4-carriage short DARTs at rush hour and frozen points

OssianSmyth · 22-01-2013 12:35PM #1

I used the DART instead of cycling this morning which was a mistake as it was chaotic.

Is it normal that Irish Rail was running short 4 carriage DARTs this morning at rush hour? Lots of people were left unable to board at the platforms.

Also the services were disrupted by frozen points. Does this happen every time there is a frosty night?

Dravokivich · 22-01-2013 01:47PM

It was a wee bit more than a frosty night.

foggy_lad · 22-01-2013 02:07PM

Dravokivich wrote: »

It was a wee bit more than a frosty night.

It's not as if it was not forcast or it was a freak cold spell in the middle of summer, they should be more prepared for such weather in the middle of our winter!

Dravokivich · 22-01-2013 02:36PM

Heating blankets over the points to keep'em warm during the night when not in use is it?

Mr Simpson · 22-01-2013 03:01PM

Dravokivich wrote: »

Heating blankets over the points to keep'em warm during the night when not in use is it?

Heated points?

OssianSmyth · 22-01-2013 03:20PM

This is from Network Rail in the UK:

Frozen points
Ice build-up causes big problems for moving parts like points, which move trains from one track to another. Snow can get compacted into solid blocks of ice by passing trains and points movements causing points to become stuck.

What we’re doing
Points heaters have been fitted to stop water freezing and jamming the mechanism
NASA-grade insulation has been added to points to prevent water collecting and freezing
Thousands of staff patrol the tracks day and night clearing snow and ice from key junctions
Our remote monitoring equipment and a helicopter with thermal imaging cameras identify any points heaters that aren’t working effectively
We’ve added protective covers to 4,000 points and 2,500 point motors to keep ice out and prevent damage from ice falling from passing trains

foggy_lad · 22-01-2013 03:23PM

Dravokivich wrote: »

Heating blankets over the points to keep'em warm during the night when not in use is it?

It would be better than waiting on the spring thaw!

bk · 22-01-2013 03:45PM

How is it countries like Poland, Switzerland, etc. can operate trains all winter long in much colder conditions?

It was -2 last night, it was -10 in Poland and -20 in Moscow, yet their trains are still running!

[Jackass] · 22-01-2013 04:01PM

Yeah, it's insane. First of all, covers should be fitted as standard and also, it's not as though there was much snow, like "real" snow is 6 inches to a foot - we get a few millimetres. Also, for a company running at such a large budget and a defecit, they should really have enough use of their staff to having running repairs and maintainance on the tracks.

Same thing happens with leaves on the track as they say it effects breaking ability, well, do something about it - these problems have existed for 20+ years of DART, but it's just accepted, God forbid a solution is contemplated...

Dravokivich · 22-01-2013 04:14PM

I think it's because it doesn't happen as regularly enough for it to be a problem for us, that such matters aren't looked into.

Twice within the last week I've been stuck waiting on trains as an outbound commuter because they were rushing trains up to Maynooth to pick up the inbound commuters. But that's probably going happen only once or twice again over the next month, and not again until November / December.

Cookie_Monster · 22-01-2013 09:09PM

bk wrote: »

How is it countries like Poland, Switzerland, etc. can operate trains all winter long in much colder conditions?

It was -2 last night, it was -10 in Poland and -20 in Moscow, yet their trains are still running!

it makes economic sense for them to heat points as they know it'll happen frequently enough. It happens in Ireland for maybe 1 week a year, so it's not worth it.

kingshankly · 22-01-2013 11:03PM

[Jackass] wrote: »

Yeah, it's insane. First of all, covers should be fitted as standard and also, it's not as though there was much snow, like "real" snow is 6 inches to a foot - we get a few millimetres. Also, for a company running at such a large budget and a defecit, they should really have enough use of their staff to having running repairs and maintainance on the tracks.

Same thing happens with leaves on the track as they say it effects breaking ability, well, do something about it - these problems have existed for 20+ years of DART, but it's just accepted, God forbid a solution is contemplated...

Covers to be fitted on points your having a laugh
Most points now have heaters not them all but a lot of them
How do you suggest we do away with the leaf problem sandite machines are used and trains are fitted with sanders but its near impossible to eradicate poor rail adhesion due to leaf fall and this is common in most railways

Heisenberg1 · 22-01-2013 11:42PM

[Jackass] wrote: »

Yeah, it's insane. First of all, covers should be fitted as standard and also, it's not as though there was much snow, like "real" snow is 6 inches to a foot - we get a few millimetres. Also, for a company running at such a large budget and a defecit, they should really have enough use of their staff to having running repairs and maintainance on the tracks.

Same thing happens with leaves on the track as they say it effects breaking ability, well, do something about it - these problems have existed for 20+ years of DART, but it's just accepted, God forbid a solution is contemplated...

Leave fall affects every rail network in the world and is not confined to IE.

Think back to 2010 IE was the only land transport running and the weather

was worse.

Heisenberg1 · 22-01-2013 11:47PM

bk wrote: »

How is it countries like Poland, Switzerland, etc. can operate trains all winter long in much colder conditions?

It was -2 last night, it was -10 in Poland and -20 in Moscow, yet their trains are still running!

I seem to recall a in 2008 snow in Switzerland caused travel chaos on swiss

railways seems it's not only IE that have these problems.

bk · 23-01-2013 12:12AM

Heisenberg1 wrote: »

I seem to recall a in 2008 snow in Switzerland caused travel chaos on swiss

In Switzerland they measure their snow fall in feet!! Last night we had about a centimetre of snow, big difference.

Cookie_Monster · 23-01-2013 01:00AM

bk wrote: »

In Switzerland they measure their snow fall in feet!! Last night we had about a centimetre of snow, big difference.

ohhh I doubt the Swiss use Imperial

Having taken buses and trains to ski resorts in Switzerland it really is impressive how easily they cope with the severe amount of snow.

Cool_CM · 23-01-2013 01:09AM

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

ohhh I doubt the Swiss use Imperial

Having taken buses and trains to ski resorts in Switzerland it really is impressive how easily they cope with the severe amount of snow.

The S-Bahns in Zürich sometimes experience extreme delays of up to ten minutes when it snows! Seriously impressive how they do it though, Even getting up early for the first tram around 5 in the morning you see the guys out on each individual platform with shovels and what are larger versions if the witches broomsticks that you see at Halloween, simply because it has to be done. Public transport is expected to run and be on time and even with snow delays it puts other rail services normal performances to shame.

CIE · 23-01-2013 07:50AM

kingshankly wrote: »

How do you suggest we do away with the leaf problem sandite machines are used and trains are fitted with sanders but its near impossible to eradicate poor rail adhesion due to leaf fall and this is common in most railways

One means is the "gel train". Uses a combination of water, gel and sand to improve adhesion; they also power-wash the rails. Think IE will get smart enough to invest in this technology?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKFSxJpGKp8

kingshankly · 23-01-2013 09:36AM

CIE wrote: »

One means is the "gel train". Uses a combination of water, gel and sand to improve adhesion; they also power-wash the rails. Think IE will get smart enough to invest in this technology?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKFSxJpGKp8

Irish rail have a few "sandite machines" but after the first couple of trains go over the rail it's nearly back to square one
Every major rail company has problems with leaf fall

4-carriage short DARTs at rush hour and frozen points

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