Just come off the DLR at Tower Gateway at 19.33 tp be exact. Between
Limehouse and TG the train captain was sitting at the front with the
console open supposedly monitoring the operation of the train. However
during all of that time he actually sat there texting on his mobile
phone, with his attention fully on the message he was typing, and he
only stopped doing this when we drew into the TG platform. Bearing in
mind that there have been a number of fatal crashes in the US due to
the drivers texting, is this acceptable behaviour? SB.

On Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:26:09 -0800 (PST), SB
wrote:

Just come off the DLR at Tower Gateway at 19.33 tp be exact. Between
Limehouse and TG the train captain was sitting at the front with the
console open supposedly monitoring the operation of the train. However
during all of that time he actually sat there texting on his mobile
phone, with his attention fully on the message he was typing, and he
only stopped doing this when we drew into the TG platform. Bearing in
mind that there have been a number of fatal crashes in the US due to
the drivers texting, is this acceptable behaviour? SB.

He probably was just using the front console to do the doors. This is
quite common when trains are either very busy (so he can ensure there
is room for him to do the doors) or very quiet (so he can sit down).

Unless he was holding the "joystick" (power controller), he probably
had nothing at all to do until the next station.

Remember that the DLR is fully automated other than the doors.

Neil

--
Neil Williams
Put my first name before the at to reply.

Upon the miasma of midnight, a darkling spirit identified as SB
gently breathed:

Bearing in
mind that there have been a number of fatal crashes in the US due to
the drivers texting, is this acceptable behaviour? SB.

Slight difference though, in the cases in the US, the driver was
actually driving the train. On the DLR, unless working in emergency
manual mode (where the train captain actually handles the power
controller thingie), it's all fully automated.

At the time the DLR was built, it was felt that the public wouldn't
accept totally automated, staffless trains. Hence the provision of the
train captains to be a staff presence on board without having to have
actual drivers.

"Pyromancer" wrote in message
...
Upon the miasma of midnight, a darkling spirit identified as SB
gently breathed:

Bearing in
mind that there have been a number of fatal crashes in the US due to
the drivers texting, is this acceptable behaviour? SB.

Slight difference though, in the cases in the US, the driver was actually
driving the train. On the DLR, unless working in emergency manual mode
(where the train captain actually handles the power controller thingie),
it's all fully automated.

At the time the DLR was built, it was felt that the public wouldn't accept
totally automated, staffless trains. Hence the provision of the train
captains to be a staff presence on board without having to have actual
drivers.

The passenger service assistant (aka train captain) more often stands at a
doorway, so can't supervise the track ahead. Except in manual mode the
'driving' duties are merely to press a couple of buttons to close the doors
and start the train at each station. On one occasion the PSA managed to
press the buttons but strand herself on the platform when the doors shut and
the train started. The train proceeded perfectly safely under computer
control to he next station.

Peter

Pyromancer wrote:
Upon the miasma of midnight, a darkling spirit identified as SB
gently breathed:

Bearing in
mind that there have been a number of fatal crashes in the US due to
the drivers texting, is this acceptable behaviour? SB.

Slight difference though, in the cases in the US, the driver was
actually driving the train. On the DLR, unless working in emergency
manual mode (where the train captain actually handles the power
controller thingie), it's all fully automated.

At the time the DLR was built, it was felt that the public wouldn't
accept totally automated, staffless trains. Hence the provision of the
train captains to be a staff presence on board without having to have
actual drivers.


I wonder if that will change anytime soon, considering that it this is
often the case in continental Europe.

On Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:36:25 +0000, "
wrote:

I wonder if that will change anytime soon, considering that it this is
often the case in continental Europe.

I think the DLR would operate too slowly if fully automatic, as people
would keep holding the doors open. (For safety reasons, you couldn't
force them to close on people - you'd have to work them like a lift).

That aside, are there any automated railways anywhere that don't have
platform edge doors?

There would be an option to staff the stations, but if you're going to
do that you might as well do what the DLR did and staff the trains
instead, so at least the staff aren't freezing cold on a platform.

Neil

--
Neil Williams
Put my first name before the at to reply.

Neil Williams wrote:

That aside, are there any automated railways anywhere that don't have
platform edge doors?

The above-ground stations on the Copenhagen metro don't have platform
edge doors. See, for instance,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Me...nd_Station.jpg

The Copenhagen metro trains run without any staff on board (although
there are roving staff who do ticket inspections etc).
--
Jeremy Double {real address, include nospam}
Rail and transport photos at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmdoubl...7603834894248/

Neil Williams wrote:
On Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:36:25 +0000, "
wrote:

I wonder if that will change anytime soon, considering that it this
is often the case in continental Europe.

I think the DLR would operate too slowly if fully automatic, as people
would keep holding the doors open. (For safety reasons, you couldn't
force them to close on people - you'd have to work them like a lift).

That aside, are there any automated railways anywhere that don't have
platform edge doors?

There would be an option to staff the stations, but if you're going to
do that you might as well do what the DLR did and staff the trains
instead, so at least the staff aren't freezing cold on a platform.

You could use CCTV, so that a small number of staff in a warm control room
could operate the doors on a large number of trains.

--
We are the Strasbourg. Referendum is futile.

wrote:
Pyromancer wrote:
Upon the miasma of midnight, a darkling spirit identified as SB
gently breathed:

Bearing in
mind that there have been a number of fatal crashes in the US due to
the drivers texting, is this acceptable behaviour? SB.

Slight difference though, in the cases in the US, the driver was
actually driving the train. On the DLR, unless working in emergency
manual mode (where the train captain actually handles the power
controller thingie), it's all fully automated.

At the time the DLR was built, it was felt that the public wouldn't
accept totally automated, staffless trains. Hence the provision of
the train captains to be a staff presence on board without having to
have actual drivers.


I wonder if that will change anytime soon, considering that it this is
often the case in continental Europe.

It might be a really bad aide for the train captains to try striking.

Has Nuremberg fitted platform doors?
--
Arthur Figgis Surrey, UK

"Arthur Figgis" wrote in message
o.uk...
wrote:
Pyromancer wrote:
Upon the miasma of midnight, a darkling spirit identified as SB
gently breathed:

Bearing in
mind that there have been a number of fatal crashes in the US due to
the drivers texting, is this acceptable behaviour? SB.

Slight difference though, in the cases in the US, the driver was
actually driving the train. On the DLR, unless working in emergency
manual mode (where the train captain actually handles the power
controller thingie), it's all fully automated.

At the time the DLR was built, it was felt that the public wouldn't
accept totally automated, staffless trains. Hence the provision of the
train captains to be a staff presence on board without having to have
actual drivers.


I wonder if that will change anytime soon, considering that it this is
often the case in continental Europe.

It might be a really bad aide for the train captains to try striking.

Has Nuremberg fitted platform doors?

Has Nuremberg got a working system yet! (only three years late, last time
I looked)

tim