Air-con on trains

[Thebaz]

I've always wondered who/what is responsible for switching on air-con on trains, as it often seems to be the opposite of what it needs to be. As I type I'm on a sweltering 377 12-car train that originated in East Grinstead. Suddenly the air-con pings on at ECR. Did the driver do it on a whim? Is he/she under instruction about when to use it to save energy (money) Or is it on a timer? Also it seems that as soon as there is a hint of Autumn in the air barely does Southern miss an opportunity to whack the heating up to the max, when often on commuter trains the combined bodily warmth emanating from the passengers would be enough to provide adequate heating.
Any answers welcomed!

 

[ainsworth74]

I can't speak to 377s specifically but it's often something which is pre-set in depot and can't be changed by train crew. I believe, usually, such systems are designed to maintain the interior at a specific temperature (or at least try to) rather than just being set to hot or cold. So it could well be that at ECR the temperature in your carriage finally reached the point at which the air-con turns on to cool things down.

That being said on some units train crew do have more of an influence. I was once on a VTWC Voyager from Euston and the carriage I was in was absolutely baking with the HVAC pumping out heat on a warm summers day. Upon entering the carriage the Train Manager looked incredibly confused by the heat, strode down the carriage to the vestibule, fiddled with something and a few moments later glorious cool air poured out of the ceiling vents and the heat stopped.

 

[FOH]

I was wondering something similar. Over the last few weeks the 377s have been an icy pleasure then yesterday morning, when the outside temperature was more normal, a sweltering zone of sweat.

 

[physics34]

I've always wondered who/what is responsible for switching on air-con on trains, as it often seems to be the opposite of what it needs to be. As I type I'm on a sweltering 377 12-car train that originated in East Grinstead. Suddenly the air-con pings on at ECR. Did the driver do it on a whim? Is he/she under instruction about when to use it to save energy (money) Or is it on a timer? Also it seems that as soon as there is a hint of Autumn in the air barely does Southern miss an opportunity to whack the heating up to the max, when often on commuter trains the combined bodily warmth emanating from the passengers would be enough to provide adequate heating.
Any answers welcomed!

Driver has no control other than going into the cupboard of that specific coach and switching it off.

Each coach is thermostatically controlled. If one coach is too hot then maybe another will be okay. There is a range at which the air con is virtually off.. it tends to be when the temperature is very stable. The air con will only come on with any real gusto when the temperature rises to a certain level. (Or falls ..then the heating will come on). .. so yes, at average temperatures it can seem stuffy.

 

[Bletchleyite]

VTWC specified guard controlled HVAC, most other TOCs are depot controlled.

 

[aleggatta]

377s are completely autonomous, whether there are any faults, well that's another issue...

 

[Thebaz]

Driver has no control other than going into the cupboard of that specific coach and switching it off.

Each coach is thermostatically controlled. If one coach is too hot then maybe another will be okay. There is a range at which the air con is virtually off.. it tends to be when the temperature is very stable. The air con will only come on with any real gusto when the temperature rises to a certain level. (Or falls ..then the heating will come on). .. so yes, at average temperatures it can seem stuffy.

Yes, stuffy is the word! So if the individual coaches are thermostatically controlled to only react when it becomes uncomfortably warm for the passengers, that is a poor design. I have also been on some very warm 455s at the wrong time of year. By comparison class 700s seem to always have air-con operating.

Air-con appears to be one of those pernickety things that consistently breaks (see also: train toilets), and judging by what happened to my car, not cheap to fix.

 

[Hadders]

In GTR land I find the air con on the 387s is generally poor. It is good on the 700s but the windows on the 365s never fail

 

[chris11256]

I find c2c's 387s aren't bad. Although they seem to let it get quite hot/warm before the air con comes on. Not quite as good as 357s as they're normally like walking into a fridge.

I also find the S Stock on the district line can be rather hit and miss. Sometimes it's really good, others it's barely noticeable.

 

[samuelmorris]

The S stock I find a little variable but that's to be expected given how often the doors are open. Generally it's fit for purpose, very rarely do I find a unit where it isn't working. 378s when it's really hot out seem to operate at a very low set temperature like 18°C, you can very quickly feel cold. Hitachi units like the 800s and 395s seem the opposite, the A/C does work but it's set to be pretty weak, say 25 or 26 degrees. I don't ever recall being on a 395 where it was cold, at any time of year.

 

[Cesarcollie]

The Renatus 321s seem pretty good, even these last few very hot weeks...

 

[aar0]

800s and 395s seem the opposite, the A/C does work but it's set to be pretty weak, say 25 or 26 degrees.

I've found the 800s to be freezing, I've been on one today and had to put a jumper on for the first time in over a month!

 

[47271]

I've covered a huge mileage by rail during the heatwave: mainly Transpennine, Virgin, SWR and Scotrail. Apart from one Scotrail 170 that was well on the muggy side, temperature control has been good on trains with aircon.

As a further credit to modern stock, I had a hellish journey from Waterloo to Woking due to disruption the week before last on an unbelievably crowded Desiro. Insane numbers of people on board and 30C outside, but the unit still managed to keep us all cool.

 

[samuelmorris]

I've found the 800s to be freezing, I've been on one today and had to put a jumper on for the first time in over a month!

In fairness I only have a sample size of 1 for the 800, but since it's the same manufacturer, same ventilation system by the sounds of it as the 395s which I have a lot of experience with, I kind of extrapolated there.

The Renatus 321s seem pretty good, even these last few very hot weeks...

I'd agree with that, when it works of course. They seem to have compensated for the slow reboot time and lack of climate-sensitive door control by running the system aggressively, so on a long inter-station gap they get pretty damn cold inside. From what I can tell, however, the system still fails regularly, with no emergency window to open.

 

[physics34]

Yes, stuffy is the word! So if the individual coaches are thermostatically controlled to only react when it becomes uncomfortably warm for the passengers, that is a poor design. I have also been on some very warm 455s at the wrong time of year. By comparison class 700s seem to always have air-con operating.

Air-con appears to be one of those pernickety things that consistently breaks (see also: train toilets), and judging by what happened to my car, not cheap to fix.

i assume the settings are adjustable. it prevents the air con from continually running then turning off and coming back on again then turning off and so on and so on...

 

[aar0]

n fairness I only have a sample size of 1 for the 800, but since it's the same manufacturer, same ventilation system by the sounds of it as the 395s which I have a lot of experience with, I kind of extrapolated there

In my experience of probably 50 800 journeys I've never found myself warm, normally shirt buttons are done up, a jumper is added or a coat goes back on!

444/450 aircon I've also always found to be pretty powerful and reliable

 

[Mordac]

Are LNWR turning the aircon down to save money? Desiro aircon is normally ridiculously powerful, but it's never felt cool enough in the 350s I've ridden during the heatwave...