Displaying the trains speed for passenger interest?

[Howardh]

Reading the "speeding" thread, I use an app which shows - with s little lag - the speed of the train or bus I am on; and it's nice to know I am going at 98mph when it feels a lot less!

But with all the displays available now, and on Northern we even get the weather forecast (!) would any other passengers on here like to see the real-time speed displayed in their carriage? And if so, can it be done easily?

 

[Peter0124]

This would be especially good on the likes of Avanti/LNER, not much use on local trains though haha!

 

[Howardh]

This would be especially good on the likes of Avanti/LNER, not much use on local trains though haha!

Dunno, I'd have loved to have known how quickly my pacer was/n't going!!

 

[Peter0124]

Dunno, I'd have loved to have known how quickly my pacer was/n't going!!

Suppose!

 

[LowLevel]

Eurostar do it, as do other Intercity operators abroad. Probably not much call to see you're doing 39 mph in a 150 near Barnsley though

 

[swt_passenger]

Reading the "speeding" thread, I use an app which shows - with s little lag - the speed of the train or bus I am on; and it's nice to know I am going at 98mph when it feels a lot less!

But with all the displays available now, and on Northern we even get the weather forecast (!) would any other passengers on here like to see the real-time speed displayed in their carriage? And if so, can it be done easily?

I thought Voyager and Pendolino displayed it internally when new?

 

[Howardh]

I thought Voyager and Pendolino displayed it internally when new?

Did they? Haven't seen that on a pendolino, not even first class.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I thought Voyager and Pendolino displayed it internally when new?

They did but it was turned off soon after.

 

[Howardh]

They did but it was turned off soon after.

Okay, but why turned off? Not accurate?

 

[dciuk]

I am trying to remember if the Volo TV Screens in the Great Western HST's displayed the speed. I can recall they had a GPS map and I think it included the speed.

 

[PG]

I am trying to remember if the Volo TV Screens in the Great Western HST's displayed the speed. I can recall they had a GPS map and I think it included the speed.

I remember the HSTs when first introduced in 1976 had a speed display fitted next to the sliding door to the vestibule - it was fascinating watching it get to the magic 125mph back then

 

[Howardh]

I am trying to remember if the Volo TV Screens in the Great Western HST's displayed the speed. I can recall they had a GPS map and I think it included the speed.

Transpennine have a map showing where the train is, but the stations are spread equally and between stations the "dot" stays in the middle, so no indication as to how close, or far away, your next stop is! These displays could be a lot more informative with GPS tracking, your exact location, minutes +/- late, and as I request, your speed. Paid for, obvs, buy the odd ad interupting the screen!!

 

[Grecian 1998]

I have seen a Voyager display the speed and the external temperature. I'm sure it was in the last 10 years, but definitely not recently.

 

[Howardh]

So it can and has been done, so should be in an historical thread rather than speculation! OK then, please TOC's, consider bringing them back!!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Okay, but why turned off? Not accurate?

No idea. At the time it was alleged it was because it was often a bit embarrassing

 

[Egg Centric]

No idea. At the time it was alleged it was because it was often a bit embarrassing

That would be even more of the case now. After decades of cheap credit in which the 3 series outsold Mondeos a top speed of at most 125mph almost everywhere is highly embarrassing when even a 316 can do 130.

Once HS2 is done perhaps we can bring it back.

 

[Howardh]

No idea. At the time it was alleged it was because it was often a bit embarrassing

 

[Starmill]

That would be even more of the case now. After decades of cheap credit in which the 3 series outsold Mondeos a top speed of at most 125mph almost everywhere is highly embarrassing when even a 316 can do 130.

Once HS2 is done perhaps we can bring it back.

Does the commercial speed of trains really compare at all with the hypothetical or race day maximum speed of a car?

Business cases for road investment projects aren't permitted to analyse any benefits to journey times arising from traffic travelling faster than 70 miles / hour, for example.

A regional train travelling at an average speed of around 80 miles/hour and a maximum speed of 100 between towns is still more impressive than a car driving at 60/70 (according to road type) between them...

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No idea. At the time it was alleged it was because it was often a bit embarrassing

This is a little bit odd to be honest, because even pre-WCRM it wasn't like the long-distance services had embarrassing journey times.

Today Avanti West Coast have good journey times. It's perhaps the only thing that is genuinely good about the service. Obviously they mean little without also having reliability, capacity and onboard quality too. I'm not sure anyone can claim they do any of those particularly well currently...

 

[J-2739]

Eurostar do it, as do other Intercity operators abroad. Probably not much call to see you're doing 39 mph in a 150 near Barnsley though

STHU

 

[AM9]

There might be a feeling that displaying the speed would be devicive in a number of ways:

some passengers would criticise the driver for not reaching the 100mph or 125mph (through ignorance of TSRs PSRs and limitations of gradients and loads)​

some passenger seat 'experts' would criticise the railway/driver for noot running a 125mph class of train at more than 0.12mph under 125mph just look at the recent thread about auto speed limiters on RUK)​

any lateness enroute would be blamed on running below whatever speed armchair experts think should be maintained​

Overall I think in the ridiculous entitled age that we live in, it would just create lots of trivial complaints. Those that want to know roughly what speed the train is doing can use a GPS app on their phone.

