Irish rail operation

[scotsman]

Excuse my ignorance, but is Irish Rail DOO?

I've never really paid much attention to the Irish Rail network, so I had a wee look on my last trip to Dublin. I figured DART was DOO, but watching the dispatch of a Sligo intercity I noticed the driver took the tip and closed the doors. No sign of a conductor. I've read comments online to suggest this as well.

 

[haulier]

As far as I know, the only trains in IRELAND that are not DOO- although I'm open to correction - is the DUBLIN - BELFAST ENTERPRISE service.

When in operation on the CORK line, Mk 4 stock have a "train host" as well as a driver.

DART/RAILCARS are all DOO, as are the TARA MINE & CONTAINER freight trains

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Would that be the reason pretty much every intermediate station in Ireland (save the likes of WRC and the ones with literally five trains a day) are staffed? I can't imagine many of them run in the black but would go a long way to ensuring some form of revenue protection - I did a four day tour of the Republic via rail last year and got my ticket checked perhaps ten times tops onboard.

 

[GM078]

I'm open to correction but I think the Nenagh branch isn't DOO.

DOO started to be phased in with the railcarisation of the railway in the latter half of the 2000s.
Very few staff still with active guard's certs these days. There's a limited pool available for RPSI operations (which obviously require one).

Some stations have reduced staff as well, for instance with abolition of ETS working on the Rosslare line in 2008 Rathdrum became unstaffed.

 

[najaB]

Excuse my ignorance, but is Irish Rail DOO?

When I got the service from Rosslare to Dublin there was someone selling tickets on board but I don't think I saw him go near any door controls.

 

[GM078]

When I got the service from Rosslare to Dublin there was someone selling tickets on board but I don't think I saw him go near any door controls.

There would be a checker on the Rosslare alright but no guard... not for many years in fact.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Some stations have reduced staff as well, for instance with abolition of ETS working on the Rosslare line in 2008 Rathdrum became unstaffed.

Interesting. Any more examples - I read there were plans to destaff Rosslare Strand but I'm not sure how far that got.

 

[berneyarms]

All trains in the Irish Republic (except the Enterprise) have their doors operated by the driver.

The only train that has a guard is the Enterprise.

All DMUs have been driver only operated since they were introduced.

There are travelling ticket checkers on certain routes but more often than not tickets are being checked by the RPU as virtually every station now has a TVM.

 

[IR-Mark4/ICR]

Interesting. Any more examples - I read there were plans to destaff Rosslare Strand but I'm not sure how far that got.

If it has not happened it will, the reasons to keep it staffed went when WAterford branch closed.

 

[Thewanderer]

The Nenagh Branch and Limerick Jct - Waterford still have "Guards". They also cover revenue protection. However, in this case the Driver still controls the operation of the doors.

All other services (except the Enterprise) is DOO.

 

[duesselmartin]

fascinating that the lines with high overheads and low revenue (2 passenger trains per direction with low patronage) have the luxuary of a guard

 

[Con]

Yes. Funny that, especially when the threat of closure periodically hangs over them.

 

[Thewanderer]

fascinating that the lines with high overheads and low revenue (2 passenger trains per direction with low patronage) have the luxuary of a guard

Yes. Funny that, especially when the threat of closure periodically hangs over them.

Can also argue that a lot of stations on these routes have no station facilities for issuing tickets. Cahir, Cloughjordan being two examples. As I said the Guards also do revenue protection.

 

[scotsman]

Thanks guys. Not sure I'd like being the only passenger facing member of staff on board.

 

[berneyarms]

Thanks guys. Not sure I'd like being the only passenger facing member of staff on board.

Dare I ask why?

 

[Flying Snail]

Thanks guys. Not sure I'd like being the only passenger facing member of staff on board.

You mean the situation that exists on the majority of trains in Britain?

 

[scotsman]

You mean the situation that exists on the majority of trains in Britain?

Yup, but I'm catering - not a guard.

 

[berneyarms]

You're talking about an extremely lightly loaded 2 car 2800 class DMU (on the Nenagh branch) or a lightly loaded 4 piece ICR on the South Tipperary line. Hardly something to feel daunted about!!

 

[MidnightFlyer]

You needn't worry scotsman, there's no passengers to bump into on either line anyway

 

[scotsman]

Ordinarily, I don't see it as daunting. The issue would be if the train was involved in major disruption and the only person the passengers could turn to would be you.

 

[D6975]

Something else you may notice while travelling around in Ireland is the large number of manually operated level crossings. I haven't been over there for a while now, but there were loads. Lim Jn - Waterford in particular had lots.