CAF 197 "door out of use" indicators

[occone]

I've noticed that a lot of the new CAF rolling stock e.g. the 197s often have the "door out of use" indicators showing in red even when that door isn't broken or out of use.

Sometimes they come on mid journey and I haven't found a pattern yet.

It was super confusing not being sure if the door would open at the next station, and finding the next door along also had the same red light on it. Then at the next station all doors that side released.

What gives? Seems like really poor design to me.

 

[skyhigh]

Sometimes they come on mid journey and I haven't found a pattern yet.

It is when ASDO hasn't located the train to a station yet. When the train enters a certain radius from the station (called the station bubble) the correct doors are enabled and the roundel goes out from doors that would be in use if they were enabled.

For complex stations where the correct platform cannot be identified, the roundel will remain illuminated until ASDO is overriden.

 

[Western 52]

I think this does confuse passengers though. I've seen people move to other doors as the message and red light does look like the door may be broken. Is there a reason these have to illuminate just because the train is not within a station bubble? Does this also happen on other CAF units?

 

[jonnyfan]

Yes it's the same behaviour as the Northern and TPE CAF units. It's poorly implemented, just like most CAF products. One big improvement would be if the indicators didn't activate until the train had stopped.

 

[cheekybifta]

Not unusual for it to show on every door, inside and out, until the guard releases the doors

 

[driver9000]

Yes it's the same behaviour as the Northern and TPE CAF units. It's poorly implemented, just like most CAF products. One big improvement would be if the indicators didn't activate until the train had stopped.

It doesn't happen on the 397s where the Driver releases the doors.

 

[occone]

It is when ASDO hasn't located the train to a station yet. When the train enters a certain radius from the station (called the station bubble) the correct doors are enabled and the roundel goes out from doors that would be in use if they were enabled.

For complex stations where the correct platform cannot be identified, the roundel will remain illuminated until ASDO is overriden.

Thank you so much for the explanation. This makes total sense and explains the behaviour.

It seems like "door out of use" has different meanings to CAF than elsewhere. For me, out of use means broken which means it isn't going to work at all.

 

[jfollows]

Thank you so much for the explanation. This makes total sense and explains the behaviour.

It seems like "door out of use" has different meanings to CAF than elsewhere. For me, out of use means broken which means it isn't going to work at all.

I agree with you, it’s annoying and silly.

The first time it happened to me, I moved to the next door, but then saw that my original door had opened as normal. So now I know to ignore it. Along with all the other things I now ignore on today’s railway.

But it’s good to know why it does what it does. Ignore as long as you know the platforms are long enough for your door, I guess.

 

[Topological]

Just to buck the trend a little, I had one say not in use and then not open. This was at Pontypool and New Inn last Thursday. I always board at the front door of the unit and this was a first. The 3-car and 2-car stop boards are in the same place and there is room for more carriages in front to still be platformed.

99% of the time ignoring is the way forwards though.

 

[43096]

I agree with you, it’s annoying and silly.

The first time it happened to me, I moved to the next door, but then saw that my original door had opened as normal. So now I know to ignore it. Along with all the other things I now ignore on today’s railway.

But it’s good to know why it does what it does. Ignore as long as you know the platforms are long enough for your door, I guess.

It’s worse than that. How do you know if a door is genuinely locked out of use?

 

[Bikeman78]

It is when ASDO hasn't located the train to a station yet. When the train enters a certain radius from the station (called the station bubble) the correct doors are enabled and the roundel goes out from doors that would be in use if they were enabled.

For complex stations where the correct platform cannot be identified, the roundel will remain illuminated until ASDO is overriden.

It's a very confusing system, especially when combined with the pause between the train stopping and the doors being released. I have seen many people (including me) move from one door to another. The other problem is that people will get used to it, ignore the sign and then miss their stop when the door really is defective.