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BUSRAGE Discussions » Forum: Rail - Recent Topics http://busrage.com/forum/ BUSRAGE Discussions » Forum: Rail - Recent Topics en Sat, 31 Jul 2010 02:44:09 +0000 Paul Tully on "seeking commuters who wish to speak out" http://busrage.com/forum/topic/4622#post-4622 Mon, 03 Apr 2006 10:41:35 +0000 Paul Tully 4622@http://busrage.com/forum/ We're a TV production company and are currently seeking outraged commuters who would be willing to speak out on rte television regarding the difficulties of getting to a creche, work, train station and home with our utterly outdated transport system. We are looking for young families who particlarly find the above difficult. MdFiroz Hossain on "job sarch in luas" http://busrage.com/forum/topic/2139#post-2139 Mon, 26 Apr 2004 07:45:40 +0000 MdFiroz Hossain 2139@http://busrage.com/forum/ any Derek Wheeler on "The Interconnector is Still the Answer" http://busrage.com/forum/topic/3698#post-3698 Sun, 20 Mar 2005 10:10:25 +0000 Derek Wheeler 3698@http://busrage.com/forum/ THE PROPOSED METRO IS FLAWED While Platform11 supports the concept of a Metro system for Dublin, we believe that Iarnrod Eireann's Dublin Rail Plan, which incorporates the Heuston-Spencer Dock "Interconnector" tunnel, and a DART connection to Dublin Airport to be the key infrastructural project for the Greater Dublin Region. A Technical Briefing The Proposed Dublin Metro is Flawed Mark Gleeson, Technical Advisor to Platform11 March 20, 2005 <a href="http://www.platform11.org/metro_eng_eval.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.platform11.org/metro_eng_eval.pdf</a> Anton on "DART times on mobile phone" http://busrage.com/forum/topic/3645#post-3645 Wed, 09 Mar 2005 12:47:52 +0000 Anton 3645@http://busrage.com/forum/ Hi, check out DartMobile - it's a java program that allows to get live DART times to mobile phone. Derek Wheeler on "Airport Metro Timings Versus Interconnector/Dublin Plan" http://busrage.com/forum/topic/3552#post-3552 Thu, 10 Feb 2005 08:53:20 +0000 Derek Wheeler 3552@http://busrage.com/forum/ Airport Metro Timings Versus Interconnector/Dublin Plan Platform11's Detailed Examination: <a href="http://www.platform11.org/metrospeed.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.platform11.org/metrospeed.html</a> Much has been made of the metro project as a key element to combat Dublin cities chronic transport problems. We contend that upon a detailed examination of the benefits it offers in terms of journey time and capacity, that the metro in its proposed form offers very little. Thanks, <a href="http://www.platform11.org" rel="nofollow">http://www.platform11.org</a> <a href="http://www.extendthedart.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.extendthedart.com</a> Richard Barrett on "More Southside DART closures" http://busrage.com/forum/topic/3281#post-3281 Thu, 06 Jan 2005 11:50:06 +0000 Richard Barrett 3281@http://busrage.com/forum/ The Irish Times reports today that the Southside DARTs are going to stop on weekends again in Summer for 3 months from the end of June. Can this be true? I am checking up on it. Al on "Extra buses to offset DART North-side disruption"" http://busrage.com/forum/topic/2538#post-2538 Fri, 30 Jul 2004 16:02:15 +0000 Al 2538@http://busrage.com/forum/ <a href="http://www.dublinbus.ie/news_centre/timetable_and_route_news.asp?action=view&news_id=352" target="_new">Read all about it</a>... Amazing how they got away with shutting down DART on the weekends on the south side, during their lengthening of platforms to accommodate eight-car trains. Now, it's the north side's turn, and they're doing it during the summer, when travel to Sutton, Howth, Portmarnock and Malahide is at its peak. As I've said before here and elsewhere, no other railway shuts down operations completely in order to lengthen platforms. The way IE is going about the project, you'd swear that they were widening the alignment between Malahide and Bray from two tracks to four...! armitage on "Press Release: Plans for Expansion of Rail Fleet" http://busrage.com/forum/topic/1515#post-1515 Mon, 01 Dec 2003 05:54:24 +0000 armitage 1515@http://busrage.com/forum/ From the <a href="http://www.transport.ie" target="_new">Department of Transport</a>. Minister announces Plans for Major Expansion of Rail Fleet and Retiring of Older Rolling Stock BRENNAN SAYS NEW RAIL CUSTOMER TIMETABLE WILL SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE CAPACITY AND EXPAND SERVICES The Minister for Transport, Séamus Brennan T.D. today (Friday, 28th November 