dart between connolly and clontarf rd

drunkenfool

Why in gods name does it STILL go so slow between Connolly and Clontarf Road, im mainly talking about the drogheda trains and sometimes the dart. i mean they had works going on there for almost a year and it still hasnt really changed.... Whats going on?
its not that big a deal, but sometimes on a packed train or dart in the morning it can add a good 7 mins onto your journey, its ridiculus!

Charlie

Clontarf DART station is one of my all time gripes. Living in Clontarf myself, I have only ever used the Clontarf DART on no more then 5 occassions, this is the case with many people I know in Clontarf as it is pretty much in Fairview and not Clontarf. It shouldn't be called Clontarf DART station as it dosen't service most of the area. In fact, of the people that I do know who use the DART in Clontarf, they actually use Killester DART station as it is closer.

Anyway, to your original question, I was once informed that the reason that they slow down is because often "leaves" are on the track that need to be swept off, and because this is so often the case, it is just pretty much mandatory that they should always go slow. Seems like a very strange reason but I have heard it from a number of people. Anyway, if that is the real reason, its pretty pathetic and if it isn't, you would have assumed that whatever the problem is, that they would have gotten it sorted after being in opration for the best part of 10 years.

Sarsfield

charlie mchugh wrote:

It shouldn't be called Clontarf DART station

It's not. It's called Clontarf Road Station. And it IS on Clontarf Road.

And DART has been running for 22 years today according to the linked thread!

senordingdong

That leaves thing is BS. It takes slow because if the traffic, there are only four or so platforms but two tracks, and they usually have to wait for one train to come or go before they can pull in.

irlirishkev

Ah good old Clontarf Road DART Station..

I used to get the DART there from Greystones when working in EastPoint Business Park. Commuted for years, before moving into town.

I got the DART up there for the first time in 2 years the other day, and once again, the DART slowed down between Connolly and Clontarf Road. In one sense I was shocked that they were still doing it, but in another sense.. I wasn't surprised at all. I hate the DART, and this is one of the reasons.. :rolleyes:

drunkenfool

senordingdong wrote:

That leaves thing is BS. It takes slow because if the traffic, there are only four or so platforms but two tracks, and they usually have to wait for one train to come or go before they can pull in.

This is also BS as it also slows down going the other way to clontarf road station.

what i dont understand is that they spent a year trying to "fix" the problem and during the year the dart went even slower and its still hapening.

Charlie

Sarsfield wrote:

It's not. It's called Clontarf Road Station. And it IS on Clontarf Road.

And DART has been running for 22 years today according to the linked thread!

First of all, I know it is on the Clontarf Road but just barely.Most people consider the bridge as the begining and finish of Clontarf. It is much more of a Dart station for people of Fairview then for people in Clontarf. For many people in Clontarf, they need to get a bus to and from the station, whereas Raheny and Killester Dart station is within walking range for a lot of people in those area's.

Secondly, I was referring to Clontarf Dart station being open for that amount of time not the DART as a whole.

Snowbie

They usually change drivers between the two stations too,which sometimes contribute to the go slow there.

Dub13

Snowbie wrote:

They usually change drivers between the two stations too,which sometimes contribute to the go slow there.

This is true as the Dart drivers start,brake and finish work between Connelly & Clontarf Road.

skywalker

charlie mchugh wrote:

Anyway, to your original question, I was once informed that the reason that they slow down is because often "leaves" are on the track that need to be swept off, and because this is so often the case, it is just pretty much mandatory that they should always go slow. Seems like a very strange reason but I have heard it from a number of people. Anyway, if that is the real reason, its pretty pathetic and if it isn't, you would have assumed that whatever the problem is, that they would have gotten it sorted after being in opration for the best part of 10 years.

You would imagine if leaves were the problem they could just cover that part of the track behind fairview park.

Dub13

I don't think the whole leaves argument holds water,I don't seem to recall many trees around the line between Clontarf Road and Connolly.Also if leaves were causing the problem you would think it would be more server around killlester,Harmonstown,Raheany etc etc were the dart line is practically surrounded by trees.

senordingdong

drunkenfool wrote:

This is also BS as it also slows down going the other way to clontarf road station.

No it's not, it makes perfect sense.
When a 'Commuter' train and a Dart are due to leave around the same time, the Dart always waits and allows the 'Commuter' train to pull out first, since it will be going faster then the Dart. Other wise there would be a Dart going down the line, stopping at every station with a 'Commuter' stuck behind it all the way.

drunkenfool

this is wrong as well, ive been on a commuter train many of times and while the commuter train waits the dart have just gone by which doesnt make any sense cause that means that the train will have to wait behind the dart all the way to howth junction.
still they spent over a year to fix this problem on the bridge, the traffic lights ect, and the problem hasnt been solved regardless of the cause. Also, if the argument of trains having to slow down to let other trains pass ect, they've built about 2 or 3 new tracks on the side closest to east point business park, and ive never seen any trains on it yet...

mikemac

Dub13 wrote:

This is true as the Dart drivers start,brake and finish work between Connelly & Clontarf Road.

This is a major bugbear of mine.
Fair enough, the drivers based in Fairview depot are entitled to their scheduled breaks but could they not walk 300metres up to Clontarf Road platform.

