Eurostar Class 373 Queries

[notadriver]

re read what I said. In service max speed of eurostar is 186MPH, this is governed by and only governed by the track. The track can't cope for speed over 186mph.

The LGV nord in France was originally designed for 350 kph.

The land speed record in the UK was set by a eurostar that had slightly bigger wheels to change the ratio. So a standard eurostar could achieve over 200mph.
Yes power to weight is worse then any other tgv BUT it's still the MOST powerful TGV ever built.

Speed in the tunnel is 99mph.

Out of all the other tgv's normal service max speed is 199mph. So all in all not alot of difference.

Little advantage i'd see of a shorter eurostar and a 3-cap even if max service speed was increased to 200MPH as the 3-caps could do that EASY.

Acceleration matters too. The Japanese realise this and so have this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N700_Series_Shinkansen

 

[jopsuk]

The LGV nord in France was originally designed for 350 kph.



Acceleration matters too. The Japanese realise this and so have this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N700_Series_Shinkansen

56 motors on the 16 car set (64 axles total on 32 bogies). Blimey. As far as I can work out the deisgnations, on the 8 car sets all cars have motors- presumably all axles? But then there's a similar philosophy with the UK Class 395- all four intermediate cars have four motors each

 

[es373]

Yeah you say that but I bet all of the traction motors are something like 400kW. All of them motors pretty much make 12mW or there abouts.

 

[Crossover]

If you don't like the bin... Move it. Its only a push on pull off thing then put it under your seat.
Quiet simple really fellas!

Something I didn't know either!

I can't say legroom is great at the tables though and the table leg gets in the way a bit too but I guess it half depends on who you are sat with

 

[junglejames]

Not in my opinion they aren't. Eurostar's current class 373 are well engineered trains, but the interiors aren't wonderful at all, this will change though. There are many generations of "ICE" as well, from loco-hauled to Siemens Velaro. Certainly can't beat a front lounge experience on the ICE3!

Strictly my opinion, all of them are very good trains and beat Pendolinos/Voyagers by miles, but the current class 373, I feel, is let down by the interior spec.

Can't wait to see what a refurbishment brings though!

Im not a massive fan of the colours of the seats, and the grey/ yellow. But apart from that they are very comfortable and pleasant. My experience of the modern ICEs, whilst very modern looking, is of very hard and uncomfortable seats, and that was 1st class. Hate the seats on the modern ICEs.
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It's not like the latest refurbished TGV sets with the jazzy seat colours and all...

Oh the refurbed TGVs are awful. Strange tacky seats and colours, and very uncomfortable.
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but the seats (when new and after their first major refurb) are too thin, hard and uncomfortable for a trip like london to paris.. even when running on HS lines...

the tables.. they iritate me to an insane degree... just like the tables fitted in (atleast part of) first class in the pendolinos... ie. the little half tables with flip down bits...
if im going to sit at a table on a train i want a solid table.. not a stupid wee half flappy table...

Agree about the tables, but dont hate them as much as you, but the seats? Hard? But you claim Voyagers are better? I can understand some people may prefer a voyager seat, but to claim a 373 seat is too hard, and then say you prefer voyagers?? Doesnt make sense. Voyagers have no padding at all. 373s have more padding than most modern stock.
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The Eurostars have the lowest power to weight ratio of all the TGV family. They have 12 * 1020 KW motors for a train weight of around 800 tons. The TGV-A has 8 * 1100 KW motors for 380 tons. I read somewhere that when Eurostars are used on the Parid Sud Est LGV line that if they are checked they are unable to recover time probably due to the fearsome 1 in 28.5 gradients on that route. LGV nord gradients are 1 in 40 max.

You are doing a disservice to the 373s. They are also much longer than a TGV set. Thats why they end up having a lower power to weight ratio. If the Eurostar was the same length as a TGV you would need to run twice as many trains. This takes up valuable paths, and costs more in access charges. Plus would mean more electricity used, which isnt very green.
Yes, Eurostars apparently lose speed on some gradients, on which TGVs have no problem, but look at the bigger picture.
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The LGV nord in France was originally designed for 350 kph.



Acceleration matters too. The Japanese realise this and so have this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N700_Series_Shinkansen

Acceleration on a Eurostar is perfectly adequate on a long Intercity journey with very few stops. In fact, acceleration is very good.