trains with USB or mains plugs for charging

[anamyd]

I was pleasantly surprised to find sockets and USBs on GWR 158 and 166 yesterday. One for two seats.

aren't the GWR 158s a single 3-pin and twin USBs per two seats, and even in airline bays...?

 

[urpert]

Southeastern: 395s have them between the seats, otherwise none

 

[anamyd]

Southeastern: 395s have them between the seats, otherwise none

have what...? 3-pin sockets or USB ports...? and between what types of seating bays...? and how many to each seat...? and what do you mean by "otherwise none"...?

 

[ValleyLines142]

SWR 707s - same as on GWR 800s (in between seats)

 

[mm333]

One socket per 2 seats on Southeastern Javelin class 375s

 

[LLivery]

aren't the GWR 158s a single 3-pin and twin USBs per two seats, and even in airline bays...?

Yes, I should've made that clearer. I was just thinking of the 3-pin when I said one!

 

[urpert]

have what...? 3-pin sockets or USB ports...? and between what types of seating bays...? and how many to each seat...? and what do you mean by "otherwise none"...?

3 pin sockets
One between each pair of seats
Otherwise no sockets fitted to Southeastern’s fleet

Better?

 

[alangla]

Where are the sockets on the 365s?

Aye very good. I didn’t think of the 365s as being “ScotRail” as they’re only supposed to be here short term. Should have said all except 314/365 are fitted.

 

[Ken H]

If fitting 13a sockets, who not fit the ones with 2 USB outlets instead? No extra wiring, just different socket. I changed a 13a twin for a 13a twin with USB recently. Easy.

 

[anamyd]

Better?

Yes, now specific and clear.

 

[anamyd]

If fitting 13a sockets, who not fit the ones with 2 USB outlets instead? No extra wiring, just different socket. I changed a 13a twin for a 13a twin with USB recently. Easy.

These ones are going in on TfW stock (starting with 150s alongside their PRM mods)

 

[dgl]

The reason I could see for only going with 13A sockets is that they are cheaper and are less likely to fail, plus are future proof. Also if the usb part of it gets damaged there is a chance that it could fail in an unsafe manner still hard wired to the mains supply, a power brick can be easily removed.

 

[Tintinabukent]

3 pin sockets
One between each pair of seats
Otherwise no sockets fitted to Southeastern’s fleet

Better?

SE's 377/5s have 3-pin sockets in the first class area and the standard class area at either end of each unit. In the wall, one per each set of two seats I think.

 

[mugam4]

SWR 444s have them in the standard class driving coach

 

[Ken H]

The reason I could see for only going with 13A sockets is that they are cheaper and are less likely to fail, plus are future proof. Also if the usb part of it gets damaged there is a chance that it could fail in an unsafe manner still hard wired to the mains supply, a power brick can be easily removed.

so something that is safe in cafes and homes is unsafe on a train. right.

 

[urpert]

SE's 377/5s have 3-pin sockets in the first class area and the standard class area at either end of each unit. In the wall, one per each set of two seats I think.

Didn’t know that! Useful.

 

[AM9]

so something that is safe in cafes and homes is unsafe on a train. right.

Yes, that's right. In the home, nothing moves, and most residents take care of equipment that they want to use. In cafe's, they are generally supervised and failure are of less consequence. In trains, (increasingly) up to 1000 people are sitting in them without any supervision, they are subject to different fire regulations and maybe consequently, fittings are subjected to misuse and abuse. Ultimately, safety of all passengers and reliability of the vehicles they travel in overrides the convenience of those who can't be bothered to make their own charging provision.

 

[cjp]

Just to point out that these are not surge protected as the other power sockets that are actually available are, so feel free to expose your electrics to 25kV of electricity, there's a reason why they're labelled NOT FOR PUBLIC USE.

So I don't recommend using them so tad irresponsible to include them here.

