Creativity: Train Design Ideas

[Sgt_DeBones]

I wanted to create a topic to encourage you all to share your ideas, designs and specifications of different types of rail vehicles such as metros, mainline, and local trams (streetcars for us Americans).

I also had the idea of the Mauno Atlis variant utilizing 1 car, 1 articulated section, 1 pantograph, about 28 meters long, cabs on each end, sync-able turning signals for paired operation, and even rear view mirrors. Basically, a US standardized high floor light rail vehicle variant.

Here's a throwback to an old variant idea for @Samuel's Mauno Atlis. I now dub it the Mauno Eureka with the modifications which could also be called the SA75: State Approved, 750v DC. Of course, would be manufactured by DL-Metro. This version would have the ability to maneuver tight curves for street running, which is why turning signals and rear view mirrors are needed. The serial numbers would be the 400 series vs my old proposed 2000 and 2100. Generally, the type of service that the Eureka is designed for is a metro-light rail/tram hybrid styled route with mixed scenarios from street running, to a private RoW includes: street running, elevated guideway, underground, and at-grade higher speed corridors.

Proper list of vehicle specs:
Vehicle Type: Bi-directional Light Rail Vehicle
Top Speed: 70mph (112kmh)
Length: 91ft (28m)
Doors: 8 (4 per side)
Electrification: 750v DC
Collection Method: Pantograph
Acceleration: 3.3mph (1.47m/s²)
Deceleration: 3.5mph (1.6m/s²)
Boarding Entry: Leveled platform (39in or 990mm)
Braking System: Pneumatic
Track Gauge: Standard (4ft 8½in or 1,435mm)
Headlight Type: Dialight Dome LED
Marker, Service lights & Turn Signals: 6in Oval LED
Security System: ATP, ATO, ATB & ZUB (varies between the four)
Fleet Number: 400 - 456 (57 personally), 2000 - 2074 & 2101 - 2106 (81 for general use)

I wish I could provide an image of the idea but the photos Samuel uploaded are completely unavailable now.

Note: If you guys want to change the voltage it takes, the model number changed to reflect the voltage. The current also matters. Example. The SA90-AC is a 900v AC version. It would make since for European customers to purchase the Atlis while NA customers purchase the Eureka. (Based of the different regulations between America and Europe transit systems)

[brozma]

Well, I think this topic is a good idea. There are many suggestions, but they're chaotically placed on the forum.
Anyway, I already suggested a Tatra T3 tram here in "Rijndam" topic, but it's completely "buried" in there and difficult to find it there. So I'll put it here, so it's easier to find it and I'll try to reformat it, so it has more details and so on.

Description:
A medium sized tram, primarily meant for tram street running service, although it can be used on high speed tracks (in Prague, there are two light rail-like tracks called "tram expressway" or "tram high speed track"). It's design was partially taken from PCC trams, although it has a lot of differences. It's one of the trams, which was constructed in huge numbers and it's considered to be a legend. Many trams of original design are used till nowadays, but some of them were reconstructed, but still are used till nowadays aswell.

List of vehicle specs:
Note: a Prague type of Tatra T3 is used as example for specs. There are some differences between original and modernized Prague version. they'll be mentioned here

Vehicle type: Unidirectional tram vehicle
Manufacturer: Tatra Smíchov
Maximum speed: Original: 65 km/h (40 mph) Modernized: 72 km/h (45 mph)
Length (without couplers): 14 meters (45 ft)
Width: 2,5 meters (aprox. 8ft)
Height: 3 meters (10ft)
Empty weight: 16 tons (35 000 lb)
Doors: 3 (right side only)
Compatible voltage and current 600/750 V DC[1]
Current collection method: Diamond shaped pantograph.
Propulsion mechanism: Original: Brushed DC motor axle-hung propulsion. Modernized: Brushless DC motor axle-hung proplsion
Power regulation: Original: Rheostatic controller (copied from PCC), which is designed to regulate acceleration and to control electrodynamic braking. Modernized: IGBT transistor regulation.
Braking system: Electrodynamic, Mechanical (Used at low speeds and when EDB can't engage for some reason) and Electromagnetic track brake (Emergency use only)
Compatible track gauge: 1435 mm (4ft 8½in)[2]
Headlight type: Two headlights with halogen light bulbs as a light source
Additional lights: brake lights, turn signal lights, reverse lights (reverse lights are rarely used in regular traffic, they can be usually seen used when shunting in depot).
Security system: None [3]
Additional equipement: Emergency brake automatic bell activation (If driver hits EB, the warning bell starts ringing automatically. Used to aid driver when something or someone gets into tram's way and driver hits EB to avoid collision). Digital line number and destination board (Modernized version only). Ability to open only the front door (used for example, when switch on junction won't flip automatically and driver has to go out and flip it manually). Annoucement system. Buttons for passengers to open the door (Modernized version only).

Notable sounds emitted by vehicle:
Original version.
Standing still: Low pitched humming with white noise. (emitted by motor-generator, which powers utilities and cools down rheostatic controller).
Accelerating from stand-still: A few silent clicks (emitted by relays being switched). Loud clicking pop (only if driver stops accelerating early after starting. Emitted by relay being quickly switched off)
Speeding up: A middle pitched humming, which pitch raises when the tram is going faster.
Coasting: Middle loud, low pitched metallic white noise (emitted by wheels rolling on tracks).
Slowing down: Same as speeding up, only pitch of the humming drops down as the tram is going slower.
Stopping: The humming is slowly washed away by motor-generator's sound as the tram goes into stop.

