Ecs ?

[T163R]

Hi

I know that an ECS train is a train without passengers, but what does ECS stand for ? Empty to Carriage Sidings ?

 

[krus_aragon]

That'll be Empty Coaching Stock

 

[T163R]

Okay, thanks

 

[O L Leigh]

As above.

Where I work we tend to refer to an ECS working as "Cars", as in "Take that unit cars to Ilford". Not sure where the phrase originated, though.

O L Leigh

 

[Old Timer]

The phrase "cars" dates back to the Midland Railway and their Pullman vehicles which were known as "cars" and in BR days we used to refer to Kitchen Cars, Restaurant Cars, and Buffet Cars (RK, RFO, RMB, etc, etc)

DMUs and EMUs were not referred to formally as cars in language and documentation, except I believe, uniquely on the GE. Indeed Ilford Depot used to be known as "Ilford Car Sheds, and the signalbox bore that name also.

Outside the GE although we would refer to the formation of DMUs and EMUs as being x cars, we still referred to them as "units" or ECS. For example our depot shunter would say that he had an 8 car EMU to go to wherever, or we would warn a station that today an 8-car EMU was running as a 4-car or vice versa.

 

[O L Leigh]

Ah, no. I think you may have misunderstood.

I was referring to "cars" as a slang phrase for an ECS working. Therefore if you were taking an empty unit to the depot or carriage sidings you would say that you were "working it cars" or "going cars to [wherever]".

O L Leigh

 

[kentuckytony]

Interesting.

In the USofA, we always refer to a railroad rather than railway - and all the non-motorized vehicles as cars. No slang intended.
Even our tram vehicles are mostly referred to as streetcars.

Of course we have specific names for various cars - tankers, gondolas, Pullman, reefers, etc., etc.
Non-passenger service is referred to as freight rather than goods.

[Most probably know all this, but just thought I would post - hopefully without being pedantic.]

 

[westcoaster]

As above.

Where I work we tend to refer to an ECS working as "Cars", as in "Take that unit cars to Ilford". Not sure where the phrase originated, though.

O L Leigh

Over the midland we say empty cars to xxxxxxx.

I think it is just shorthand instead of saying empty carriages to xxxxx, it's just empty cars to xxxxxxxx.

 

[Old Timer]

Ah, no. I think you may have misunderstood.

I was referring to "cars" as a slang phrase for an ECS working. Therefore if you were taking an empty unit to the depot or carriage sidings you would say that you were "working it cars" or "going cars to [wherever]".

O L Leigh

No I had picked up on that. I never heard the expression used outside of the GE before or after in BR days, other than to describe unit formations.

The other point was that one of the Ilford boxes was called Ilford Car Sheds.

Since I posted yesterday I recalled that the former North Tyne Loop electric stock used to be called cars, and the depot was called Gosforth Car Sheds. This replaced the original Walkergate Car Sheds.

 

[142094]

Since I posted yesterday I recalled that the former North Tyne Loop electric stock used to be called cars, and the depot was called Gosforth Car Sheds. This replaced the original Walkergate Car Sheds.

That's right, Gosforth was opened after a fire at Walkergate (Heaton these days) which destroyed the depot and a lot of the stock contained in it. Funnily enough the Metros are still formally referred to as Metrocars, although I don't know how widespread the use of Gosforth Car Shed is now, everyone just calls it "the depot".

 

[O L Leigh]

The other point was that one of the Ilford boxes was called Ilford Car Sheds.

The depot is still referred to as such, although not officially.

O L Leigh

 

[iphone76]

Funny enough, there is a really nice driver on the GE side (Southminster/Southend) who usually announces when we arrive at Liverpool Street to all change and take our belongings with us as the train will run Empty Coaches (or possibly cars/carriages) to the sidings.

 

[Old Timer]

The depot is still referred to as such, although not officially.
O L Leigh

Thanks for that chap, nice to hear some of the old BR (GER) practices continue.

So what is Ilford Car Sheds called these days then ?

 

[321446]

Thanks for that chap, nice to hear some of the old BR (GER) practices continue.

So what is Ilford Car Sheds called these days then ?

National Express Ilford Train Maintenance Depot.

 

[jon0844]

National Express Ilford Train Maintenance Depot.

Much snappier.

 

[rail-britain]

In Scotland, I only ever heard of "taking the set empty" no matter what it was, even just a loco!

 

[The Barlow Boy]

The understanding that I've always had is that multiple unit stock tended to be referred to as having X number of cars. in the same vein the drivers of which weren't drivers but Motormen. Pullmans were referred to as cars owing to their American origins, railroad coaches there are always referred to as cars. I believe that cars was an old Great Eastern Railway term for empty coaching stock in general in a slang sort of way.