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Question regarding Class 68 loco noise level

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mike57

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With the regular appearance of Class 68's at Scarborough one thing that strikes me is the noise level from them. They seem much louder than anything else around at the moment. Has anyone taken any sound level readings on the platform.

My office is a couple of hundred yards from the line at Malton, and everyone has commented on it. You can hear them coming a couple of miles away.

Fortunately on board the Mk5's the engine noise isn't noticeable unless you are in a tunnel.
 
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DimTim

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There was news item on Look North Leeds tonight - locals not happy with additional noise since introduction. Think they mentioned last one onto stabling point 12 midnight & first out 0430. Residents only getting 4 hours sleep.
 

Geeves

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I am unsure if it was a mod or not but usually the 68s even stabled are as mentioned above very loud. How ever one at Vic early in the morning seemed much quieter, do they have some kind of "donkey engine" not sure what the correct term would be Hotel generator? that can be run while the main engine is shut off? It was miles quieter than usual while stabled. The locals would be much happier if this is a mod coming.
 

37057

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I am unsure if it was a mod or not but usually the 68s even stabled are as mentioned above very loud. How ever one at Vic early in the morning seemed much quieter, do they have some kind of "donkey engine" not sure what the correct term would be Hotel generator? that can be run while the main engine is shut off? It was miles quieter than usual while stabled. The locals would be much happier if this is a mod coming.

From what I've read online the depot at Scarborough has shore supply installed. That's no good when the sets need prepping at early hours though.
 

aiden_g1

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Having just been near a 68 i was thinking the exact same and then i saw this thread! I completely agree, for a "modern" unit the noise level whilst leaving the platform alone was substantial! Hopefully further 802s will be ordered to replace these, now thar the IET production is slowing down. We can only dream i suppose.
 

APT618S

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Some people are just not born enthusiasts...
I agree. Love the sound these make. Best sounding modern train on the network.
Wonder how these would sound in a tunnel on a Mk I, right next to the loco, with all the windows open.:D
 

Spartacus

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I live a couple of hundred yards from the line myself, and when 185s were being introduced I always knew when one was coming through. Given a little time I began to not notice them at all.

Suspect with time the 68 issue will fade for all but the paranoid, but I think the Scarborough issue could/will be fixed by a solid barrier on the side of the depot which doesn’t currently have one, instead of palisade fencing. Don’t know if that might help stop the scrotes getting at them, here’s hoping.
 

Fincra5

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There was news item on Look North Leeds tonight - locals not happy with additional noise since introduction. Think they mentioned last one onto stabling point 12 midnight & first out 0430. Residents only getting 4 hours sleep.

Well if you do buy a house near the railway or next to a train depot. :rolleyes:
 

Spartacus

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Well if you do buy a house near the railway or next to a train depot. :rolleyes:

In fairness the depot is new and there hasn’t been one even in the vicinity for something like 50 years, while I understand the complaints have been coming from across the valley, on which side the depot doesn’t have much if any soundproofing.
 

Mag_seven

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Well if you do buy a house near the railway or next to a train depot. :rolleyes:

A that old chestnut. It doesn't work like that. The depot still has a responsibility to keep noise levels to a minimum and to be "a good neighbor". The local environmental health department could become involved if noise levels exceed those of a certain level.
 

Llama

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The ETS supply causes the extra noise at idle doesn't it? When Chiltern had the 67s there were similar problems at Stourbridge, Chiltern ended up using modified mk3 DVTs with a gen-set installed to keep the noise down. Not much chance of that with Cheap As ... stock, which unless I'm mistaken also draws significantly more power than a Chiltern mk3 set does.
 

Mitchell Hurd

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If I'm honest, when stayed at Ibis Budget Hotel in Leeds (Crown Point Road) where, in the bedroom, you can see the bus station and the railway bridge, the 185's were the noisest trains.

One thing I like about Chiltern Railways running the 68 + 6 Mark 3's + DVT is it's almost an electric train except for the 68's.

I wonder if a 68 at Birmingham New Street is louder than the Paxman Valenta-powered HST's!
 

KevinTurvey

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I'm not sure of the exact figure but isn't the ETH index of these Mk5 coaches around 16, which is a huge amount of power required off the loco compared to older coaches which were typically 4 - 6 each (assuming 1 ETH = 5kW)
 

eisenach

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One Saturday last year I caught the early Chiltern service from Stourbridge Junc to London for an EU demo. I was there early and saw the set leave the sidings to head off to Kidderminster. You could hear the 68 for ages after it had left. There was plenty of warning of its return, too. No need for a platform anouncement or display screen. We had a good three or four minutes warning!
 

xotGD

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I agree. Love the sound these make. Best sounding modern train on the network.
Wonder how these would sound in a tunnel on a Mk I, right next to the loco, with all the windows open.:D
Try standing at the front droplight on the Fife Circle turns. A very pleasurable tunnel experience.
 

