Trains this week

[sandraoh]

I don't know about anyone else but I have had a lot of bad experiences with trains this week and its beginning to annoy me quite frankly. I catch the 7:24 service from Portlaoise everyday and so far this week it hasn't left Portlaoise until at least 7:40. This morning it was so late that we were told to catch the 7:41 train instead which didn't get in until 8:58 meaning I got in half an hour later than usual.

So far this week I have been at least 10 minutes late getting into dublin and this is before problems of "leaf slip" begin. Does anyone know why the new train is late all the time?

Last night I planned on catching the 18:35 to Portlaoise but when I got into the station the board said nothing about an 18:35 train but that there was a train called 18:45 Thurles/New. The station announcer said that the 18:35 service was deferred to 18:45 for today(wednesday) only and that boarding would commence at 18:30-18:35 approx. I made an executive decision fromlooking at the length of the queue and joined the queue for the 19:00 train instead because there was no chance of getting anything resembling a seat on the 18:35/45. The boarding of the 18:45 started at around about 18:45 and it was stampede like to watch. The train left at 18:55 and the cork train left pretty much on time at 19:02. We didn't get into Portlaoise unitl 20:20 however.

With the way things are going this week one wonders what joys lie ahead for tonight and tomorrow.

Just another query. What is the role of the train manager/host?

[Mark Gleeson]

Originally Posted by sandraoh

So far this week I have been at least 10 minutes late getting into dublin and this is before problems of "leaf slip" begin. Does anyone know why the new train is late all the time?

It has trouble waking up in the morning I'm serious, it takes 10 minutes to bring it to life even if it was left switched on overnight

There are issues with the locomotives unable to top 85 mph, that does equate to about 10 minutes in time over 160 miles, I've experienced it crusing at 83-85mph for mile after mile even where 100mph is permitted

Last night I planned on catching the 18:35 to Portlaoise but when I got into the station the board said nothing about an 18:35 train but that there was a train called 18:45 Thurles/New. The station announcer said that the 18:35 service was deferred to 18:45 for today(wednesday) only

The 18:35/18:45 called every stop on the way so that held you up

Deferred == Cancelled

Just another query. What is the role of the train manager/host?

Its customer service only, no technical or operational role from what I'm aware. Put it this way some of them are not very train savy nice and friendly though. Hidden somewhere in coach G at the very front you are likely to find a senior IE engineer who is there to babysit

A thread for each day would be useful I'm trying to compile a list of breakdowns etc, train x on day y left z minutes late would be extremely helpful

[sandraoh]

Is the train manager supposed to be visible/easy to find? Who do you contact in the event of an altercation?

[Mark Gleeson]

Originally Posted by sandraoh

Is the train manager supposed to be visible/easy to find? Who do you contact in the event of an altercation?

The train manager (most likely Tracey or Siobhain on the 19:00) is meant to walk through the train regularly, in the old days the guard used to hide

There is a passenger communication panel at the coach end with the luggage rack, break glass push button and you should then hear a solid tone on the train PA, so the train manager is made aware. The train manager then can view on any computer screen which coach you are in, talk to you and see you on the CCTV. I'm sure by now you have heard the PA chime slightly different to the normal one thats to indicate the driver wants to talk to the train manager. They have used such on the TGV for decades.

The communication cord does not stop the train on a Mk4 as far as we know

[sandraoh]

I'm just thinking about the 21:00 train actually. I was talking to someone who was threatened by a passenger and she walked the length of the train looking for someone and was about to ring 999 when she ran into the ticket checker. There is a nasty message about a fine over those communication buttons and breaking glass seems a little extreme. I don't think she wanted to draw attention to herself either in the circumstances.

[Mark Gleeson]

The conditions of use of the communication cord system are not clear however if you have been threatened by a passenger or an incident is about to turn nasty, the passenger communcation system is there, don't worry about the glass its main purpose is to stop you accidentally pushing it. Once its pushed the computer will log it and may flag the CCTV for later viewing. Its very discrete since it just sounds a tone through the train PA, unless you knew what it meant you would ignore it, you do have to actually trigger it thats the only issue. You will not be fined unless it was used in an act of vandalism, the communication cord shouldn't apply the brakes on the modern trains

The Railway Safety Commission is currently preparing a passenger safety guide, we have been asked to review a draft and comment and the issue of emergency situations on train is not covered in any useful detail in the draft I have.

On a Mk4 train, there will be staff in the Dining car, Dublin end coach B, there is likely to be a senior IE engineer hidding in coach G at the Cork end in the very last row. If things get crazy the toilet also has a passenger communcation panel.

On all other trains the guard will be in the generator van normally at the Cork end