This morning I've seen a three-unit train running on the DLR, with the
designation "Special", in between other services.

(Am I the only one having trouble perceiving the "articulated
vehicles" as anything other than units of two coaches?)

Presumably it is some kind of test run. The one I saw was made up of
the new units.

"MIG" wrote in message

This morning I've seen a three-unit train running on the DLR, with the
designation "Special", in between other services.

(Am I the only one having trouble perceiving the "articulated
vehicles" as anything other than units of two coaches?)

Like any other articulated vehicles (particularly trams), the short
coaches share a bogey. The only mainline trains with this configuration
in the UK are Eurostars, but they're quite common elsewhere.

On 30 Jan, 13:04, Paul Corfield wrote:
On Sat, 30 Jan 2010 04:25:57 -0800 (PST), MIG

wrote:
This morning I've seen a three-unit train running on the DLR, with the
designation "Special", in between other services.

(Am I the only one having trouble perceiving the "articulated
vehicles" as anything other than units of two coaches?)

Presumably it is some kind of test run. *The one I saw was made up of
the new units.

Probably heading for the possession area to test the signalling at Royal
Mint St junction as well as line into and out of Bank. *All supposed to
reopen on Monday with three unit trains being phased into service after
that.
--
Paul C

It appeared to be doing a Lewisham and back, so probably doing more
general trial runs as well.

I would have been interested to see where it stopped at the stations
which will be using SDO. Most stopping points have been shifted to
where the front of the train will always end up in future, ie the same
place regardless of train length.

Now it occurs to me that, with phased introduction, the SDO stations
will have to have different stopping points for different lengths of
train.

MIG wrote:
This morning I've seen a three-unit train running on the DLR, with the
designation "Special", in between other services.

How many people does a three-car DLR hold, and how does that compare with a
six-car C stock? How does the speed compare? I'm wondering about whether the
"light" railway designation still means anything.

--
We are the Strasbourg. Referendum is futile.

"Basil Jet" wrote in message

MIG wrote:
This morning I've seen a three-unit train running on the DLR, with
the designation "Special", in between other services.

How many people does a three-car DLR hold, and how does that compare
with a six-car C stock? How does the speed compare? I'm wondering
about whether the "light" railway designation still means anything.

The 3-car DLR train is about 84m long, compared to about 96m for a 6-car
C stock train. But the 3-car DLR trains will be longer than the 80m
Class 378 4-car trains. However, the DLR trains are narrower (2.65m vs
2.8m for the 378 and 2.92m for the C stock)

"Mizter T" wrote in message

On Jan 30, 2:53 pm, "Basil Jet"
wrote:

MIG wrote:
This morning I've seen a three-unit train running on the DLR, with
the designation "Special", in between other services.

How many people does a three-car DLR hold, and how does that compare
with a six-car C stock? How does the speed compare? I'm wondering
about whether the "light" railway designation still means anything.

Closely spaced stations and lots of rapid acceleration and
deceleration are light rail-esque features in my mind.

As well as tight curves and steep inclines.

On Jan 30, 1:04*pm, Paul Corfield wrote:

On Sat, 30 Jan 2010 04:25:57 -0800 (PST), MIG
wrote:

This morning I've seen a three-unit train running on the DLR, with the
designation "Special", in between other services.

(Am I the only one having trouble perceiving the "articulated
vehicles" as anything other than units of two coaches?)

No you're not! Wonder if there's anyone who thinks the trains are
about to get 25% smaller!


Presumably it is some kind of test run. *The one I saw was made up of
the new units.

Probably heading for the possession area to test the signalling at Royal
Mint St junction as well as line into and out of Bank. *All supposed to
reopen on Monday with three unit trains being phased into service after
that.

More info here at the "DLR Press Room":
http://pressroom.dlr.co.uk/news/details.asp?id=220

With the exact same press release available at the main TfL "New
centre":
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/medi...tre/14063.aspx

Have the DLR actually got their own PR operation or not? The contact
details shown at the end of the press release on the DLR site are the
main TfL press office, but that doesn't in and of itself mean
anything. Plus I thought that DLR did have its own people (and they
were DLRL as opposed to Serco Docklands).

Anyhow, that's all by the by. I see that the Director of DLR, Jonathan
Fox, says "[...] I'm confident our Bank passengers will really notice
the difference at the new and improved platforms". They weren't all
that scrubby were they - they're pretty new, after all!

On Jan 30, 2:53*pm, "Basil Jet"
wrote:

MIG wrote:
This morning I've seen a three-unit train running on the DLR, with the
designation "Special", in between other services.

How many people does a three-car DLR hold, and how does that compare with a
six-car C stock? How does the speed compare? I'm wondering about whether the
"light" railway designation still means anything.

Closely spaced stations and lots of rapid acceleration and
deceleration are light rail-esque features in my mind.

Not that I'd want a rail vehicle of any kind, light or heavy, to fall
on my head - it's a rather relative term, me thinks!

Recliner wrote:
"Mizter T" wrote in message

On Jan 30, 2:53 pm, "Basil Jet"
wrote:

How many people does a three-car DLR hold, and how does that compare
with a six-car C stock? How does the speed compare? I'm wondering
about whether the "light" railway designation still means anything.

Closely spaced stations and lots of rapid acceleration and
deceleration are light rail-esque features in my mind.

As well as tight curves and steep inclines.

I suppose what I'm really asking is whether the heavy rail standard still
has any virtues.

--
We are the Strasbourg. Referendum is futile.

"Basil Jet" wrote in message

Recliner wrote:
"Mizter T" wrote in message

On Jan 30, 2:53 pm, "Basil Jet"
wrote:

How many people does a three-car DLR hold, and how does that
compare with a six-car C stock? How does the speed compare? I'm
wondering about whether the "light" railway designation still
means anything.

Closely spaced stations and lots of rapid acceleration and
deceleration are light rail-esque features in my mind.

As well as tight curves and steep inclines.

I suppose what I'm really asking is whether the heavy rail standard
still has any virtues.

Higher speeds, more crashworthy, longer-lasting trains?