Limerick Junction now on Real-Time Information

[Mark Gleeson]

As of this morning Limerick Junction is on the real-time information system with live data

It should make a big difference to system as trains previously went missing as they past through the ancient signaling at Limerick Junction

[bg07]

They could do with updating the narrative underneath. It refers to the limerick Junction to Rosslare line which now only goes to Waterford. Heuston to Hazelhatch doesnt need to be on the list as far as I can see and now obviously limerick junction station can also be taken off it. Perhaps other line sections that are on the list that now have updated signalling.

[Mark Gleeson]

Its still under test in Limerick Junction and requires some tweaks. It became technically possible in the early hours of Monday and was working by Tuesday morning

The system cannot currently provide accurate arrival/departure times for Heuston station.

Waterford - Rosslare is still officially an open route and it is likely to have an intercity passenger train travel over it this month (sadly no passengers onboard). The real time tracking system does also include all extra and special trains

Full real time tracking of all intercity services nationwide will be with us soon and it will be much more accurate than the current system

[bg07]

I know that is only nit picking and insignificant in the grand scale of things but would it not be more accurate to say Heuston to Cherry Orchard rather than Heuston to Hazelhatch.

[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by bg07

I know that is only nit picking and insignificant in the grand scale of things but would it not be more accurate to say Heuston to Cherry Orchard rather than Heuston to Hazelhatch.

Cherry Orchard to Hazelhatch has only started working recently, but yes.

[Jamie2k9]

Waterford - Heuston trains are generally kept updated on the real time info but Heuston - Waterford is only updated until Cherryvile junction. Is it that people can't be bothered to update it or some other reason.

[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by Jamie2k9

Waterford - Heuston trains are generally kept updated on the real time info but Heuston - Waterford is only updated until Cherryvile junction. Is it that people can't be bothered to update it or some other reason.

http://www.irishrail.ie/your_journey/results.asp

Our central signalling system is subject to ongoing work to support this real-time facility. However real-time information has weaker coverage in certain areas, these include:

...

• Athy - Waterford Line

[Jamie2k9]

It shouldn't make a difference if they can keep the Dublin bound trains up to date then why not the Waterford bound trains. I know there is weaker coverage but the direction in which the train is going shouldn't make a difference.

[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by Jamie2k9

It shouldn't make a difference if they can keep the Dublin bound trains up to date then why not the Waterford bound trains. I know there is weaker coverage but the direction in which the train is going shouldn't make a difference.

Apologies. Anywhere between Athy and Waterford, the signalling system (mini-CTC?) merely knows there is a train there somewhere (within a certain section) and how long it is (by counting the axles). It doesn't know which train it is. This is sufficient for safety and traffic management issues.

However, it isn't sufficient for the RealTime system as it doesn't know which train is in which section and is merely projecting forward from its last known position on the CTC(?) system. So if a train is 10 minutes late passing through Cherryville Junction (where the Waterford line branches off the Cork-Dublin line west of Kildare town), it will be reported as 12 minutes late all the way to Waterford, whether it actually improves or disimproves. Certainty will not be achieved until Waterford when its taken off the system.

In comparison, a Cork-Dublin train tells CTC its service ID number e.g. "A230" is the 2100 Dublin Heuston-Cork. The train is then checked at each station and certain other points (Rathpeacon, Goold's Cross, Cherryville, etc.) against what progress it should be making and a prediction of arrival time can be made on an ongoing basis. The problem to date has been the amount of extra time ("padding") built-in at the end of journeys, especially on the Heuston-Hazelhatch section for the four-tracking work. A train might be reported as being 20 minutes late at Thurles, 15 minutes late at Newbridge, but arrive into Heuston on time. Hence we tend to only report those trains as being late if the exceed 20 minutes late mid-journey, whereas there is much greater certainty as to whether a DART is late or not as it is all(?) on the CTC system there is much less padding.

Mark G can explain it better than me.

[Jamie2k9]

However, it isn't sufficient for the RealTime system as it doesn't know which train is in which section and is merely projecting forward from its last known position on the CTC(?) system. So if a train is 10 minutes late passing through Cherryville Junction (where the Waterford line branches off the Cork-Dublin line west of Kildare town), it will be reported as 12 minutes late all the way to Waterford, whether it actually improves or disimproves. Certainty will not be achieved until Waterford when its taken off the system.

I understand that but nearly all Waterford - Heuston trains are updated at every station between Waterford and Cherryville Junction but none of the Heuson - Waterford trains are updated after Cherryville Junction.

So if a train departs Waterford at 11:00 most of the time it will show on the Real time info when it arrives at Thomastown, Kilkenny, Muine Beag, Carlow, Athy, Kildare and so on but if a train departs Heuston at 13:20 the last update will be at Cherryville Junction. I wondering why it dosn't get updated at Athy, Carlow, Muine Beag, Kilkenny and Thomastown. So if they can update the Waterford - Dublin trains why can't it be the same for Waterford Trains. It has being done a few times but no that often.

[dowlingm]

There's a GPS on nearly every friggin' cellphone aboard those trains which could map them to within 10 meters

Meanwhile all over the world city transit authorities can map hundreds of buses and trams - over a smaller geographic area granted but there must be few that GPS and GPRS don't cover along Irish Rail routes.