2003) announced a special allocation of almost ¤40 million to accelerate the purchase by Iarnród Éireann of additional new rolling stock and the taking out of service within three years of the older engines and carriages. Minister Brennan said this latest investment would further boost what is presently the largest and most significant rail replacement programme ever undertaken in the history of the State. The modernisation of the Irish rail fleet is well advanced and between now and 2006 more than 220 brand new railcars and carriages will be in service, providing high quality transport facilities in terms of reliability, comfort and safety. He said the massive investment in modern rolling stock will significantly increase capacity and the frequency of services on suburban and long distance commuter routes. Under the historic replacement programme currently underway:- * 80 new diesel railcars will be in service by January 2004 * 36 additional diesel railcars will be delivered by 2005 * 67 new InterCity carriages will be in service by late 2005-early 2006 * 40 new DART carriages will be delivered in 2005. The Minister unveiled details of the latest public transport investment initiative when launching the new Iarnród Éireann extended timetable for rail customers in Connolly Station, Dublin. The revised timetable will result in the significant expansion of services for customers on commuter, inter-city and regional rail lines. Minister Brennan said the extra allocation would result in a further major expansion of Iarnród Éireanns rail commuter fleet to meet increasing demand. The funding award of ¤38 million allows Iarnród Éireann to proceed with negotiations for the manufacture and delivery of 36 new diesel railcars, make further payments on rolling stock being manufactured, the upgrading of stations and modernisation of signalling systems. Minister Brennan said the 36 DMUs (Diesel Multiple Units) will be in addition to the 80 new railcars, most of which have already been delivered and all of which will be in service by January 2004. The 36 railcars will be delivered and go into service in 2005. As the 116 (80 + 36) new rail cars come into service, the 64 carriages of 1963 vintage and many of the 1969-72 vintage will be taken out of regular service and will be used only when particular circumstances, such as major sports fixtures, require them to meet the demands of occasional once-off large gatherings. Minister Brennan said: "Since 1999 well over ¤1 billion has been invested in upgrading the railways by replacing tracks, improving signalling and making level crossings safer. That work was essential but it had little visible impact on services for the travelling public. Now, however, we are entering the era of delivery and rail customers are beginning to enjoy the benefits of what is the largest rail replacement programme ever undertaken in the history of the State. The result, as is reflected in the new rail timetable, will be significant expansion in capacity on trains and increases in the frequency of services. I want to see even more investment in new rolling stock so that within a few years we have one of, if not the, most modern rail fleet in the world." Minister Brennan added: "Investment in the railways is at historically high levels. However, investment alone will not bring about the changes in attitude needed to get more people out of their cars and onto trains. We must deliver a quality of service that is second to none. Trains must be on time, clean and comfortable and passengers must be assured of a customer friendly service that provides up to date information using the latest technology, modern facilities at stations, integrated ticketing and adequate park and ride facilities. I recently signed a Service Level Agreement with Iarnród Éireann that commits the company to meeting specific performance standards. From now on I am expecting the company to at least meet those standards, if not exceed them". The new timetable comes into effect on 14th December and will be followed by further improvements in the future. The significant improvements in services are listed in the following page. ENDS Further information: Tom Rowley (01) 6041089 087 8124723 Veronica Scanlan (01) 6041087 087 6430622 Dublin Commuter Services The major improvement in Commuter services stems from the introduction of 80 class 2900 new CAF railcar vehicles based at Drogheda. Their introduction to service will provide the following benefits to passengers: Kildare Route - Approximately 33% increase in capacity on most Kildare Commuter