MK Tom
Established Member
I noticed looking at this photo that the pantograph cas on the Class 710s are arranged so the pantograph end is adjacent to the driving car:
https://mkrail.smugmug.com/MiltonKeynesRailways/2018/Milton-Keynes-Area-November-2018/i-CpRV45n/A
Typically 4-car EMUs have the pantograph in the centre, adjacent to the other trailer. The 710s are reminding me of the Class 304/305 in this respect, which also had the pantograph carriage the other way round.
Is there any significance to the placement of pantographs on EMUs? It seems very rare in this country to have pantographs on driving cars - 506s and the 2-car 309s are the only examples I can think of. But that does happen a lot overseas.
This might also be a good time to ask why some high speed units like 390s and 395s have two pantographs but usually only one in use, and also why that tends to be the rear one?
https://mkrail.smugmug.com/MiltonKeynesRailways/2018/Milton-Keynes-Area-November-2018/i-CpRV45n/A
Typically 4-car EMUs have the pantograph in the centre, adjacent to the other trailer. The 710s are reminding me of the Class 304/305 in this respect, which also had the pantograph carriage the other way round.
Is there any significance to the placement of pantographs on EMUs? It seems very rare in this country to have pantographs on driving cars - 506s and the 2-car 309s are the only examples I can think of. But that does happen a lot overseas.
This might also be a good time to ask why some high speed units like 390s and 395s have two pantographs but usually only one in use, and also why that tends to be the rear one?