DART capacity reconfiguration

loyatemu wrote: »

hardly necessary to use the screens to check a 2-car train.

I thought that too, but then when I wondered if the purpose of the mirrors/screens is to allow drivers to move off while seated at the controls rather than sticking the head out the window, going back to the controls and 2-3 seconds later moving off.

josip wrote: »

I thought that too, but then when I wondered if the purpose of the mirrors/screens is to allow drivers to move off while seated at the controls rather than sticking the head out the window, going back to the controls and 2-3 seconds later moving off.

You are correct; it means that a driver is in his cab when at a station. The other reason for the mirror/CCTV is that it allows the driver a unobstructed view of the doors on a train.

I'll try to keep this as apolitical as I can. I have no vested political interest here, but there is an opportunity for North Wicklow people to give their feedback on this matter in the hope that something might be done.

A local TD in Greystones wants your views on the reduced capacity via a survey on his website.

All DARTs at the weekend are a minimum of 4 cars.

Specifically which ones are you referring to - it always helps to specify the actual train?

BabyBirch wrote: »

5.46 Southbound DART from Pearse.

So it's just the one service rather than several that you are referring to?

lxflyer wrote: »

All DARTs at the weekend are a minimum of 4 cars.

lxflyer wrote: »

So it's just the one service rather than several that you are referring to?

lxflyer: Irish Rail Employee of the Month ????

Ernest wrote: »

lxflyer: Irish Rail Employee of the Month ????

First of all, I have nothing to do with Irish Rail - I'm just someone who has a great personal interest in public transport and its development, and I do take an active role in trying to improve it, in my own way.

You asked a question, to which I knew the answer - I hardly think that is something to start slagging me over.

The second point was that when people have an issue about a train, they should be specific about what service is causing the problem, rather than making sweeping statements. I'm pretty sure IE read this board, and specifying the trains that are having overcrowding issues, and in particular where people are being left behind, which frankly is unforgiveable, will at least provide them with some clear feedback.

I find it rather sad that just because someone has a particular interest, and takes time to understand the issues underlying problems that arise, has to be frankly insulted and branded a company employee, which yet again, I am most certainly not.

Been getting various dart's at evening rush hour the past few weeks and I think every train but one serving the Northside between 5 and 6 pm has only 4 carriages.

The policy seems to be that if there's room to sit they aren't doing a good enough job and carriages are taken off. So the dart experience is getting even more hateful and frustrating than ever.

It's gotten to the stage where I'm so p***ed off that when I see the carriages in Fairview depot covered in graffiti I have a little chuckle to myself. Serves em right to have to spend the money to clean them up. Actually the one with the cartoon figure snorting up a mountain of coke is actually pretty good!

Ernest wrote: »

lxflyer: Irish Rail Employee of the Month ????

lxflyer wrote: »

First of all, I have nothing to do with Irish Rail - I'm just someone who has a great personal interest in public transport and its development, and I do take an active role in trying to improve it, in my own way.

You asked a question, to which I knew the answer - I hardly think that is something to start slagging me over.

The second point was that when people have an issue about a train, they should be specific about what service is causing the problem, rather than making sweeping statements. I'm pretty sure IE read this board, and specifying the trains that are having overcrowding issues, and in particular where people are being left behind, which frankly is unforgiveable, will at least provide them with some clear feedback.

I find it rather sad that just because someone has a particular interest, and takes time to understand the issues underlying problems that arise, has to be frankly insulted and branded a company employee, which yet again, I am most certainly not.

Victor wrote: »

Constructive, on-topic posts only please.

Moderator

My oh my, how touchy we have become! The frequency of Mr/Ms Flyer’s postings, their detailed knowledge of Irish Rail operational matters and their tendency to adopt the perspective of the rail operator rather than of the passengers lead me to speculate whether he/she might actually be someone from within Irish Rail. Why querying whether someone works for Irish Rail should be taken as an “insult” is puzzling.
The level of Mr/Ms Flyer’s detailed knowledge of railway workings plus the immediate reprimand and a Warning(!!!) in a private message to me from the Moderator does suggest some kind of “inside track” scenario, but such speculation is probably forbidden also.

