Irish rail temparature

JR1982

Anyone have any recent experiences with Irish Rail and their air conditioning? It's been years since I've taken the train.
I read a thread from 2012 here that it's always really cold, but I don't know how it is since.

I normally take GoBus from Dublin to Galway but the last one was roaaaaaaaasting! And the drive wouldn't switch off the heating. I felt so incredibly sick, I don't want to go through that again. It's happened a few times on GoBus and Citylink that passengers complained it was too warm and they wouldn't do anything about it. I get motion sickness very easily and if it's too warm I have no hope.

I'm thinking of taking the train now and I'm hoping it's still as baltic as they say it is :P It'll be much more comfortable for me

Vic_08

JR1982 wrote: »

Anyone have any recent experiences with Irish Rail and their air conditioning? It's been years since I've taken the train.
I read a thread from 2012 here that it's always really cold, but I don't know how it is since.

I normally take GoBus from Dublin to Galway but the last one was roaaaaaaaasting! And the drive wouldn't switch off the heating. I felt so incredibly sick, I don't want to go through that again. It's happened a few times on GoBus and Citylink that passengers complained it was too warm and they wouldn't do anything about it. I get motion sickness very easily and if it's too warm I have no hope.

I'm thinking of taking the train now and I'm hoping it's still as baltic as they say it is :P It'll be much more comfortable for me

ICR units seem to have good A/C, like all there will be variations between coaches and areas more directly under the outlets which are colder. At least 3 coaches per train so even if the A/C in one is malfunctioning you can always move to another.

Most likely the problems you had with the coach services were down to broken A/C, without it working on even a mildly warm sunny day the interior of a sealed coach will get uncomfortably hot. It could also be dopey drivers who can not or will not set the A/C properly.

JR1982

Thanks for the reply! The driver actually had switched the heating on. At the start the A/C was on and it got very cold, but I don't mind that. Then it went off and the heating switched on. I could feel it next to my feet. I asked him to turn it down, and he did for about half an hour before switching it back on. The A/C never came back on.
Sounds like ICR is the way to go for me

magicbastarder

i know it's not IR, but on warm days the luas can be extremely uncomfortable, especially if you get caught on the sunny side. and there are far too few windows - if there's AC, it's not up to the job.

devnull

On the Green line it can be veritable, I've been on LUAS on hot days with really powerful AC, and other days it can be off. Don't know if that is a driver or a tram issue.

The windows are extremely poorly designed on the most recent LUAS trams, since the windows are so far recessed from the carriage that they actually push the air up, against the panel above the window and to the left and right and out of the rather than into the carriage

In the earlier trams the windows are less recessed with more room for the air to flow to the left, right and the top of the window therefore there is more room for the air to be pushed into the carriage.

bobbyss

JR1982 wrote: »

Anyone have any recent experiences with Irish Rail and their air conditioning? It's been years since I've taken the train.
I read a thread from 2012 here that it's always really cold, but I don't know how it is since.

I normally take GoBus from Dublin to Galway but the last one was roaaaaaaaasting! And the drive wouldn't switch off the heating. I felt so incredibly sick, I don't want to go through that again. It's happened a few times on GoBus and Citylink that passengers complained it was too warm and they wouldn't do anything about it. I get motion sickness very easily and if it's too warm I have no hope.

I'm thinking of taking the train now and I'm hoping it's still as baltic as they say it is :P It'll be much more comfortable for me

I don't know much about the trains but I concur with your experiences on GoBus and Citylink.

They are both incredibly warm to the point of compromising your health and safety. On very cold days you welcome the warmth but after an hour or so it becomes intolerable. And we have no control at all over the temperature. They have two of those A/C nozzle thingys over each pair of seats but I don't know what their purpose is. The temp is controlled by the driver I think. I could be wrong about that. I think I heard a driver say once when someone complained that there was nothing he could do. That the temp was already set or something like that.

Sometimes I desperately need some cool air and reach up for the nozzle things but nothing is coming out of them. The A/C sees to be coming at you in a different way but you have no control over it.

I know it is difficult to satisfy different people's wants on a bus but I wonder are there certain temperature regulations that legally bus companies must adhere to in terms of being too hot or too cold.

goingnowhere

Luas doesn't have AC to start with...

