Post by q8 on Jan 12, 2006 13:47:52 GMT
Things I would like to see in the new SSL stock [if I live that long] would include the following.
Longitudinal bogie frame mounted monomotor bogies with axles driven by hyphoid gears or cardan shafts.
Articulation between cars to lessen the number of wheelsets. [may not be feasible given the desire for number one]
All on train control circuits to be low voltage and maybe digitised to lessen the load on power packs.
Similarly lighting to be of the low voltage variety. Strip fluorescent tubes to be avoided if possible and replaced with fluor bulbs in thief proof covers or maybe even LED's. The lamps to be over the seats rather than in the centre roof line of the car. If Fluo tubes are deemed a must then put them over the windows in bus fashion and again not in the centre roof line.
Ventilation vents to be cut into the lower part of the car body and the led up behind the longitudinal seats between doors to admit cool air from the outside forced in when the train is in motion. These supplemented by roof mounted ventilators like the old 'F' stock had. Or maybe the whirl round type that are turned by the wind force as the train moves. Even a combination of the two.
Plug type car doors. [people are not so keen on holding those open]
Spotlight type line maps al la Tokio where the station you are at lights up. [Similar to the New York thing. I forget what it is called.]
A complete walk-through layout as was envisaged in the regrettably abandoned 'space train' with a mix of trannsverse and longitudinal seating some with high backs arranged in a two and bench method. [Two transverse seats in bays on one side of the car and a longintudinal bench on the other] This would cater for both the long and short distance traveller.
Individual door fault lights over each door inside and out to aid staff to pinpoint the door in question immediately. These could have the dual purpose of flashing when the passenger alarm next that door is operated.
A 'clear floor' layout to be adopted assisting car cleaning and security by not having seat pedestals. [The best layout I have seen is the one used on the New York R110 stock] People can stow a case under them then for the journey and it would be much easier to spot a suspicious package too.
Drivers to have a nice OPENING window in their sliding cab doors. The original District stock had sliding cab doors with a drop down window and the TW metro has an openiing portion for their plug type door.
Drivers to be spared the constant whine of air-con units by having static 'fast warm' panel heaters instead. These could be three in number. one in the knee space, [which could also serve to keep his tea warm if a suitable holder was provided] one under his seat and one on the offside back cab wall. If he gets too warm he can either turn them off individually or open his sliding door window.
The train whistle to be of a much lower tone than the 'cheep peep' one used at present. Lower tones travel further and can be heard better.
As far as is possible the train to be 'all electric' right down to the brakes. This is possible as had been proved by the stock operated on the Chicago [or is it Boston] elevated which I think have no air equipment at all. The dynamic brake operating on the motor drive shafts. To hold a train in stations and elsewhere there could be a 'line switch' with track magnets.
Drivers to have a window washer for foul weather with the ability to top up the tank at termini.
All cab switches to be in easy reach and the seat fully adjustable and cushioned. The driver to be given the choice of driving standing up or not.
Those are some of the things I would like to see with the new stock. I fully expect to get shot down with most of the proposals but then again it will probably be down to money.
Longitudinal bogie frame mounted monomotor bogies with axles driven by hyphoid gears or cardan shafts.
Articulation between cars to lessen the number of wheelsets. [may not be feasible given the desire for number one]
All on train control circuits to be low voltage and maybe digitised to lessen the load on power packs.
Similarly lighting to be of the low voltage variety. Strip fluorescent tubes to be avoided if possible and replaced with fluor bulbs in thief proof covers or maybe even LED's. The lamps to be over the seats rather than in the centre roof line of the car. If Fluo tubes are deemed a must then put them over the windows in bus fashion and again not in the centre roof line.
Ventilation vents to be cut into the lower part of the car body and the led up behind the longitudinal seats between doors to admit cool air from the outside forced in when the train is in motion. These supplemented by roof mounted ventilators like the old 'F' stock had. Or maybe the whirl round type that are turned by the wind force as the train moves. Even a combination of the two.
Plug type car doors. [people are not so keen on holding those open]
Spotlight type line maps al la Tokio where the station you are at lights up. [Similar to the New York thing. I forget what it is called.]
A complete walk-through layout as was envisaged in the regrettably abandoned 'space train' with a mix of trannsverse and longitudinal seating some with high backs arranged in a two and bench method. [Two transverse seats in bays on one side of the car and a longintudinal bench on the other] This would cater for both the long and short distance traveller.
Individual door fault lights over each door inside and out to aid staff to pinpoint the door in question immediately. These could have the dual purpose of flashing when the passenger alarm next that door is operated.
A 'clear floor' layout to be adopted assisting car cleaning and security by not having seat pedestals. [The best layout I have seen is the one used on the New York R110 stock] People can stow a case under them then for the journey and it would be much easier to spot a suspicious package too.
Drivers to have a nice OPENING window in their sliding cab doors. The original District stock had sliding cab doors with a drop down window and the TW metro has an openiing portion for their plug type door.
Drivers to be spared the constant whine of air-con units by having static 'fast warm' panel heaters instead. These could be three in number. one in the knee space, [which could also serve to keep his tea warm if a suitable holder was provided] one under his seat and one on the offside back cab wall. If he gets too warm he can either turn them off individually or open his sliding door window.
The train whistle to be of a much lower tone than the 'cheep peep' one used at present. Lower tones travel further and can be heard better.
As far as is possible the train to be 'all electric' right down to the brakes. This is possible as had been proved by the stock operated on the Chicago [or is it Boston] elevated which I think have no air equipment at all. The dynamic brake operating on the motor drive shafts. To hold a train in stations and elsewhere there could be a 'line switch' with track magnets.
Drivers to have a window washer for foul weather with the ability to top up the tank at termini.
All cab switches to be in easy reach and the seat fully adjustable and cushioned. The driver to be given the choice of driving standing up or not.
Those are some of the things I would like to see with the new stock. I fully expect to get shot down with most of the proposals but then again it will probably be down to money.