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Standing on a train from Athy to Dublin

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24

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    #32
    end of the road
    Registered Users Posts: 28,999 ✭✭✭✭end of the road


    lazeedaisy wrote: »
    I did that commute for years, never saw anyone standing going to Dublin from Athy, it was a very early Train, and I know another train was put on the route since I stopped, as for it being an hour commute, it was half that again on a god day,

    Friday afternoons the trains were always packed but you got a seat if you got there on time.
    unfortunately the trains have also got shorter, at least some of them. i believe the waterford line is a problem line when it comes to short trains, having a lot of them. but i'm open to correction

    ticking a box on a form does not make you of a religion.



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    #33
    foggy_lad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    road_high wrote: »
    Hey there. Any idea when this may start? Sorely needed on the M9 and should do very well indeed with good journey times. Assume Carlow would be on the planned stops as well to boost loading.

    looks like they are after the passengers from Waterford and Kilkenny only, or maybe that was a condition of the licence?


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    #34
    evo2000
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,728 ✭✭✭evo2000


    patrickc wrote: »
    that's a very helpful post......:rolleyes:

    the person might have a very tough job and its nice to relax before/after work standing doesn't allow this. anyway regardless of the job for 3K a year standing IMO is unacceptable up and back everyday.

    Such is the price you pay for riding the peasant wagons! :D:D:D


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    #35
    Emme
    Registered Users Posts: 4,055 ✭✭✭Emme


    end of the road wrote: »
    unfortunately the trains have also got shorter, at least some of them. i believe the waterford line is a problem line when it comes to short trains, having a lot of them. but i'm open to correction

    I agree and it is a dangerous situation. Irish Rail fobs passengers off with excuses about short platforms but that is no reason for the majority of trains on the Waterford line to be 5 cars or in most cases, 4 cars or fewer.

    The 15.10 Heuston-Waterford today was a 4 car train. About 80% of the seats on this train were booked either by groups or individuals. There was so little standing room that people were left behind at Heuston. They would have had to wait over an hour for the next train. If so many seats had been booked on this train Irish Rail should have had the sense to make this train a 6 car and not a 4 car. Even if the train had been a 6 car people would have had to stand but not so many people would have been left behind at Heuston.

    It was a very unpleasant journey for most people on the train except for those who barged their way past the standees to their booked seats. One large group didn't even arrive until 2 minutes before departure! There wasn't enough room on the luggage racks for this group's cases so they put them on the floor beside their seats forcing standees to bunch together even more.

    The very young, the very old, mothers with babies and the physically impaired were left without seats on this train. Disgraceful. People were crammed like sardines and standing in the aisles as far as Carlow if not beyond.

    Two security guards got on at Newbridge, I don't know why but perhaps a scuffle had broken out between some of the people who were unceremoniously crammed together.

    This train was so crowded it must have been in breach of health and safety regulations. In the event of an emergency people would not have been able to get out of the train.


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    #36
    Aard
    Registered Users Posts: 4,905 ✭✭✭Aard


    Maybe the answer is to book a seat?


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    #37
    Emme
    Registered Users Posts: 4,055 ✭✭✭Emme


    Aard wrote: »
    Maybe the answer is to book a seat?

    I pay over €3,000 for an annual commuter ticket as do many others. Why should we have to book a seat in order to sit on a train?

    Commuter trains are not designed to safely accommodate a large number of standees. The Luas is designed to accommodate standees and I have no problem standing on the Luas.


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    #38
    eejoynt
    Registered Users Posts: 264 ✭✭eejoynt


    Boards is for entertainment, not for dealing with the real world.
    Contact gerry murphy of the national transportation authority, along the following lines

    I had to stand in a four coach train today, the waterford line needs five car trains to be as standard. This could be done if ICRs were withdrawn from the cork line services, and the mark 4 coaches which are stored in inchicore were reinstated to cork line services

    Copy to your TDs and MEPs


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    #39
    end of the road
    Registered Users Posts: 28,999 ✭✭✭✭end of the road


    Emme wrote: »
    Commuter trains are not designed to safely accommodate a large number of standees.

    not meaning to be pedantic, but commuter trains are designed to safely accommodate a large number of standees. the train you get is an intercity railcar which is designed for proper long distance work, but not for carrying large amounts of standing passengers. both unfortunately are interchanged, meaning intercity railcars will run short distance high capacity high density commuter services, and a commuter railcar long distance services, where they are apart from the odd exceptional circumstance overkill.

    ticking a box on a form does not make you of a religion.



