Facilities you wouldnt see on a train

[Yew]

So, What do you think would be cool to have on a train?

Personally I think a Cinema would be good, and maybe even viable, Take some low backed seats, for half a carriage, a few seats out the carriage end and have a projector or some fold down TV's. Charge a few quid for it. Maybe headphones to stop interupting other passangers (almost like the TV's in airlines I suppose?)

Your ideas?

 

[Any Permitted]

*cough*

http://www.techdigest.tv/2010/04/world_first_as.html

 

[SS4]

Purely in the land of fantasy some kind of fridge (space permitting) so I could enjoy a cold beer instead of a lukewarm one

I would prefer some kind of content distribution available via wifi or a supplement for A/V streaming. For the most part I'm inclined to say that entertainment wise people will generally bring it with them now, especially on a long journey which would make a cinema virtually superfluous, especially for the loss of a carriage.

A full roll out of power sockets will be more than enough IMO

Earplugs would be nice for when I'm not in the quiet zone

 

[moonrakerz]

TOTAL RF shielding !!!!

 

[Yew]

*cough*

http://www.techdigest.tv/2010/04/world_first_as.html

At first I was thinking More of a propwer cinema, However that looks a better idea.

I thought a Refrigerated trelley could be nice. (or maybe those Heiniken mini kegs, cool them down in a fridge and they will stay cool the whole journey)

 

[asylumxl]

At first I was thinking More of a propwer cinema, However that looks a better idea.

It's really not. I've used it quite a few times, and never paid thankfully, cos I never would. The content is out-dated and the GUI is really quite poor. Not to mention the server takes up a massive amount of space on the overhead luggage rack. If you're ever on a FGW HST with an "Entertainment" carriage, look for the seats with no screens, and look above them.

 

[Yew]

It's really not. I've used it quite a few times, and never paid thankfully, cos I never would. The content is out-dated and the GUI is really quite poor. Not to mention the server takes up a massive amount of space on the overhead luggage rack. If you're ever on a FGW HST with an "Entertainment" carriage, look for the seats with no screens, and look above them.

I suppose thats the problem, If you travel once or twice a year, then watchign an old episode of whatever could be good, But for a semi regular trip (say once every fortnight, you wouldnt do it every day) then it would quickly become boring. The only thing good about airlines is they often have movies before their UK release

 

[imagination]

a swimming pool?

 

[Cherry_Picker]

Ejector seats. Would be great fun on AC lines.

 

[Hydro]

a swimming pool?

Kind of happened on a Mk2a in a train I was working, when a toilet cistern pipe came apart. I think the best part of the tank ended up in the vestibule.

 

[Captain Chaos]

A ten-pin bowling lane. Also some snooker/pool tables and maybe a dart board.

Would be really cool if (using something similar to Volo TV) there could be screens on the back of seats with an XBOX 360/PS3 connected to it so you could play video games. Online connectivity would be good too. Online COD on a HST anyone?

 

[route:oxford]

Subway franchise in a buffet car.

 

[Hydro]

Subway franchise in a buffet car.

Damn. On board catering franchises. Just genius.

 

[Captain Chaos]

Subway franchise in a buffet car.

I actually like the sound of that!

 

[Yew]

Subway franchise in a buffet car.

I could go for that. Ive been to subways that could fit in a MkIII. Maybe have the bread and ingredients prepared on platform (or a local franchise that delivers to the platform?)

 

[kylemore]

Oh lets think outside the box here, how about an onboard restaurant and lots of space for luggage and windows alongside the seats? Yes I know total unrealistic fantasy!

 

[Tom B]

I was wondering a while ago why the TOCs haven't gone down the franchise route with one of the poncey coffee brands - you know, you see Costas, Prets etc all like a bad rash in any city centre these days. Given the on-train catering which many TOCs provide is a cold buffet with soggy BR sandwiches and the odd toastie thrown in the general direction of the microwave, I'm sure there'd be a market.

 

[Masbroughlad]

Damn. On board catering franchises. Just genius.

Am I dreaming or did McDonalds have a catering car on a train somewhere in Europe? I can remember reading about it somewhere once and seeing a picture......???

I actually think it is a great idea. Get someone like Ask or Pizza Express on Intercity routes. Subway on journeys too is a great idea too.

Will it ever happen??

 

[Hydro]

I think a Subway on a train would be an utter roaring success. Perfect food for a train, all pre-prepared ingredients, no fryers or the like sitting around. Easily resupplied at stations. The problem is if it is a roaring success, how would you integrate it into a train? Wouldn't be fun encountering a Subway style queue down a train corridor.

 

[LE Greys]

Cinema Coach No.2

Apparently.

