Poor ride quality on IETs: is it caused by the track or the trains?

[Pete_uk]

Could this be something that could be helped by those rubber washer things?

Something to just soften the blow

 

[cactustwirly]

I don't think they are too bad.
They are better than 387s and certainly much better than the 345s

 

[Jozhua]

Hunting can get pretty extreme on the MML South of Leicester - I've had some really shaky bits maybe around bedford-ish? That's on a 222.

From what I've heard about the ECML, because there are some definitely noticeably shaky sections between Donny and York, the issue is with the earthworks below the track. Apparently the vertical changes translate over into Horizontal movement that can be felt in the cabin.

I have a feeling the 80X isn't designed for anything other than smooth, continuously welded HSR quality track. I know others have mentioned the need to keep the dynamic envelope within gauge, a particular challenge for a 26m long vehicle, which requires making suspension stiffer.

I will be interested to see if this issue changes for the EMR 810s with their 24m long coaches.

Either way, I very much enjoy riding on them, as I do with the 195s. The jolty-ness with both trains kind of just reminds me of the lines out of Waterloo, which can be quite lively on the express services out of there! But more than outweighed by the light, modern interiors and improved performance.

 

[supervc-10]

I have only briefly experienced GWR 80Xs, from Reading to Bath, and that was after a flight into Heathrow from Chicago so I wasn't exactly feeling fresh and alert!

But I can't say that the TPE 802s or the LNER 80X I've been on have been particularly bad. Definitely better ride than the 397. Still feel that the Pendos or 221s offer some of the best ride.

Then again, the narrow seats by the door pockets aside, I don't mind the seating in the 80X trains either!

 

[Sonik]

I have a feeling the 80X isn't designed for anything other than smooth, continuously welded HSR quality track. I know others have mentioned the need to keep the dynamic envelope within gauge, a particular challenge for a 26m long vehicle, which requires making suspension stiffer.

I will be interested to see if this issue changes for the EMR 810s with their 24m long coaches.

There is an issue too with the stiffness of the couplings, as was revealed by the shunt/derailment at Neville Hill

The RAIB report is very revealing about the design choices, it seems to me that the longer vehicle length is a major factor.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5fb3c146d3bf7f63e1b6f55a/R132020_201118_Neville_Hill.pdf

 

[Rich1974]

I drive IETs and find the ride up front so much better than actually in the carriage, I often get alittle worried we're coming off the road when travelling passenger but then when I'm driving the same route it's no where near as bad, maybe it's the combination of the carriages coupled together which gives the rough ride.

 

[farwest]

Also the Nelsons belting along from Waterloo to Woking on their way to Portsmouth, a sight to behold.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I've never noticed poor ride quality on the 80x. The 390 offers, in my opinion, outstanding ride quality, so it's probably inferior to that, but certainly a lot smoother riding than the jolty Mark 3 and 4, and the appalling ride of CAF Mark 5, 397 and 195/331s, and Aventras. I'd actually say GWR's IETs have a smoother ride than anything else in their fleet when on electricity.

 

[irish_rail]

I've never noticed poor ride quality on the 80x. The 390 offers, in my opinion, outstanding ride quality, so it's probably inferior to that, but certainly a lot smoother riding than the jolty Mark 3 and 4, and the appalling ride of CAF Mark 5, 397 and 195/331s, and Aventras. I'd actually say GWR's IETs have a smoother ride than anything else in their fleet when on electricity.

The b and h is absolutely woeful at present in terms of ride quality , anyone who has travelled on it recently will certainly know about it. As I said upthread though I think this is more to do with the track than the quality of the train ride, but with nothing else to compare it to these days, who knows.