ICE3 Cab Frosted Glass?

[MisterT]

I've seen what it did to my fellow train drivers. It might sound as such, but believe me, it isn't.

 

[Bletchleyite]

No, you don't. When it happens, you'll be scarred for the rest of your life.

I said I am willing to take the risk. I don't see how you could say I am not willing to take it. All you can say is that you believe the severity of the risk to be higher than I do, the likelihood of the risk can be calculated and is a fixed value, and I believe acceptably low.

I do after all do things, such as driving and cycling, for which the severity of the risk is death, but the likelihood is also relatively low.

 

[MisterT]

No, I don't believe that the likelihood for it to happen is more severe. That is not the point I'm trying to make.
The price you'll pay when it happens, however, is much higher than you seem to think it is.

 

[axlecounter]

Besides, you may accept and be well aware of that risk, but many other passengers may not. And if you are on a multiple unit you don't necessarily hear the sound.

That was only part of what I was thinking though. As I said, such a video could be recorded and shared. We don't usually want that, especially for the family of the dead(s). Keep also in mind that, sadly, there are not only suicides on the railway...

 

[Bletchleyite]

No, I don't believe that the likelihood for it to happen is more severe. That is not the point I'm trying to make.
The price you'll pay when it happens, however, is much higher than you seem to think it is.

In the end, though, I still find the risk acceptable due to the relatively low probability, just as I do things that risk death (which I think most of us would consider the worst possible outcome in any situation) but again at a relatively low probability.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Besides, you may accept and be well aware of that risk, but many other passengers may not. And if you are on a multiple unit you don't necessarily hear the sound.

I definitely did on the occasion it happened to me, though all on board had perhaps hoped it was a large animal instead, it became clear what had happened when a distraught member of traincrew (not sure which, probably the guard) announced on the PA that we would be there a while. Not nice. But as to whether others accept it, that's their choice they make when they choose to view that channel via the wifi (or however it is delivered).

A video could be recorded and shared from a station or lineside location. And I think most people would have the decency to stop filming and delete[1] such a recording. I certainly wouldn't keep such a recording; why would I?

[1] After supplying it to the Police if they see fit, though the train CCTV would no doubt do that job much better.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

I recently had a chance to try the ICE-T. Slightly better view out with less obtrusive sun blinds.

Is there another glass panel above the door? Would a glass panel ever be allowed in the UK? If it were, would there be any with them if the circuit breakers could be located elsewhere?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Is there another glass panel above the door? Would a glass panel ever be allowed in the UK? If it were, would there be any with them if the circuit breakers could be located elsewhere?

A glass panel is proposed for the Merseyrail FLIRTs, though the unions are fighting it hard, and my expectation is that it will be dropped (probably in favour of better CCTV) as one of the concessions to get DOO through.

 

[NSE]

As much as I would like to see forward, I totally appreciate a member of staff not wanting a whole train watching them over their shoulder

 

[BestWestern]

I recently had a chance to try the ICE-T. Slightly better view out with less obtrusive sun blinds.

I feel for those drivers. I'd absolutely hate having zero privacy all day long like that

 

[AlexNL]

And those who commit suicide in the last second where the driver doesn't have any time to respond? The driver will hit the emergency brakes, but by that time, the incident will have happened already.

Delay the feed by 10 seconds and have the feed cut out the moment the emergency brakes are activated. This should give the driver enough time to react to such a tragedy while protecting the passengers who are enjoying the stream.

The footage should be saved on disk though, as it can serve as evidence.

 

[StephenHunter]

I feel for those drivers. I'd absolutely hate having zero privacy all day long like that

They can make the glass opaque if they wish though.

 

[Dougal2345]

I feel for those drivers. I'd absolutely hate having zero privacy all day long like that

They could always make the glass one-way... If the driver couldn't see his 'audience' I'm sure he'd soon forget they were there

 

[AnonymousUser1]

No, I don't believe that the likelihood for it to happen is more severe. That is not the point I'm trying to make.
The price you'll pay when it happens, however, is much higher than you seem to think it is.

indeed

i've fortunately not actually directly witnessed a fatality of that nature, but i have worked on near hopeless cases in the resuscitation of room of a Hospital emergency department, and seen what it did the ambulance crews who attended scene ... I've also seen people get life altering injuries close up and those images do not go away

 

[JaJaWa]

Does this need a special ticket with DB? The ICE derivative trains in China with this feature sell “sightseeing class” tickets to sit in the two rows behind the cab - but the glass is apparently almost always frosted up now. Not sure what you’re paying for!

Edit: add photos

 

[AlexNL]

Any regular ticket will suffice.

 

[MarcVD]

One train end is first class and the other one is second. Second class is always on the Brussels end so you can look forward with a second class ticket on your return trip. When reserving you must ask for a seat in the panoramic saloon. I don't know whether you can do that on line but the operators at Bruxelles Midi reservation centre certainly can, I have done it several times. I dont know whether the view is possible facing backwards.

Envoyé de mon GT-I9505 en utilisant Tapatalk

 

[AlexNL]

I dont know whether the view is possible facing backwards.

In my experience the glass will be clear if the cab is unmanned, but will 'frost' when the train goes through a neutral section or a voltage changeover point.

 

[MarcVD]

Which is normal as you have to apply voltage to the glass to clear it, and it goes back to opaque if said voltage disappears.

Envoyé de mon GT-I9505 en utilisant Tapatalk

 

[scotraildriver]

As much as I would like to see forward, I totally appreciate a member of staff not wanting a whole train watching them over their shoulder

And videoing you on their phones. Then having videos of you at your work on YouTube etc.

 

[317666]

When reserving you must ask for a seat in the panoramic saloon. I don't know whether you can do that on line but the operators at Bruxelles Midi reservation centre certainly can, I have done it several times. I dont know whether the view is possible facing backwards.

If you book on DB's site, it lets you select your own seat on ICEs, so provided that they aren't already reserved it's perfectly possible

 

[jayiscupid]

Does this need a special ticket with DB? The ICE derivative trains in China with this feature sell “sightseeing class” tickets to sit in the two rows behind the cab - but the glass is apparently almost always frosted up now. Not sure what you’re paying for!

Edit: add photos

I rode from Brussels to Koln last year (1st class) and found the best seats were the first two on the left but the best view was actually sitting between the two seats (fold the arm rest up!)

I also made the journey from Guangzhou to Beijing which is 2300km and 8 hours with only 5 stops. I was so excited to be in the business class seat behind the cab but even though I was at the back of the train in the trailing cab the glass was frosted for the entire journey.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The view from the ICE isn’t that good, the windscreen is small and high up. It’s not the “wall of glass” of a heritage DMU.