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    #40
    end of the road
    Registered Users Posts: 28,999 ✭✭✭✭end of the road


    eejoynt wrote: »
    Boards is for entertainment, not for dealing with the real world.
    Contact gerry murphy of the national transportation authority, along the following lines

    I had to stand in a four coach train today, the waterford line needs five car trains to be as standard. This could be done if ICRs were withdrawn from the cork line services, and the mark 4 coaches which are stored in inchicore were reinstated to cork line services

    Copy to your TDs and MEPs
    i'd agree with and would second this, all though i suspect you shouldn't expect anything to be done. but do it anyway, you never know.

    ticking a box on a form does not make you of a religion.



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    #41
    Jamie2k9
    Registered Users Posts: 10,682 ✭✭✭✭Jamie2k9


    Emme wrote: »
    I agree and it is a dangerous situation. Irish Rail fobs passengers off with excuses about short platforms but that is no reason for the majority of trains on the Waterford line to be 5 cars or in most cases, 4 cars or fewer.

    The 15.10 Heuston-Waterford today was a 4 car train. About 80% of the seats on this train were booked either by groups or individuals. There was so little standing room that people were left behind at Heuston. They would have had to wait over an hour for the next train. If so many seats had been booked on this train Irish Rail should have had the sense to make this train a 6 car and not a 4 car. Even if the train had been a 6 car people would have had to stand but not so many people would have been left behind at Heuston.

    It was a very unpleasant journey for most people on the train except for those who barged their way past the standees to their booked seats. One large group didn't even arrive until 2 minutes before departure! There wasn't enough room on the luggage racks for this group's cases so they put them on the floor beside their seats forcing standees to bunch together even more.

    The very young, the very old, mothers with babies and the physically impaired were left without seats on this train. Disgraceful. People were crammed like sardines and standing in the aisles as far as Carlow if not beyond.

    Two security guards got on at Newbridge, I don't know why but perhaps a scuffle had broken out between some of the people who were unceremoniously crammed together.

    This train was so crowded it must have been in breach of health and safety regulations. In the event of an emergency people would not have been able to get out of the train.

    Email the NTA, expect major problems Sunday afternoon to towards Dublin. Understand you won't be the first.


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    #42
    paddyland
    Closed Accounts Posts: 932 ✭✭✭paddyland


    Cookie_Monster wrote: »
    Says who, you?
    so take the bus or drive or move closer or find another job or complain to IE or get an earlier / later train instead if it's such an issue.
    That person's daughter, whoever she is, decided to make that ridiculous commute part of her daily life, at the end of the day it's no one's fault but her own.
    This forum just descends further into the gutter.


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    #43
    foggy_lad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    The security guards are to control the stag parties drinking on the train! There were two on the galway train on Friday afternoon and one of the 7 cars was off limits to normal sane people.

    As for the Waterford line nothing will change any time soon! It is one of the poorer lines in terms of revenue over costs and will be run on a shoestring until it is decided to close it. They will claim to have extra services on a Friday and Saturday afternoon from waterford but these trains would be running anyway only empty and at a later time. They are probably saving money on driver overtime by running them in service. These services are also not advertised and not used much as they are after the peak Friday times! Most stag parties and students travel earlier so those early afternoon trains from Dublin need to be 6car trains!


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    #44
    BOHtox
    Registered Users Posts: 4,314 ✭✭✭BOHtox


    What is the future for trains in this country? Are there plans to increase capacity or invest in more tracks?


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    #45
    fr336
    Registered Users Posts: 10,179 ✭✭✭✭fr336


    January wrote: »
    God forbid anyone that has to spend all day on their feet...

    Well anyone standing or in any way uncomfortable can pay a far cheaper fare :) Fair enough for the capitalists?


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    #46
    Aard
    Registered Users Posts: 4,905 ✭✭✭Aard


    BOHtox wrote: »
    What is the future for trains in this country? Are there plans to increase capacity or invest in more tracks?

    http://www.irishrail.ie/about-us/rail-vision-2030


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    #47
    Emme
    Registered Users Posts: 4,055 ✭✭✭Emme


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    The security guards are to control the stag parties drinking on the train! There were two on the galway train on Friday afternoon and one of the 7 cars was off limits to normal sane people.

