InterCity Express Trains and Animals

[Bertie the bus]

I semi-regularly use a public footpath through a field where 3 horses live. On one side is the WCML on which all sorts of trains pass, including noisy diesels, and on another a line branching off the mainline which has DMUs which are also fairly noisy as they are often accelerating. The horses take absolutely no notice.

Today, however, an IET (on electric), which is uncommon for the line, passed and although it was very quiet the horses all stampeded and then huddled together on the side of the field furthest from the mainline on which the IET was passing.

It could have been coincidence but they definitely looked spooked. Do IETs give off some unique frequency sound only audible to animals?

 

[norbitonflyer]

Could it be that it took them by surprise because they didn't hear it coming?

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Today, however, an IET (on electric), which is uncommon for the line, passed and although it was very quiet the horses all stampeded and then huddled together on the side of the field furthest from the mainline on which the IET was passing.

It could have been coincidence but they definitely looked spooked. Do IETs give off some unique frequency sound only audible to animals?

Slight note: the IETs are only GWR's ones.

I think you would've seen the (still unnamed) 805(s) out on test.

 

[Bertie the bus]

I probably should have said in my opening post they can't see the trains from where they were. The field is a fair bit higher than the track with a fairly steep slope down, so if they couldn't hear it they would barely have known it was there.

 

[Dfatcontroller]

Slight note: the IETs are only GWR's ones.
View attachment 135311
I think you would've seen the (still unnamed) 805(s) out on test.

IET (Intercity Express Train) was the name given to the product of the IEP (Intercity Express Programme). So technically only the EC & GWR Hitachi AT300 specified by the Governments IEP are IETs.

 

[Spartacus]

Could it be that it took them by surprise because they didn't hear it coming?

Probably the case, though some horse are capable of being spooked by their own shadow!

Given the many thousands of miles they cover every day I'd have thought a problem with horse would have been noticed well before now.

 

[Bertie the bus]

Given the many thousands of miles they cover every day I'd have thought a problem with horse would have been noticed well before now.

I would have thought if there was something unique about the sound made by these trains then any horses would soon get used to it so there wouldn't be hundreds of horses bolting all over the place. As I mentioned these trains aren't common on the line where these horses live which is why I asked if there was something different about the trains which appeared to make the horses act in an unusual way.

 

[Townsend Hook]

IET (Intercity Express Train) was the name given to the product of the IEP (Intercity Express Programme). So technically only the EC & GWR Hitachi AT300 specified by the Governments IEP are IETs.

GWR use the term ‘IET’ to refer to both the IEP class 800s and non-IEP class 802s.

 

[edwin_m]

I would have thought if there was something unique about the sound made by these trains then any horses would soon get used to it so there wouldn't be hundreds of horses bolting all over the place. As I mentioned these trains aren't common on the line where these horses live which is why I asked if there was something different about the trains which appeared to make the horses act in an unusual way.

I suggest you may have answered your question here. The horses can tell the difference between different train sounds, and are spooked by a different one, but if it becomes a regular occurrence they will get used to it.

 

[D365]

Slight note: the IETs are only GWR's ones.
View attachment 135311
I think you would've seen the (still unnamed) 805(s) out on test.

As above, the only Class 80x that are technically 'IET' are Class 800/801.

 

[Bertie the bus]

I suggest you may have answered your question here. The horses can tell the difference between different train sounds, and are spooked by a different one, but if it becomes a regular occurrence they will get used to it.

But the question was is there something striking emitted that isn't audible to humans because IETs don't seem to make a scary sound to me, especially when on AC, but obviously I can only hear certain soundwaves but many animals can hear or detect things I can't.

I'm guessing nobody can answer the question, which is fair enough.

 

[edwin_m]

But the question was is there something striking emitted that isn't audible to humans because IETs don't seem to make a scary sound to me, especially when on AC, but obviously I can only hear certain soundwaves but many animals can hear or detect things I can't.

I'm guessing nobody can answer the question, which is fair enough.

An 80x unit will have an electronic traction package that operates at relatively high frequencies to drive the motors. DMUs don't have this, except 22x which are diesel-electric units with AC motors similar to an EMU. Other reasonably modern EMUs such as 387s have similar traction packages from a different supplier, that will probably generate different sound frequencies.

But I stick with my previous assertion that it is just something the horses are unaccustomed to - supported as someone pointed out by the fact that horses aren't seem being spooked by 80x units on a regular basis. I don't know if horses can hear sounds above the human hearing range, but even if they don't they can probably tell the sound is different from what they are used to.