Off topic I know but I think even if labelled "Cleaners Use" no company would be taking the risk of exposing their cleaning staff and their vacuum cleaners to 25KV

 

[Aictos]

Off topic I know but I think even if labelled "Cleaners Use" no company would be taking the risk of exposing their cleaning staff and their vacuum cleaners to 25KV

However there are safety guards in place at depots so the risk is much much lower with far less risk of power surges, also the voltage doesn't vary as much as it would while in service for example if a cleaner was working at Bounds Green depot hoovering a carriage, there is far less risk of a power surge happening then if Joe Bloggs plugged his phone or laptop in while the train was on the move between Euston and Crewe especially as you can get unexpected power surges which is why I said it was irresponsible or even idiotic to suggest use of them after all they are clearly labelled Not For Public Use.

In other words, if you have your device plugged in and you suffer a power surge which fries your device don't bother running to the TOC to complain as it's your own fault.

Not that I am being anti passenger rather the opposite, just merely trying to educate the uneducated why it's not a good idea to use items clearly marked not for public use.

If they were intended for the public then they would be clearly labelled as such, the railways don't label things for fun you know....

 

[gordonthemoron]

Are these urban myths or did they really happen:

Spotted plugged into electric sockets on trains (plugged in by passengers):

1. Microwave oven
2. Kettle
3. Desktop PC

 

[swt_passenger]

SWR 444s have them in the standard class driving coach

Only at the tables though?

Of course refurbed 444s and 450s have sockets all over the train ,and wireless charging built into First Class tables. It’s all a bit transitional...

 

[anamyd]

Are these urban myths or did they really happen:

Spotted plugged into electric sockets on trains (plugged in by passengers):

1. Microwave oven
2. Kettle
3. Desktop PC

Microwave oven and kettle just plain stupid, desktop PC if the CPU and graphics are of low enough power not totally unreasonable - even with a 300w power supply they can use as little as 60 watts.

 

[gordonthemoron]

Microwave oven and kettle just plain stupid, desktop PC if the CPU and graphics are of low enough power not totally unreasonable - even with a 300w power supply they can use as little as 60 watts.

I have a feeling that it was me who spotted the desktop PC

 

[anamyd]

I have a feeling that it was me who spotted the desktop PC

I can just imagine it in one of the table bays with the monitor, keyboard and mouse

 

[AM9]

I can just imagine it in one of the table bays with the monitor, keyboard and mouse

Now that's what I call self-entitlement! What about a printer?

 

[anamyd]

Now that's what I call self-entitlement! What about a printer?

True mobile office

 

[43096]

Just to point out that these are not surge protected as the other power sockets that are actually available are, so feel free to expose your electrics to 25kV of electricity, there's a reason why they're labelled NOT FOR PUBLIC USE.

So I don't recommend using them so tad irresponsible to include them here.

There’s good reasons not to use them, but I do not for one second believe you are at risk of getting 25kV through them. They are not directly connected to the pantograph!

 

[AM9]

There’s good reasons not to use them, but I do not for one second believe you are at risk of getting 25kV through them. They are not directly connected to the pantograph!

Yes I noticed that yesterday and thought that it was misleading. The 'cleaner' sockets are there so that appliances used by cleaners etc., whilst the trains are at stabling points, instead of trainling a long cable back to power outlets that might be placed on the walkways adjacent to the parked trains. Those outlets on the trains are not fed from surge protected feeds but from a low voltage bus on the trains that probably feeds other equipment (lighting, heating, etc.). There's a low risk of large surges when the train is stationary and there are no traction circuits in use. The transformer is just providing such hotel services that are required. A train in service though is a completely different power supply situation though: evry so often there will be a VCB trip as a neutral section is crossed, under some weather conditions there will be arcing on the conductor wire, plus the traction equipment will be applying and removing major loads to the transformer and under braking, feeding power back to the OLE. All of the changing conditions can produce surges which although not dangerous to passengers, can play havoc or even destroy domestic/portable hardware connected to it especially when these items are never going to be factory fresh. The railway protects itself from claims citing damage to passengers personal equipment by making it clear that these outlets are not for public use. Those who ignore the notices do so at their own risk.

 

[choochoochoo]

So do these power outlets run on the battery bus ? How would they get power during a train's passage through a Neutral Section ?