Ugliest Trains?

[Socimi]

18 hours ago, Takahama Trainwatcher said:

I hated riding in the Tulloch trailers; I would always avoid those carriages. I'd prefer to ride upstairs, but the tiny windows gave me a claustrophobic feeling.

Agreed on the V sets. I always think they look classy when they race through stations.

 

They remind me of the equally ugly East German "Doppelstockwagens" made between 1957 and 1971 (all retired by 1995).

 

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1AOHY_itIT769IT769&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=ixOyXPK6PNqK1fAP3ZSeyAo&q=Doppelstockwagen+DR&oq=Doppelstockwagen+DR&gs_l=img.3...0.0..609103...0.0..0.0.0.......0......gws-wiz-img.k8aazM5kLbA#imgrc=NH2n8orA-onixM:

 

By the early '70 they realized they needed much more modern stock, so they made these much better new ones, wich are still in serivce (in fact they are the basis for Bombardier's modern double-decker cars).

 

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1AOHY_itIT769IT769&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=ixOyXPK6PNqK1fAP3ZSeyAo&q=Doppelstockwagen+DR&oq=Doppelstockwagen+DR&gs_l=img.3...0.0..609103...0.0..0.0.0.......0......gws-wiz-img.k8aazM5kLbA#imgrc=LKx5lgLFPBpq5M:

Edited April 14, 2019 by Socimi

[marknewton]

The Tulloch trailer cares weren’t uncomfortable, though. Far from it. 

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[Takahama Trainwatcher]

An interesting short-lived variant of the Tulloch:

 

[Keith]

I don’t recall ever seeing that variant.

[marknewton]

Tulloch built 4 prototype double-deck motor cars that formed set S10. They were the precursors of the stainless steel cars built by Comeng and Goninans.

 

https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/heritageapp/ViewHeritageItemDetails.aspx?ID=4807172

 

All the best,

 

Mark.

[Keith]

I must get down to Thirlmere again one day soon, it’s been many years since I last went.

[ben_issacs]

Folks, 

It's interesting to see the vertical hand brake wheel in the end window of the prototype Tulloch double deck car, for the ordinary person this would look like a steering wheel, thus re-inforcing their view that trains have to be steered, like cars.

Regards, 

Bill, 

Melbourne.

 

[railsquid]

Of course trains have a steering wheel 😉

 

 

I do remember on my first and only ever cab ride (on a brand new BR class 58 being publicly exhibited, which is quite a while ago now, yikes) someone did actually ask where the steering wheel was...

Edited April 18, 2019 by railsquid

[Socimi]

5 hours ago, railsquid said:

Of course trains have a steering wheel 😉

 

 

Some even have an Opel steering wheel!

 

Bulgarian class 32 EMU (1965)

http://www.railfaneurope.net/pix/bg/electric/emu/32/cab%2Binterior/1_AEG_042.jpg

 

from

http://www.railfaneurope.net/pix_frameset.html

Edited April 18, 2019 by Socimi

[ben_issacs]

Folks, 

Of course we know that the vertical wheel isn't a steering wheel, it's a wheel to retract the landing gear, like Avro Ansons, forty turns from down to up!

Regards, 

Bill,

Melbourne.

 

[bill937ca]

Who designed this? A tin can with windows.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwan_Railway_EMU700_series

 

It seems to want to be a Keikyu clone.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwan_Railway_EMU700_series#/media/File:TRA_EMU700_KeikyuColor_Zhubei_Sta_20160915.jpg

 

https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/life/breakingnews/2023182

 

That big lip at the front doesn't help.

 

Apparently some come painted with teddy bears.  🙂

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 20, 2019 by bill937ca

[ben_issacs]

Folks, 

TRA 700 series  EMU sets, the shot at the platform with the doors open shows a step inside from platform level to car floor level, not good for wheel chairs, prams etc.

Also, the lip or cowl at the front covers the coupler, so that's allowable.

Regards, 

Bill, 

Melbourne.

 

[Yavianice]

Randomly encountered ALSTOM LIREX (BR618 from DB, only 1 prototype was built) in a compilation clip of trains in the early 2000's and...

 

Well its quite unique! More pictures here https://www.bahnbilder.de/name/galerie/kategorie/deutschland~dieseltriebwagen--95-80-~br-0-618-lirex.html

 

 

Edited April 29, 2020 by Yavianice

[chadbag]

Here is an article (no pics) that explain some of the strange design 

 

https://www.railwaygazette.com/news/lirex-prototype-turns-train-design-upside-down/31466.article

 

 

[ranger10178]

These are the worst looking for me:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgian_Railways_Class_96

These then feature highly on my list of ugly trains...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_701

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_707

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_385

[bill937ca]

I find the TEM1200 of Taiwan Railways Administration and built by Nippon Sharyo an ugly candidate.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/121161634@N04/14556187025/in/album-72157645514932773/

 

[Cat]

So many negative waves — they're beautiful trains!

