Drivers in the Cab

[Pengi]

I really wish that manufacturers would put a driver in the cab of trains as standard particularly EMUs/DMUs.

I can't imagine it would cost the earth to do it and it would just add a touch of realism without having to take the train apart to do it.

Trains can run without passengers but not a driver (apart from the DLR)

[Greybeema]

Couldn't agree more.  Especially when the cabs are glued in so you can't get in there yourself to put a driver in..

[Geoff]

Now if they did that they would charge more then we would moan the driver is in the wrong period uniform, maybe that is the reason.

[Newportnobby]

Couldn't agree more.  Especially when the cabs are glued in so you can't get in there yourself to put a driver in..

You've tried to get in there yourself?

Agree with Pengi, though. Even a legless generic type (don't drink and drive) would be better than nothing.

[dutchkev]

Just out of interest, which side does the driver sit ? I just stuck one in Class 24 and it got me wondering.

[Karhedron]

Which end do you put him though? If you only have one driver and an end-to-end layout, he will be in the wrong cab half the time. If you put drivers in both then you will always have a driver visible in the trailing cab.

Almost as wrong as no driver at all.

[dutchkev]

  ok, I will just have it parked up and he can be the cleaner 

[Cooper]

In Britain the driver is on the left hand side looking out from the front. If you put one in either end, the trailing one can always be a crew member hitching a ride home, or where no brake van on a fully fitted freight train from the late 70's, he could easily be the guard. When the loco changes direction, the identities swap! 

[mk1gtstu]

I like to put drivers in the cabs of my locos, I just put them in one end, on the locos with the pipework detailing they have to run in one direction anyway when hauling a train.





cheers, Stu.

[edwin_m]

On most modern units the conductor, when there is one, rides in the rear cab. 

[Ditape]

I would like to see Loco's supplied with drivers/crew or at least a easy way to install them.

[bridgiesimon]

I think that the biggest frustration with this is the 'glued in cab' issue as this not only causes an issue with adding a driver but also is problem for repainting models as well. I agree that at the very let, the cab areas should be accessable for the modeller, clip fit sort of thing. At least then a slap of paint and a driver can easily be added. Maybe with the race for additional details and accuracy, the addition of crews could be the next big thing, are you reading this Dapol/Grafar geezers?

best wishes
Simon

[James320]

I had this dilemma when I designed my first locomotive kit, I felt the only answer was to supply enough crew and let the modeller put them in if they wanted.  Here is one of the crew for my DT6-6-2000.....







I think he looks good sat in his cab!

James

[Pengi]

Couldn't agree more.  Especially when the cabs are glued in so you can't get in there yourself to put a driver in..

You've tried to get in there yourself?

Agree with Pengi, though. Even a legless generic type (don't drink and drive) would be better than nothing.

The drivers on the 'big railway' (that I have seen) wear suits. There are some differences in the colour of the shirts but then there are no SWT trains being produced by the manufacturers So a driver in a white shirt and a dark tie would probably cover a lot of the MI trains - particularly if the cab has darkened glass.

Very impressed with your drivers in the cab, James and Stu That is the sort of thing we need.

[sparky]

Why not have cab doors that actually open....