Air conditioning

[trainophile]

Is it necessary to have train aircon going full blast on hot days, when people are dressed for the weather outside so end up freezing on the train? Seems silly to have to bring a coat with us just to wear on the journey.

 

[387star]

A man was arguing about this with the southern guard today.

I'd much rather have it cold than FGW hot!

 

[Stigy]

Is it necessary to have train aircon going full blast on hot days, when people are dressed for the weather outside so end up freezing on the train? Seems silly to have to bring a coat with us just to wear on the journey.

Most Air-Con is regulated (Climate Control) and varies throughout the train. If it wasn't on, you'd soon feel the heat, what with lack of opening windows etc. I prefer ice-cold A/C on a hot day. Can't beat good A/C on a hot day! It often feels colder than it is due to the outside temperature. A/C rarely drops below 16c. I find.

 

[WestCoast]

I echo comments above, the cold AC is pleasant on a hot day.

However, the best thing is the Air Conditioning windows on a pacer, when it's roasting all the windows are open, the roar is very loud and the draft is surreal!

 

[Anvil1984]

I prefer it cold but that's being selfish as I have to work in it. Plus I work 158s which the aircon is usually broken on haha

 

[Lampshade]

It's quite a shock waiting in the heat then getting on a 458

 

[northwichcat]

Did anyone else make their first 185 journey in the heatwave in the summer of 2006? I did and it felt cool on the train with it being 28oC outside and around 20oC on board. However, on the return journey it was an overcrowded 158 with broken air conditioning. TPE felt the need to hand out free 330ml bottles of water to everyone on that 158.
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However, the best thing is the Air Conditioning windows on a pacer, when it's roasting all the windows are open, the roar is very loud and the draft is surreal!

I hate Pacers in summer. With the windows open the squeal around corners is deafening.

Not that I like Pacers in winter with the doors unable to keep out the Arctic winds.

 

[WestCoast]

Did anyone else make their first 185 journey in the heatwave in the summer of 2006? I did and it felt cool on the train with it being 28oC outside and around 20oC on board. However, on the return journey it was an overcrowded 158 with broken air conditioning. TPE felt the need to hand out free 330ml bottles of water to everyone on that 158.

Wasn't there an issue with the 185s A/C being set too cold by the climate control? I remember them having some sort of a modification. This was back when they were known as Pennines (why didn't that catch on I wonder?).

I hate Pacers in summer. With the windows open the squeal around corners is deafening.

Not that I like Pacers in winter with the doors unable to keep out the Arctic winds.

True, but it's windy! A similar effect can be felt on the 153s and 156s (not so much on the 150s).

The Pacer doors don't half rattle at passing trains as well!

 

[Lampshade]

Wasn't there an issue with the 185s A/C being set too cold by the climate control? I remember them having some sort of a modification. This was back when they were known as Pennines (why didn't that catch on I wonder?).

They still are, the headrests in first class say 'Pennine Class 185' on them.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

My wife has been at Durham today and made the journey there and the return journey on a First TPE Class 185 from Manchester Airport. She said it was a pleasure to travel on such a nice cool train. Admittedly, it must have been one of the hottest days of the year today.

I have had to "hold the fort" at home, with two big rotating fans, working on consultancy reports and spending far too much time on this forum...as usual. I still have only read the first few pages of the June issue of Modern Railways.

 

[strange6]

Me living in Northern land is asking what the hell is air conditioning? Is it an open window or possibly a stuck door?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I hate Pacers in summer. With the windows open the squeal around corners is deafening.

Not that I like Pacers in winter with the doors unable to keep out the Arctic winds.

I thank our guest speaker, who is representing The Pacer Abolition Society during the debate this evening.

It appears that there are over 500 of his members present in the audience.

 

[WestCoast]

Me living in Northern land is asking what the hell is air conditioning? Is it an open window or possibly a stuck door?

Yes, what is this odd phenomenon?

 

[northwichcat]

True, but it's windy!

But with a Pacer it doesn't have to be windy to let the wind in. A train moving at speed can create a cold wind on a cold night even when there's no wind.

 

[WestCoast]

I thank our guest speaker, who is representing The Pacer Abolition Society during the debate this evening.

It appears that there are over 500 of his members present in the audience.

I can feel this is going to be another thread that just ends up as a debate about pacers, which I seem to have started
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But with a Pacer it doesn't have to be windy to let the wind in. A train moving at speed can create a cold wind on a cold night even when there's no wind.

Yeah, that is the the wind I'm on about (or rather a draft?).

 

[philjo]

Yes, what is this odd phenomenon?

It hasn't reached the GN route in FCC land yet! (except if you are a driver on the 365s & 313s as the cabs are fitted with air con.)

