# MISC | Aesthetics



## Sopomon (Oct 2, 2010)

This is /not/ a 'best looking _____' thread.

Discussion on aesthetic trends and indicators in rolling stock, infrastructure and stations is totally fine. 

By which I mean that it's possible to see a completely different design style between Siemens, Alsthom and Bombardier-built trains. 

Also as much as it's possible to see nationwide infrastructure design characteristics.





















Interesting to see one of the few examples of the Japanese design style continuing to exist when a rail vehicle has been produced for the US. It's a shame that Rotem hasn't decided to give Denver's new cars a distinctly Korean look.


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## M-NL (Sep 18, 2012)

One interesting visual feature are the head lights. In NA a large center light with 2 smaller ditch lights is common. In western continental Europe 3 identical headlights with the middle light either over or under the windscreen is common. In eastern continental Europe the setup is pretty much the same, but with a bigger center light. The UK is interesting because they run a normal headlight on the right and only a marker light on the left. And of course there is Japan were you have trains with one up to 4 headlights.

Same for the doors: European manufacturers prefer plug doors whereas outside Europe the sliding door looks more common.


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## Sopomon (Oct 2, 2010)

^^ Although on the shinkansen there appears to be no set rules and headlights are placed wherever?


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## aquaticko (Mar 15, 2011)

I'd find it interesting to note any design differences which stem from different patterns of use among different geographical regions. This seems a more likely cause for aesthetic distinctiveness than the country of a manufacturer's origin, considering that most major rolling stock manufacturers sell to international clients, and of course that most places have their own (relatively) unique set of laws for trains they operate.

However, it might be even more interesting to note the ways in which a company's aesthetics, which presumably appear most strongly in vehicles made for respective domestic consumption, influence the ways in which they adapt or design their trains to international use.

For example, does a particular design characteristic of Japanese trains end up changing the way a Japanese manufacturer adapts its trains for sale in, say, Turkey or Australia?


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## K_ (Jan 5, 2010)

An interesting difference between Europe and the US is that in Europe Cab cars used in push-pull consists are often made to look similar to locomotive cabs. 

A good example is this:

















However in the US this appears rather uncommon. This is what a typical bi-level cab car looks like:









Although with the new Hyundai-Rotem cars this has changed:


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