Whats your favourite DART?

Run_to_da_hills · 12-08-2009 4:03pm #1

The average person wouldn't care as they would probably not notice any difference between them but some including drivers staff and commuters might in terms of reliability, maintenance, space, adaptability ventilation etc.

Link to Dart types to those that are not sure.

http://eiretrains.com/Photo_Gallery/Irish%20Railcars%20&%20DARTs/A&Bindex.html

Cookie_Monster · 12-08-2009 4:12pm

Copycat:D

8500 flat roof are my preferred Dart

Decuc500 · 12-08-2009 5:03pm

Any time I see a DART other than an 8100 coming I curse as the chance of getting a seat is slim.

What happened to the 8 carriage 8100 trains? Are they coming back? Irish Rail have lengthened all the platforms and most DART'S are still 6 carriages long.

Run_to_da_hills · 12-08-2009 5:44pm

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Copycat:D

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

8500 flat roof are my preferred Dart

Lumpy roofs are usually synonymous of tropical banana countries.

L1011 · 12-08-2009 6:53pm

One that doesn't block the path of a Maynooth train I'm on!

Judgement Day · 12-08-2009 9:57pm

Looks like quality German engineering winning out by a mile. My least favourite type are the ones with no cushions. If I had a Euro for every time I've thrown myself down on one of those seats and nearly fractured my bum!

admiralofthefleet · 12-08-2009 9:58pm

the old darts by a mile. still the most comfortable

Captain Chaos · 12-08-2009 10:03pm

The 8520s, better seats and more leg room than the 8500s and 8510s plus they have air con. The 85xx series has the best ride quality overall. I don't know why the 8200s are on the list at all, they are so **** they have been out of service almost constantly for the past 3 years with problems.

12-08-2009 10:51pm

Good old LHB 8100s for me. Can't beat the sound or smell of them, haha. Of the 8500s I prefer the 8520s, the ride quality is exceptional in them. Only ever been on an 8200 once, it's not as if I've had many opportunities.

RayM · 12-08-2009 11:59pm

The original ones. Far more spacious and comfortable than the newer crap. They still sound and smell just like they did in the '80s, when I was a kid, being brought into town two or three times a year, so there is a nostalgia factor too.

sdanseo · 13-08-2009 12:12am

LHB's definately. Love that whining sound as they pull off, reminds me of being a kid.

Heroditas · 13-08-2009 8:18am

I find the seats on the newer ones very uncomfortable. Love the older ones

Ernest · 13-08-2009 10:37am

I personally do not find the outside profiles ( as shown on the linked photos) the most distinguishing feature of the various generations of DART carriages. My classification system would be:
(A) the original carriages with comfortable bench seats and openable windows that nobody thinks of opening so they are too stuffy
(B) the ones with those awful bucket seats with no proper padded upholstery and tilted forward slightly so a comfortable sitting position is impossible plus each seat tis too close to the seat opposite. These are the worst.
(C) some variation on either A or B above which has air conditioning which you cannot rely on drivers to switch on properly
(D) another variation on either A or b which has stupid electronic indicator board consisting of a row of red dots which is supposed to tell you where on the journey the train is but which, naturally, IE cannot manage to keep working properly.
(E) the refurbished versions of the original which have slightly less comfortable upholstery on bench seats but proper opening windows which nobody bothers to open so they are too stuffy.

Cookie_Monster · 13-08-2009 12:22pm

OT - If you were to couple up all the Dart carriages together, how long would they stretch?

Run_to_da_hills · 13-08-2009 12:26pm

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

OT - If you were to couple up all the Dart carriages together, how long would they stretch?

That would look horrible :eek:

If you break them down into individual carriages would make it easier.

76 8100's
20 8200's
60 8500's

total 176 cars.

Length of each car. 20M

Total 176x20 = 3520 M :eek:

This would make a good fund raising prop.

goingnowhere · 13-08-2009 3:37pm

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

That would look horrible :eek:

If you break them down into individual carriages would make it easier.

