Train commuters,what you going to do? (Merged with Commuter Hell thread)

Tuttlinghorn

Anyone liking the bus service and that would like to see it continue once the trains are back on could mail 'mediapr@dublinbus.ie' - there may be other routes but there's definitely a human on the end of that, and his reply to me was that services would be considered once the trains are back,

In any case, I ain't gonna be on the first train crossing that bridge ... or the second !

KC61

Tuttlinghorn wrote: »

Anyone liking the bus service and that would like to see it continue once the trains are back on could mail 'mediapr@dublinbus.ie' - there may be other routes but there's definitely a human on the end of that, and his reply to me was that services would be considered once the trains are back,

In any case, I ain't gonna be on the first train crossing that bridge ... or the second !

Nor will any passenger - the line will have to be tested first!

Beasty

KC61 wrote: »

Nor will any passenger - the line will have to be tested first!

Where's the fun in that? I think they should charge a premium for being on the first train over the bridge - it's no different than when a new rollercoaster opens:)

Moonbeam

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/collapsed-rail-line-to-reopen-next-month-1914128.html

ColmColm

Has there been any mention of compensation from Irish Rail to commuters for the disruption caused? I know that they have a refunds policy but for most commuters simply handing back their yearly ticket was not an option. While the alternative arrangements from certain location seem to have worked well not all towns have been so lucky. From personal experience, sitting on a 33X bus from Skerries for 1 hour and 20 minutes each morning has been less than ideal. Add to that the return journey and the virtual non existent off peak service, I certainly feel that some sort of compensation is due.

squonk

Tuttlinghorn wrote: »

Anyone liking the bus service and that would like to see it continue once the trains are back on could mail 'mediapr@dublinbus.ie' - there may be other routes but there's definitely a human on the end of that, and his reply to me was that services would be considered once the trains are back,

In any case, I ain't gonna be on the first train crossing that bridge ... or the second !

The problem is that once the trains come back, DB will stop accepting rail tickets so everyone will return to the overcrowded trains. It's such a pity that a bit of joined up thinking coulnd't be used in these cases. Ultimately they're the same company... makes no sense!

The Hill Billy

ColmColm wrote: »

Has there been any mention of compensation from Irish Rail to commuters for the disruption caused? I know that they have a refunds policy but for most commuters simply handing back their yearly ticket was not an option. While the alternative arrangements from certain location seem to have worked well not all towns have been so lucky. From personal experience, sitting on a 33X bus from Skerries for 1 hour and 20 minutes each morning has been less than ideal. Add to that the return journey and the virtual non existent off peak service, I certainly feel that some sort of compensation is due.

The good folk in Commuting & Transport may be able to give you a definitive answer on this.

I doubt very much that any compensation will be offered though.

Moonbeam

squonk wrote: »

The problem is that once the trains come back, DB will stop accepting rail tickets so everyone will return to the overcrowded trains. It's such a pity that a bit of joined up thinking coulnd't be used in these cases. Ultimately they're the same company... makes no sense!

Just buy the annual rail and bus ticket instead of rail.

October

Just read on Aertel that the full service will resume on 16 November. I'm really going to miss the bus service to and from Balbriggan!

dcr22B

October wrote: »

Just read on Aertel that the full service will resume on 16 November. I'm really going to miss the bus service to and from Balbriggan!

I'm more wondering whether they'll have car park in Rush & Lusk train station finished by the 16th

Psygnosis

dcr22B wrote: »

I'm more wondering whether they'll have car park in Rush & Lusk train station finished by the 16th

Its looking like not a hope of that, they havent even got the new bridge finished.

LeoB

October wrote: »

Just read on Aertel that the full service will resume on 16 November. I'm really going to miss the bus service to and from Balbriggan!

Until the train service improves stick with the bus. Dont see why they should pull the 33x. From what I hear its a good service. The service from Skerries should go via Baldungan with some starting from St. Catherines.

