What is a Class 153?

[starrymarkb]

And yes I know its a train But is it?:

A Railcar
A DMU

Some are of the opinion that a DMU has to have multiple vehicles, so what is it..

I go for Railcar myself

 

[mumrar]

And yes I know its a train But is it?:

A Railcar
A DMU

Some are of the opinion that a DMU has to have multiple vehicles, so what is it..

I go for Railcar myself

It's a DMU, M stands for multiple as in multiple working (with other units), and 153s regularly work in multiple with other units such as 170s. There is no definition to the term 'unit' which implies a number of vehicles. Just as well as we have units ranging from one vehicle to nine vehicles in length. I think you'll also find that under railway definition they are DMUs according to the TOCs and Network Rail.

 

[Oswyntail]

Now I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong, but, back when they first prowled over the land, and before they were known as DMUs, the units that ran on bogies were known as "Diesel railcars" (and would include the present day "bubble cars"), while the odd, single coach beast that tended to lurk in East Anglia and Scotland that ran on fixed wheelbases were "railbuses" (never with "Diesel" in the description). That fair muddies the waters

 

[thelem]

If the M means it's built for working with other units, then what about trains like the Pendolino and NGEMU/NXEMU that don't couple with other units? Or do they get away with it because they theoretically could couple, even if in practise they don't.

 

[EM2]

I'm with Oswyntail. Railbus

 

[37401]

neither its a doxbox/pile of crap/skateboard/wedge unit/ possible deep vain thrombosis for the driver at the small end.

however ill opt for DMU

 

[MCR247]

If the M means it's built for working with other units, then what about trains like the Pendolino and NGEMU/NXEMU that don't couple with other units? Or do they get away with it because they theoretically could couple, even if in practise they don't.

Pendolinos do couple, how else do they work with 221s and 57s?

 

[90019]

how else do they work with 221s

They don't
They can couple in an emergency though.


With the poll, I'd say they're both.

 

[Ivo]

An interesting note for you all: In OpenTTD, one of the NewGRF files has a 153 on it. Said 153 is referred to as a "Railbus".

By the way, would it still be considered a DMU without the end-corridor things, thus limiting passengers to the one car? Having said that, could you really get away with seeing a bus with six articulated segments?

 

[ailsa]

To me they are both a railcar and a DMU.

A railcar because one can run about on its own,

A DMU because two of them together is not really much different to a 155

 

[Lampshade]

A general fail of a train?

 

[GospelOak117]

I would always refer to all British 100 series units as DMU's (with exception of the PPM class 139 which looks like some kind of Rail-bug!).
In Ireland they have traditionally always referred to DMU's as Railcars and still do I believe, no matter how many cars are in the unit. Traditionally this formation was single car 'railcars' sandwiching a formation of coaches to form a set of up to 8 coaches.
Today however all DMU formations there appear to be termed 'railcars', whether 1, 2, 4 or even six car fixed sets, with the new Hyundai Rotem sets officially termed ICR (InterCity Railcar).

See this interesting link on the original AEC/Park Royal 2600 class:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CI%C3%89_2600_Class

 

[CarterUSM]

Like it or not and according to the rulebook, it is a multiple unit.. A train is locomotive and coaches. The argument here seems to be, is it a railcar or a multiple unit. Don't see railcars in the rulebook.

 

[jopsuk]

.....

 

[almark]

Well,they used to be 155's,which were 2 coaches so i'd say DMU.

 

[gordonthemoron]

how about 'Sardine Can'

 

[ChrisCooper]

Only thing they clearly are not is a train, as train implies more than one vehicle (or animals, e.g Camel Train) in any sence of the word. Remember that whilst "train" has been seriously hijacked for anything running on rails (including it's use in "train station" and to describe a light locomotive) the term originated before railways with things like Wagon Trains, Road Trains etc. The total weight of a car and trailer is known as the "train weight". I think it's fairly clear that whilst many would describe a 153 as a train, it's no more accurate than describing a locomotive as a train. Of cource, articulation makes is more complicated (is an articulated rail vehicle a train, or a single articulated vehicle?)

 

[sprinterguy]

I say DMU, I agree with the arguments above that it can work "in multiple" with other DMUs and is hence a "multiple unit".

By the way, would it still be considered a DMU without the end-corridor things, thus limiting passengers to the one car?

Whe they run in multiple with 170s, passengers in the 153 are limited to that one car, so yes, even without the walkthrough capability, I'd still call it a DMU.

 

[jopsuk]

Only thing they clearly are not is a train, as train implies more than one vehicle (or animals, e.g Camel Train) in any sence of the word. Remember that whilst "train" has been seriously hijacked for anything running on rails (including it's use in "train station" and to describe a light locomotive) the term originated before railways with things like Wagon Trains, Road Trains etc. The total weight of a car and trailer is known as the "train weight". I think it's fairly clear that whilst many would describe a 153 as a train, it's no more accurate than describing a locomotive as a train. Of cource, articulation makes is more complicated (is an articulated rail vehicle a train, or a single articulated vehicle?)

I disagree- much as a battery can consist of a single cell (or gun, in artillery) a train can consist of a single wagon/carriage Similarly, as seen in ireland, US and elsewhere, a "rail car" can consist of multiple of carriages. The terms are not as fixed as some here seem to insist.

 

[37372]

A cattle truck!

 

[royaloak]

Dont seem to have a "does it matter" option :roll:

Wonder how long before the HST one gets done again!

 

[jamesontheroad]

Note that in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, DMUs have historically always been referred to as railcars, even in multiple, and even the latest generation of units occasionally are referred to by that term.

 

[Voyager 2093]

Id say Railcar

 

[37401]

Dont seem to have a "does it matter" option :roll:

Wonder how long before the HST one gets done again!

Don't give em ideas!

 

[mrcheek]

Im tempted to say Railcar, but I really dont like the idea of comparing a crappy 153 with this piece of sheer awesome beauty
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/1934_GWR_diesel_railcar.jpg

 

[37401]

Im tempted to say Railcar, but I really dont like the idea of comparing a crappy 153 with this piece of sheer awesome beauty
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/1934_GWR_diesel_railcar.jpg

wow, thats quite nice

 

[Drimnagh Road]

Spot on Gospel Oak, carts have never been referred to as DMUs in Ireland

 

[TDK]

And yes I know its a train But is it?:

A Railcar
A DMU

Some are of the opinion that a DMU has to have multiple vehicles, so what is it..

I go for Railcar myself

One answer for a "153 is a Bag OF SH*TE" the worst unit ever to work our networks

 

[Polarbear]

I'd go for railcar, though that description rather devalues somewhat better exaples around the world.

I'm not sure a 153 can be described as a train however, given the definition of the word;

train (trn)
n.
1. A series of connected railroad cars pulled or pushed by one or more locomotives.

Ok, that's an Americanised description, but you get the gist!

To be fair, it was a pretty cost effective idea to split up a small fleet of 155's into 70 single car units, given BR's lack of funding in the early 1990's. True they're not brilliant but it's better than nothing at all, or a bus replacement.

 

[LM Class 323]

And yes I know its a train But is it?:

A Railcar
A DMU

Some are of the opinion that a DMU has to have multiple vehicles, so what is it..

I go for Railcar myself

its acctuly a DMU
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

And yes I know its a train But is it?:

A Railcar
A DMU

Some are of the opinion that a DMU has to have multiple vehicles, so what is it..

I go for Railcar myself

One answer for a "153 is a Bag OF SH*TE" the worst unit ever to work our networks

i find a class 323 better lol