services. - Additional Portlaoise-Heuston and Newbridge-Heuston peak period services. - Overall, this will more than double the commuter capacity on this route. Drogheda Route - Capacity increases up to 40% on some peak period services - Improved off-peak service frequency all stations Drogheda-Connolly Maynooth Route - Capacity increases up to 25% on peak period services - Additional Maynooth evening peak service to clear current hour gap between 16.15 hrs and 17.15 hrs. - Two additional Connolly-Longford services in off-peak in each direction. Arklow Route The morning and evening peak service for commuters from Arklow and Wicklow will operate from and to Gorey in the new timetable, offering commuting potential from Gorey to Dublin for the first time. InterCity Services Greater use of all currently available rolling stock has enabled the following improvements to InterCity services in the new timetable: Galway Route An additional Dublin-Galway service departing Heuston at 09.40 hrs and returning at 13.05 hrs from Galway increases services on this route from five to six trains each weekday in each direction. Waterford Route An additional Dublin-Waterford service departing Heuston at 09.30 hrs and returning at 13.10 hrs from Waterford increases services on this route from four to five trains each weekday in each direction. Limerick Route An additional Dublin-Limerick direct service will depart Heuston each weekday at 14.00 hrs returning from Limerick at 17.35hrs. (This train formerly operated on Fridays and Saturdays only) Regional Services More frequent local services particularly around Cork and Limerick are to be introduced as follows: Mallow-Cork-Cobh Route Additional local services on this route will increase the frequency in both the peak and off-peak providing an excellent local service for City of Cork. Ennis-Limerick-Limerick Junction An increase from just two to seven trains per day in each direction between Ennis and Limerick will significantly increase the usefulness of this regional route for customers in Limerick and Clare. Some services will also operate through to Limerick Junction offering InterCity connections for Dublin and Cork. More carriages on order - 40 new DART cars - 67 new InterCity carriages and - an order for an additional 36 Commuter Railcars is also under consideration Improvements in Customer Service / Communication - Contract details are just being finalised for the procurement and installation of a modern state-of-the-art Interactive Voice Recognition system. When in operation in mid 2004 this will replace the existing Talking Timetable system and will have the facility to provide customers with timetable and fares information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. - Plans are also well in hand to introduce, early in the new year, a text messaging service to provide real time DART timetable information to customers via their mobile phones. In addition, the first phase of the new on-line ticket sales and reservations system will go live next year. Al on "IÉ Purchasing Manager resigns amid scandal" http://busrage.com/forum/topic/1449#post-1449 Sun, 09 Nov 2003 23:29:19 +0000 Al 1449@http://busrage.com/forum/ The person in question is one Howard Napier. There is an article in the <a href="http://www.thepost.ie/web/DocumentView/did-900046903-pageUrl--2FHome.asp" target="_new">Sunday Business Post</a> about the incidents, among which were Mr. Napier receiving gifts from vendors inappropriately (conflict of interest/bribing). Well, at least it shows that the crooks lower-down dont get away with it forever. Now to go further up-hill in this chain of corruptionperhaps we might find out where all of our Metro money has disappeared to also? (Very sore point with me.) Al on "DB’s token gesture—“doubling” bus service parallel to DART" http://busrage.com/forum/topic/1379#post-1379 Thu, 09 Oct 2003 22:18:10 +0000 Al 1379@http://busrage.com/forum/ Article on DB web site <a href=http://www.dublinbus.ie/news_centre/timetable_and_route_news.asp?action=view&news_id=247>here</a>. Among the doubling shall be routes 7 as well as the 59/59Acertainly nothing that makes sense, such as resurrecting route 8. The only other bus routes to be doubled are the 45/45A, 46A, and 84. This other <http://www.irishrail.ie/news_centre/travel_alerts.asp?action=view&news_id=87>article</a> off the Irish Rail web site, about the same (bungled) project, reveals that weekend rail service to places like Arklow and Rosslare will also suffer, with bustitution occurring at either Greystones or Arklow