Luas gone due to Abbey Street Fire

REDZ

Luas is out this morning due to a fire on Abbey street. Fair enough, Veolia were good with updates, but could they not have run the trams on either side of the blockage or hired buses to run along the route.
This is a major piece of transport infrastructure in the city, and to shut down the entire city centre operation because of a blockage on a small part of the line seems pretty lame to me.
I had to get to east point and there aren't really any buses going there despite 5000 people working there, but that's another thread!

AlekSmart

Hey Redz,
Many will have noticed that as we plunge deeper into depression we also are witnessing quite a few more mysterious fires,particularly in derelict or semi-abandoned city-centre buildings.

When such an incident occurs the Dublin Fire Brigade will always turn-out in a worst-case mode until the actual extent of the incident is determined.

However what we witness each time our Luas services are disrupted is yet another classic example of non joined-up thinking.

The safest thing for any of Dublin`s Public Transport users to remember is that "The City" and it`s Public Transport are not linked in any meaningful way.

Essentially this divorced state ensures that at no point is the Public Transport system,and it`s users,regarded as an integral part of "The City" and at times of disruption it will sit immobile with everything else cos "It`s not our responsibility"

This attitude is what stands us far apart from our fellow Urban Europeans,who tend to have Authorities,small & large,who see their Public Transport systems as being of prime importance to maintaining a functioning City.

Sorry Redz,but Dublin`s Civic Administration is having a hard enough time attempting to figger out where to put 13,000 Taxi`s when there`s only enough custom for 3,000 to be at all concerned about bloody Trams .....Jeez man...what do ye think we are..fryggyn rich or wha ???? :rolleyes:

Ham'nd'egger

REDZ wrote: »

Luas is out this morning due to a fire on Abbey street. Fair enough, Veolia were good with updates, but could they not have run the trams on either side of the blockage or hired buses to run along the route.
This is a major piece of transport infrastructure in the city, and to shut down the entire city centre operation because of a blockage on a small part of the line seems pretty lame to me.
I had to get to east point and there aren't really any buses going there despite 5000 people working there, but that's another thread!

Hiring what needs to be dozens of buses at literally a minutes notice is impossible; by the time they'd be readied and on site the line would be long reopened.

On running trams I don't think they are signaled to operate on the "wrong" track around Abbey Street so it's possibly a safety and technical no no.

seamus

**** happens, this is one of the limitations of a fixed-rail system.

It's bad timing - with Connolly Station out of action, there's nowhere for trams between Busaras and the point to switch tracks. And since the Luas before Abbey Street shares the road space with cars, it's just too dangerous to operate it contra-flow until they reach another switching station, I presume.

Cookie_Monster

but could they not have run the trams on either side of the blockage

Thats seems sensible and easy to do, why couldn't it be done? Use busaras as terminus.

At the very least they can run to Heuston under these circumstance can't they?

Hungerford

AlekSmart wrote: »

Many will have noticed that as we plunge deeper into depression we also are witnessing quite a few more mysterious fires,particularly in derelict or semi-abandoned city-centre buildings.

Indeed. Abbey Street seems to have become particularly flammable. There seems to be a fire a week there at the moment.

seamus

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Thats seems sensible and easy to do, why couldn't it be done? Use busaras as terminus.

There's no switch there afaik because Connolly is closed for construction works. You'd have to run trams the wrong way through the IFSC. Not very safe.

At the very least they can run to Heuston under these circumstance can't they?

I would have thought so. Odd alright that everything seems to be shut down.

Alun

.

luas.ie wrote:

24th May 2010 time 11.00am

Luas Red Line services have been restored at 11.00am

Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience

Luas Customer Care

____________________________________________________________________________________

Luas Red Line Services Disrupted

Due to a Fire on Abbey Street Luas Red Line services are operating between Tallaght and Smithfield only. There is no service between The Point and Smithfield. Your Luas ticket will be accepted on Dublin Bus Services along the Red Line Route.

We apologise for any inconvenience

Regards

Luas Customer Care

Cookie_Monster

seamus wrote: »

There's no switch there afaik because Connolly is closed for construction works. You'd have to run trams the wrong way through the IFSC. Not very safe.

I wouldn't see that being a big deal in the short term. They could always run the trams slightly slower, but it should have no impact on traffic, only the odd stupid pedestrian. I suppose it would also mean you could only run one tram on each track also

BrianD

I have absolutely no doubt that exactly the same reaction would have happened in any other european city. Services suspended until the emergency services are finished their work.