[JR-Rail]

Seen as I'm new to the forum I thought I would add some:

 

Ugliest Diesel?

The BR Class 41 designed to operate the British HST – Look at the front cabin window – Not sure whether that was designed for viewing or serving ice creams from at calling stations!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_41_(HST)

 

Also a special note to my daily commuter from hell – seriously what have I done to deserve to stand (as never enough capacity) on one of these things every week.

They are uglier on the inside than they are outside and offer no form of comfort or practicality – I think I see now why I love Japanese trains so much.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/pacer-trains-uk/index.html

 

This article sums up the constant loathing for these trains, and although some are being replaced and updated, and Northern Rail / Trains has recently been taken back under government control - they still infest our otherwise idyllic rail settings

 

 

[RossDensha]

Can't imagine hating a train that much!!  

 

I mean, I can look at a train and go eugh, that thing is UGLY! or IMPRACTICAL! or WHO THOUGHT THAT THING WAS A GOOD IDEA?, or other reasons to not like, but I've never seen so much hate for a train!

[ranger10178]

17 hours ago, JR-Rail said:

Also a special note to my daily commuter from hell – seriously what have I done to deserve to stand (as never enough capacity) on one of these things every week.

They are uglier on the inside than they are outside and offer no form of comfort or practicality – I think I see now why I love Japanese trains so much.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/pacer-trains-uk/index.html

 

This article sums up the constant loathing for these trains, and although some are being replaced and updated, and Northern Rail / Trains has recently been taken back under government control - they still infest our otherwise idyllic rail settings

I love pacers haha! I think they're pretty cute as trains go! I like their distinctive sounds, and I find them far more comfortable than most of the modern EMU trains we have down south... One unit I dislike that runs up north are the TPE 185's - They're always overcrowded, they're pretty uncomfortable etc...

 

I wasn't very impressed with the Mk5 coach seats that TPE has either - First and Standard were pretty poor. (As are the Caledonian Sleeper Mk5 seats... Indeed the Cally Sleeper Mk5's seemed to be falling apart already when I travelled on them a couple of months ago)

[JR-Rail]

1 hour ago, RossDensha said:

Can't imagine hating a train that much!!  

 

I mean, I can look at a train and go eugh, that thing is UGLY! or IMPRACTICAL! or WHO THOUGHT THAT THING WAS A GOOD IDEA?, or other reasons to not like, but I've never seen so much hate for a train!

I suppose for me the hatred is not for the train directly, but the service of which is responsible for delivering it on time and to a reasonable and clean standard. They actually have a certain character and because of that, during the lockdown I admit I am actually starting to miss my little pacer trundling down the line towards my little rural platform. 

[Keith]

19 hours ago, JR-Rail said:

Ugliest Diesel?

The BR Class 41 designed to operate the British HST – Look at the front cabin window – Not sure whether that was designed for viewing or serving ice creams from at calling stations!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_41_(HST)

But like the old adage, it turned into a swan that delivered sterling service for a long time.  I remember the days in 1980 when I lived in the UK for a while, watching them at Reading Station.

 

Keith

[ranger10178]

4 hours ago, Keith said:

But like the old adage, it turned into a swan that delivered sterling service for a long time.  I remember the days in 1980 when I lived in the UK for a while, watching them at Reading Station.

 

Keith

I'd say the HST's were more Swallows than anything else 😜You were lucky to see them in their original guise! I saw them a fair few times in their FGW/GWR liveries and with the newer MTU engines.

[marknewton]

On 5/6/2020 at 9:48 PM, Keith said:

But like the old adage, it turned into a swan that delivered sterling service for a long time.

And our version of them still gives sterling service. They may look a little rough around the edges these days, but they're still awesome performers.
 

 

In the loop at Bulliac waiting for a cross back in early April.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[railsquid]

On 5/6/2020 at 12:56 AM, JR-Rail said:

Seen as I'm new to the forum I thought I would add some:

 

Ugliest Diesel?

The BR Class 41 designed to operate the British HST – Look at the front cabin window – Not sure whether that was designed for viewing or serving ice creams from at calling stations!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_41_(HST)

 

 

That's the prototype, which I always thought looked a little weird too. I never liked the experimental APT much either: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_APT-E

 

28 minutes ago, marknewton said:

And our version of them still gives sterling service. They may look a little rough around the edges these days, but they're still awesome performers.
 

 

 

 

Those are presumably based on the production version: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_43_(HST), which I do like and is one of the few "single pane front window" designs which IMHO works quite well.

 

Unlike the Class 67: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_67