Turbostars Exposed Underframe Equipment

[mallard]

Why do Class 170, 171 and 172 Turbostars have so much of their underframe equipment "exposed" and not covered by housings, etc. as on other DMUs?

Classes 175, 180 and 185 all have most of their equipment "boxed in", as do 22xs, yet on a 170, even the engine block is exposed.

Even the 16x designs that the 170 is based on seem to have more "enclosed" underframes.

Is the exposed equipment not vulnerable to damage from debris, vegetation, animal impact, etc? There seem to be a few very thin wires in some areas of a 170's underframe...

 

[Bastiaan]

I think it is to save weight.

 

[T163R]

I bet it's done in a way that enables the equiment to be protected enough.

I don't think it will survive an explosion, though.

 

[RichmondCommu]

What about frost damage?

 

[T163R]

If a train moves, there's no reason it should frost.

 

[driver9000]

A lot of MUs run without side skirts and get by without bother. The underside is still exposed on units fitted with skirts anyway so anything being thrown up from underneath could still hit exposed equipment. MUs are fitted with deflectors and life guards to prevent large obstacles from posing a threat to exposed equipment and derailment. From what I've seen and heard damage to underslung equipment caused by objects being struck is rare. I once ran into a large flock of Sheep while driving a 156 (no skirts) with no damage caused to exposed equipment. Frost can still form behind the skirts but depots have frost protection procedures which in the case of diesels usually involves leaving engines running or starting them up regularly and allowing the auto shut down timer to stop them.