140mph Virgin train set for Hertfordshire lines is dangerous

[miami]

According to the mother of an east coast driver, presumably an expert.

http://m.hertfordshiremercury.co.uk...-the-drivers/story-30241431-detail/story.html

The woman, who has lived in Hitchin all her life, wishes to remain anonymous to protect her son's identity but warns that 140mph is far too fast.

Despite her claims, a spokeswoman for Virgin Trains insisted their trains are safe and rigorously tested.

She said: "I am quite concerned that the trains will go 140mph. It takes more than a minute to stop if you are going 125mph. How long will it take at 140mph?

"It is not just my son, it is all of the drivers that I am concerned for, I am really concerned. Sometimes when I am at Hitchin station I see my son as the train comes through, he gives me a beep and a wave.

"When you see the trains going 125mph through the stations it is fast enough. I think they should stick at 125mph, it puts enough of a strain on the drivers already.

And it goes on. Smells of a virgin PR plant to me.

 

[najaB]

And it goes on. Smells of a virgin PR plant to me.

I'd wager 25% a Virgin PR stunt, 75% local newspaper looking for a story.

If it was Virgin they wouldn't plant it this far out (5+ years at least?) from it being a reality.

 

[Darandio]

Isn't it likely that they will brake in a shorter distance from 140 than a 91/HST will brake from 125 anyway?

 

[jopsuk]

Very odd story. Doesn't actually say that her son has any worries. Someone needs to have a chat with their mum about not going to the press with a slightly confused scaremongering story.

 

[Master29]

Very odd story. Doesn't actually say that her son has any worries. Someone needs to have a chat with their mum about not going to the press with a slightly confused scaremongering story.

Which is why there is clearly a hidden agenda somewhere. Does she think Mr Brunel still makes railways?

 

[najaB]

Which is why there is clearly a hidden agenda somewhere. Does she think Mr Brunel still makes railways?

Playing the odds again - 10% someone with a hidden agenda, 90% people don't know how the railway works.

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

I remember during the period that HSTs were first introduced a special braking trial was carried out, somewhere on the ECML I think. A full service brake applied at 125mph brought the set to a stand in a distance quoted as one mile and one carriage length. I very much doubt that the vacuum-braked rakes still widely in use at that time could have stopped anything like as quickly. In short no improved performing traction will enter service without its performance meeting all necessary standards including braking. A touch of Post-Fact reporting methinks.

 

[EM2]

I think passengers would be frightened to go 140mph as well, I know I would be.

Thousands of people are content to do it every day.
I can only assume that she's never used HS1, been on a Eurostar or travelled in most of mainland Europe on a high-speed line.
Also, weren't the 91s built for 140mph? That's why they're called 225s (km/h).

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

Someone ought to tell her that she is standing on the surface of a planet rotating at 1000+mph and the Earth itself moves through space at approx 66600mph in orbit about the Sun. That'll rattle her dentures...

 

[edwin_m]

I remember during the period that HSTs were first introduced a special braking trial was carried out, somewhere on the ECML I think. A full service brake applied at 125mph brought the set to a stand in a distance quoted as one mile and one carriage length. I very much doubt that the vacuum-braked rakes still widely in use at that time could have stopped anything like as quickly. In short no improved performing traction will enter service without its performance meeting all necessary standards including braking. A touch of Post-Fact reporting methinks.

The HST could stop from 125 in less distance than a loco-hauled formation (even an air-braked one) from 100. But I don't think they can pull that one again for 140 - the braking distance will be longer. This is one reason (but not the main one) why ERTMS is needed for going above 125.

 

[HarleyDavidson]

She should go back under the bedsheets it's a scary world out there, has anyone told her that planes go at 400 mph.

 

[TheEdge]

Someone ought to tell her that she is standing on the surface of a planet rotating at 1000+mph and the Earth itself moves through space at approx 66600mph in orbit about the Sun. That'll rattle her dentures...

[youtube]buqtdpuZxvk[/youtube]

 

[cjmillsnun]

The HST could stop from 125 in less distance than a loco-hauled formation (even an air-braked one) from 100. But I don't think they can pull that one again for 140 - the braking distance will be longer. This is one reason (but not the main one) why ERTMS is needed for going above 125.