76 8100's
20 8200's
60 8500's

total 176 cars.

Length of each car. 20M

Total 176x20 = 3520 M :eek:

This would make a good fund raising prop.

Suggest you are an extremely poor trainspotter, being that there are only 154 in total

Cookie_Monster · 13-08-2009 3:50pm

goingnowhere wrote: »

Suggest you are an extremely poor trainspotter, being that there are only 154 in total

Link in first post confirms numbers, where have the other 22 gone?

karlr42 · 13-08-2009 4:12pm

http://irnirishrailwaynews.yuku.com/reply/32093/t/DARTWatch.html#reply-32093

( ( no_of_consists * units_per_consist) + no_of_individual_units ) * number_of_cars_per_unit
( (11 * 3) + 5 ) * 2 = 76 8100 cars
( (0 * 0) + 5) * 2 = 10 8200 cars
( (7 * 2) + 3) *4 = 68 8[5|6]00 cars

So, 68 + 10+ 76 = 54 cars * 20 metres = 3080 metres.
QED.

Run_to_da_hills · 13-08-2009 4:21pm

goingnowhere wrote: »

Suggest you are an extremely poor trainspotter, being that there are only 154 in total

Im hardly going to be able to spot the complete Dart fleet all at once :rolleyes:

Cookie_Monster · 13-08-2009 5:03pm

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

Im hardly going to be able to spot the complete Dart fleet all at once :rolleyes:

You might if my string them altogether plan works;)

Judgement Day · 13-08-2009 5:09pm

When you have them all coupled together, take the whole damn lot to that quarry up north where they bury asbestos contaminated carriages and you know the rest. Then maybe the Rosslare train can reach Dublin without being stuck behind the wretched things!

Run_to_da_hills · 13-08-2009 5:15pm

Coupling them up together is impossible, the 8200's would be left behind.

Judgement Day · 13-08-2009 5:21pm

Well send them to the WRC - I'm not fussy just clear them out of the way!

Run_to_da_hills · 13-08-2009 5:26pm

Judgement Day wrote: »

Well send them to the WRC - I'm not fussy just clear them out of the way!

They would make great push pulls.

Captain Chaos · 13-08-2009 5:26pm

The lads in Fairview should get the set back thats in Inchicore works, roll all the 8200s into the Tolka and claim the insurance. They had techies from Alstom in Spain, the company that made them, over here trying to help fix them and they can't.

The only times you see the 8200s move now is when a loco drags them to Inchicore for re paints or a 29k units drags them to Drogheda depot for the wheel lathe.

Judgement Day · 13-08-2009 5:41pm

The final solution to the DART?

%27The_Stack%27_Vic_Berry%27s_03-10-1987.jpg

Run_to_da_hills · 13-08-2009 5:44pm

Captain Chaos wrote: »

The lads in Fairview should get the set back thats in Inchicore works, roll all the 8200s into the Tolka and claim the insurance. They had techies from Alstom in Spain, the company that made them, over here trying to help fix them and they can't.

The only times you see the 8200s move now is when a loco drags them to Inchicore for re paints or a 29k units drags them to Drogheda depot for the wheel lathe.

Im surprised there is no votes in the poll for the 8200's series. You would expect maintenance to vote for them because they will keep them in full time employment for years to come.

lord lucan · 13-08-2009 8:20pm

sdonn wrote: »

LHB's definately. Love that whining sound as they pull off, reminds me of being a kid.

What he said!

Cookie_Monster · 14-08-2009 10:20am

Judgement Day wrote: »

The final solution to the DART?

%27The_Stack%27_Vic_Berry%27s_03-10-1987.jpg

Could the not just stick a 141 in front and tow them around?

14-08-2009 10:24am

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Could the not just stick a 141 in front and tow them around?

http://www.railsceneireland.fotopic.net/p58396096.html

Judgement Day · 14-08-2009 10:50am

Can't believe they have taken up my suggestion already - Is that a special for the quarry at Crumlin?

Whats your favourite DART?

Whats your favourite Dart? 33 votes

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