Firedance

i'm sure i'm in the minority here but i'm looking forward to the train again, no need to leave earlier Tues - Thurs because of extra traffic and a much shorter walk from Tara St station although i'm sure the excercise did me some good!! and i miss windows that open

dcr22B

LeoB wrote: »

Dont see why they should pull the 33x.

It's such a good idea to keep that you can guarantee that it won't happen

namelessguy

I get the 16:35 Pearse to Maynooth most days and that thing has turned in to a death trap in recent weeks. I've seeing people faint now! Were's the logic in cutting the carriages on the train when students and school kids come back?

Khannie

Firedance wrote: »

i'm sure i'm in the minority here but i'm looking forward to the train again

Me too. I like the train. Me time.

Bluetonic

LeoB wrote: »

Dont see why they should pull the 33x.

It will be pulled as Irish Rail won't be paying for it.

LeoB

Bluetonic wrote: »

It will be pulled as Irish Rail won't be paying for it.

But if Dublin bus can make money from it they should leave it.
People on the trains will have a bit more comfort and people can avoid the hassle of driving to railway staions where they also have to pay for their parking.

Community councils and resident Assoc's should be pushing to retain the bus service

Moonbeam

namelessguy wrote: »

I get the 16:35 Pearse to Maynooth most days and that thing has turned in to a death trap in recent weeks. I've seeing people faint now! Were's the logic in cutting the carriages on the train when students and school kids come back?

I get the 18:05 from Connolly to Maynooth,it is lovely.
The 8:12 from Maynooth is much faster then the 8:12 from Balbriggan.

I had to move to escape the train situation!!

Gillo

LeoB wrote: »

But if Dublin bus can make money from it they should leave it.
People on the trains will have a bit more comfort and people can avoid the hassle of driving to railway staions where they also have to pay for their parking.

Community councils and resident Assoc's should be pushing to retain the bus service

They are only getting the customer levels at the moment because most people don't have a lot of choice but to use it, as soon as the trains are back the majority will be using trains again.
I doubt if it would be a profitable service at all.

Hauk

Does anyone know if the express bus stops at the bustop in white hall? Just after the intersection with Collins Ave and across the rode from the church?

Ta!

LeoB

Bluetonic wrote: »

It will be pulled as Irish Rail won't be paying for it.

Maybe not. Just had email from Darragh O'Brien T.D and he is hopeful some of these express bus's will be kept on. I suppose money will dictate but I hate the way the trains are crammed. I think even an hourly express at peak times would do well.

I would suggest the people in Favour would start lobbying their local reps and contact Mr. John Lynch chairman of C.I.E. I have spoken to a good few peopleand they feel with the trains crammed the way they are with people coughing all over you they will stick to the express service if it is maintained.

The A.G.M of Rush Community Council is on in a few weeks and there will be plenty of reps present at this

Gillo

Hadn't thought of it that way, although when you consider a good sneeze has a range of up to ten feet (and I assume a cough would be similiar) either way you're knackered. Perhaps someone should prey on swine flu and start selling face masks at all the stations!

Unshelved

I'd say that a lot of people - like me - bought annual, rail-only tickets, which won't be valid on the buses once the trains are back in action.

Can't wait for the trains to be back - I'm sick of looking at Rush and Lusk from the top of the 33X.

Does anyone know if the express bus stops at the bustop in white hall? Just after the intersection with Collins Ave and across the rode from the church?

Not the 33X anyway - it uses the Port Tunnel and bypasses Whitehall and Drumcondra.

LeoB

Unshelved wrote: »

Can't wait for the trains to be back - I'm sick of looking at Rush and Lusk from the top of the 33X. quote]

We in Rush are sick of looking up at yis!!;)

Polluting our town with these big buses. Why do ya think it has been suggested buses from Skerries go through Baldungan?

P_1

While I'll be glad to have the trains back the prospect of going over the estuary at 2mph in a sardine tin does not exactly thrill me.

