Siemens unveil mockup of proposed new tube train

[jon0844]

Curved OLED displays that can show video will have great earning potential and an eInk screen only takes power to change the display - and could save a fortune in replacing posters/route maps or adding and removing stickers during engineering work etc.

Imagine a route map that can show real time closures and even delay warnings for people wishing to change!

I thought this was a train of the future!

 

[Clip]

Curved OLED displays that can show video will have great earning potential and an eInk screen only takes power to change the display - and could save a fortune in replacing posters/route maps or adding and removing stickers during engineering work etc.

Imagine a route map that can show real time closures and even delay warnings for people wishing to change!

I thought this was a train of the future!

It is as its not even been built yet

 

[jon0844]

Haha. Got me there!

Seriously though, I do think that a real train of the future should be showing off things that might not be practical or cost effective today, but will be by the time they're built and as a vision of the next 50 years plus.

 

[Clip]

Oh aye I agree with you. I thought about electronic advertising and maps and that over the weekend. As long as TfL would be happy for them to still be in service if they broke down until they could be fixed that night then Id be qall for it.

 

[jon0844]

If the advertising screens failed, it wouldn't stop a train continuing in service.

If a route map failed, that could be a problem, but the displays keep whatever is on the screen forever, even without power. That's why they're so good for eBook readers - with battery lives measured in weeks or even months.

Another option might be to have the actual route map as a poster (a failsafe if you like) in the middle and eInk above and below that can put up notes (like the stickers put on now) and maybe an arrow to show where the train is - and direction of travel etc.

There's another technology available right now, but not really used much as yet. Transparent LCD displays. Some slot machines in the US (e.g. Vegas) use them, and Samsung and LG have produced bigger screens for use in shopping malls, shop windows etc.

A future train might have such technology put in some of the windows, either external windows or the glass by vestibules. The passenger information displays would not be separate units fitted in the train, but actually IN the glass.

Vandalism would be an obvious problem, but if I was building a train of the future, I'd certainly be trying to include all of these things - even if when it comes to placing the order, TfL and others would leave all of the boxes for this cool tech unticked!

 

[southern442]

Oh aye I agree with you. I thought about electronic advertising and maps and that over the weekend. As long as TfL would be happy for them to still be in service if they broke down until they could be fixed that night then Id be qall for it.

Do we really need them? What we do need is more announcements for short trains.

 

[A-driver]

Do we really need them? What we do need is more announcements for short trains.

Announcements for short trains? What do you mean? I didn't know the tube could run with short formed trains?

 

[Nym]

Announcements for short trains? What do you mean? I didn't know the tube could run with short formed trains?

Not since the 1980s if I'm thinking right, there used to be off peak four car formations on the Bakerloo and Met, not sure on other lines...

 

[jon0844]

Do we really need them? What we do need is more announcements for short trains.

If you're trying to imagine a train that might run until beyond 2050, you would at least look at the ideas in a concept train.

I agree that a lot of wonderful technological features might get dropped before construction, but it's still nice to do when building a concept train.

But, perhaps I'm just expecting too much and Siemens merely want to show what they can do right now and came up with the funky cab as a bit of a talking point - when, ultimately, as you can see from looking at the interior - it's mostly the same as any other new train available right now.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Siemens unveil muckup of proposed new tube train

Fixed that for you!:roll:

 

[Clip]

If you're trying to imagine a train that might run until beyond 2050, you would at least look at the ideas in a concept train.

I agree that a lot of wonderful technological features might get dropped before construction, but it's still nice to do when building a concept train.

But, perhaps I'm just expecting too much and Siemens merely want to show what they can do right now and came up with the funky cab as a bit of a talking point - when, ultimately, as you can see from looking at the interior - it's mostly the same as any other new train available right now.

Well if theyre just doing prototypes then they should fit the maps with a large form tablet type thing so you could actually use it to plan a journey for connections for when wifi becomes available throughout the tube tunnels network.

 

[jon0844]

I just came in via Greater Anglia today and got a 379 with working Wi-Fi. It was great to see that it actually shows you a map of where you are (that's the same as on many other trains I've used) but also the speed and - better still - the route map and where you are (as well as details such as any delays).

I have to say that this was very impressive and it would be nice to see that sort of thing on a future tube train, assuming data coverage will one day extend into the tunnels. And why have it merely for those who login via their smartphone/tablet/smartwatch/Google Glass? That information could, and should, be shown on displays internally.

 

[southern442]

If you're trying to imagine a train that might run until beyond 2050, you would at least look at the ideas in a concept train.

I agree that a lot of wonderful technological features might get dropped before construction, but it's still nice to do when building a concept train.

But, perhaps I'm just expecting too much and Siemens merely want to show what they can do right now and came up with the funky cab as a bit of a talking point - when, ultimately, as you can see from looking at the interior - it's mostly the same as any other new train available right now.

Meant short formed journeys. I don't know what I was thinking.

I think the picc needs an electrostar-style product, with luggage areas, NICE seating not on the 378/'09 stock, more like on the '73 stock, maybe a bit of transverse seats but still enough standing room, and with 70 mph top speed (utilizing the extra pair of tracks between Acton town and Northfields to create a faster express service, running non-stop from Hammersmith-Northfields with a possible stop at acton town).

Just an aesthetic feature but maybe they could be platform edge door compatible.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Well if theyre just doing prototypes then they should fit the maps with a large form tablet type thing so you could actually use it to plan a journey for connections for when wifi becomes available throughout the tube tunnels network.

Just had an eureka for the maps: with my previous idea about fast trains or for engineering works/short services the map could say something like:

Welcome on board. This train calls at:

(then the map showing the calling points from that particular station)

then when the next station is announced, the particular station that is next flashes red and an arrow with a box says:

This is the next station. Change for xxx xxx and xxx lines etc.

 

[phil281]

I think, but I might be mistaken, they already have electronic screen maps on some of the trains on the MTR in Hong Kong when I was there earlier this year. They definatly showed you where you were on the line at least.

 

[jon0844]

I think, but I might be mistaken, they already have electronic screen maps on some of the trains on the MTR in Hong Kong when I was there earlier this year. They definatly showed you where you were on the line at least.

And in Barcelona, and no doubt many other places too.

Some of these are LEDs about the station name, but my eInk idea (and we'll have colour eInk very soon) was to allow operators a lot more flexibility - such as changing routes, realtime information for station closures/escalator/lift work etc.

I'm pretty sure that even if we don't use them, we will see them in use in many places. Japan might be first, although I'd imagine them using bright LED/OLED displays and going for a much fancier setup, with animations etc.