Class 360 ‘ghost noise’

[ess]

Why do these trains make the ghostly sound? Hard to describe but happens every time they move off.

 

[E_Reeves]

All desiros make this sound including 350s etc. I think it's something to do with the traction motors but I'm not entirely sure

 

[bastien]

It's the traction inverters doing their thing. It's good, but it's not as good as this:

 

[mushroomchow]

I knew the DoReMis would pop up pretty quickly in this thread. So good. I want them in the UK, but Siemens stopped gearing them to do it

 

[swt_passenger]

Why do these trains make the ghostly sound? Hard to describe but happens every time they move off.

Modern EMUs, whether powered by AC overhead or DC third rail, now have 3 phase AC traction motors. To vary the speed these motors have their supply frequency altered, because speed is proportional to applied frequency.

The 3 phase AC is produced electronically on board the train in a device called a traction converter, and it is the switching frequency that causes the noise. The age of technology, and slightly different electronic technology used by the various manufacturers is why all EMUs don’t sound the same. In the case of Desiros the converter switching frequencies are different if you compare 350/360 with their third rail cousins, the 450/444. This is to reduce interference with trackside equipment.

There have been quite a few discussions of this, people often refer to it in the forums as a “UFO sound”.

I linked to a video in a thread a few weeks ago:
https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...-and-redeployment.127422/page-72#post-3423708

another similar thread here:
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/what-makes-the-traction-motor-sound.166250/

 

[Bletchleyite]

I knew the DoReMis would pop up pretty quickly in this thread. So good. I want them in the UK, but Siemens stopped gearing them to do it

Some units do have a particularly nice harmonic - I particularly like the sound of the transformer on the Class 319 on AC, it sounds like a violin for some reason (albeit only one note).

And of course there's the "hot rod" Class 323

 

[E_Reeves]

Some units do have a particularly nice harmonic - I particularly like the sound of the transformer on the Class 319 on AC, it sounds like a violin for some reason (albeit only one note).

And of course there's the "hot rod" Class 323

Ooh yeah, 323s are the best!

 

[59CosG95]

I knew the DoReMis would pop up pretty quickly in this thread. So good. I want them in the UK, but Siemens stopped gearing them to do it

Not the gearing per se; the U2s used GTO inverters (like the 365s, 323s et al) while all of Siemens' subsequent designs have used IGBT inverters.
(Which still sound relatively beefy for IGBTs too)

 

[Jim Jehosofat]

Didn't 365's have the nickname 'milkfloats' because of the sound they made pulling away from a station stop?

 

[class387]

It's the traction inverters doing their thing. It's good, but it's not as good as this:

If you like Siemens 'musical' GTOs, have a listen to this Keikyu Siemens N1000 in Tokyo:

(not my video)

Definitely my favourite motor sound - sort of a combination of a Taurus and a 323.

 

[43096]

If you like Siemens 'musical' GTOs, have a listen to this Keikyu Siemens N1000 in Tokyo:

(not my video)

Definitely my favourite motor sound - sort of a combination of a Taurus and a 323.

Nice!

Still prefer the Taurus, though. Hearing one wheelslipping is interesting:

 

[Mikey C]

Nice!

Still prefer the Taurus, though. Hearing one wheelslipping is interesting:

Must be really weird if you moved into the area and hadn't realised it was the loco making the musical noises, you'd think that every time it left the station, someone with a synthesizer was playing along!

 

[Stan63]

Must be really weird if you moved into the are and hadn't realised it was the loco making the musical noises, you'd think that every time it left the station, someone with a synthesizer was playing along!

That's fantastic, I've never heard that before. At first I thought it was music accompanying the video like the guy from Monty Python at the organ wearing just the kipper tie.

Stan

 

[class387]

Nice!

Still prefer the Taurus, though. Hearing one wheelslipping is interesting:

Seen this. Quite amazing a train motor can do this.

Just wondering, is there an engineering reason why the Taurus does this?

 

[Mag_seven]

Still prefer the Taurus, though. Hearing one wheelslipping is interesting:

Does it play any other tunes?

 

[43096]

Just wondering, is there an engineering reason why the Taurus does this?

See post #5 above - the noise is generated by the traction power converters.

 

[Hadders]

Didn't 365's have the nickname 'milkfloats' because of the sound they made pulling away from a station stop?

Never heard them called that but they do have a very distinctive whining sound

 

[Far north 37]

Never heard them called that but they do have a very distinctive whining sound

Class 91s are nicknamed milkfloats im pretty sure.

 

[rebmcr]

Does it play any other tunes?

There is a video of something on a test track that was programmed to actually play some classical music — Youtube search is not showing me anything though.

 

[LOL The Irony]

ICE 3's play the German national anthem when put on test mode. Siemens also hide "easter eggs" in several of their TMS'.

Just wondering, is there an engineering reason why the Taurus does this?

The only reason it makes that particular noise is because it can. It could play ring O ring O roses or Du Hast if Siemens wanted it to.

 

[59CosG95]

The only reason it makes that particular noise is because it can. It could play ring O ring O roses or Du Hast if Siemens wanted it to.

I do wonder how much Rammstein would ask for in royalties if Siemens were to get a Taurus playing that tune...

 

[class387]

ICE 3's play the German national anthem when put on test mode. Siemens also hide "easter eggs" in several of their TMS'.

Found it!

So it was basically done out of fun by the engineers. Pretty amazing though!

Can any Siemens UK trains do things like this or have the easter eggs mentioned?

 

[Mikey C]

Found it!

So it was basically done out of fun by the engineers. Pretty amazing though!

Can any Siemens UK trains do things like this or have the easter eggs mentioned?

That's why they won the massive London Underground contract. Every train will play "Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner" as they leave the platform

 

[LOL The Irony]

Can any Siemens UK trains do things like this or have the easter eggs mentioned?

I don't know if they do but I'm pretty sure they hid something in every train.

 

[ShwervinMervin]

It's the traction inverters doing their thing. It's good, but it's not as good as this:

F-A-A-A-L-S-E-T-O-O-O

 

[FS-2-11]

I was in Montreal last summer and I was amused to find that on some of their Metro rolling stock, the ascending tones made by the traction motors as the train accelerates had ben engineered into the 'doors closing' warning.