In regards to the Smithfield-The Point - there may not have been enough trams on that side of the blockage to run a viable service. Trams could have operated between The Point and Upper Abbey St. Having said that Veolila may have had to power down a section of the line to allow fire crews do their work.

Veoila accomodated passengers on Dublin Bus so an alternative was in place.

seamus

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

I wouldn't see that being a big deal in the short term. They could always run the trams slightly slower, but it should have no impact on traffic, only the odd stupid pedestrian. I suppose it would also mean you could only run one tram on each track also

If I had to make that call, I wouldn't make it. All it would take it one idiot pedestrian to step out in front of a tram.

Cars I think would also be a big problem. Traffic would be confronted with a tram coming head-on at them. While there might be no collisions, there'd be plenty of confusion and IMO the time you'd spend sitting there waiting for the car driver to figure out what to do, the tram would be insanely delayed anyway.

Ham'nd'egger

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

I wouldn't see that being a big deal in the short term. They could always run the trams slightly slower, but it should have no impact on traffic, only the odd stupid pedestrian. I suppose it would also mean you could only run one tram on each track also

Unless the line is signaled to allow them to work on the opposite side (wrong way working) then it won't be done unless in event of an emergency.

REDZ

the bus is not a real alternative here, as i don't think any bus follows the general route of the redline in the city centre and the (helpful) luas staff didn't either.
BTW there were 4 luases on the point side of the fire.

dogmatix

Hungerford wrote: »

Indeed. Abbey Street seems to have become particularly flammable. There seems to be a fire a week there at the moment.

True - Wynns hotel, New york cleaners. Todays fire was in the old derilict film house. That the third time that particular building has gone up in flames in 2 years. Passed by it on the way into work this morning and a very impressive sight it was too with the flames billowing out the back of the building. Maybe they should pull it down to remove temptation.

I'll hazard a guess and assume it was junkies responsible - they use the waste ground behind the building a lot.

Victor

seamus wrote: »

It's bad timing - with Connolly Station out of action, there's nowhere for trams between Busaras and the point to switch tracks. And since the Luas before Abbey Street shares the road space with cars, it's just too dangerous to operate it contra-flow until they reach another switching station, I presume.

There is a set of points at the Abbey Theatre. There is an electrical substation at O'Connell Street, so east of that is a separate electrical circuit to the west. If there were 4 trams on that section, I can't see why some service wasn't offered.

EDIT: It seems there is no signalling to get a tram from the westbound track at Abbey Street to the eastbound platform

trellheim

as i don't think any bus follows the general route of the redline in the city centre

90, no ? at least till IFSC anyway.

Cool Mo D

REDZ wrote: »

the bus is not a real alternative here, as i don't think any bus follows the general route of the redline in the city centre and the (helpful) luas staff didn't either.
BTW there were 4 luases on the point side of the fire.

The 151 is a bus that generally follows the red line route in the city centre

KC61

The points at Abbey Street can only be used by trams going in the direction of Tallaght as one point is motorised and the other is spring set, i.e. it is operated by the movement of the tram across it and it reverts to the original setting after the tram passes over.

So it would be impossible to operate from Point to Abbey as it is neither signalled for wrong line working nor are there points to allow trams cross over from one track to the other.

KC61

REDZ wrote: »

the bus is not a real alternative here, as i don't think any bus follows the general route of the redline in the city centre and the (helpful) luas staff didn't either.
BTW there were 4 luases on the point side of the fire.

The 123 will take you from St James Hospital to O'Connell Street, the 90 from Heuston operates along the Quays to the IFSC, any bus from Parkgate Street will take you to O'Connell Bridge, and the 151 will take you from Ormond Quay to the Point.

Is that enough to start off with?

schemingbohemia

But why let the facts get in the way of a good rant?

GTE

KC61 wrote: »

The points at Abbey Street can only be used by trams going in the direction of Tallaght as one point is motorised and the other is spring set, i.e. it is operated by the movement of the tram across it and it reverts to the original setting after the tram passes over.

So it would be impossible to operate from Point to Abbey as it is neither signalled for wrong line working nor are there points to allow trams cross over from one track to the other.

That spring set is very interesting. A pity though.
How long was the line closed for?