Labour TD describes Irish Rail drivers as "childish"

Jamie2k9

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/lotto-heads-for-55m-3341578.html

Train horn ban call

Irish Rail has been asked to ensure its drivers don't sound their train horns while travelling through a town.

The request came from Carrick-on-Suir Labour councillor Bobby Fitzgerald who said he had received "a number of calls from people who had been awoken by trains hooting" in the Tipperary town. He described the drivers' actions as "noise pollution'' and urged Irish Rail to "reprimand its drivers'', whom he described "as childish''.

foggy_lad

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/lotto-heads-for-55m-3341578.html

Obviously if there is no requirement for the drivers to sound the horn it is noise pollution in the same way that sounding the horn in a car driving through the town would be.

juan.kerr

What times of the day are they doing this and are there legitimate (and relevant) reasons for them doing it?

Jamie2k9

IE have whistle boards placed on the line at some level crossings, farm crossings and bends for a reason.

We live in Ireland where there is a lot of people go out in front of trains at LC or farm crossings. Just how many were hit by trains last year?

I assume its the 06.40 service thats the problem soon to be 07.20 from Waterford so no problems then.

2014 can't come quick enough so some of the brain dead councillor's will be out of a job.

Losty Dublin

juan.kerr wrote: »

What times of the day are they doing this and are there legitimate (and relevant) reasons for them doing it?

Trains sound their horns prior to moving off, passing and approaching level crossings, entering and leaving cuttings, tunnels or bridges, coming close to areas where track is exposed to the public (Wexford Quay and North Wall spring to mind), passing certain places where encroachment onto the track is a problem (Wicklow-Greystones), passing sharp curves, passing other trains, signal boxes and encountering any people on the track, be they staff or trespassers. I can't think of others to hand but I'm sure other learned posters here will add to this list.

flyingsnail

There are four accommodation crossings within a mile of Carrick on the Limerick Junction These would require the use of the horn to warn users of the trains approach.

PS. As somebody who lives next to a railway line, this is part of living near one. Considering the low frequency of services on the line I cant imagine it being that much of an issue.

gobnaitolunacy

Does he think they're simply sounding the horn for the craic?

Idiot.

bikeman1

The locals must not like the sound of the 2800s horn compared to the chirp of the now withdrawn 2700s!

I live beside the railway and would never even think of giving out about the sound of drivers blowing as they go about their days work safely.

I'm sure the boy racers in Carrick make far more noise and a disturbance than the odd train.

Jamie2k9

Next he will call for an emergancy services ban beteween 21.00-08.00 from making noise though the town.

godtabh

I used to live near a train line. I used to be able to set my watch to the train horn. When the third train passed in the morning it was time to get up!

Jamie2k9

Just heard on local radio:

IE spokesperson put 100 complaints down to one incident on the line recently however the TD said it happened 26 times this morning within 2 miles.

I will say there is one driver that does use the horn a lot more than most even on Waterford-Dublin route but I find it hard to believe it was 26 times in 2 miles.

demanufactured

Funny how there's been trains here for donkeys years and someone decides to complain now.

gobnaitolunacy

Just curious as to incidence of trespass around Carrick...is it as bad as Clonmel?????

May be a factor??

Hooter lever broke off.
Train was around 10:30 not 07:00.
That's it.
Story out of nothing.

Trespass much reduced in recent years as far as I know.
Lots of fence makes wandering less convenient.

CIE

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/lotto-heads-for-55m-3341578.html

Train horn ban call

Irish Rail has been asked to ensure its drivers don't sound their train horns while travelling through a town.

The request came from Carrick-on-Suir Labour councillor Bobby Fitzgerald who said he had received "a number of calls from people who had been awoken by trains hooting" in the Tipperary town. He described the drivers' actions as "noise pollution'' and urged Irish Rail to "reprimand its drivers'', whom he described "as childish''.

No, it's the politicians that are "childish", never mind churlish. If I were a train driver, think I'd be quite indignant at being called "childish" for doing my job! Politicians ought to worry about more pressing matters related to the country in general.

Mr Fitzgerald would never be able to get on in the USA or Canada, with the NORAC requirements for level crossing signals (two long blasts, one short blast and one final long blast that is held until the train is on the crossing). Also, a train stopping at a station is required to blow the horn before they reach the platform and twice before leaving the station (the latter is known as the "highball" signal). These are all federal requirements, too, in both countries.

steamengine

Send 082 down there - that'll fix him !!!

Ridiculous. They don't sound the horn willy-nilly. In fact, horn use is logged in the Teloc system so if you were being careless, they'd know.