This would cut out the stop between Connolly and Clontarf Road when changing drivers.
Seems common sense to me but maybe militant drivers would object

senordingdong

drunkenfool wrote:

this is wrong as well, ive been on a commuter train many of times and while the commuter train waits the dart have just gone by which doesnt make any sense cause that means that the train will have to wait behind the dart all the way to howth junction.
still they spent over a year to fix this problem on the bridge, the traffic lights ect, and the problem hasnt been solved regardless of the cause. Also, if the argument of trains having to slow down to let other trains pass ect, they've built about 2 or 3 new tracks on the side closest to east point business park, and ive never seen any trains on it yet...

The trains go in whatever order suits the timetable.
If a commuter train needs to be in Howth Junction by such and such time, and a Dart is also due to leave at the same time, then it makes sense to let the commuter go first...and often cases, even if that puts the Dart behind schedule, they will still do it.
Other times, the Dart may go first because the commuter train isn't due to leave yet, or the Dart is running late.
I'm not defending their system..I'm just trying to explain it.

I know what you mean about all the extra tracks having been laid down.
But, I'm pretty sure the problem is that x amount of trains going to so many destinations, all have to share the same tracks for a certain length of time on any journey...some of them go at different speeds so this can only lead to bad things.
I think the best case scenario solution would be to build completely new tracks for the commuter trains.
Pipedream I know, but it's still the best I can think of.

Dr Crayfish

I see there's a thread on this already. It's such a poor frustrating service, the Dart. I couldn't cycle to work two times this week so I had to take the dart. 30 mins from Raheny to Pearse both times. It should only take 10 minutes for that really. The train makes a stop at Clontarf for a few minutes. Stops again 100m outside of Clontarf station to change drivers. Again before Connolly. A long stop in Connolly. And then again on the bridge before Tara, in Tara, and just before Pearse.
Why does this happen? Congestion? Why is it not being addressed? I never complain to companies but today I'm going to lodge a complaint with Dart or Iarnrod Eireann or whatever they're called nowadays.

Samuel T. Cogley

Dr Crayfish wrote: »

I see there's a thread on this already. It's such a poor frustrating service, the Dart. I couldn't cycle to work two times this week so I had to take the dart. 30 mins from Raheny to Pearse both times. It should only take 10 minutes for that really. The train makes a stop at Clontarf for a few minutes. Stops again 100m outside of Clontarf station to change drivers. Again before Connolly. A long stop in Connolly. And then again on the bridge before Tara, in Tara, and just before Pearse.
Why does this happen? Congestion? Why is it not being addressed? I never complain to companies but today I'm going to lodge a complaint with Dart or Iarnrod Eireann or whatever they're called nowadays.

Kilbarrack to Grand Canal almost every day (5/6 days a week) rarely takes more then the advertised twenty minutes. Certain DARTs do get caught, my suggestion would be get the earlier one and have a coffee or get the later one and moan about the DARTs being rubbish and... ah I see... never mind carry on!

markpb

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

Certain DARTs do get caught, my suggestion would be get the earlier one and have a coffee or get the later one and moan about the DARTs being rubbish and... ah I see... never mind carry on!

Accept mediocrity is your strategy?

To be fair, it's only been 11 years since this thread was started, there's no way IR could have improved journey time in that short timeframe.

LeinsterDub

Because of the lack of DART underground and capacity issues mainly at the central stations and the loop line bridge

Samuel T. Cogley

markpb wrote: »

Accept mediocrity is your strategy?

TBH I...

However, other than the fact that we could really do with the ten minute frequency and the drivers could do with...

at Clontarf Road. 20 minutes from Kilbarrack to GCD with the sheer number of stops, with around 98% reliability is pretty bloody good IMO.

Yes of course it should be a Japanese bullet train that does it in 3 minutes and only stops at the stops I want, but in the scheme of things in Dublin credit where it's due - it's a good service.

Rashers72

Read the thread in the Transport forum about this. Since they squeezed all the Newbridge trains into Connolly and onto GCD station, congestion has had a significant negative impact on punctuality. I gather Irish Rail told the minister doing this without proper investment was going to be a mistake, and true enough, it is. Irish Rail don't seem interested in fixing the problem, nearly to just prove a point. 7.30-9am, and 4.30-6.30 is the worst. If you avoid them, delays are just the normal driver changes etc.
For the past 10 years we were promised that once the Resignalling happened (think it was called DASH project at one point, but delayed and rebadged numerous times due to lack of funding), everything would improve. I think it is completed as far as GCD, and I for one have noticed zero improvement. Longer journey times,congestion, silence on delayed trains. Rant over!

Wesser

It always stops outside clontarf, for no reason!!!!! Ahhh! Even when the driver has ready changed.....it moves away from the platform, then stops again! Why!

ixoy

The congestion is very frustrating and there's not an options for many of us to go to get an earlier train!

If I can I always get the 18:05 train from Tara as it's only a few minutes late (which should hardly be a bonus) and doesn't stop to switch drivers. It'll typically hit congestion outside of Connolly of course, since the Hazelhatch fiasco was implemented.

The 18:24 train is consistently late - typically more 18:30 - and compounds the problem with further delays outside of Tara, then spending a while switching drivers who somehow can't change at the DART station itself (is there an actual proper reason for this?)

I'd get earlier trains if it didn't mean having to quit my job..