Getting heavy, m'lordz?

[andel]

The BBC have finally noticed that newer trains are heavier...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/6968868.stm

Enjoy your froth, guys!

[Parkey]

What? No picture of a Voyager?

It's like modern cars. Nobody wants to buy one that is lighter than the old one was. Oh the shame if you did that!

I think the future for trains lies in lightweighting by using better materials, such as composites, and using them more efficiently. Hybrid and regenerative braking technologies also have a big part to play.

[andysine]

Hmmm, just seems to be the trend. Just look at the new Golf GTi, it weighs almost 3 times as much as the original Mk1. People don't want to travel in rickety slam door units any more, and all those hydraulic doors, computers and safety equipment must weigh a bit.

What? No picture of a Voyager?

I didn't know Voyagers were that heavy? They look a darn sight lighter, and narrower than those monster Pendolinos!

[Kevo00]

Sounds more like a classic co-ordination failure to me - the train company is unaware of the track properties, and the manufacturer is simply selling something off the shelf and has no idea of the problem. Time to go back to vertical integration...

[Parkey]

Network rail are, all things considered, doing quite well. Why don't we give them responsibility for running some trains as well? Trouble is, if that happened, the Network in "Network rail" doesn't make the name come across as that of the body responsible for the country's rail network. Perhaps if we changed it to "United Kingdom" or, better still "British"...... Oh.

[andel]

Andy - Voyagers weigh a lot and they tend to chew tracks, as do the Meridians and Pioneers... well, they're all the same - 22X class.

[patter]

Andy - Voyagers weigh a lot and they tend to chew tracks, as do the Meridians and Pioneers... well, they're all the same - 22X class.

All those diesel motors, retention tanks and tall airline seats must add up to something ... is it time for a "Bring back the MK3" campaign

[m3henry]

take a GNER train, you will sometimes find yourself in a HST set

[Parkey]

take a GNER train, you will sometimes find yourself in a HST set

Prefer the Mk4s myself, but that's probably because FGW have put me off refurbished Mk3s.

[Ameecher]

I think the future for trains lies in lightweighting by using better materials, such as composites, and using them more efficiently. Hybrid and regenerative braking technologies also have a big part to play.

Hybrid trains with their masses of incredibly heavy batteries?

[Parkey]

You have to be sensible about it. In an ideal world (a world run by engineers, not dogmatic politicians) one would do a performance comparison with the conventional alternative for a particular route and see if there's a net benefit. Hybrid vehicles work best if the vehicle is constantly stopping and starting a lot. Even with the extra weight of the flywheel or batteries to store the energy the fact that energy isn't all wasted when it brakes makes up for the additional weight.

DMUs on local services in particular could benefit a heck of a lot from this kind of technology because not only does it save a lot of fuel but it also improves the acceleration a lot without having to increase the engine size. I guess mainline train like a HST that may run for over an hour between stops would probably not benefit much at all, but in a sane world the busy lines those run on would be electrified...

[Benjamin]

Wasn't a good proportion of main line track replaced only 7-8 years ago in light of a number of de-railments?

I remember hearing there was up-roar when it was found out the contract for the track material was tendered out to an Italian or Spanish steel company, who's imported steel was said to be more brittle and less hard wearing than what British Steel were going to provide!

It can't all be blamed on heavier passenger trains (and don't forget about the even heavier freight trains which are probably using the same lines in the first place).

[Parkey]

I agree, passenger trains are comparatively light compared with some railway wagons.



Hmmm, I just had an idea how to persuade the DfT to fund a HSL

[Benjamin]

Is this the latest in "enhancements" to passenger safety and security?

[andel]

Nope, its AMI Trains off to hunt down Parkey.