stations. This project is supposed to cost a mere 176 million??? No wonder they are taking their time and doing it wrong. Heck, even the price tag is no real excuseon other railway systems, there is no excuse to cancel any service for mere platform upgrades. What a load of Al on "Rail advocacy group web site" http://busrage.com/forum/topic/809#post-809 Wed, 29 Jan 2003 17:14:25 +0000 Al 809@http://busrage.com/forum/ The Platform 11 site is up and running, and the best of luck to them. Miserable service isn't just for buses, don't forget... <ul><li><a href="http://www.platform11.org">http://www.platform11.org</a></ul> Al on "AerDart...HUH?" http://busrage.com/forum/topic/677#post-677 Fri, 15 Nov 2002 01:43:08 +0000 Al 677@http://busrage.com/forum/ For the first private city bus effort, this is an odd animal. Didn't even know about it until my recent visit to Dublin; seems this bus runs between the Dublin Airport and Howth Junction DART station, also providing local service. Just seems a strange route to run, and what with the more direct bus services, I hope it doesn't get choked off.Any users on here, and how does it compare to its competition? Al on "What's the Metro going to be, LUAS or DART?" http://busrage.com/forum/topic/380#post-380 Sat, 19 Jan 2002 21:01:10 +0000 Al 380@http://busrage.com/forum/ Metros have the potential of being high-capacity rail systems...both light-rail and heavy-rail have been used in underground systems, but since heavy-rail usually uses the greater number of coupled carriages, it's usually the one with more capacity. After reading on Irish Railway News about the Airport-Shanganagh line being "upgraded to Metro status" (not ending in Cabinteely now?), I'm wondering what manner of rail vehicles are planned for use on this line. (Would an extension to the former Shanganagh Junction imply a direct rail link to the DART in Shankill again?) Al on "Dalkey Issues (59 better than 8, DART better than either)...??" http://busrage.com/forum/topic/347#post-347 Sun, 16 Dec 2001 22:17:04 +0000 Al 347@http://busrage.com/forum/ I see that no-one misses route 8 (highly disappointing, but as my aunt Nuala said, all the rich folk up that way all have nice cars and don't worry about riding the bus)...but since there still is bus and train service to Dalkey, I wonder just how satisfactory the populace who use it find it to be. Last time I was in Dalkey about ten years ago, the 8 was pretty heavily used. I don't imagine that the 59, which ends at Dún Laoghaire Station, would be considered important since (a) the DART already stops in Dalkey and (b) you can't get a free transfer onto bus routes 7 or 46A into the city centre anyway. Also...I noticed that the 59 no longer serves Killiney Hill Road; any outcry from abandoned passengers there? It now goes to Mackintosh Park...now, what's so special about that area? It's a dead-looking housing estate which no passengers really use, from what I've seen; a permanent bus branching off Clonkeen Road at Stradbrook Road, then running straight down towards Rochestown Avenue continuing south, would better serve people there.Well...since Dublin Bus seems to be suffering from terminal mismanagement, I'll raise such issues when things seem like they're improving somewhat... Al on "DART crisis continues (it's not just for buses, you know)" http://busrage.com/forum/topic/319#post-319 Sat, 24 Nov 2001 00:45:08 +0000 Al 319@http://busrage.com/forum/ More ineptness over at CIE over their DART service. This article is credited to the Irish Times. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------DART: Iarnród Éireann has insisted overcrowding on Dublin's DART and Suburban services is not a safety issue.The majority of the DART fleet carries less than 200 people per carriage, even at peak times, the company said, in response to criticism from the Opposition Spokesman on Public Enterprise, Mr Jim Higgins. Mr Higgins called on the Minister for Public Enterprise to make an order limiting the number of people who can legally be carried on a train. In many cases, he claimed passengers on commuter trains were unable to get standing room in the carriages and had "no option but to stand in the passage-ways between the carriages."However according to Irish Rail spokesman, Mr Barry Kenny, while peak-time DARTS may appear overcrowded, they are operating within the numbers recommended by the DART manufacturers. The situation with other suburban services was essentially the same, as "standing in trains is a comfort issue rather than a safety issue, particularly on suburban trains and limiting the number of people in carriages is to force people out onto the roads".A spokesman for the Department of Public Enterprise said the Minister, Mrs O'Rourke, was committed to rail safety and would shortly be publishing legislation for the establishment of a Rail Safety Inspectorate and a Rail Safety and a Railway Safety Board.