The Gympie North Service

[bladesplace]

Hi all,

I was running past Fortitude Valley station this morning, and out of habit looked at the PIDs. This mornings service to Gympie North was showing as being a 3 Car unit...

Anyone happen to know what worked this service today? I can just imagine a SMU or even a EMU being sent up there for hours today.. Hooray for no toilets.

[ozbob]

They do use a 3 car IMU now and again. 

[Arnz]

It's been a 3-car IMU for the past few days.  Same with 3-car IMU working the ICE roster that's usually allocated to the AM and PM counter-peak Nambour-Caboolture shuttle services.  The ICEs will probably be back on those runs soon when they're out of the maintenance sheds.

[tazzer9]

Is the use of the IMU's on the gympie runs the reason for a few gold coast services being operated by the older smu's and emu's.  Also, arent there enough ICE units to make 4 train consists.  The timetable works so only 2 are needed (3 usually used).  one for the gympie trains and one for the shuttle.      Or is the maintenance thing just a story to cover up the dwindling ICE competent crews.

[Stillwater]

Won't there be an ICE set freed up once services begin the Kippa Ring and shuttles between Cab. and Nbr ends?  Maybe chance of shuttles Nbr to Gympie North.   

[Arnz]

Is the use of the IMU's on the gympie runs the reason for a few gold coast services being operated by the older smu's and emu's.  Also, arent there enough ICE units to make 4 train consists.  The timetable works so only 2 are needed (3 usually used).  one for the gympie trains and one for the shuttle.      Or is the maintenance thing just a story to cover up the dwindling ICE competent crews.

It's common knowledge that the ICEs are the least reliable in the fleet due to currently performing jobs they are not designed for (considering they were originally built for the Rockhampton run pre-Tilt train).  Shortage of ICE qualified crew could also be a reason considering the ICEs days are reportedly numbered. 

Assumably after the first batch of of the NGR is delivered to replace the problematic 3-car peak services and perhaps some growth, the next batch will probably start to replace some of the EMUs and ICEs as more NGR are delivered.

[petey3801]

Actually, I believe there are now more ICE qualified crews than ever before. Many Mayne crews have been trained up in ICE for more flexibility of rostering and shunting in the service shed etc.

[Arnz]

^ Thanks for the update.

Have noticed more female guards taking on the daytime Gympie North service of late.  Does the tuckerbox shift still exist for Mayne crews?

[Stillwater]

What is the future of the ICE sets?  Comfortable retirement?  Scrap and recycling into bicycle parts?  How many more years do they have in service?

[tazzer9]

What is the future of the ICE sets?  Comfortable retirement?  Scrap and recycling into bicycle parts?  How many more years do they have in service?

I think they would make a good loco hauled train.  It wouldn't cost too much to stick on Fully DDA compliant doors in the driving control cars and to make the other doors power operated for opening and fix the other smaller things thats broken on them.   They aren't old trains, and have been very underutilized. 

There main issue is their driving based electronics.   Nearly all there problems go away when hauled a loco.    Stick an electric loco on the front and continue them on the gympie service.     Having something like this would be handy for things like trialling services west of rosewood.

[Stillwater]

You make a good point about ICE sets as future loco-hauled services west of Rosewood.

[petey3801]

^ Thanks for the update.

Have noticed more female guards taking on the daytime Gympie North service of late.  Does the tuckerbox shift still exist for Mayne crews?

Nope, tuckerbox job went a couple years ago. There is now a small crew depot at Gympie North for the Gympie runnings.

[Stillwater]

While they still have a few more years life left, should we look to a replacement for the ICE train sets, or will the next generation trains serve the purpose?  Would loco-hauled ICE be feasible beyond Rosewood?  Is there a role for longish-distance trains (as opposed to Tilts to Rocky and Bundy)?  Too many types of trains in the fleet a problem re maintenance?  Should we be having a discussion?

[tazzer9]

Once Beerburrum to nambour is duplicated and realigned, and a few duplications and realignments between nambour and gympie are done.  Any IMU should be able to do the Gympie run fine.  Once that is done, brisbane - gympie will be less than 2 hours, so no need for anything special.  In fact, once the realignments gets past a certain stage (i would say full realignment to yandina), using the ICE would make the service worse as it will be slower.

[BrizCommuter]

Once Beerburrum to nambour is duplicated and realigned, and a few duplications and realignments between nambour and gympie are done.  Any IMU should be able to do the Gympie run fine.  Once that is done, brisbane - gympie will be less than 2 hours, so no need for anything special.  In fact, once the realignments gets past a certain stage (i would say full realignment to yandina), using the ICE would make the service worse as it will be slower.

The ICEs will be retired years before there is any re-alignment between Beerburrum and Nambour.

[Arnz]

The ICEs are already included alongside the EMUs in the recent state government tender to dispose of the EMU and ICE fleets. 

No word on whether one of the EMUs will be kept for preservation.

https://www.hpw.qld.gov.au/qtenders/tender/display/tender-details.do?id=15695&action=display-tender-details

[mufreight]

Time for those with an interest in the preservation of first generation electric rollingstock to put their hands up, the 3900's are history so one of the first generation EMU sets to be preserved and one of the ICE sets.
Both could see service in the heritage fleet, spare parts to ensure their operational ability could be sourced from sets that are scrapped, it is unlikely that they will find new homes overseas so scrapping looks like their fate.