Luas Red Line Disruption
 

Remind me why trams can't operate The Point-Connolly. If they can do it out of service, why not in service?

Trams can't get to/from Red Cow HQ.

Given where the incident is, it looks like the service could run Citywest/Tallaght-Heuston. Why it isn't is unknown.

The track layout doesn't allow eastbound trams turn back at Heuston towards Saggart and Tallaght. Somewhat of a design flaw !

The location of electrical disconnects may also be a factor.

Seems no reason why services couldn't operate from the Point to Connolly and vice-versa. Both the track layout and electrical sections permit this. Indeed the service could probably run to Abbey Street although the lack of an eastbound signal towards Connolly might complicate matters somewhat.

Sadly the signalling arrangements at Connolly do not currently allow a shuttle to from the Point

You mean they went to the great expense of putting in the track to allow Connolly-Point but didn't put in a means of operating the switches?

Trams can turn back at Abbey st and Smithfield but there are no obvious signals near the switches. Does the driver operate them manually?

The setup at Abbey Street is designed for turning eastbound trams back towards Heuston, but probably could be used to turnback towards the Point.

Didn't realise the Connolly area wasn't signalled for movements to/from the Point

So they went to trouble of putting in track to allow Connolly to The Point shuttles but didn't put in the required signals so the track could be used? That's sounds a bit of a waste

You can do Tallaght - Connolly - Point but you can't do the reverse

Apparently an upgrade is planned. Its typical of the poor thought in much of the Luas design, no thought in the design for how to cope with partial closures

DART isn't much better with a dis-functional layout at Malahide, a half-baked layout yet to be commissioned at Clongriffin and the recent removal of crossovers at Merrion and Dun Laoghaire.

The DART has massive redundancy compared to Luas, reversible signaling between Howth Junc and Dun Laoghaire (been wrong way numerous times) plus dual power feeds for all substations.

Buildings have been partially demolished: http://www.luas.ie/assets/graphics/R...igns/photo.JPG

What are the staff thanking themselves for? :confused:

The message is from Brian Barrington, MD of Veolia.