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Broken 377/3

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RichJF

RichJF

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Hi everyone.

So today I was sitting on the 17:59 ex LBG to Horsham. As the 12 coach train was about to leave it literally groaned/whined & died to a silence. The driver then got out & called the control saying the front 377/3 had locked in AC (pantograph up) mode!!!

The front unit ended up being isolated from the second unt & effectively 9 coaches pushing the front 3....guard said the power shoes were locked up on the faulty front unit!!!

I know these units have the future capability for it, but I would've thought the AC mode be isolated while operating on the DC network?
Is it common for units to be run dead/isolated/pushed in a formation if one is dodgy? Or would they normally detach the broken one & run with say...9 coaches in this circumstance?

Thanks :D
 
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Minstral25

Minstral25

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I assume it's in AC mode in software only as the 377/3's are DC only?

Wondered why the 17:59 was running late as we were delayed into Redhill waiting for it.

Have noticed a lot of in-service faults on Southern lately or faulty trains not starting in the morning, is a spat of problems or my bad timing?
 
RichJF

RichJF

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Well my colleague comes in from Lewisham & she's been complaining about the Southeastern trains breaking down...being all class 465/466 or 376 from that station.

So I guess there's been a lot train failures going around the South currently.
 
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Stats

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RichJF said:
Is it common for units to be run dead/isolated/pushed in a formation if one is dodgy? Or would they normally detach the broken one & run with say...9 coaches in this circumstance?
Click to expand...
As it was the front unit that was defective and unable to draw it's own power then that unit could not be removed without a rescue unit. The only other option was to withdraw the entire train from service but given that the Southern now have fewer platforms to play with at LBG that was not an option as the platform was needed. Therefore I see the most pragmatic solution was the one used.
 
bronzeonion

bronzeonion

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Hearing about staff cuts on Southern recently on the Coastway lines, I hope this is not a result of further cut backs this time on maintenence.
 
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edwin_m

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Presumably the defective set still had auxiliary power so everything worked apart from the traction. If the auxiliary power had failed then I guess they would have to fail the set as various vital systems would be relying on battery.
 
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455driver

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edwin_m said:
Presumably the defective set still had auxiliary power so everything worked apart from the traction. If the auxiliary power had failed then I guess they would have to fail the set as various vital systems would be relying on battery.
Click to expand...

It would just cross feed from the second unit.

Pushing (or pulling) a dead unit is nothing special as long as the second unit doesnt go pop. Bearing in mind that in this case there were 3 other good units doing the pushing once the necessary bits had been isolated it would have been pretty much normal service.
 
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pendolino

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RichJF said:
Hi everyone.

So today I was sitting on the 17:59 ex LBG to Horsham. As the 12 coach train was about to leave it literally groaned/whined & died to a silence. The driver then got out & called the control saying the front 377/3 had locked in AC (pantograph up) mode!!!

The front unit ended up being isolated from the second unt & effectively 9 coaches pushing the front 3....guard said the power shoes were locked up on the faulty front unit!!!

I know these units have the future capability for it, but I would've thought the AC mode be isolated while operating on the DC network?
Is it common for units to be run dead/isolated/pushed in a formation if one is dodgy? Or would they normally detach the broken one & run with say...9 coaches in this circumstance?

Thanks :D
Click to expand...

That sounds a bit unlikely, there's no AC traction system on a 377/3. /2s have two buttons in the cab, AC system select and DC system select, but /3s only have DC system select. It is entirely possible that the driver was talking about the ACM (Auxiliary Converter Module) which powers the lights, air con etc. Might you have misheard?
 
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