Trivia: Quietest and noisiest types of trains?

[Intermodal]

Let's split it up into DMUs and EMUs. People can do coaching stock if they like but personally I've never been able to perceive a difference between one type of coaching stock or another.

Quietest EMU for me would be the Class 390 by a large margin. Quietest DMU is harder but I'm going to go with the Class 180.

Noisiest DMU is fairly obvious to me - Class 142. Noisiest EMU I'm going to go for Class 508 but I don't have a lot of experience with other older EMU types.

 

[KevinTurvey]

Noisiest (with windows open) - For a current dmu the 150/153/156 units probably, depending where you sit, the driving ends being much quieter than the coach centres. For a first generation dmu the 104, the window rattling could get really intense whether they were open or closed.

Quietest - I think everything built in the last 15 years or so is pretty quiet anyway, so difficult to have an opinion.

EMU wise I don't use a lot of them but I find 350s quietest, and 319s the noisiest.

 

[Mordac]

Class 185s are very loud on the outside, but pretty quiet inside.

 

[Dougal2345]

Air conditioning is the big problem noise-wise these days. I posted a while ago on here some measurements that I'd taken with a cheap SPL meter showing that sitting under the air conditioner on a 444 was as noisy as sitting on an idling 158, or something like that... in general 444s and 450s have incredibly noisy AC, compared to say Electrostars.

 

[superkev]

185s must be the noisiest DMU when you're stood next to one rather than inside.

K

 

[hexagon789]

I think a Thumper is probably one of the loudest DMUs, but they don't make noise - they make music!

 

[Cowley]

I think a Thumper is probably one of the loudest DMUs, but they don't make noise - they make music!

Absolutely!

 

[superalbs]

Loudest on diesel is definitely an 802, outrageously noisy!
Quietest on diesel is probably something like a 165/166/168/170/171 over the bogeys, or something like a 180.

Loudest on electric would likely be something along the lines of a rickety Mk3-based EMU.
Quietest on electric is something like a 350.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Sitting inside the motor coach of a Class 319 at speed on the Midland mainline could be interesting at times...

 

[AM9]

Loudest on diesel is definitely an 802, outrageously noisy!
Quietest on diesel is probably something like a 165/166/168/170/171 over the bogeys, or something like a 180.

Loudest on electric would likely be something along the lines of a rickety Mk3-based EMU.
Quietest on electric is something like a 350.

These comparisons of relive noise levels are only relevant if comparing them at similar speed/load levels and from similar listening points. The interior of many EMUs with air conditioning are likely to be quieter tHan those with hopper windows, unless the a/c is flat out. Similarly, an EMU in intensive metro service is likely a lot noisier than even the same type cruising between the last few stops at the country end of outer-suburban service.

 

[GrimShady]

Loudest on diesel is definitely an 802, outrageously noisy!
Quietest on diesel is probably something like a 165/166/168/170/171 over the bogeys, or something like a 180.

Loudest on electric would likely be something along the lines of a rickety Mk3-based EMU.
Quietest on electric is something like a 350.

I noticed the diesel 800 series units to be very noisy!

 

[camjkerman]

I find the Electrostar family to be VERY quiet both inside and out. The way the motors are done also goes some way to evening out the distribution of the noise throughout the train, which may or may not help, I don't really know. For one, I really like the Electrostar's sound, and always sit right over the motors when I can. The flip side to that is the loudest trains. Of course the BREL Mk3 EMUs take that crown by no small margin, but the BREL batches of 465s with the Hitachi inverters is definitely deserving of an honourable mention. From Gillingham LC, you can here the BREL 465s shunting around in the depot with their very loud motors, and at speed, they really are fun for a relatively modern setup, even in the middle of the driving cars, its way louder than most trains, even a lot of the diesel trains I've been on, and passing at speed is simply amazing, standing at Swanscombe, if a BREL 465 were to pass at 75mph, you could hear it passing Northfleet, about 25-30 seconds away at that speed. Then again, the networkers might be way quieter than I think, and my audio-hypersensitivity might be tricking me.

 

[samuelmorris]

Quietest EMU: Class 390
Noisiest EMU: Class 317

Quietest DMU (inside): Class 185
Noisiest DMU (inside): Class 150
Quietest DMU (outside): Class 172
Noisiest DMU (outside): Class 180/185/22x

 

[507 001]

ISTR somebody doing some measuring a few years ago that found the 319s had the loudest traction motors of the MK3 EMUs by quite some margin.

 

[Ladder23]

Sitting inside the motor coach of a Class 319 at speed on the Midland mainline could be interesting at times...

you took the words right from my mouth!

I do miss those old timers.

 

[Peter0124]

Class 390 definitely not the quietest when leaving Carlisle P3 or P4

 

[camjkerman]

Class 390 definitely not the quietest when leaving Carlisle P3 or P4

The 390s aren't quiet anyway, sit in the right coaches and they're actually reasonably loud. Electrostars are way quieter.

 

[bramling]

Let's split it up into DMUs and EMUs. People can do coaching stock if they like but personally I've never been able to perceive a difference between one type of coaching stock or another.

Quietest EMU for me would be the Class 390 by a large margin. Quietest DMU is harder but I'm going to go with the Class 180.

Noisiest DMU is fairly obvious to me - Class 142. Noisiest EMU I'm going to go for Class 508 but I don't have a lot of experience with other older EMU types.