(Irish Times 15/11/01) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Nice, 200 people in one carriage, right? This is on vehicles with only two exit doors per side (most New York Subway carriages have four per side). Well, since the other CIE subsidiary Dublin Bus continues to contract all the bus services to vital areas (memories of route 8 re-surface), the only other option for DART will be to both lengthen platforms and lengthen trains. If Dublin Bus keeps squeezing passengers onto this ONE TRAIN LINE, then trains of ten carriages or more in length will become a necessity...which, of course, will off-set all the savings that the Dublin Bus end have incurred as a result of their route service cut-backs. You can't eat with a slit throat, you know... Al on "DART overcrowded (not enough buses to take up slack, maybe...?)" http://busrage.com/forum/topic/223#post-223 Sat, 15 Sep 2001 04:20:32 +0000 Al 223@http://busrage.com/forum/ Just read the following from the Irish Railway News' newsletter. With all the nonsense surrounding the cancellation of route 8 and replacing it with a re-routed 59 and an infrequent 7D, this ought to start to get through Dublin Bus' thick heads...but I'm not holding my breath...OVERCROWDING ON THE DART: Parents now fear for the safety of children on dangerously overcrowded DART trains, Fine Gael claimed on 12th September. And it revealed overcrowding is now so bad that some commuters from Dunlaoghaire to Dublin have to travel outwards to Bray and then turn around on the same return train to have any hope of getting into the city at peak hours on time for work. Some commuters are leaving home so early to get a train that they arrive an hour early for work rather than risk being left behind at the station.While the situation is bad enough for adults, parents have genuine fears for the safety of their children on jam-packed trains, particularly for younger children," FG senator Helen Keogh said. She said commuters would continue to endure hours of frustration travelling to and from work in their cars because they will not use public transport services which she claimed were "inadequate, overcrowded and at times downright dangerous". A radical transport overhaul is needed for commuters in the greater Dublin area. "While the Minister for Public Enterprise continues to carry out excellent PR stunts for a Luas system that appears to be as far away as ever, the only transport system which can actually beat the traffic is dangerously overcrowded," added Senator Keogh. This is the second claim recently about dangerous overcrowding on suburban rail services. The Green Party has claimed that overcrowding at the Dublin northside Killester DART station was a major disaster waiting to happen. The DART cancellations during morning rush hours caused the southside platform to become severly overcrowded giving rise to a potential tragedy. When each train eventually arrived at the platform there was a surge towards the carriage doors by passengers anxious to get on board, the party said. It called on Iarnrod Eireann to take immediate action before someone gets seriously injured or killed. (Irish Independent 13/09/01) ________________________________________________________________Well done again, Dublin Bus. You don't FORCE people to take the DART; you provide easier access and present a CHOICE between it and the bus. What DB has done with the 6, 8 and other routes is a disgrace and should be reversed. John Francois on "75's. Whats with the Sandyford industrail estate?" http://busrage.com/forum/topic/125#post-125 Wed, 20 Jun 2001 22:53:07 +0000 John Francois 125@http://busrage.com/forum/ Oh for gods sake c'mon!!!! Why does the 75 insist on taking anything between 10 mins and 30mins to go around that poxy Sandyford Industrail Estate. The businesses in that park should be made pay for a shuttle bus to take all the employees out to the nearest pick up piont OUTSIDE the freaking place. There is no need for any bus to get stuck in there. I don't see why Dublin Bus or there customers put up with this! I really hope that somebody somewhere has the sence to lay on a free shuttle bus for public comuters and stop everyone else that 10mins to 30mins delay in getting home! Thanx John!