[16-10-07] 07:58 Maynooth - Bray

[Mark Hennessy]

Originally Posted by thomasj

The delayed longford train would have then covered any passengers that were inconvinienced by the early departure of the 7.57 train

Thats what happened except customers, like myself who were clearly on time for our train were left waiting and were late for work through no fault of our own.

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

How on earth a train from Longford can lose 35 minutes is suspect, the train has a clear run with no trains going the other way, service is operated by the most reliable diesel railcar in Europe and the schedule is so easy at least 10 minutes can be chopped off

The excuse was signalling difficulties.

[Edward Ryan]

Can IE be made to find passangers alternative transport when a train departs early?

[Mark Gleeson]

Originally Posted by Mark Hennessy

The excuse was signalling difficulties.

Which is an excuse we can't verify and we all know Irish Rail to be less than honest

Signalling difficulties could be code for driver slept it out, just a speed restrictions en route is code for mechanical failure since we botched tightening a nut

[al2637]

Was a mess this morning. Got to Castleknock at about 8:05, 8:20 train arrived at about 8:15.... crush loaded, many many people left behind.

About 8:30 a 4 car train turned up. No announcements, or displays. Most people got on. Busy also at Ashtown, more people get on (persumably those left behind by the previous one). The train is crush load around the doors at this point. Again, NO platform announcements or displays, NO onboard displays or announcements. After Broombridge it becomes apparent the train is going to Docklands. Many angry and confused passengers.

As a side issue, Docklands doesn't seem set up to be able to deal with this many passengers. A 4 car train caused quite a backlog at the turnstiles with people getting in each others way and pushing trying to get through.

[ofjames]

Originally Posted by al2637

Was a mess this morning. Got to Castleknock at about 8:05, 8:20 train arrived at about 8:15.... crush loaded, many many people left behind.

About 8:30 a 4 car train turned up. No announcements, or displays. Most people got on. Busy also at Ashtown, more people get on (persumably those left behind by the previous one). The train is crush load around the doors at this point. Again, NO platform announcements or displays, NO onboard displays or announcements. After Broombridge it becomes apparent the train is going to Docklands. Many angry and confused passengers.

As a side issue, Docklands doesn't seem set up to be able to deal with this many passengers. A 4 car train caused quite a backlog at the turnstiles with people getting in each others way and pushing trying to get through.

It was a complete disgrace this morning. I was at coolmine, waiting in vain for my usual commute on the 8.15 service (which I presumed to be delayed). No announcements were made at coolmine with regard to the city centre services either (although IE were able to announce to the handful of passengers heading to Maynooth that their service was delayed!!).

As happened at castleknock, that 4 carriage train turned up with no displays or announcements and nearly everyone on the coolmine platform jumped on thinking it was the delayed 8.15 train. The only reason I didnt make the same mistake was that I was close enough to ask the driver where he was heading! Then low and behold, another train turns up 6 or 7 mins later (around 8.35)....again with no displays or announcements.

A complete shambles. IE treating us all like dirt once again! This country is a banana republic

[turnapin]

The Longford train was slow between Longford and Mullingar due to signal problems. Horn seemed to be sounded at every signal and level crossing on the way.

[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by al2637

As a side issue, Docklands doesn't seem set up to be able to deal with this many passengers. A 4 car train caused quite a backlog at the turnstiles with people getting in each others way and pushing trying to get through.

AFAIK Docklands has 10 turnstiles. The problem is that it is a terminating station (everyone is getting off) and the platform-turnstile distance is short (people don't get spread out like Connolly platform 5/6/7 to the main concourse). If you have a full eight car trains, they could take 10 minute to unload - by which time the next train (when they have more trains) has shown up.

I raised this at the time of the planning application but was scoffed at by CIÉ Property Department.

[Colm Donoghue]

Originally Posted by Victor

I raised this at the time of the planning application but was scoffed at by CIÉ Property Department.

Was this was at the oral hearing? or is it on the record?
if so can we put this up on our wall of shame along with 30m trams are good enough forever AND 640K RAM is plenty...


IE say 15 people per min per turnstile that's only 600 per minute and possibly over a thousand a train....

and IE's figures seem optomistic as it takes almost a second from taking ticket to opening turnstile unless you walk forwards and the gate doesn't open...

[al2637]

Originally Posted by Colm Donoghue

IE say 15 people per min per turnstile that's only 600 per minute and possibly over a thousand a train....

That's only 150 a minute?!?

IE get away with it at the moment because Docklands isn't used all that much, but if numbers pick up there could be quite a problem.

[Mark Gleeson]

10 gates at 15 per minute is 150 per minute or 8 minutes to clear a full 8 coach train

That said it would still be faster than the old style single gate routine

However the gates can manage a fair bit better than 15 per minute, throughput will increase massively when people finally act like there fellow commuters in London and Paris by having their tickets ready, thats the biggest hold up I can see

[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by Colm Donoghue

Was this was at the oral hearing? or is it on the record?
if so can we put this up on our wall of shame along with 30m trams are good enough forever AND 640K RAM is plenty...

Docklands didn't have an oral hearing. They applied for planning permission for the station and moved the tracks under an exemption in the planning acts (the same for the just completed siding at Clonsilla). I raised the point in my observation. CIÉ Property Department invited everyone who made submissions to meet them (they had a public consultation for the neighbours on short notice alright). SO its just my work against theirs. However, it is their design, they should be willing to stand over it.

Imagine an incident at Drumcondra and all Maynooth and Sligo trains are diverted to Docklands.

Originally Posted by tralph

The problem I see is that the gates are all bi-directional meaning that if there are a load of people going out then someone trying to get in hasn't a chance. I've seen in Connolly they sometimes switch a couple of the turnstiles to one-way, but it's rare.

I've seen them set at Connolly for two-way working, which create movement conflicts and is disruptive. But last week they were all set for one way or the other.

[Colm Donoghue]

The plans for Docklands station were unveiled immediately after the Tram plans were decided. there is no tram stop at the nearest point to the railway station. would you think this is malice or incompetency?

I'm only being facetious about their statement.