AlekSmart

Whilst reading that article ....http://www.independent.ie/national-news/lotto-heads-for-55m-3341578.html....I was engaging in vigourous self-flagellation...facepalming with intent,as I repeated over and over again..."What sort of individual VOTES for the likes of Councillor Bobby Fitzgerald"..then,as if by divine intervention,my question was answered...:eek:

foggy_lad wrote: »

Obviously if there is no requirement for the drivers to sound the horn it is noise pollution in the same way that sounding the horn in a car driving through the town would be.

Obviously indeed....;)

steamengine

If this councillor lived on the coast, and there was a lighthouse foghorn sounding every few minutes due to foggy conditions would he want it turned off? (No pun intended)

end of the road

god love this idiot if a driver blowing the horn is all he has to worry about, how about worrying about the fact that the line which his town is served by will be faceing the rath of the todd andrews machete any day now.

dowlingm

Dunno what he'd do if he was over here. CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG every time a train pulls into/out of a station. De bells! De bells!

CIE

foggy_lad wrote: »

Obviously if there is no requirement for the drivers to sound the horn it is noise pollution in the same way that sounding the horn in a car driving through the town would be

You've got the whole internet before you and still cannot increase knowledge or wisdom.

Tabnabs

steamengine wrote: »

If this councillor lived on the coast, and there was a lighthouse foghorn sounding every few minutes due to foggy conditions would he want it turned off? (No pun intended)

He wouldn't have that problem as all fog horns are now decommissioned http://www.independent.ie/national-news/last-post-sounds-for-countrys-coastal-fog-horns-2383732.html

CIE

dowlingm wrote: »

Dunno what he'd do if he was over here. CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG every time a train pulls into/out of a station. De bells! De bells!

He should spend some time on 10th and 11th Street in Michigan City, Indiana or Jack London Square in Oakland, California. Bells and horns never stop on those streets.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITv7-i-L9JY

101sean

Wonder is it the same TD whose idiot campaigners a couple of elections ago trespassed on the railway to fix election posters on various bridge railings over the N24?

yachtsman

He'll get his wish soon enough when the line is mothballed like Waterford Rosslare and he can then get the council to turn it into a greenway and be carried shoulder high in the next election for "developing the Town".

parsi

foggy_lad wrote: »

Obviously if there is no requirement for the drivers to sound the horn it is noise pollution in the same way that sounding the horn in a car driving through the town would be.

Clowns.

we have to endure taxi drivers parping their horns due to laziness and yet the sounding of train drivers sounding their warning horns is to be discouraged ?

Morons.

Some golden-ticket holders en-route to sell broadband dongles gets hit by a train and then all hell breaks loose.

dermo88

Unfortunately it appears to be another case of "heads they win, tails you lose" with any action taken by Iarnrod Eireann. If they don't sound it, and an accident happens due to no warning taking place, then?

Watching 'Reeling back the years', and seeing the devastation on 31.12.75 of the Gorey disaster reminds me it is now (touch wood) over 28 years since the last passenger related fatality on Irish Railways, which was Cherryville. Let us hope there are no more, and that this record continues.

Cookie_Monster

dermo88 wrote: »

Watching 'Reeling back the years', and seeing the devastation on 31.12.75 of the Gorey disaster reminds me it is now (touch wood) over 28 years since the last passenger related fatality on Irish Railways, which was Cherryville. Let us hope there are no more, and that this record continues.

ballycumber in 91

AlekSmart

CIE wrote: »

He should spend some time on 10th and 11th Street in Michigan City, Indiana or Jack London Square in Oakland, California. Bells and horns never stop on those streets.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITv7-i-L9JY

My heavens,what an outrage...there must be somebody who can stop the relentless creep of....Dangerous Stuff being posted on the internet.

We should petition President Higgins to intervene,on our behalf of course !!

Shame on you Mr CIE,for shamlessly displaying such Dangerous Carry-On to our frail citizenry....the sight and sound of this Trans-Atlantic flirting with danger is enough to poison our youth and inflict real pain upon them.

These colonials obviously like to live dangerously !!!

Down with this sort of thing !!!

Sligo Quay

Took a walk yesterday near Leyney and met an old gent who said to me wish I could hear the sound of a train horn, haven't hear it here in over 35years, so that stupid Labour councillor should be careful what he wish for, he may get his wish come true when that Limerick / Waterford railway ever closes, Carrick will fall silent, isn't it great to hear the sound of a train, its the Labour Councillor thats childish silly man

Rocky Bay

In North America, the railway industry revolves around a two word phrase..."Safety First".