    As for the Waterford line nothing will change any time soon! It is one of the poorer lines in terms of revenue over costs and will be run on a shoestring until it is decided to close it. They will claim to have extra services on a Friday and Saturday afternoon from Dublin but these trains would be running anyway only empty and at a later time. They are probably saving money on driver overtime by running them in service. These services are also not advertised and not used much as they are after the peak Friday times! Most stag parties and students travel earlier so those early afternoon trains from Dublin need to be 6car trains!

    The Waterford line takes in so little revenue because the service is so poor and a fair few passengers travel on free passes. I'm not just talking about the over 65s.

    It's disgraceful to force ordinary passengers to stand, many of these regulars, while pandering to drunken stag parties. If they do block off one car on a train that is normally 4 cars they should put on extra cars to compensate.

    People use the Waterford line to commute to work from towns such as Carlow and Athy and many students travel daily to Carlow college by train. Students travel to and from Athy to get to secondary school.

    They shouldn't close the Waterford line altogether. Leave it open to Kilkenny or if it's as bad as you say, Carlow. Not everyone from Carlow, Kilkenny or Athy has the option of driving to Dublin on the M9/M7.


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    #48
    end of the road
    Registered Users Posts: 28,999 ✭✭✭✭end of the road


    Emme wrote: »
    The Waterford line takes in so little revenue because the service is so poor

    exactly. why those in charge of running and funding the railways can't grasp this i'l never know. it has the unfortunate problem of being in the southeast so no doubt that doesn't help it.

    They shouldn't close the Waterford line altogether. Leave it open to Kilkenny or if it's as bad as you say, Carlow. Not everyone from Carlow, Kilkenny or Athy has the option of driving to Dublin on the M9/M7.[/QUOTE]

    they shouldn't be closing any part of it at all in fairness. it would achieve nothing (apart from proving me and others right)

    ticking a box on a form does not make you of a religion.



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    #49
    Jamie2k9
    Registered Users Posts: 10,682 ✭✭✭✭Jamie2k9


    As for the Waterford line nothing will change any time soon! It is one of the poorer lines in terms of revenue over costs and will be run on a shoestring until it is decided to close it. They will claim to have extra services on a Friday and Saturday afternoon from Dublin but these trains would be running anyway only empty and at a later time. They are probably saving money on driver overtime by running them in service. These services are also not advertised and not used much as they are after the peak Friday times! Most stag parties and students travel earlier so those early afternoon trains from Dublin need to be 6car trains!

    Its debatable to be honest. Students traveling to Waterford is just if not more profitable than Galway etc. However the real question is why a second train was not scheduled last Friday. They have no problem scheduling a 14.40 ex Galway so there is no excuses.

    If DublinCoach launch the express service they will destroy Irish Rail.


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    #50
    purplecow1977
    Registered Users Posts: 2,877 ✭✭✭purplecow1977


    January wrote: »
    God forbid anyone that has to spend all day on their feet...

    Is that meant to be a smart arse comment?
    Why should someone be expected to stand up on their commute?
    What if they have a job that involves standing all day?
    I teach - I am on my feet all day, and I would loath having to stand for an hour before and after work also.


    What an insensitive comment to make in the search for thanks.

    Aren't those sorts called 'thanks whores'?

    What are the solutions? Extra trains?


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    #51
    end of the road
    Registered Users Posts: 28,999 ✭✭✭✭end of the road


    freeing up the ICRS from the portlaoise heuston commuter services would help a hell of a lot. no chance of that though

    ticking a box on a form does not make you of a religion.



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    #52
    Jamie2k9
    Registered Users Posts: 10,682 ✭✭✭✭Jamie2k9


    end of the road wrote: »
    freeing up the ICRS from the portlaoise heuston commuter services would help a hell of a lot. no chance of that though

    Not really the problem. The 14.00, 15.00 and 16.00 to Cork on the other hard.....


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    #53
    end of the road
    Registered Users Posts: 28,999 ✭✭✭✭end of the road


    Jamie2k9 wrote: »
    Not really the problem. The 14.00, 15.00 and 16.00 to Cork on the other hard.....

    that is a problem also. they're both problems to me to be honest.

    ticking a box on a form does not make you of a religion.