Modernized version.
Standing still: Complete silence
Accelerating from stand-still: A steady high pitched squealing (emmited by IGBT transistors)
Speeding up: Same sound as original version
Coasting: Same sound as original version
Slowing down: Same sound as original version
Stopping: Almost same as original version, only high pitched squealing suddenly kicks in and when tram stops, the squealing goes out and tram goes silent.

Pictures:
Original version


Modernized version


Footnotes:
[1]: The Prague version (both original and modernized) primarily runs on 600V DC, but it's able to withstand 750V DC without any harm. This minor tweak is intentional. The manufacturer counted with option, that Prague transport company would raise the voltage in tram's catenary in the future. This actually never happened till nowadays, but this tweak remained in there, if Prague transport company changes it's mind and decides to raise the voltage.
In Metrosim, They can be used in Rijndam tram network, since voltage here is (possibly) 750V DC and this tram can withstand it. They would run on Simvliet light rail aswell, but they're not appropriate here due to other reasons (They're unidirectional, both versions are quite slow for Simvliet light rail, and I am counting for them to be fitted with ATB, and Simvliet light rail is fitted with ZUB).

[2]: Some versions of this tram were fitted with different track gauges. For example: Tatra T3 trams used on interurban tram expressway between Liberec and Jablonec nad Nisou are fitted with 1000mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) gauge. And Tatra T3 trams used in Russian cities or in cities of countries of former Soviet Russia are fitted with 1524mm (5 ft) gauge. I am counting for standart gauge 1435 mm (4ft 8½in) to be used for Tatra T3 in Metrosim

[3]: IRL Tatra T3 has no security system at all (and all other trams in Prague aswell). This tram is meant to be driven by "Driving on sight" style, whereas most of the vehicles in metrosim are meant to be driven in "Security system assisted driving" style.
Yeah, the fact, that Prague trams have no security system installed backfired sometimes. For example, back in June 2018, the driver of Skoda 15T tram on line 16 was going downhill on Ječná street heading to Charles square, driver misjudged the speed and crashed into standing pair of Tatra T3 trams on line 22. Nobody died, but 25 people were injured (including driver of Skoda 15T tram) during crash. The Czech rail safety inspection bureau, concluded the accident as human factor error, and IDK what happened to driver from Skoda 15T, after accident, but I think he recovered from his injuries and possibly got fired from his job.
For Tatra T3, I am actually counting for it to be fitted with ATB in Metrosim.

[RotterdamMetroLover]

What's really sad is that the t6a5 will be gone in Prague. Now there are only 4 of them running of 150. Well they didn't last long. I know they are 4 (actually 5) modernized versions of T3 running. T3R.P, T3R.PV, T3R.PLF, T3M2-DVC. There are still T3M and T3SUCS running on the nostalgic line 23. KT8D5 is actually my favourite of them all. Well, the unmordenized version. KT8D5R.N2P is the modernized version of it. What the difference between T3R.P and T3R.PV?

[brozma]

What the difference between T3R.P and T3R.PV?

The only difference between them is the sound of IGBT transistors during accelerating from stand-still and during stopping.

Tatra T3R.P emits steady high pitched squealing, no matter, how fast is the tram going. At certain speed threshold, the squealing stops and it's replaced by middle pitched humming, which is typical for this tram. When stopping, at previously mentioned speed threshold, the high pitched squealing quickly kicks in and sounds steadily into moment, when tram completely stops. After that, the squeling stops imediatelly and the tram then goes completely silent.

Tatra T3R.PV emits high pitched squealing, which pitch seems to raise, as the driver applies more power. As driver presses gas pedal[1] further down, the more pitch of the squealing raises. After gaining some speed, the squealing slowly fades out in pitch and volume and after reaching certain speed threshold the squealing is washed out by typical middle pitched humming. When stopping, at previously mentioned speed threshold the squealing slowly fades in with pitch and volume until stopping, when squealing slowly fades out in same manner and then, the tram goes completely silent.

Footnotes:
[1] Like PCC, both original and modernized version of Tatra T3 has two foot pedals placed below driver's dashboard. Right one is for acceleration (sometimes inappropriately dubbed as "gas pedal"), and left one is braking pedal. Braking pedal is smaller than gas pedal, proabably to avoid accidental activation of brakes. Driver uses only his/her right foot to press the pedals. His/her left foot is usually resting next to pedals, but some drivers admitted the use of both feet for brake pedal, when they hit EB, to increase braking power. The braking pedal also has a switch, which activates Emergency brake automatic bell activation system.

The Emergency brake automatic bell activation system (and EB system generally) works like this: If brake pedal is pressed deep enough, the tram detects it as EB being hit. The tram immediatelly activates all 3 brakes at once, EDB engages at maximum braking (although it disengages at low speeds), mechanical brake's brake pads press as strongly as they can against brake disc and electromagnetic track brakes engage and "glue" themselves to tracks. also the warning bell starts ringing by itself without driver's intervention ( on normal occasions, the driver can ring the bell manually by pressing the button on dashboard). The bell keeps ringing, even when tram completely stops. The driver has to release the brake pedal to stop the ringing

Fact: Very often, when I drive a tram in Metrosim, I simulate emergency brake automatic bell activation system by spamming the Enter key when I hit EB.