[11/06/2013] Maynooth line suspended

[Inniskeen]

Originally Posted by James Howard

Stupid stupid stupid. They have made the early Sligo train all-stops despite there being a commuter train 3 minutes behind us (the driver has announced this). So we are being delayed 5 minutes at each stop because people can't get on or off the train and we're also holding up the show behind us.

So a 10 minute delay has become half an hour.

This is totally typical of the Irish Rail approach. They should be doing the direct opposite. Where there is a significant disruption with several trains bunched together and a clear path available the first delayed train should skip as many stops as needed to achieve as close an arrival in the city cenre area as possible. Likewise for the 2nd and subsequent services until the normal schedule is restored. This way the majority, if not all passengers, experience reduced delays and may even get to work or home on time.

In contrast the policy of stopping the first train everywhere means maximum delay as apart from the lost opportunity to recover time, following services are further impacted due to excess station dwell time.

DART was a mess yesterday evening, nothing southbound for about 30 minutes, then a 4-car immediately followed by an 8-car. Problem would have been greatly eased by running first train non-stop from Howth Junction to Connolly - gain time and avoid having to accommodate two train loads.