Jamie2k9

goingnowhere wrote: »

Luas doesn't have AC to start with...

Really? The driver cabs do at least on the Red Line...
_______

As for IE, it's rare for drivers to activate the heading in addition to air con on the ICR's. The ai con system is temperature controlled so if it's hotter it is outside the colder it is on board.

If the engine is not operating in the coach you are on then you should move as heat/cold will be much more reduced as i'ts only getting powered from other coaches.

You will be paying quiet a bit extra, would you not give bus eireann a try?

devnull

goingnowhere wrote: »

Luas doesn't have AC to start with...

They do. Either that or forced chilled air. From the vents in the ceiling.

Of course. That requires it to be turned on which is very hit and miss

Utdfan20titles

Ac or not the smell of tramps and junkies on the luas is uncomfortable

markpb

Utdfan20titles wrote:

Ac or not the smell of tramps and junkies on the luas is uncomfortable

Green Luas line - urine free since 2005

monument

Utdfan20titles wrote: »

Ac or not the smell of tramps and junkies on the luas is uncomfortable

Keep on topic, thanks.

-- moderator

Captain Chaos

goingnowhere wrote: »

Luas doesn't have AC to start with...

They do.

I was on a Luas two weeks ago and it was taken out of service due to an AC failure.

magicbastarder

i had to take the train from brighton to gatwick about 12 or 13 years ago, on what was then the hottest day in british history. the journey took twice as long as usual, as they were afraid of tracks warping in the heat, and the windows we could open were tiny. so i arrived in tha airport in a complete lather, only to be asked to be patted down at airport security - not really a place you can say 'i wouldn't recommend that'.

L1011

magicbastarder wrote: »

i had to take the train from brighton to gatwick about 12 or 13 years ago, on what was then the hottest day in british history. the journey took twice as long as usual, as they were afraid of tracks warping in the heat, and the windows we could open were tiny. so i arrived in tha airport in a complete lather, only to be asked to be patted down at airport security - not really a place you can say 'i wouldn't recommend that'.

Probably the slam door EMUs? Hideous when warm, or damp, or anything bar dry and cool really.

JR1982

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

goingnowhere wrote: »

Luas doesn't have AC to start with...

Really? The driver cabs do at least on the Red Line...
_______

As for IE, it's rare for drivers to activate the heading in addition to air con on the ICR's. The ai con system is temperature controlled so if it's hotter it is outside the colder it is on board.

If the engine is not operating in the coach you are on then you should move as heat/cold will be much more reduced as i'ts only getting powered from other coaches.

You will be paying quiet a bit extra, would you not give bus eireann a try?

Wouldn't be paying that much more. If I book in advance you can get it for anywhere between 14 and 22 quid. At least GoBus and Citylink are 18 quid. I don't think Bus Eireann would be much cheaper

snickerpuss

IE drivers can't set the temperature. That is set separately by maintenance.

JR1982

bobbyss wrote: »

JR1982 wrote: »

Anyone have any recent experiences with Irish Rail and their air conditioning? It's been years since I've taken the train.
I read a thread from 2012 here that it's always really cold, but I don't know how it is since.

I normally take GoBus from Dublin to Galway but the last one was roaaaaaaaasting! And the drive wouldn't switch off the heating. I felt so incredibly sick, I don't want to go through that again. It's happened a few times on GoBus and Citylink that passengers complained it was too warm and they wouldn't do anything about it. I get motion sickness very easily and if it's too warm I have no hope.

I'm thinking of taking the train now and I'm hoping it's still as baltic as they say it is :P It'll be much more comfortable for me

I don't know much about the trains but I concur with your experiences on GoBus and Citylink.

They are both incredibly warm to the point of compromising your health and safety. On very cold days you welcome the warmth but after an hour or so it becomes intolerable. And we have no control at all over the temperature. They have two of those A/C nozzle thingys over each pair of seats but I don't know what their purpose is. The temp is controlled by the driver I think. I could be wrong about that. I think I heard a driver say once when someone complained that there was nothing he could do. That the temp was already set or something like that.

Sometimes I desperately need some cool air and reach up for the nozzle things but nothing is coming out of them. The A/C sees to be coming at you in a different way but you have no control over it.

I know it is difficult to satisfy different people's wants on a bus but I wonder are there certain temperature regulations that legally bus companies must adhere to in terms of being too hot or too cold.

