Rollingstock for Citytrain services - enough?

[ozbob]

BrizCommuter: New Trains, but Not Enough

The good news - the Queensland Government will fund new trains for Queensland Rail's CityTrain network, to be build in Maryborough. The bad news - not enough trains have been ordered.

So why do we need more trains?

The current CityTrain timetable has relatively few spare trains, requiring 40 year old EMUs to keep running to cover NGR train modifications.
Unreliable and ageing ICE and SMU200 trains are likely to be retired soon.

Approximately 7 additional trains are required to make optimal use of the existing train network pre-CRR and ETCS.

Approximately 40 additional trains were required to meet the (now impossible) service proposals in the Cross River Rail business case.

Approximately 25 trains are required to meet the "best case" outcomes for Cross River Rail based on infrastructure available in 2025.

The initial order has has been placed at just 20 6-car trains. Taking into account the replacement of some ageing and unreliable trains, this may leave a net increase of just 12 new trains for Cross River Rail's opening. This adds to the evidence that Cross River Rail's rail operations are a shambles, and that there won't be "More Trains, More Often" to most SE Queensland commuters when Cross River Rail opens in 2025.

Whilst there is an option for 45 additional trains, there isn't a great track record of adding to train orders in the last 2 decades, and by 2025 the IMU100 fleet will be nearing 30 years of age as well. 4 years is a very short period to design, build, test, and implement new trains before Cross River Rail opens, and it is thus likely Cross River Rail could open with no more trains than at present!

It can be pretty much guaranteed that if you are expecting any significant improvement to train services in Brisbane and SE Queensland during the next 5 years, and possibly even the next decade, then you will most likely be very disappointed.

[ozbob]

https://www.queenslandrail.com.au/aboutus/organisation/citytrain-fleet

EMU 29 x 3 car (latest known information)

SMU 200 12 x 3 car

SMU 220  30 x 3 car

SMU 260  36 x 3 car

IMU 100   10 x 3 car

IMU 120    4 x 3 car

IMU 160   28 x 3 car

ICE  - now out of service

====

NGR 75 x 6 car - a variable number of these will be not in service for DDA upgrades and ETCS fitout up to 2025.

[ozbob]

Just a reminder where train numbers sit.

Why was it reduced to 75 6-Car Units?

- We know that the 100, 120, 200 and 220 Series are being overhauled/upgraded as part of a mid-life extension program.  This can be seen in the recent transfer of SMU 202 and 210 to Walkers/Downer in Maryborough.  That's 28 6-Car Units (10+4+12+30 3-Car Units) accounted for.
- We know the 160 and 260 Series will also undergo some form of upgrade program. That's 32 6-Car Units (28+36 3-Car Units) accounted for.
- We know the EMU is being withdrawn and that's 43.5 6-Car Units (or 87 3-Car Units).
- We know the ICE is being withdrawn and that's 4 6-Car Units (or 8 'Power Pair').
- That's a total of 107.5 6-Car Units.

After the retirements of all EMU and ICE and the addition of the 700 Series, there will be a total of 135 6-Car Units.

QR trumpeted a fleet increase of 30 percent which equates to a total of 140 6-Car Units.  The bean counters have obviously found fleet management/allocation savings of 5 6-Car Units some where in their little balance sheet.

So there will be 75 NGRs (6 car) and 60 other QR fleet six car trains.

The NGRs will have to run in CRR because of the ATP requirements, and grade issues.

It is possible that the Ferny Grove line may never see NGRs in routine revenue service until more trains are ordered.

So with the retirement of EMU and ICE the net  fleet gain with the 75 NGRs is only 25.6%.

+ NNGRs 20 six car trains equals over all gain of 44%

There is some doubt about the serviceability of the SMU 200 class.