I asked someone I know and yes, seemingly not.
I drove both traction at the same time so I'd know...
Though according to them its due to a general ban on Pacers working with units equipped with enhanced energency braking and some wiring incompatibilities. Though nominally the multi working system itself should tolerate either but in practice it doesn't.
I suppose the Pacer might not be able to take the extra brakeforce without some stressing?
I can't help with the theory around enhance brake force. In practice it shouldn't make a great deal of difference, as the units don't share air in the brake res so you'll only be stressing the coupler. Obviously two differing amounts of brake force will put some stress across a coupler but certainly no more than hauling a unit with a failed engine or isolated brakes etc.
I've always been told it was predominantly a wiring issue - I'm not a fitter though so it's really not my area of expertise.
15x units do need mods to work with 170s though. Our ex Northern 156s (470/473/497/498) aren't properly compatible with 170s and various issues occur when they're coupled - one of which is that the door hustle alarms sound constantly on the 156 above 9 mph. One of the mods concerns being able to undertake the brake continuity test after coupling.
Had the same issue with a 153/170 lash up although it was a constant hustle alarm on the 153. I think its just to do with what mods over the years have been attached to which train wires. Obviously intercompatibility between 156/170s wasn't necessary through much of the units lives at northern so perhaps there's just a mod on them thats been done in a different way to the based 156s.
It's a mod that, provided the reverser is in neutral without a door release allows the brakes to drop with a door open for the purpose of getting out to observe that they've also dropped in the other unit.
Some 170s have this as standard (ex Scotrail ones I know for sure). It's an 8 second timer during which the door must be opened and returned to closed or you'll brake train wire 4 and get an emergency brake application.
That's how it was put to me anyway. Not a technical person but I know 153s were prone to rolling away if a particular set of circumstances aligned with the driver putting the reverser in neutral before the guard released the doors.
No mods required on 153s as you can just walk through the gangway once coupled for brake continuity - though this may well differ depending on TOC. My employer always had the policy that the slab fronted unit was the one you could get off - presence of the gangway meant no mods required on the gangwayed unit. If coupling gangway-slab always couple from the slab unit so you can open the door and go check brake continuity.
Wouldn’t the brake dump? I don’t think you can trap the brake on a 158.
Yes that was a problem on 14x and 150, 153 and 156. I’m not sure about the 155 now they’ve been fitted with door interlock.
At least the acrid smell would’ve drowned out the smell of the CET tanks xD
I presume you're talking about trapping and then opening a door? Can't be done on any of the gangwayed units I sign (158s of various heritage included). Ditto all other gangwayed units.
A clever mod, however, fitted to ex-Scotrail units is the "train coupled" light behind the drivers head. Don't know what the policy was in Scotland but when you've got electrical continuity it will light up and can be seen from the unit opposite. I don't know if, in Scotland, it replaced the need for a brake continuity check but it's certainly a neat idea.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk