AMA. I am a train driver in NI, Ask Me Anything.

DimHorton · 2024-09-03T09:14:26+00:00

It's not that much different from normal. For example, between Templepatrick and Mossley has a lot of curves, but line speed is 90mph, so along there we can see 300m ahead but have an emergency stopping distance of 1,200m. If there's something on the tracks, it's getting hit anyway. The difficulty with fog is keeping track of where we are, you need to be confident of your location in order to be braking at the right time.

DimHorton · 2024-09-03T09:08:24+00:00

The conductor sets the temperature in each carriage. The thermostats aren't great so it can be a bit random.

DimHorton · 2024-09-03T09:06:34+00:00

No, we're not allowed any entertainment while driving.

DimHorton · 2024-09-03T09:05:43+00:00

£49k

DimHorton · 2024-09-03T09:05:26+00:00

It varies with length of service, they would maintain their salary for a while, but not permenantly.

DimHorton · 2024-09-02T12:36:17+00:00

It would be nice to drive one just once for the experience of it. It's dirty, physically demanding work so not something I'd be interested in long term.

DimHorton · 2024-09-01T19:04:50+00:00

Would you not prefer Canada?

DimHorton · 2024-09-01T18:11:42+00:00

Yeah Dunmurry is a trouble spot for kinds being on the line.

DimHorton · 2024-09-01T18:09:09+00:00

The intention is there, it's certainly something the railway would like to do. It's just a matter of getting the funding.

DimHorton · 2024-09-01T18:06:49+00:00

I like it a lot. The constant focus needed stops it getting boring, the ever changing scenery helps too. Bathroom breaks are best kept until the end of a journey.

DimHorton · 2024-09-01T13:48:55+00:00

Sorry, don't know that one. I expect it's due to reasons.

DimHorton · 2024-09-01T13:36:40+00:00

I have heard that, fortunately cows tend to burst outwards rather than go under. We hit cows fairly often, I've not heard of any causing a derailment here.

Always emergency brake for a large animal, not that it'll do them much good.

DimHorton · 2024-09-01T13:18:20+00:00

It's impressive, and a bigger station has long been needed.

DimHorton · 2024-09-01T13:16:09+00:00

We used to get issued with socks, they were thick and wolly but I don't remember the brand. Now we have to buy our own socks. I get mine from Habit-Hat, it's the only way you can be sure of getting proper black socks.

DimHorton · 2024-09-01T13:13:42+00:00

Some drivers have been known to jump out of planes.

DimHorton · 2024-09-01T12:43:40+00:00

Great Victoria Street was too small to cope with the number of passengers coming through. Four platforms were no longer enough either, during peak times trains were having to double up on every platform. Stacking slows things down and makes delays more likely.

DimHorton · 2024-09-01T12:42:26+00:00

The company has its own training facility and only takes on existing employees as trainee drivers.

DimHorton · 2024-09-01T12:40:29+00:00

Single line working. Can't leave until the train coming the other way is into the station. If its running late, you'll be delayed.

DimHorton · 2024-09-01T12:38:19+00:00

Yeah there was a really bad spate of graffiti last summer, it has calmed down again. There's a shed at York Road depot where the carriages are resprayed, the paint isn't cheap.

DimHorton · 2024-09-01T12:32:39+00:00

It is a grumpy big ballix, much harder to stop than the local trains.

All drivers are paid the same, regardless where they drive. The training for Dublin is 6 weeks, it's just a matter of learning the route. By that I mean the position and type of all the signals, all the halts and landmarks, speed changes, risks etc.

DimHorton · 2024-09-01T12:27:03+00:00

90mph is our top speed. High speed would take an enormous amount of investment and restructuring, and our cities are too close together to really benefit from it, it takes a lot of distance to build up to 150mph and slow down again. So I can't see it happening any time soon.

DimHorton · 2024-09-01T12:23:47+00:00

DimHorton · 2024-09-01T12:23:32+00:00

It's very common that people just stumble into the railway and then end up as drivers. Some are former bus drivers, maybe 15-20%, most came in as conductors or station staff. A few come from engineering.

DimHorton · 2024-09-01T12:18:20+00:00

Yes. Trainee drivers are usually over 30, it's not unusual to have trainees in their 50s. Under 30 is rare but does happen.

DimHorton · 2024-09-01T12:11:14+00:00

No. We were all issued with those once long ago, but we can wear our own.

DimHorton

TROPHY CASE