Trains stopping at top of platforms
 

It seems very hit and miss where a train stops.

I heard a few times that drivers have been told they must stop the train at the top of the platform but some train drivers don't.

It can cause a few delays especially with 4 carriage trains

what is the official statement

Train should stop at the end of the platform

Driver of my train from maynooth this morning came over the tannoy at ashtown to make the following announcement:

Irish Rail management have ordered all drivers to stop at working platform camera's at the top of platforms from now on.

Nice of him to say as a good 70 people had to run 1/4 the length of platform at coolmine along with some people at ashtown.

The drivers of this particular train have been doing it for the last month or so, but there was never any announcement over it so I just presumed it was a wheel slip issue.

In the last few years 4 car trains have been stopping somewhere short of the top of the platform in coolmine. if you could imagine them stopping between carraiges 2 and 6 of an 8 car train, that where they would be.

Havent really got a problem with it if in the interests of safety.

Crowd control and access wise, stopping with the train near (not necessarily at) the middle of the platform is generally better, but you would much prefer passengers to be sure of stepping on to the platform and that the rear of the train isn't still in the level crossing.

Within crowd control, there are two factors (a) you don't want people running on the platform to get to the train only to be met by a large crowd coming the other way and people pushing and shoving (b) depending where the platform exit (turnstile or birdge/underpass) is, placing the train away from it spreads people out more.

It is standard practice to stop at the top of the platform.

NIR system seems to be better, they have little plates up saying "3 car stop", "6 car stop", etc.

Unless you have long platforms like in Kildare. If a 3-car stopped at the end of the down platform, it would be nowhere near the waiting room or the exit. Typically they stop quite sensibly ignoring the distant top of the platform.

Surely the camera covers the whole platform anyway? I don't see the logic.

Notices should have been erected about this. I'm sure loads of people must have fallen during the snow and ice in recent weeks having to run fifty yards for a train.

I'm sure it covers the whole of the platform. However if the driver were to stop short of the camera his view of said camera could be impaired by passengers standing on the platform.

Its a small change, which could have done with some advance notice, but none the less its not really too big of an issue in general.
I'm not going to let it bother me :)

I'm sure it bothers elderly people, parents with young children and those less able-bodied than yourself.

Exactly, add on those with heavy bags, people in wheelchairs, people with visual impairments.

I've noticed that at Connolly recently, they have started on occasion parking two short trains at each platform so that you have to walk the length of a train before you get to the rear of the train you are boarding. This is not an insignificant walk for somebody with restricted mobility.

7.15 Maynooth to Connolly train literally moaned in Louisa bridge about it.

As said already maybe if their was notices in the station to inform people wouldn't be as bad.

Then again we can't get drivers to display the correction information on the front of trains

It not the cameras, its the display monitors.

I was on the 7.45 from Maynooth and did stop at the top of platforms