Doomotron

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Why don't we all buy the houses next to the depot? We would appreciate it much more! :D
 

John C

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If I remember correctly did the class 68s used on the fife circle move to an alternate depot for stabling overnight due to the noise they caused to local residents.
 

didcot

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The first 68 through Banbury was 68002 going to Stourbridge to demonstrate to the locals how quiet they were compared with a 67. i seem to remember some called them milk floats as they were so quiet, which after seeing 68002 I had to agree! No way they are that quiet now, living about a mile and a half from Banbury station can quite often hear them departing.
 

404250

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Surely they are quiet compared to Valenta HSTs that used to be everywhere?
 

Journeyman

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Surely they are quiet compared to Valenta HSTs that used to be everywhere?

Not by much. Given that the 66s and 67s are fairly quiet, I was rather surprised by (a) how noisy the 68 is and (b) how "traditional" it sounds - it sounds like an older generation diesel loco.
 

61653 HTAFC

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I live next to the loading bay of a large supermarket, with all the noise that entails. However the Supermarket was there first, so I can't really complain. Sometimes they use wagons with old-fashioned bleepy reversing tones, other times the less intrusive 'ambient' warnings... somehow I reckon that if I was to get in touch with Look North and moan about the noise, Harry Gration wouldn't exactly be burning rubber to get over to me for an interview...

But when it's the railway, take your shot. It's not like you'd notice the miles of tailbacks every day if the trains weren't there... :rolleyes:

If the noise is really that bad, I'll be happy to do a house swap with anyone in Scarbados!
 

richa2002

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The main problem here is the supplying of ETS. 68s are actually really quite quiet when properly idling. They rev up quite significantly to supply ETS.

If what is said above is correct about the high ETS index of Mk5s, the loco will be working even harder to keep the stock supplied. I would wager they are the loudest idling loco we've had to date when supplying ETS. Especially due to the bassy, low frequencies which penetrate walls easily.

Whilst the "buy a house next to a railway, what do you expect" argument is valid a lot of the time. These locos are rather exceptionally noisy and should probably only supply ETS when stabling if absolutely required.
 

hooverboy

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Not by much. Given that the 66s and 67s are fairly quiet, I was rather surprised by (a) how noisy the 68 is and (b) how "traditional" it sounds - it sounds like an older generation diesel loco.
it does have a slight "deltic" feel to the engine, doesn't it?

I'm not complaining,I wouldn't be complaining in any case as my house is about 100yards from a railway track where I'm quite used to 56's hammering through in my younger days,They were noisy buggers!
 

rebmcr

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There's a Marylebone residents campaign group that have been engaging with Chiltern for quite some time, they definitely noticed when 67s were swapped for 68s.
 

hexagon789

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The main problem here is the supplying of ETS. 68s are actually really quite quiet when properly idling. They rev up quite significantly to supply ETS.

If what is said above is correct about the high ETS index of Mk5s, the loco will be working even harder to keep the stock supplied. I would wager they are the loudest idling loco we've had to date when supplying ETS. Especially due to the bassy, low frequencies which penetrate walls easily.

Whilst the "buy a house next to a railway, what do you expect" argument is valid a lot of the time. These locos are rather exceptionally noisy and should probably only supply ETS when stabling if absolutely required.

The idle revs goes from 600 to 1150rpm when ETS is enabled, and being under increased load it sounds even louder I think than when at 1150rpm without ETS on.
 

ac6000cw

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The problem with the noise from the 68s is that it's very 'bassy' and boomy - those low-frequency sounds can travel a long way and reflect well off buildings/walls (and it doesn't get attenuated as much by double-glazing etc.).

Interestingly, in LA recently I experienced some of the 68's 'big-brother', the EMD/Progress Rail F125 fitted with the more powerful V20 version of the same Cat engine. They sound quite different (and are noticeably quieter overall) but they have SCR exhaust after-treatment equipment fitted so the exhaust system & silencing is different/more complex. That makes me wonder if the bassy/boomy noise of the 68s is largely caused or accentuated by resonances in the exhaust system.
 

The_Train

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Personally I don't think the 68s are loud enough. Get that volume cranked up, I say! :E:E
 
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