NorthDub

pithater1 wrote: »

While I'll be glad to have the trains back the prospect of going over the estuary at 2mph in a sardine tin does not exactly thrill me.

the reason i prefer the buses is that you dont feel like you are in a sardine tin and guaranteed a seat. It bugs me that we the commuters are paying good money for our fares and most times we are crammed into a tiny spot on the train

Sizzler

Track was not inspected in the lead up to its failing...

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/bridge-not-inspected-in-week-up--to-collapse-1925944.html

wrote:

ENGINEERS did not inspect the Malahide viaduct the week before it collapsed into the sea despite thrice-weekly inspections being required.

Although Iarnrod Eireann had said that inspectors walked the line at least three times a week, yesterday senior management admitted that the track had not been inspected in the 10 days leading up to the near-fatal accident.

On August 21 last, a section of the northern line on the Broadmeadow viaduct in north Dublin collapsed into the sea just moments after a packed train passed over it.

The company said it had been assessed just four days before the collapse and that the bridge was found to be safe.

But yesterday chief executive Dick Fearn told the Dail Transport Committee that while a visual inspection by specially-trained staff had not taken place, a track inspection machine had examined the line the day before.

Responding to a question by Fine Gael transport spokesman Fergus O'Dowd if the line had been walked on Monday, Wednesday and Friday as required, Mr Fearn said the information that it had been was based on the "best available knowledge".

"The actual walking of the line by the track patrolman was done 10 days prior to the accident," he said. "We gave that knowledge (that it was walked days before the accident) at the time, based on the patrolman's roster.

Accident

"What we did confirm, and has been further confirmed, was the automatic track recording vehicle did the line one day before (the accident on August 21). We know the track had no role in this accident. Had the track been walked, the patrolman would not have noticed anything."

He added that the internal inquiry into the collapse was "well under way" and that the Iarnrod Eireann board would be briefed today on its progress.

Mr O'Dowd said the explanation was "utterly unacceptable" and that the three inquiries into the viaduct's collapse -- one by Iarnrod Eireann, another by the Railway Safety Commission and the third by the Rail Accident Investigation Unit -- should be held in public.

Khannie

Just got an update on the Skerries CA mailing list:

First the good news. Full rail services across the Malahide Estuary are expected to resume on 16th November.

Now the bad news. A new timetable will come into effect on 30th November, and there are some adverse changes as far as Skerries is concerned. Main changes are:

- First train at 06:25 in the morning will go to Connolly only and connecting DART will arrive in Pearse 15 mins later than train currently gets there
- Some lunchtime trains are withdrawn and there will be a gap of 1h16m in service between 13:35 and 14:51 from Connolly
- Evening peak trains home have more stops and there is a longer gap. Three trains that currently run non-stop to Donabate will stop at Portmarnock and Malahide (and two of them also at Howth Junction), while the two trains that now run non-stop to Skerries will stop at Rush & Lusk, with one also stopping at Donabate. There will also be a 34 minute gap in service between 17:29 and 18:03 from Connolly.

All I can say is...."for **** sake".

Unshelved

Just looking at the timetable right now. I'm coming from Skerries, but it's practically the same for everyone on the line north of Malahide.

In the morning the two busiest trains, the 7.49 and the 8.02 (from Skerries) have been combined as the 7.58, and there's no train between 7.33 and 7.58 - getting on that train will be carnage. I'll be very surprised if anyone can board further on down the line.

On the way home they've added Rush and Luck to the 17.13 (from Pearse) but that doesn't seem to make any difference to the arrival time. However, the express from Connolly to Dundalk seems to have disappeared - that's going to mean a hell of a lot more people on that train. There's no train between 17.22 and 17.55 - like in the mornings, over half an hour at peak -time service with no transport.

When I saw in the papers that they were increasing the service so that every DART station will have a train every 15 minutes I knew we'd get hammered. Less northern commuter trains on the lines and more of them to stop at Malahide and Portmarnock.

The northern line commuter - always the poor relation. :mad: