Carriage features - which do you think are the most important?

[Gooner18]

Comfy seats and without a doubt air con

 

[uxm]

Comfy seats and without a doubt air con

Air con on it's own isn't it, it's full climate control with underfloor heating systems with air con and air cooling.

 

[Intermodal]

GPS reception, so I know where the train is (Voyagers fail on this point)

I really think that a moving map could be easily implemented as they have across most of Europe on long distance services. GPS coverage inside a large metal tube is hard, but if you have a moving map you don't need it - and it can provide live connection info too.

 

[xotGD]

On loco-hauled stock the number one priority is droplights.

I always want a seat and I sometimes need a toilet. When it is dark I want decent lighting so I can see my book. Everything else is non-essential.

 

[Intermodal]

On loco-hauled stock the number one priority is droplights.

Don't think you're in luck there.

 

[broadgage]

For a long distance service

Enough seats, with ample legroom and with a good proportion at tables.
A buffet.
A silver service restaurant on selected services.
A dedicated first class area with at seat service.
Luggage space.
A working reservation system.
A decent size van area for cycles, surfboards and other bulky luggage. (space costs money and a charge should be made for use of this area)
I have not included toilets, power sockets, Wi-Fi, or air conditioning as these should be taken for granted.

For outer suburban services
Enough seats with reasonable legroom.
A refreshment trolley, more than one if demand warrants this.
Ample luggage space.
Toilets, Wi-Fi, power sockets, and air conditioning SHOULD be taken for granted.

For local or metro services.
2+2 seating with standing room in addition.
Wide doors that open and close promptly.
Toilets, required IMO on all trains.
Air conditioning.

I have not mentioned disabled facilities as these are a legal requirement.
IMHO, ALL new electric trains should have either a battery or a small diesel engine to permit of slow speed operation if the electric power fails.
ALL new trains should have openable windows for when the air conditioning fails. These to be locked shut normally.

 

[cuccir]

Toilet.

The rest is discretionary/meh.

 

[camflyer]

My thought was you'd get off the train, use the toilet, and then catch the next train on the same route behind it.

I once jumped off a train when it pulled into a station to answer an urgent call of nature only to realise that it was the last train of the night. The taxi home made it the most expensive wee of my life.

 

[3141]

Toilets on Metro-type services are unnecessary and use space that could otherwise accommodate more passengers. People who unfortunately have a physical condition that requires more frequent use of a toilet seem to find solutions when travelling by Underground, buses, trams, and taxis. I see no reason why main line trains should be expected to provide a facility that other shorter-distance transport does not. Unexpected delays happen on the roads as well. If toilets are provided they have to be cleaned, the retention tanks have to be emptied, and the water supply has to be refilled, and all that has to happen much more frequently if the trains is being used by large numbers of passengers. The focus should be on what's most needed in relation to the type of service the train is designed to provide.

 

[507021]

Comfortable seats, air conditioning and one toilet for every two carriages.

 

[underbank]

On loco-hauled stock the number one priority is droplights.

I always want a seat and I sometimes need a toilet. When it is dark I want decent lighting so I can see my book. Everything else is non-essential.

Have to agree with this. All the trappings are pointless if the train breaks down or is crammed to capacity, or doesn't turn up due to strikes or timetable foul ups. Get the basics right first!

 

[xotGD]

One of the things that differentiates a train from a bus or tram or underground is the presence of a toilet.

I had no idea that there were units down south with no bog.

 

[Mag_seven]

Seats that line up with the windows.

 

[BigCj34]

Metro or Intercity? This makes a huge difference. The list would almost be the opposite way up for me between these two extremes!

If it's metro routes, I'd say most important would be onboard information, least important would be a toilet, and a buffet trolley (actually undesirable on commuter services).

For intercity routes the most important would be a toilet, a buffet trolley is highly desirable, but information screens are less important because intercity passengers tend to have fixed tickets and routes are less frequent and less subject to change so less confusion.

This is the problem with Thameslink. The same train is trying to do both.

Thameslink announcements are incredibly annoying when they have to announce all the calling points at every stop. Not so bad on an intercity, very much so on a commuter service!

 

[broadgage]

One of the things that differentiates a train from a bus or tram or underground is the presence of a toilet.

I had no idea that there were units down south with no bog.

I agree, toilets are in my view a requirement on all trains and should be fitted to all new trains, and retrofitted to existing trains that have a reasonable life expectancy.
Whilst a toilet may seem needless on short trips of only a few minutes, they are required in my view for at least two reasons.
Firstly a ten minute journey might well involve a twenty minute at a station without toilets, and then another connecting train with a 20 minute journey time. Total time without toilet access is approaching an hour, more than that if the initial leg involved a ten minute walk to the station and a five minute wait.
Secondly, toilets are needed for breakdowns, delays, and strandings, Consider for example the recent incident at Lewisham in which large numbers of passengers were stranded for hours on trains without toilets. Some wet or soiled themselves as a result. Apart from the indignity of treating passengers thus, the train must have been in a very unpleasant state afterwards.
The new trains introduced in that area have no toilets, and on the older networker EMUs the toilets have been locked out of use.

The situation is not comparable to a bus, from which one may alight in case of delay.

Finally, trains intended for only local use may venture onto longer routes at times of disruption. Toilets again needed.

 

[Dr_Paul]

Seats that line up with the windows. Big windows for the seats to line up with.

And seats that are at right-angles to the carriage sides.

 

[ijmad]

And seats that are at right-angles to the carriage sides.

Sadly not realistic for some crush loaded metro (e.g. London Overground).

