considering we're talking IE.

Tara St is probably the worst. The train is nearly in Pearse by the time it has stopped, and the exit is so far back down the platform it feels like it's in the Custom House.

schemingbohemia

n97 mini wrote: »

Ireland isn't up to Indian standards either, it would seem. Not surprising considering we're talking IE.

Tara St is probably the worst. The train is nearly in Pearse by the time it has stopped, and the exit is so far back down the platform it feels like it's in the Custom House.

Sigh, given the curved nature of the platforms at Tara Street do you not think it wise that the driver of the train has a view of the whole platform which s/he can only get by looking at the VDU's at the end of the platform?

I'm sure you'd be on here berating the safety standards of IE if they did it any differently, but quelle surprise hater's gonna hate :rolleyes:

Mr Simpson

afatbollix wrote: »

Im on about the trains, All underground trains are max length all the time. But I think most of the trains also have a guard. I dont think its up to the driver to make sure the doors are closed.

May not be the drivers responsibility to make sure the doors are closed, but they do have to have a clear view of the platform before departing, I'm referring to the underground when I'm talking about vdu's as I'm more familiar with it.

Jehuty42

All these LUL questions are probably answered in this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZjeIF1Fs8E

Losty Dublin

mmcn90 wrote: »

May not be the drivers responsibility to make sure the doors are closed, but they do have to have a clear view of the platform before departing, I'm referring to the underground when I'm talking about vdu's as I'm more familiar with it.

It is the driver's responsibility to ensure that passengers have boarded and alighted safely on all Irish Rail trains, with the general exception of the Belfast services. The CCTV screens aid the driver as well but they can only do so much. At some stations there are station staff who assist in this function but this is at busier stations or times when it's impossible for the driver to do so; most London Underground stations have staff that help to do this.

In olden days, it was part of the guards duty to ensure this but this was merged into the drivers role over time as modern aids like electric doors come into play.

n97 mini

schemingbohemia wrote: »

Sigh, given the curved nature of the platforms at Tara Street do you not think it wise that the driver of the train has a view of the whole platform which s/he can only get by looking at the VDU's at the end of the platform?p

Have you not read any posts in the thread apart from my one? In other countries they have markers along the platforms and the driver knows which one to stop at depending on the length of the train.

schemingbohemia wrote: »

I'm sure you'd be on here berating the safety standards of IE if they did it any differently, but quelle surprise hater's gonna hate :rolleyes:

No, I'm actually sure putting you on my ignore list was the right decision.

Jehuty42

n97 mini wrote: »

In other countries they have markers along the platforms and the driver knows which one to stop at depending on the length of the train.

In other countries they can do this because they have guards.

roundymac

afatbollix wrote: »

In London they have signs telling the driver to stop at certain points if he has 4 carriages or 6 or 8. Could the drivers not know if the last carriage is on the platform? so go the whole way down the other end

In Mallow there is a sign telling the MK1V drivers where to stop.

donspeekinglesh

In Maynooth it's completely random where the driver stops.
When arriving westbound on platform 1 common stopping places include: at the VDU, level with the far exit gate, or level with the station building (normally if the driver wants to get out for a chat).
And not much better city bound either.