Missing Carriages

[ThomasJ]

That train was 20 minutes late leaving connolly. Departed ahead of the 08.42 connolly to bray (from maynooth) caused knockons with darts

[Terrontress]

I have to admit that the mechanics sound very rough to untrained ears.

When leaving a station, the engine seems to rev as if the train is searching for a gear and then all of a sudden the gear kicks in with a jolt.

Even when the train left Connolly this morning, it sat idle for three or four minutes opposite Busaras before moving forward again.

Let's face it, these trains are not fit for their purpose. There needs to be half as many seats and overhead handles for passengers to keep upright. It is bad enough being squashed against people on every side without falling into people when the train goes round severe corners.

And don't get me started about people on folding seats. When money was being wasted putting the automated announcements into Irish, they could have at least announced "We ask that customers do not use folding seating".

[Mark Gleeson]

Spot on, the original fleet of railcars was never designed to operate under the current conditions in Dublin. The later batch was and the difference is noticeable

We are stuck between a rock and a hard place, no authority want to accept responsibility for the safety issue, Irish Rail have made no effort to think the issue through on the most recent order of trains

The folding chair brigade need to be thrown off and have tickets confiscated, they have been told numerous times not to

I still can't understand why the roster is not changed so the older railcars run trains on the peak edge, either that or transfer them to the Spencer Dock run where standing isn't a issue yet and get the appropriate trains in the right places

[CSL]

Kept treading--treading--till it seemed
That Sense was breaking through--

Sadly IE probably never read Emily.

[Aphfaneire]

I was on that exact train aswell. I got it for a good while when i was in lectures so it was obvious to notice a whole train was missing from the front. We where stuck at least two or three times because the doors couldnt close due to overcrowding. I was drifting in and out of sleep but then was told by my mom sitting opisite me that we where 20 minutes or so late. Then it stoped intbetween connolly and tara. And then as i walked up from the front of the train to the stared the back 2 trains doors wouldnt open. There was people knocking frantically on the windows as an ie person on platform duty passed by.

Ive allways called those trains with the dart seats the rustbuckets and now im starting to be proved right. What i dont get is the train for rosslare is the same basic models just better seating, or newer. So why is this commuting relic still there and at peak times. Stick it on the docklands line, one of the 29000's for that line is better suited.

Also ive noticed the drogeda yard is even emptier at that time of the morning, the new trains are gone and only maybe 2 29000's and one 2600 seem'd to be left, i didnt see inside the shed but it was an almost barren yard.
Scew new service to clonsilla, drogheda is overcrowding more and more, what was bought for the upgrade has been long surpassed in less than 3 years.

[Terrontress]

Well let me tell you my friend,

You would have been lucky to have had the extra 50 minutes of sleep this morning.

I am still in the office and I have just received news from my partner that her train this evening (1815 ex Pearse to Drogheda) was severely delayed.

The thing is with the folded seat brigade, there is nothing can be done about them unless it is addressed by a member of staff. And when a customer can barely get through the door, what chance does a staff member have to make it through the train? There aren't even ticket inspectors able to get through the trains at rush times.

I have often thought about asking someone to stand, due to the signs above the doors but one time the person on the seat proved to be heavily pregnant. So shame on the young and able bodied passengers for not giving their seats up.

[Rashers]

I was on that service yesterday, and yes, the overcrowding was as bad as anything I encountered in recent years. Despite it being the Easter holidays, the loadings at all stations were very heavy. It left some passengers behind at Rush and Lusk, and more at Donabate, Malahide and Howth Junction.
There were no announcements at any of the stations (I was stuck right beside the door), or on the station. People just kept cramming on.
I rang the Northern Line office to ask why there was no information:
1> The gentleman has no information on the reduction in carriages.
2> He blamed the carriage shortage on the disruption up the North over the weekend????
3> He said station staff should have been aware of this reduction, and should have made announcements. I questioned him on this, as I thought they would not know till the train pulled in. I also suggested CTC should have made announcements. He said no, it should be the station staff.
4> He said he'd note my complaint.

I was not taking the risk again today, so I got 07.16 ex Dundalk. However, this stopped north of Portmarnock, and crawled all the way to Connolly, picking up 10-15 min delay. No announcements either on the train, or at any of the stations.

At least I missed all the action tonight. Got the 17.07 ex Connolly which departed on time, and was only slightly delayed behind late running northbound DARTs.