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    #54
    foggy_lad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    Portlaoise is not and never will be a city, It should be services by higher capacity 29000 railcars because it is a commuter line, the only 22000 ICRs on the line to Portlaoise should be those heading to the traincare depot.


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    #55
    kc56
    Registered Users Posts: 432 ✭✭kc56


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    Portlaoise is not and never will be a city, It should be services by higher capacity 29000 railcars because it is a commuter line, the only 22000 ICRs on the line to Portlaoise should be those heading to the traincare depot.

    But many of the 'commuter' services to Portlaoise are going to the traincare depot.

    If you were to use 29Ks, you'd first of all have to find 3 or 4 29k units and then double up with loads of empty ICR workings to Portlaoise increasing costs. Not to mention that 29K are restricted to 75mph leading to further congestion on the route. Now if they had 90mph commuter stock then it would be a different story.


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    #56
    TINA1984
    Closed Accounts Posts: 372 ✭✭TINA1984


    purplecow1977 wrote: »
    Why should someone be expected to stand up on their commute?

    Commuters across the world stand on their commute, and they expect it, Ireland should be no different.


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    #57
    end of the road
    Registered Users Posts: 28,999 ✭✭✭✭end of the road


    kc56 wrote: »
    But many of the 'commuter' services to Portlaoise are going to the traincare depot.

    If you were to use 29Ks, you'd first of all have to find 3 or 4 29k units and then double up with loads of empty ICR workings to Portlaoise increasing costs. Not to mention that 29K are restricted to 75mph leading to further congestion on the route. Now if they had 90mph commuter stock then it would be a different story.

    well that would have required thinking.

    ticking a box on a form does not make you of a religion.



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    #58
    end of the road
    Registered Users Posts: 28,999 ✭✭✭✭end of the road


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    Portlaoise is not and never will be a city, It should be services by higher capacity 29000 railcars because it is a commuter line, the only 22000 ICRs on the line to Portlaoise should be those heading to the traincare depot.

    agree, but of course the stupidity of having rail care depots so far out of the way and maintaining 1 type of unit out of each depot means customers will suffer. best thing that can happen is that something forces both portlaoise and droghida depots to shut and the lot return to dublin. a megga depot when DU is built to take care of everything.

    ticking a box on a form does not make you of a religion.



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    #59
    end of the road
    Registered Users Posts: 28,999 ✭✭✭✭end of the road


    TINA1984 wrote: »
    Commuters across the world stand on their commute and they expect it

    so what. i can guarintee the other countries have provisions including enough stock to ensure standing room is at least barible. and where services are of a long distance, enough carriges to ensure the least amount of standing room.
    TINA1984 wrote: »
    Ireland should be no different.

    actually it all ready is . see above

    ticking a box on a form does not make you of a religion.



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    #60
    TINA1984
    Closed Accounts Posts: 372 ✭✭TINA1984


    end of the road wrote: »
    so what. i can guarintee the other countries have provisions including enough stock to ensure standing room is at least barible. and where services are of a long distance, enough carriges to ensure the least amount of standing room.



    actually it all ready is . see above

    The OP and the other poster I quoted seem to think that if you're getting on at Athy on a peak hour train they should be guaranteed a seat, anywhere in the western world if you're getting on a peak hour train in the commuter belt of a big city it's to be expected you're going to stand in a cramped environment. It's not ideal but it'll do.


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    #61
    Emme
    Registered Users Posts: 4,055 ✭✭✭Emme


    TINA1984 wrote: »
    The OP and the other poster I quoted seem to think that if you're getting on at Athy on a peak hour train they should be guaranteed a seat, anywhere in the western world if you're getting on a peak hour train in the commuter belt of a big city it's to be expected you're going to stand in a cramped environment. It's not ideal but it'll do.

    It takes an hour to get from Athy to Dublin by train. Do you really think it is satisfactory for people to stand two hours a day while travelling to work? If people do this long term their health suffers.

    I don't mind standing on the Luas because it is equipped for standees. The Waterford train is not. It isn't a matter of people.standing between carriages and looking out the window at leisure. People are crammed in the aisles of carriages and have to push in on top of seated passengers to let people out of the train.

    It isn't just peak trains that are overcrowded on the Waterford line. It is difficult.to get a seat on ANY train from Athy to Dublin.


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