The 321 I was travelling on this morning actually had the heating switched on - seemingly on full.

 

[silentone]

I've never heard of anyone complaining of the AirCon being too cold in the summer months!

As has been pointed out it's better on and cold than not on at all. A mix of body heat, the sun and the hot air out people's mouths make a carriage particularly unbearable within minutes.

 

[Fincra5]

A man was arguing about this with the southern guard today.

I'd much rather have it cold than FGW hot!

Some people are never happy. Stick him on a 313 with only windows... bloody boiling.

 

[philjo]

I find the 317s even worse than the 313s as the opening windows are smaller.

 

[SS4]

AC? Every time! I had the misfortune to have to go out this morning and the heat has rendered me ill for the rest of the day

was on a 323 today and it was roasting
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Then again I'm someone who thinks AC is necessary on some services in the winter

 

[Lampshade]

Didn't they once open the gangway door on a 450 to create a through draught when the A/C was broken? Or is that just something I've made up? hock:

 

[trainophile]

I don't doubt that properly set and controlled a/c is a good thing, but I've been on trains (sorry I'm not au fait with the various numeric descriptors yet) where people were unpacking their suitcases to get their dressing gowns and socks out, as it was so perishing cold.

This would have been an ATW train, and on another occasion people were complaining to the guard and trying to move seats because they were sitting in an icy blast.

Even today I was glad to reach my destination, as any longer and I'd have been uncomfortably chilled. It's probably okay if you're only going a short distance, but for a couple of hours journey you do tend to notice your body temperature dropping worryingly.

Maybe it's a ploy to sell more coffee!

 

[Fincra5]

Didn't they once open the gangway door on a 450 to create a through draught when the A/C was broken? Or is that just something I've made up? hock:

I think there are plans for when its hot and A/C is down. 377s have these plans, basically opening everything you can

 

[SS4]

I don't doubt that properly set and controlled a/c is a good thing, but I've been on trains (sorry I'm not au fait with the various numeric descriptors yet) where people were unpacking their suitcases to get their dressing gowns and socks out, as it was so perishing cold.

Yes but was it more than or less than half of the passengers? There are always going to be some people who are cooler than others but it's not "perishingly cold" until more than half the passengers are affected or the temperature dips below the safe level (14C iirc).
If I were to make any complaint about AC it would be that it forces the air to become drier than standard air and convincing people to keep the windows shut despite the hot day

 

[Welshman]

Me living in Northern land is asking what the hell is air conditioning? Is it an open window or possibly a stuck door?

I always thought it was something they gave to rabbits, to help them run faster. :roll: :roll:

 

[lm321412]

I find Class 350s air-conditioning extremely noisy, but it is quite effective. For air-conditioning, I quite like Class 170s which can be like a freezer on extremely warm days.

The new Class 379s have pretty effective air-con too and it isn't noisy like the one on a 350...

 

[yorksrob]

Me living in Northern land is asking what the hell is air conditioning? Is it an open window or possibly a stuck door?

Used to be the same in Southern land in the good old days ("good old days" not ironic btw).

 

[gondukin]

I don't doubt that properly set and controlled a/c is a good thing, but I've been on trains (sorry I'm not au fait with the various numeric descriptors yet) where people were unpacking their suitcases to get their dressing gowns and socks out, as it was so perishing cold.

This would have been an ATW train, and on another occasion people were complaining to the guard and trying to move seats because they were sitting in an icy blast.

Even today I was glad to reach my destination, as any longer and I'd have been uncomfortably chilled. It's probably okay if you're only going a short distance, but for a couple of hours journey you do tend to notice your body temperature dropping worryingly.

Maybe it's a ploy to sell more coffee!

Hah! The climate control on the 175's is a marvellous thing. The favourite setting seems to be both the heating and the a/c on on - meaning you're cold on one side and roasting on the other.

Personally I like the cool breeze and generally pick a seat near the draft if I can - usually the first pair of tables in at either end of the carriage (except in the middle carriage if there is one).

 

[TGV]

Am I the first one to point out that air con may be wonderful on a hot day - until it or the train fails?!?! Passengers on that GNER service that brought wires down near Huntingdon in 2006 will testify to that. No openable windows, 30 degree plus heat outside, over 40 inside and no air moving. They ended up breaking windows. Personally I do like a cool air conditioned coach on a hot day but I also like REAL (non recirculated) fresh air blowing through the coach.

And now a joke: What do computers and air con have in common? They both work fine until you open windows.

 

[ralphchadkirk]

Personally I think a train with full air con should have a certain number of windows openable by train crew in the event of a situation that TGV describes.