Fastest Trains

[ole man]

Don't know if this as been done before apologies if it has. What are the fastest accelerating trains, would like it kept to Diesel, Electric Loco's, Emu's and Dmu's, and how to they compare with steam and some older diesel loco's?.

My guesses are.... Virgin Pendolino
Class 67
Desiro 350
TPE 185

 

[jopsuk]

Thing about acceleration is that you rather need to specify over what range- as some may be good at low end accleration (say, 0-30) whilst some might pull away slowly from a stand but sprint from 30-60 and beyond.

And locos, well, what's behind them will rather affect them.

 

[ole man]

Let's go with 0 - 60 mph then as they do with cars, i know it will also depend on what loads the trains are carrying

 

[LE Greys]

With express passenger steam, rather surprisingly, Bulleid Pacifics provided the rails were dry. Came from having three short-stroke cylinders and small driving wheels (which is generally what affects acceleration). A 3-cylinder O2 could probably out-drag an 8F as well. With all steam, the Holden Decapod, which was designed specifically to out-accelerate EMUs probably holds the British record.

With modern traction <EDIT> on the southern end of the ECML </EDIT>, HSTs comfortably beat most loco-hauled stock out of King's Cross because they are light and powerful. Deltics were often slower than the Cravens units, mostly because of their high gearing. Indeed, 313s used to race Deltics and win between Hatfield and Welwyn. Today, a 365 or a Eurostar would blow anything away, a 317 and an HST are about the same, with a 90 or 89 fairly close. 91s are the slowest to Finsbury Park, but the quickest up Stoke (again, because of high gearing).

 

[MCR247]

A 350 is faster than a 365 as it is the fastest accelerating EMU, although that may have been before the 395s came along...?

 

[Cherry_Picker]

For DMU's and acceleration, class 172's go like the proverbial off of shovel. They seem very quick all the way to 100, I'd imagine the zeros that London Overground have (75mph top speed) are very fast out of the blocks.

 

[LE Greys]

A 350 is faster than a 365 as it is the fastest accelerating EMU, although that may have been before the 395s came along...?

I was being a bit parochial there, since the ECML is the only line I ever studied thoroughly, sorry. Post will be edited.

 

[notadriver]

For DMU's and acceleration, class 172's go like the proverbial off of shovel. They seem very quick all the way to 100, I'd imagine the zeros that London Overground have (75mph top speed) are very fast out of the blocks.

I wish lol

 

[ainsworth74]

For DMU's and acceleration, class 172's go like the proverbial off of shovel. They seem very quick all the way to 100, I'd imagine the zeros that London Overground have (75mph top speed) are very fast out of the blocks.

Unless we split this down further into DMU and DEMU categories I'm fairly sure that Voyagers will have this category sown up.

 

[LE Greys]

Unless we split this down further into DMU and DEMU categories I'm fairly sure that Voyagers will have this category sown up.

IDK, 180s are pretty nifty when they have to be.

 

[Mike C]

A 350 is faster than a 365 as it is the fastest accelerating EMU, although that may have been before the 395s came along...?

I've seen this written elsewhere, but anecdotally, having travelled a lot on both, the 365 just feel quicker than 350's and just about anything else for that matter. I don't doubt the numbers of course, it's just a feeling from being on them.

It could be psychologically affected by that now famous noise they make that makes them sound quicker, but there's no doubt that 365's get off the line bloody quick. Out of the gasworks tunnels up the hill to Finsbury Park they were comfortably quicker than our 373/2's - which were admittedly traction limited due to the OLE at the time.

In terms of pure power/weight ratio, I don't think anything in we've had in the UK has come anywhere near the 373/2's.

 

[asylumxl]

IDK, 180s are pretty nifty when they have to be.

In theory a DEMU should be faster with the torque of electric motors being available at almost any rpm.

Besides, they're not really valid if they go a few miles and spontaneously combust.

 

[lewisf]

Are we allowed light rail or metro, because nothing at all beats the acceleration of a London Tramlink tram.

The LU 2009 stock is also very quick off the mark.