I think they can definitely regulate it. Because when I've asked to turn down the heating they said they would. But they inevitably they turn it up again after a while.
The A/C maybe not, because that seems to come on sporadically.

And like you I understand everyone has different tolerances. But it's much easier to deal with the cold than with the heat, so I'd rather have them make it colder. I'll try to avoid them from now on when I can

Vic_08

JR1982 wrote: »

I think they can definitely regulate it. Because when I've asked to turn down the heating they said they would. But they inevitably they turn it up again after a while.
The A/C maybe not, because that seems to come on sporadically.

And like you I understand everyone has different tolerances. But it's much easier to deal with the cold than with the heat, so I'd rather have them make it colder. I'll try to avoid them from now on when I can

Modern coaches don't generally have separate heat and A/C controls. They mostly work as a combined setup. Driver will just be changing the target temperature and the system automatically adjusts heating and A/C to achieve that.

Many operate on an always on principle with cold from above and heat below constantly to supposedly create the set temp with the mix. The problem is that when new they work well but will loosen up with age and not regulate well even if the A/C is still operational. It is a maintenance issue, particularly with coaches on service work as they are much more intensively used than most.

The drivers will not be intentionally making it uncomfortable for passengers, even those that do understand how the system works cannot always control the cabin heat properly. The systems show the set temp and report the current temp, if it appears OK and they are happy themselves they won't know that it may be too hot/cold in the passenger area. There can be a big variation between the temp in the cab area to the saloon, particularly the rear or top on double deck coaches.

Miaireland

I was on Irish Rail yesterday and the temperature was fine. Not too cold or hot. I had a t-shirt and a light cardigan on.

Jamie2k9

Miaireland wrote: »

I was on Irish Rail yesterday and the temperature was fine. Not too cold or hot. I had a t-shirt and a light cardigan on.

Temperature is set around 18 degrees in summer and 21 degrees in winter.

It's why in periods of extreme cold or hot weather it takes IE a while to adjust temperature as drivers are not allowed.

kingshankly

JR1982 wrote: »

Thanks for the reply! The driver actually had switched the heating on. At the start the A/C was on and it got very cold, but I don't mind that. Then it went off and the heating switched on. I could feel it next to my feet. I asked him to turn it down, and he did for about half an hour before switching it back on. The A/C never came back on.
Sounds like ICR is the way to go for me

Just to set things straight the driver has one switch which is heating/ac he can turn it on or off maintenance set which temperature the train is to be and if it's too cold the heating should come on too warm the a/c comes on

GM228

Captain Chaos wrote: »

They do.

I was on a Luas two weeks ago and it was taken out of service due to an AC failure.

Just the driver cabs have AC, the passenger saloons don't, they have an air re-circulation system.

goingnowhere

kingshankly wrote: »

Just to set things straight the driver has one switch which is heating/ac he can turn it on or off maintenance set which temperature the train is to be and if it's too cold the heating should come on too warm the a/c comes on

On a ICR there is a simple on/off

On the Mk4 each coach there is a control knob in each coach control panel, -2, -1, 0, +1, +2

GM228

goingnowhere wrote: »

On the Mk4 each coach there is a control knob in each coach control panel, -2, -1, 0, +1, +2

The knob simply increases or decreases the pre-set temperature by 1 degrees or 2 degrees or keeps the pre-set temperature when on 0.

Chromosphere

You shouldn't need to fiddle with it.

I find in Ireland there's a tendency decide : it's warm: crank up the air-conditioning to ridiculously cold. It's freezing : crank up the heat to about 27C.

Thermostats keep the temperature even.

I was in a MK4 on a particularly humid day and the AC seemed to cause a flood. Water poured out of the air-conditioning in the dining car and caused a short circuit. We ended up having to transfer to another MK4 set at mallow.

I'm wondering if the permanent broken / disabled carriage end doors is messing up the air-conditioning?

Those coaches are designed to cool the air between two glass doors. The vestibules wouldn't be necessarily all that air tight as they're couplings.

There's also usually a higher power heater in vestibules to keep people cozier getting into the train and to prevent that draught feeling as it opens at intermediate stations.

Why are they permanently broken?

If they didn't work why didn't CAF fix them?

It was the same on the MK3 trains too. Doors locked open.