 

[Gloster]

They used to have them on the German ICE (and may still), but they quickly lost their interest. The ride was smooth and you were bombing along, so what was so fascinating? There was a bit of interest in the way the numbers wound up after a stop or slack, or the way they unwound for an emergency stop. But even that pales.

 

[BJames]

I am trying to remember if the Volo TV Screens in the Great Western HST's displayed the speed. I can recall they had a GPS map and I think it included the speed.

Almost certain they did. I have a memory when I was younger of watching the speed tick up and down (and then dramatically drop on the Newquay branch when we headed off the mainline!)

 

[Egg Centric]

Does the commercial speed of trains really compare at all with the hypothetical or race day maximum speed of a car?

Business cases for road investment projects aren't permitted to analyse any benefits to journey times arising from traffic travelling faster than 70 miles / hour, for example.

A regional train travelling at an average speed of around 80 miles/hour and a maximum speed of 100 between towns is still more impressive than a car driving at 60/70 (according to road type) between them...

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Dec 2022 ==

Firstly, it's naive to think car drivers stick to speed limits*.

Secondly, the point of an instant speed read out (imo) is the "wow" factor of going at that speed (hence why Concorde had it, and why any aircraft with IFE will have it too - similarly the totally unsurvivable outside temperature etc).

If passengers are interested in the sustained legal maximum speed they can get that from the sectional appendix

*I appreciate most also won't VMAX their cars, at least outside of Germany, either - but even if they themselves haven't driven at >125mph they probably aren't that "impressed" by it.

 

[zwk500]

If I want to know the speed I'm travelling at, I can download a GPS/Speedo app on my phone. As a Passenger what I really want to know if how close to time the train is running. I'd far rather have ETAs for the major stations on a display - LNWR have this with the refurbed 350s.

 

[Egg Centric]

LNWR have this with the refurbed 350s.

I was on a bus yesterday (Go North East either X5 or X15) which interestingly had exactly the same display (I am pretty sure) as the 350s apart from the "skinning". I assume a common supplier.

 

[Starmill]

Firstly, it's naive to think car drivers stick to speed limits

Nobody said that though did they?

I specifically said that while breaking the law on speed on roads is unfortunately common, the benefits arising from doing so aren't appraised. Same with basically all crimes, I'm not sure how else it could really work.

 

[zwk500]

I was on a bus yesterday (Go North East either X5 or X15) which interestingly had exactly the same display (I am pretty sure) as the 350s apart from the "skinning". I assume a common supplier.

Presumably. Do the 350s still show the News headlines? I get the intent, although with phones now I'm not sure how necessary it really is.

 

[Starmill]

*I appreciate most also won't VMAX their cars, at least outside of Germany, either - but even if they themselves haven't driven at >125mph they probably aren't that "impressed" by it.

My view is certainly that most car drivers would be "impressed" by speeds in excess of around 100 miles / hour. When drivers get that fast on public roads they feel substantially faster than traffic travelling at the maximum permitted.

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Presumably. Do the 350s still show the News headlines? I get the intent, although with phones now I'm not sure how necessary it really is.

It does seem a little bit pointless. Wheras having the predicted arrival times right there actually is genuinely useful.

 

[zwk500]

It does seem a little bit pointless. Wheras having the predicted arrival times right there actually is genuinely useful.

Or it would be, if they accurately project through. Instead they often seem to pretend the train can make up a vast amount of time for stations more than 2 or 3 stops away, something the NRE app also does. Not sure why, but you should be able to produce an algorithm that identifies slack time in the timetable based on pathing times and minimum dwells, to keep a more realistic arrival time in sight.

I feel like those displays could be used a lot better, e.g. by displaying the next connecting trains at MKC or Watford, but they're a start at least.

 

[Egg Centric]

Nobody said that though did they?

I specifically said that while breaking the law on speed on roads is unfortunately common, the benefits arising from doing so aren't appraised. Same with basically all crimes, I'm not sure how else it could really work.

I agree (and would also go further as to say that unless on a very long journey there are relatively tiny benefits from speeding anyway, at least if driving safely) but I'm not sure of the relevance - it's all about the "impressiveness" (I also think the outside temperatures on aircraft are more impressive than it doing 500mph or whatever but that might be me).

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Dec 2022 ==

My view is certainly that most car drivers would be "impressed" by speeds in excess of around 100 miles / hour. When drivers get that fast on public roads they feel substantially faster than traffic travelling at the maximum permitted.

I tend to disagree (maybe the first time) but I accept it's possible.

Certainly, anyone who drives over 100mph regularly will get used to it quickly. And I think the same thing will happen from seeing more or less any speed in a train below about 175mph. You may rightly counter "why 175mph?" and I don't really have a good answer other than gut feel.