Limited-Clear wrote:The SLV cars have no more noise levels than the SLIV cars, it is just now you all get to experience what the engineers have suffered for years and years, it is not Septa that your beef should be with (if you have one), the design was forced by the FRA, internal design such as the closet the engineer sits in is certainly Septas fault, but overall design (where doors are and no vestibules) that's the FRA. Make a car the the NJT multis and you lose even more seating space. The do have vestibules ends but the seating area is reduced
I do agree that many of the sources of noise on the V, such as the doors, the closing beeps, the signal buzzers, scraping and grinding noises at the end of the car, wind noise, etc. are absolutely due to the FRA's mandated designs. But the Vs have a much louder HVAC system, and the ambient noise level is absolutely higher than on a IV -- especially if you count visual noise, such as the over-bright lights (in my opinion) and the blinking advertisements on the screens.
SEPTA's hands are tied on the FRA-mandates, of course -- but in this rider's opinion, there is plenty that could be done to make the ride on the V a better experience. Backing down on the lighting intensity a bit, warmer interior colors, more pleasant sounds (the BSL has much nicer pre-recorded announcements and doors-closing chimes), floor coverings that don't look filthy all the time, better padding on the seats (like the push-pull coaches), more static advertisements (as opposed to videos, and with less frequent changes) -- these are all doable enhancements that benefit the riders.
I am not sure why, but from what I read here, it seems like folks -- both at SEPTA and on this board -- are more interested in getting in personal attacks and p-ssing matches than actually solving the problems with the Vs (and there
are problems).
It's distressing, because there's a lot to like about the Vs -- smooth acceleration and braking, for example -- and there's a lot that can be fixed.