Also used to be two Tavern Cars on the Southern Region, designed by Bulleid and complete with high-backed settles and draught bitter (a bit shaken up by the ride, I should think).

Me, I'd go for anything that means that I don't miss out on the cricket when travelling. Long-wave radio never seems to work on trains.

 

[90019]

Me, I'd go for anything that means that I don't miss out on the cricket when travelling.

How about a cricket pitch?

 

[Greenback]

Am I dreaming or did McDonalds have a catering car on a train somewhere in Europe? I can remember reading about it somewhere once and seeing a picture......???

I actually think it is a great idea. Get someone like Ask or Pizza Express on Intercity routes. Subway on journeys too is a great idea too.

Will it ever happen??

IIRC there were two sponsored McDonalds cars in Switzerland for a few years.

The fact that it didn't last long may be indicative that it wasn't a success and so may never be repeated!

 

[SS4]

I think a Subway on a train would be an utter roaring success. Perfect food for a train, all pre-prepared ingredients, no fryers or the like sitting around. Easily resupplied at stations. The problem is if it is a roaring success, how would you integrate it into a train? Wouldn't be fun encountering a Subway style queue down a train corridor.

I'd be more concerned about popular food selling out. Plus you'd need a microwave and/or a toaster because Subway wouldn't want to be seen without them as they're important to the 'face' of the business. That and popular ingredients may run out (I understand Tikka is very popular in Birmingham ) and the expense would probably mean not getting much change from a tenner for a footlong.

They could, and I say this with some trepidation, have some pre-prepared on busy services not unlike Gregg's do with sausage rolls or McDonald's do with burgers

Meanwhile, I can't the only one who wouldn't mind a sub right now!

 

[Class172]

Instead of a private jet, how about a private train!

 

[class57basher]

*cough*

http://www.techdigest.tv/2010/04/world_first_as.html

i did think volo tv when I read the first post

 

[laird]

I guess the question as to whether a franchise operation would work could come from CrossCountry trains, they do market that their trolley service uses Starbucks coffee.
The difficulty I guess is where catering is outsourced, while the brand names could bid it doesn't seem a natural fit into their franchisee model.

The Volo service does seem to take a bit of luggage rack space, I guess its popularity may now grow as you can choose to be reserved into the entertainment carriage if you buy your tickets from First Great Western and the range of payment options is growing.
I do wonder if they have missed a trick by not offering a 30 minute commuter option,
If you look onboard an aircraft at their seat back TV service it usually ends up with a box either per seat or per row mounted in or near the foot space, I guess if this volume was added up it might look something like the Volo box in the Mk3 carriage?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Ejector seats. Would be great fun on AC lines.

....especially for the following:-
DRUNKS
CHAVS AND CHAVETTES
IDIOTS WHOSE MUSIC PLAYERS ARE ALWAYS ON
IDIOTS WHO PUT THEIR FEET ON SEATS
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Instead of a private jet, how about a private train!

...but only if you are the Duke of Sutherland.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Once you get a Subway or MacDonalds on a train, you will go back the next week and there will be four of those Asian outlets, all in row, next to them

 

[The Barlow Boy]

A device to disable every electronic noise generating machine known to man.
Imagine it, no shouty people on 'phones, no tsssk-tssssk-tssssk from someone's headphones three seating bays away, no plip-plip-plip from some brain damaging computer game. Just sheer bliss!

 

[sprinterguy]

Compartments would be nice…I’d limit them to first class only though, to limit the types of unsalubrious activities that can go on in the privacy of a compartment if the yokels were unleashed on them in standard. It might also solve the problem of having to listen to the monotonously tedious conversations of bawdy business types shouting down their phones if they could be shut away in a compartment in first!

As a pure fantasy, to go one up on the old Intercity 125 ability to serve draught beers, I’d want a franchised Wetherspoons bar car. I could roll straight out of the pub, and into another one on the train… You could even have a proper meal service, utilising a scaled down version of Spoons' food menu, now that would be a bit of a novelty in this day and age! However, given the problems that can and do arise from a minority of drinkers, as is currently being discussed elsewhere, it’d have to be a non-corridor coach to avoid drunks spilling over into the rest of the train. Or alternately, employ some particularly burly bouncers to limit inebriated souls exiting to the rest of the train and underage drinkers chancing their luck entering the bar car. If it also served the usual Wetherspoons range of teas, coffees, non-alcoholic juices and nibbles then there could be a market for it beyond alcohol comsumption.

 

[mumrar]

I can't imagine a game of pool or snooker would be very competitive on a moving train. As soon as you hit a curve or a notable gradient the balls would be all over the shop. Imagine taking your shot and then rattling over a junction!