Ernest wrote: »

My oh my, how touchy we have become! The frequency of Mr/Ms Flyer’s postings, their detailed knowledge of Irish Rail operational matters and their tendency to adopt the perspective of the rail operator rather than of the passengers lead me to speculate whether he/she might actually be someone from within Irish Rail. Why querying whether someone works for Irish Rail should be taken as an “insult” is puzzling.
The level of Mr/Ms Flyer’s detailed knowledge of railway workings plus the immediate reprimand and a Warning(!!!) in a private message to me from the Moderator does suggest some kind of “inside track” scenario, but such speculation is probably forbidden also.

For the second time - I have no professional connection with Irish Rail or any of the CIE Group companies.

I'm someone who has observed public transport workings (in detail) for over 25 years and I have built up an understanding of how things work or don't operationally. It's what interests me - is that a crime?

What irked me about your post is the instant assumption that I must be an insider, and actually couldn't have worked the things out for myself by observing the workings? It's a very rash assumption, as it has no basis in reality.

As for taking the perspective of the railway company - I have on several occasions made it clear that I view leaving people behind as unacceptable and that I view the evening introduction of 2 car trains as being too early.

I don't know how much clearer I can make it for you.

Sorry for going OT

While I not always agree with lxflyer's viewpoint I'm very grateful for the insights the poster provides on the various transport modes.

I cannot see why the poster has to provide the source of his knowledge to the wider forum.
In particular if there's no conflict of interest.

Most of my knowledge frankly comes from sitting down and looking at timetables off my own bat, analysing how the timetables appear to be built up, and trying to figure out how they are integrated (in other words what bus or train does which service). The recent publication of full timetables on the Transport for Ireland website is a goldmine of information for someone such as myself. It is something that I really enjoy doing.

An awful lot else comes from observation - I don't drive so I use public transport every day to go everywhere - you can build up a significant amount of information from doing that.

I also get updates for any media articles on public transport every day - that keeps me abreast of what is in the public arena.

I would also have a large amount of anecdotal information from just simply talking to staff when I'm out and about - while you will get a certain amount of "dud information" that way it's often surprising what you can learn. That, for example, together with my own observations, was how I knew that there were no 2-car DARTs out at the weekend. I rarely use anything that I learn anecdotally without confirming it from my own observations - I make a point of going out and about to see how things operate.

As a customer I have made, and I continue to make, regular constructive submissions to all of the transport companies based on my experiences - and yes of course that means that as a result I also manage to learn how things work. I am a firm believer in being pro-active and thankfully over the years this has meant that I have managed to get many small things changed, be it for example from the installation of bus stops at particular locations, to minor changes in timetables, correction of errors on the websites.

The point that I am trying to get across is that over 25 years I have managed, through my own analytical work in my spare time, from my own daily experiences, and from anecdotal information that I have gained, to build up what I would consider to be an exceptionally good understanding of how things work, or indeed how they don't. I actively do constructively engage with all of the companies if I see something that needs addressing. But, and it is a huge but, does not make me a "vehicle" for their viewpoints.

I'm a passionate advocate of public transport and it's development, and it's something I firmly believe in. As someone with a financial background, I also understand the cost impact of doing/not doing things. As someone who has worked in companies where significant cost reduction programmes had to be implemented, I understand the difficulties that the companies face, that many people don't even consider. I am also I believe pragmatic, in that I understand that getting changes through is something that generally takes time and considerable patience!

All of this means I can give something of an educated view of how our public transport services work or not.

It does NOT mean that I am an employee or am behoven to any organisation. Frankly I think that those sort of suggestions insult my intelligence.