ERTMS is not required for going above 125. E* and the Javelins do it with TVM430. It requires in cab signalling, nothing more. Also remember the HST has air brakes only. The 390, 220, 221 and 222 can all stop quicker than an HST.

 

[CosherB]

What a load of flim flam! :roll:

 

[randyrippley]

a literal reading of this thread would imply that an HST set has a shorter braking distance than an equivalent loco-hauled Mk3 set. Is that right?

 

[tsr]

I do hope she knows what the speed record for an HST is...

 

[michael74]

Its a good job her son wasn't a Concorde pilot.

 

[bramling]

According to the mother of an east coast driver, presumably an expert.

http://m.hertfordshiremercury.co.uk...-the-drivers/story-30241431-detail/story.html



And it goes on. Smells of a virgin PR plant to me.

Has she not heard of signalling? It's hardly like a car where driving is based on sight and judgement.

 

[BigCj34]

It's all and well having trains that can do 140mph, but when will the ECML be cleared for 140mph operation? Doing a quick Google search, I can't seem to find anything referring to any planned upgrades on the line to allow that speed.

 

[GW43125]

It's all and well having trains that can do 140mph, but when will the ECML be cleared for 140mph operation? Doing a quick Google search, I can't seem to find anything referring to any planned upgrades on the line to allow that speed.

Answer is when ERTMS makes an appearance in many years' time

 

[gsnedders]

Answer is when ERTMS makes an appearance in many years' time

Answer is maybe when ERTMS makes an appearance. Especially with HS2, along with the other works needed for 140mph running, it's not at all certain line speed will ever be increased.

 

[jopsuk]

ERTMS is not required for going above 125. E* and the Javelins do it with TVM430.

Indeed, but there are no current plans to install in cab signalling on any existing UK line that currently uses line side signals that is not ERTMS-compliant.

 

[DarloRich]

that can not be a real story surely.

 

[Deepgreen]

Someone ought to tell her that she is standing on the surface of a planet rotating at 1000+mph and the Earth itself moves through space at approx 66600mph in orbit about the Sun. That'll rattle her dentures...

With a braking distance of...?

 

[3141]

With a braking distance of...?

You'll find out when there's a track fault and they have to impose a TSR.

 

[Bantamzen]

I think this lady has a good point. At those kinds of speeds people could easily pass out through lack of air, let alone worrying about braking. I propose reducing the speeds to something more sensible, with a gentleman walking in front with a red flag to warn of the approaching mobile train engine, and not to take unsuspecting ladies taking a morning stroll along the trackside by surprise.....

 

[BigCj34]

In other news...

http://i2.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/facebook/001/044/247/297.png

 

[3141]

that can not be a real story surely.

Yes it can, because a widespread attitude among media people is to pump up anything which suggests that something under development poses some sort of problem. They just love unsettling people by claiming that things are going wrong.

Some of Hertfordshire's local papers (and probably those in other areas too) have a very parochial attitude. When I was working for Hertfordshire CC about twelve years ago, I was told that when news about the Hatfield rail crash reached one of the papers in the east of the county, their initial view was not to run it because it was in Hatfield, and they were in Ware or Bishops Stortford.

 

[dgl]

But won't someone please think of the children

 

[DarloRich]

Yes it can, because a widespread attitude among media people is to pump up anything which suggests that something under development poses some sort of problem. They just love unsettling people by claiming that things are going wrong.

Some of Hertfordshire's local papers (and probably those in other areas too) have a very parochial attitude. When I was working for Hertfordshire CC about twelve years ago, I was told that when news about the Hatfield rail crash reached one of the papers in the east of the county, their initial view was not to run it because it was in Hatfield, and they were in Ware or Bishops Stortford.

i have lived in Norfolk and North Yorkshire - the epicenters of parochialism! I still cant believe a local paper was so desperate for Phil Space articles that they printed this guff. It doesn't even stand up to scrutiny as a letter to the editor type entry!