HSTs to me always seem to have very slow acceleration, but then I'm used to 455s.

 

[MCR247]

I've seen this written elsewhere, but anecdotally, having travelled a lot on both, the 365 just feel quicker than 350's and just about anything else for that matter. I don't doubt the numbers of course, it's just a feeling from being on them.
.

I'd agree with that, especially since the 350s are pressurized

 

[tsr]

Are we allowed light rail or metro, because nothing at all beats the acceleration of a London Tramlink tram.

The LU 2009 stock is also very quick off the mark.

HSTs to me always seem to have very slow acceleration, but then I'm used to 455s.

Tramlink's trams are very quick, I'll give you that. I can't be bothered to look up the acceleration figures now, TBH (sorry!), but anyone who has been on a tram that's accelerated from a standstill at the bottom of the Wandle Park Flyover must surely have been impressed at least the first five times.

A lightly-loaded Central Line train can feel pretty speedy in terms of sudden acceleration heading east of Stratford.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

Are we allowed light rail or metro, because nothing at all beats the acceleration of a London Tramlink tram.

The LU 2009 stock is also very quick off the mark.

HSTs to me always seem to have very slow acceleration, but then I'm used to 455s.

The difference in weight on a tram makes it an unfair comparison I think. The Midland Metro ones leave all trains for dust on the stretch of line where it runs parallel to heavy rail between Snow Hill and The Hawthorns.

And DMU's and DEMU's need to be split, because the way they work is completely different.

 

[BrummyBoy]

323's seem quick of the mark, although maybe its because of the F1 soundtrack.

 

[ole man]

Is there any figures out for acceleration?. What about loco's?.

 

[Donny Dave]

Unless we split this down further into DMU and DEMU categories I'm fairly sure that Voyagers will have this category sown up.

Just talking about DMUs generally, then a 185 will leave a 22x trailing in it's wake. For comparision, I've had both a 22x and a 185 between Manshester Piccadilly and Stockport (both clear runs on the fast line), and the 185 can reach Stockport in a shade under 7 mins, while the 22x will take just over 7 and a half minutes. The 170s though, your best off timing them with a calender!

Is there any figures out for acceleration?. What about loco's?.

No official figures, but something that I've noticed over the years through my many trips along the line. From a standing start at Scunthorpe station, to where Brigg Road crosses the line (you can see how far that is here), a 185 will be powered down and cruising at the 55mph linespeed just before the bridge, with a 158 roughly a couple of hundred meters past the bridge. A 170 however ....

 

[junglejames]

Don't know if this as been done before apologies if it has. What are the fastest accelerating trains, would like it kept to Diesel, Electric Loco's, Emu's and Dmu's, and how to they compare with steam and some older diesel loco's?.

My guesses are.... Virgin Pendolino
Class 67
Desiro 350
TPE 185

Class 67s arent that good. More than likely a 66 is better. Dont know what best diesel loco is.
Electric loco wise. Would bet good money on it being the 92s.
EMU- Meant to be a 350 or 395.
DMU- 180 or 185? Id say 185 as its only geared for 100.
DEMU- 22x

 

[starrymarkb]

Every Axle on 1992 stock is motored - hence the acceleration.

Overseas I give you this infamous video...
[youtube]cdy3G_an65s[/youtube]

 

[pt_mad]

How does a class 90 fair?

 

[Hydro]

How does a class 90 fair?

Light engine, like the proverbial off a shovel, like most AC electrics. Whether it is actually the fastest is another question.

 

[WatcherZero]

Theres some acceleration comparisons in this you may find interesting.
http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/imagelibrary/downloadMedia.ashx?MediaDetailsID=5468

 

[LE Greys]

Light engine, like the proverbial off a shovel, like most AC electrics. Whether it is actually the fastest is another question.

Certainly quicker than a 91 with the same load, and probably about the same as an 89. Having never seen a 92 hauling a MkIV set, I can't really compare. I'd also imagine 90s are quicker than 87s (perhaps excluding the 87/1) because they have thyristors rather than tap-changers.