Queensland Parliament: Question without notice 25 Nov 2008 - Citytrain Network

[ozbob]

From the Queensland Parliamentary Hansard. 

Questions without notice 25th November 2008.

Citytrain Network

Mr LEE: My question was to be to the transport minister. He is not here, so I will refer my question
without notice to the Premier. Premier, I refer to the minister?s answer to my question on notice of 8
October 2008 in which he explained that the government has no plans to decommission any Citytrain
units over the next five years. Premier, as trains age they become less reliable, inefficient and more
prone to breakdowns. Since the government plans to subject commuters to inefficient older trains for at
least the next five years, when will the government invest in enough trains to allow for the retirement of
older inefficient train units without compromising services?

Ms BLIGH: I thank the honourable member for the question. The government?s strategy in
relation to maintaining as many trains as possible on the Citytrain network is very straightforward.
Firstly, we have a very large commitment to additional train sets on the network. We are delivering a
new, I think it is, three-carriage set on the network at a rate of one a month every month for the next two
years?so 24 over the next two years, on average one a month. Some of these are already on the
network and they are already making a difference with new services.

Secondly, the member is right. Like everything else, over the life of a carriage it will require
increased maintenance, it will require refurbishment and eventually it will need to be retired. There are a
number of programs to ensure that the carriages on our network are up to the job. They are subject to
mayor refurbishments to ensure that they get maximum life out of them.

Mr Lucas: They?re stainless steel. They?ll last forever.

Ms BLIGH: I take the interjection from the Deputy Premier, who is the acting minister for transport
at the moment, who makes the very valid point that our train carriages are made out of stainless steel.

Mr Lucas: They?re made to last.

Ms BLIGH: We have actually moved on from the steam trains with the wooden carriages that had
a much more limited life in the very exposed weather conditions. The stainless steel carriages that we
now have on our system have a very long life. They do from time to time need major refurbishment.
They get that when they need it. So the strategy is clear: put as many trains as we can on, make sure
we are looking after the ones that we have, and make sure we are bringing on new ones?and that is
what we are doing.

[stephenk]

The car bodies may be designed to last, but I doubt the things that wear out such as bogies, suspension, motors, door mechanisms, air cn, other electrical and mechanical fittings will "last forever". Whilst these can be replaced, it comes to the point at which it is more cost effective to build new trains. The numbers of failing motors, doors, and seats that fall apart makes me think that QR's maintenance is either not up to scratch, or the EMUs are nearing their use by date.

[mufreight]

Refurbishments and overhauls with equipment change outs can maintain rollingstock indefinately although some equipment does have a design life but it is generally components that have a design life that can be replaced by upgraded equipment making the life of the rollingstock indefinate.
It would not be unreasonable for EMU type rollingstock with refurbishments and upgrades to last in service for 60 + years.

[brad C]

Given the number of ICE cars now residing in the 'elephant's graveyard' at Mayne, and the fact that there is really only one run of ICE cars on a daily basis to Gympie North, methinks that these will be withdrawn long before any of the EMU stock.
With the progressive maxi overhauls of the EMUs, they re-enter service in almost new condition and are extremely comfortable.
I prefer them over the SMUs anyday!!!
It is disappointing that seats are now an easy target for unclipping and there is little that can be done to stop the window glass being etched.
However even the SMU series are susceptible to this senseless vandalism and are looking tired particularly the all carpet versions.

The SX/SXA cars entered traffic between 1961 and 1964 and were withdrawn totally (and some would say shortsightedly) in 1998.
Some sets have received maxi overhauls and refurbishments in their new life in New Zealand and look great.
In this regard, I would not write off the EMU stock just yet.

[mufreight]

The ICE rollingstock has plenty of life in it yet and with upgrades and refurbshments could be used on any increased services on the main north or the coast line, the future could see this rollingstock used to provide through services from Gatton to Landsbrough or Nambour should sanity prevail and the electrification is extended west from Rosewood to Gatton.
At present they still serve as backup units for Brisbanr Rockhampton services

[Arnz]

I've read from the railpage forum that the ICE no longer serves as the tilt train backup, and should any of the 2 ETTs fails, buses are to be used.

But yes, with the North Coast Line duplications, and through the inner-city city study and previous studies, increased Landsborough/Nambour services will be in the form of new IMUs, not ICEs.  Instead suggesting ICEs be used on any increased services north to Cooroy/Gympie.

[O_128]

Maybe when the eventual retirement of the ICEs and the tilt trains are being replaces in the next 10-15 years the tilt trains will probably run gympie services.Also I'd say the EMUs will be progressively retired starting with the least reliable ones.though the new push button EMUs may have another 20 years left in them.There also comes a point in time where the question is should a modern growing city such as Brisbane be using such old rolling stock? The new SMUs and IMUs only have a recommended lifespan of years and i can imagine that in 10 years they will be faded and the plastic cracking.