For EMUs in particular there can be a lot of variability from unit to unit, depending on what the motors are like. 317, 318 and 319 will be contenders, though the right 321 can be noisy too. Transformers can also be very loud on the first three of those, again variable from unit to unit.

A wild-card mention of 700s too. Not for sounds the train makes, but the walk-through design and plastic interior very much amplifies and transmits passenger noises. People holding a modest volume conversation can clearly be heard from some distance away - so beware if discussing something private!

 

[TRAX]

I find the Electrostars very quiet and relaxing (even when sat over the motors).

 

[Taunton]

Air conditioning is the big problem noise-wise these days. I posted a while ago on here some measurements that I'd taken with a cheap SPL meter showing that sitting under the air conditioner on a 444 was as noisy as sitting on an idling 158, or something like that... in general 444s and 450s have incredibly noisy AC, compared to say Electrostars.

AC noise is readily reduced by competent design, but it seems manufacturers, as ever, are driven by having to be the cheapest supplier to the rolling stock producer. Two key aspects

The type of ductwork - circular instead of square section, avoiding sharp corners inside, and avoiding cross section restrictions, especially at valves. All these produce noise.

Fan characteristics, especially having them too small and then having to run them fast. Fan blade pitch relative to the airflow is especially key - aircraft propeller designers cracked this concept 100 years ago. Also the blade spacing on the fan - even spacing produces whining harmonics, blades can be spaced slightly unevenly around the fan, with balance weights spaced around to balance the otherwise wobble that would develop. General Motors adopted this approach in the 1980s with loco roof-mounted radiator fans, and it made a notable noise difference.

 

[Mag_seven]

For the noisiest EMU, the Class 334 ("Juniper") must be up there.

 

[cjmillsnun]

The 442 has to be a contender for the quietest EMU (someone had to say it )

 

[samuelmorris]

AC noise is readily reduced by competent design, but it seems manufacturers, as ever, are driven by having to be the cheapest supplier to the rolling stock producer. Two key aspects

The type of ductwork - circular instead of square section, avoiding sharp corners inside, and avoiding cross section restrictions, especially at valves. All these produce noise.

Fan characteristics, especially having them too small and then having to run them fast. Fan blade pitch relative to the airflow is especially key - aircraft propeller designers cracked this concept 100 years ago. Also the blade spacing on the fan - even spacing produces whining harmonics, blades can be spaced slightly unevenly around the fan, with balance weights spaced around to balance the otherwise wobble that would develop. General Motors adopted this approach in the 1980s with loco roof-mounted radiator fans, and it made a notable noise difference.

But by contrast, if you can avoid too much tonal fan noise, even if there is a lot of air turbulence, you can end up with the impression that a unit is quieter than it actually is - Desiro UK probably the best example. Noisy A/C no doubt, but it's all broadband noise which is very tolerable and it masks a lot of the more erratic noise you might otherwise hear, leading to actually quite a nice (IMO) ambience.

 

[choochoochoo]

There should be a sub-category on the EMUs: - Noisiest VCB in Neutral Sections.

Think the 387 will remain undefeated forever. Even if I know it's coming, still shocks me how loud it is.

 

[samuelmorris]

There should be a sub-category on the EMUs: - Noisiest VCB in Neutral Sections.

Think the 387 will remain undefeated forever. Even if I know it's coming, still shocks me how loud it is.

That's all electrostars, believe it or not - 357s, 377s and 378s are no better. AT300s (395/80x) also aren't much quieter.

 

[delt1c]

Noisiest (with windows open) - For a current dmu the 150/153/156 units probably, depending where you sit, the driving ends being much quieter than the coach centres. For a first generation dmu the 104, the window rattling could get really intense whether they were open or closed.

Quietest - I think everything built in the last 15 years or so is pretty quiet anyway, so difficult to have an opinion.

EMU wise I don't use a lot of them but I find 350s quietest, and 319s the noisiest.

The noisiest 1st Gen has to be the 105 (Cravens motor coach) made a 104 feel like luxury. Not only the engine noise , but the window frames, luggage racks , even the doors used to rattle, but it took your mind of the engine fumes.
Noisiest current DMU 150 ( especialy Nothern) , regarding EMU's. The Noisiest I have experienced was a 321 at speed on WCML Euston to Birming in the motorcoach, when passing another train or entering a tunnel thought the doors were going to be blown of

 

[Jozhua]

Some DMUs can be pretty loud when the windows are open in summer...

Still don't understand why the class 153 and 156 seem to be built to such a lower standard, especially in regard to comfort and noise than the class 158, if someone could enlighten me that would be great.

Loudest train in my experience however is when passing a HST on a class 153/156 DMU while the windows are open, incredibly noisy!

 

[Journeyman]

For a new EMU, the Class 385 makes a surprising racket, especially if you happen to be over the motors.

 

[Journeyman]

I think a Thumper is probably one of the loudest DMUs, but they don't make noise - they make music!

Can't argue with that! I got loads of mileage in over the last few years they were in service, and that sound is something I really miss. Travelling in the motor coach, with the engine thrashing away and making the whole coach shake, was something without equal!

 

[hexagon789]

Can't argue with that! I got loads of mileage in over the last few years they were in service, and that sound is something I really miss. Travelling in the motor coach, with the engine thrashing away and making the whole coach shake, was something without equal!

Sadly I've only experienced them in videos, but they sound absolutely hellfire!