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ICE3 Cab Frosted Glass?

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superalbs

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About a year ago I was on an ICE3 service between Brussels Midi/Zuid and Köln Hbf, and at some points the driver frosted up the screen.

Is there any reason that the screen was frosted up at these locations? Are there specific locations at which the screen is to be frosted up? If so, why?

Thanks :D
 
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Ianno87

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I believe its done when running on restrictive aspects, or other times of higher than 'normal' workload (possibly voltage changeovers?)
 

47513 Severn

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I believe it happens automatically during (or as a result of) voltage changes. It certainly always happens when passing through Emmerich on the Amsterdam services.

During my last German trip in November I noticed more and more drivers running with the glass permanently frosted. As the latest ICE sets don't have the seated area behind the cab at all it maybe that this little perk is being phased out generally.
 

superalbs

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Thanks for the answers.

It would be a shame to see it phased out, but I'm glad I had a go while it was in place. :(
 

MarcVD

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Those glass panels need à voltage to be applied to become transparent and become opaque when not. So as at all voltage changeover the electricity supply briefly disappears at that moment you can not see through.

Envoyé de mon GT-I9505 en utilisant Tapatalk
 

Senex

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Those glass panels need à voltage to be applied to become transparent and become opaque when not. So as at all voltage changeover the electricity supply briefly disappears at that moment you can not see through.

Envoyé de mon GT-I9505 en utilisant Tapatalk

That, and driver control. The idea was not that driver control should be for the driver's convenience but as a means of shutting off the forward view if there was something the passengers would be better off not seeing. Indeed, at least at first I believe there was a rule that drivers should not obscure the screen for their convenience. (Who remembers the early British DMUs with the drop-down blinds behind the driver. At first during daytime there was almost always a good forward view for passengers, but bit by bit more and more drivers took to keeping the blinds down.)
 

33Hz

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I was luck enough to recently have a trip where the driver left the glass unfrosted the whole way (except for the brief voltage change at Aachen) and the door wide open. The clearest views I'd ever had of the route. Really shows you they have almost no visibility at night.
 

Bletchleyite

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I was luck enough to recently have a trip where the driver left the glass unfrosted the whole way (except for the brief voltage change at Aachen) and the door wide open. The clearest views I'd ever had of the route. Really shows you they have almost no visibility at night.

TBH I wasn't too impressed with the view - it's a small window and quite high up. Quite different from the view out of a 1st generation DMU with a wall of glass in front of the driver (which for crashworthiness reasons is not likely to be replicated any time soon).
 

33Hz

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I find it depends on which seat you sit in. The best view out is the isle seat in the second row I think. If you want to see the instruments then the front row corner seats are better. I had the whole compartment to myself this time so I was able to hop about and stand up to get better views.

I always try to sit up front because one day these ICE 3s will be gone and there will be no more 320 kmh view out.
 

Dougal2345

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I always try to sit up front because one day these ICE 3s will be gone and there will be no more 320 kmh view out.

I've had no luck at all with these on my occasional rides over the past few years... For example, a fortnight ago I did Brussels to Köln, then to-day München to Frankfurt, then Frankfurt to Brussels, and just had a wall of grey in front of my nose. I'm wondering whether to write to DB's customer relations and see what they say, but my German's not up to it...
 

30907

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You can try them in English...

It is, as others have said, an increasing problem.
 

ainsworth74

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I rather gamble that if you send the email in English they'll be able to reply in English.
 

33Hz

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It's definitely getting worse. I've had a few grey walls lately, the most recent trip the driver was doing his preparations quite happily with the glass transparent until he spotted that I had sneaked into the compartment and was minding my own business, when he abruptly frosted the glass and that was it for the rest of the time he was driving.
 

StephenHunter

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I suppose that drivers don't like being watched... perhaps they should install a monitor and front view camera instead?
 

blackfive460

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That'd give a better view, the cab front window is so high and small that the view out isn't actually that good anyway. It's not a "wall of glass" heritage DMU.

Exactly.
Aside from the fact that those areas in an ICE3 are 'Ruhebereiche', quite zones, I've never seen the attraction. Even with the glass transparent, you see very little out of the front and the side windows aren't well placed either.
 

33Hz

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I think it's worth it if you get views like this at 300 km/h...
 

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duesselmartin

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I certainly think its an experience worth it. I had the luck in a Cologne Amsterdam service that was diverted via Venlo. Very interesting lines. Mind you I found the front aisle seats best.
 

MarkyT

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Better if there was a forward facing camera fitted with the output streamed to on-board wifi. Then anyone could watch, regardless of their position on the train, using their personal devices. That could be applied to any kind of train too, rather than just those with the observation saloon behind the cab. The camera could be placed forward of the driver so there wouldn't be any privacy issues.
 

Mag_seven

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When I first encountered the "forward view" from an ICE 3 I was kind of disappointed - view was not as great as I thought it might be.
 

33Hz

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I recently had a chance to try the ICE-T. Slightly better view out with less obtrusive sun blinds.
 

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axlecounter

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Better if there was a forward facing camera fitted with the output streamed to on-board wifi. Then anyone could watch, regardless of their position on the train, using their personal devices. That could be applied to any kind of train too, rather than just those with the observation saloon behind the cab. The camera could be placed forward of the driver so there wouldn't be any privacy issues.

Except that with that you could see (and record, and share...) anything happening on the front, including crashes, suicides, LC accidents and so on... not to mention privacy issues for those awaiting the train.
 
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Bletchleyite

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Except that with that you could see (and record, and share...) anything happening on the front, including crashes, suicides, LC accidents and so on...

You could have it turn off automatically if the brake goes into emergency.

FWIW, if you are on a train which hits someone you are left in no doubt as to what it was even if you are not looking out of the front.
 

MisterT

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And those who commit suicide in the last second where the driver doesn't have any time to respond? The driver will hit the emergency brakes, but by that time, the incident will have happened already.
It is a heavy burden to carry with you, even though you rationally know there is nothing you could have done.
You simply don't want that. Not for the driver, but especially not for the passengers who were enjoying the view.
 

MarkyT

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Didn't think that through. It's bad enough one person gets to see the incident. At least with the ICE 3 only a limited audience could witness in the space of the forward saloon. I amend my streaming video proposal to feature a rear facing camera at the back of the train instead.
 

Bletchleyite

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You simply don't want that. Not for the driver, but especially not for the passengers who were enjoying the view.

It's a risk I would be willing to take. In many, many rail miles, I've only been on a train directly involved in a suicide once, and as I said I didn't need to see it to know full well what it was, the sound is unmistakeable :( (and I still to this day think I might have seen him through the side window as the platform was curved). Oh, and a dead sheep viewed through the front window of a 101.
 

Temple Meads

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The emptiness en loneliness reflected in their eyes would hunt you in your dreams.

Don't be so melodramatic.

Such a camera would not be of a resolution high enough to see details such as that

I agree with Neil, it's a 'risk' I personally would be willing to take.
 
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