 

[CapitalStar378]

For inter city routes, comfortable seats and relaxing lighting, basically the opposite of IETs

 

[Ethano92]

After speaking to my sister about the matter of toilets, a point of view we naturally lack on this forum is women and their periods. Without going into too much detail, women may like to clean themselves up if something happens on the train but even if something doesn't, a symptom of a women's cycle is the need to use the loo far more often.

I am still a believer that every train should have toilets, WiFi, USB/plug sockets, luggage racks, overhead racks since there's nothing else that can go there (except advertisements that are usually half empty if you're TFL), ample leg room, seat comfort dependent on journey length, seat back tables if there's transverse seats. I personally don't mind longitudinal seats but they don't have to be rock hard benches like on 345s, s stock seats are fine.

 

[pdeaves]

Bearing in mind a recent(ish) incident on a heritage line, I would say number one priority is a floor. My next priorities in order are sides and roof!

 

[urbophile]

Seats in facing bays, lined up with the windows. If there must be 'airline' seats, they should be spaced for legroom and also lined up with windows. On metro services I'd prefer a mix of bays and longitudinal seating, no 'airline'.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Bogies...

 

[thewaistcoat]

I'm incredibly depressed at how few people use the end of carriage luggage racks on the 700s, but I can't blame them as they're out of sight of the seating and too near the door - it feels like luggage could easily be stolen.
The racks take a disproportion amount of space (I usually only see commuters leaning against them with perhaps their rucksacks resting on the top rack) and people still blocking seats / aisles with their luggage to keep it near.
Could we have some racks that co-located with the seating that would be more likely used?
I guess the space between the back-to-back seats could also be utilised more - perhaps boldly labelled as luggage stowaway areas?

 

[gallafent]

Bogies...

Yeah, ideally Jacobs or Talgo style though, so I guess “a bogie” singular, per coach

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I'm incredibly depressed at how few people use the end of carriage luggage racks on the 700s, but I can't blame them as they're out of sight of the seating and too near the door - it feels like luggage could easily be stolen.
The racks take a disproportion amount of space (I usually only see commuters leaning against them with perhaps their rucksacks resting on the top rack) and people still blocking seats / aisles with their luggage to keep it near.
Could we have some racks that co-located with the seating that would be more likely used?
I guess the space between the back-to-back seats could also be utilised more - perhaps boldly labelled as luggage stowaway areas?

People are way too paranoid about luggage theft. Fair enough high-value items like laptop bags I can understand, but nobody will want to steal your dirty holiday washing even if it is fancy stuff!

I was amused last month seeing a woman blocking the entrance to a carriage while she used a heavy-duty motorcycle lock to secure her suitcase to the luggage rack... on Eurostar! As if someone is going to buy a ticket and go through security just to nick someone's clothes!

 

[thewaistcoat]

People are way too paranoid about luggage theft. Fair enough high-value items like laptop bags I can understand, but nobody will want to steal your dirty holiday washing even if it is fancy stuff!

I was amused last month seeing a woman blocking the entrance to a carriage while she used a heavy-duty motorcycle lock to secure her suitcase to the luggage rack... on Eurostar! As if someone is going to buy a ticket and go through security just to nick someone's clothes!

I agree - overkill, but probably useful in other points of her journey.
A couple of weeks ago, saw a poor woman who was standing at the end of the carriage taken out by a wheely suitcase plonked in the aisle when the train accelerated out of Kings Cross. They can move really fast...

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I agree - overkill, but probably useful in other points of her journey.
A couple of weeks ago, saw a poor woman who was standing at the end of the carriage taken out by a wheely suitcase plonked in the aisle when the train accelerated out of Kings Cross. They can move really fast...

If it was up to me I'd ban the damn things, trip hazards.

 

[RichT54]

I'm incredibly depressed at how few people use the end of carriage luggage racks on the 700s, but I can't blame them as they're out of sight of the seating and too near the door - it feels like luggage could easily be stolen.
The racks take a disproportion amount of space (I usually only see commuters leaning against them with perhaps their rucksacks resting on the top rack) and people still blocking seats / aisles with their luggage to keep it near.
Could we have some racks that co-located with the seating that would be more likely used?
I guess the space between the back-to-back seats could also be utilised more - perhaps boldly labelled as luggage stowaway areas?

A few weeks ago I noticed an elderly woman get on a Reading to Redhill train dragging a large wheeled suitcase which she left in the luggage racks near the vestibule. After the train departed, the guard made the usual announcement which included the phrase "please keep your belongings with you at all times". At this, the woman started muttering, asking "Does that mean I have to move my suitcase?". Not getting a reply, she then got up and heroically dragged the suitcase back to where she had been sitting, which ended up blocking half the centre aisle.

 

[Mikey C]

I wouldn't want them removed, but I wouldn't say overhead luggage racks on commuter trains were essential, indeed Overground trains with longitudinal seats don't have them

I think people are reluctant to use them on commuter trains, as there is the risk of theft, but moreover I imagine people are worried about leaving things such as coats umbrellas and small bags behind! Out of sight, out of mind...

 

[OneOffDave]

Toilets on Metro-type services are unnecessary and use space that could otherwise accommodate more passengers. People who unfortunately have a physical condition that requires more frequent use of a toilet seem to find solutions when travelling by Underground, buses, trams, and taxis. I see no reason why main line trains should be expected to provide a facility that other shorter-distance transport does not. Unexpected delays happen on the roads as well. If toilets are provided they have to be cleaned, the retention tanks have to be emptied, and the water supply has to be refilled, and all that has to happen much more frequently if the trains is being used by large numbers of passengers. The focus should be on what's most needed in relation to the type of service the train is designed to provide.

If that's to be the case then I should be able to get off the train during delays like I can on a car or bus to find a toilet. I assume by extension planes shouldn't have toilets as they are heavy and cost fuel to carry around?