New SMU 260 - 280 / IMU 160 - 180 series sightings

[yobborobbo21]

Managed to get a ride on 261-262 from Robina this morning to the city and also spotted 263 on a Roma St service at Central possibly on a service from Nambour ex Petrie due to trackworks. Good to see them out and put the EMU's to bed for the weekend lol

[ozbob]

Good to see them on services.  The EMUs and SMU200s were toiling away on the Ipswich Caboolture runs as usual.

I felt that it would have been also good to run SMU260s on some of the extra services from Ipswich for the air train crowd. BT made sure that they had some brand new artics on the shuttles (photos --> here! ) .  It would have been good PR for QR too don't you think?

[yobborobbo21]

They could've even put some IMUs out there. Did notice more older SMUs on the Caboolture line today.

[O_128]

I really wish that Qr wouldnt use the new SMUs on the robina run if there are no IMUs give them an emu or older SMU Gold coast should not be a priority run just because of the tourists.

[brad C]

It's hot days like today that one appreciates the EMU rollingstock.
It's not rocket science -  the a/c on the SMUs and IMUs does not function. It is poorly designed to seep out at the top of the windows leaving the rest of the car airless.
One can feel the oppressive atmosphere upon entry to the carriages.
Why would anyone want to travel in these carriages - I avoid them like the plague.
And has anyone else noticed that with the all carpet saloons of the SMU Mk2, that they also stink!!
Long live the EMUs!!!!!
Don't get me started on the klaxon horns.
Brad C

[yobborobbo21]

And has anyone else noticed that with the all carpet saloons of the SMU Mk2, that they also stink!!
Long live the EMUs!!!!!
Brad C

Every time i get an EMU it smells like a urinal lol

[O_128]

The only thing worse than the smell is when you get one of those seats that isnt attached and keeps sliding forward when you stop.

[ozbob]

I came home on EMU 40 this evening.  Nice and cool ... 

Got to agree about those seats that slide, crikey, drives me batty ...

[stephenk]

Got to agree about those seats that slide, crikey, drives me batty ...

They should have been replaced with (less likely to fall apart) moulded seats as found in Melbourne during refurb.

[yobborobbo21]

Got to agree about those seats that slide, crikey, drives me batty ...

They should have been replaced with (less likely to fall apart) moulded seats as found in Melbourne during refurb.

Those seats are terrible, they're either dusty or sticky 

[mufreight]

Some public prosecutions of those who unclip the seats from the bases would help solve the problem, the current seats are relatively comfortable compared to hard moulded seats and QR does a pretty good job of keeping them up to the mark despite the actions of the Randal the Vandal group who also seem to think that scratched windows make your train commute more pleasurable.

[Derwan]

Saw 266 going through Central yesterday as a "Test Train".   

[O_128]

Saw SMU 264 at Hemmant this morning [cleveland outbound] with Test Train ont he front also saw SMU 261-262 pair at buranda this arvo at around 3:37 this is a ferny grove train is is ususlally a SMU260 or an IMU

[mufreight]

Last week on radio the Premier stated that one new train is being delivered each month, her train is a three car set and in any case it has taken some 8 months to see two sets (one six car train) in service so it will be interesting to see how long it takes to get 263/264 into regular service.

[O_128]

SMU 263-264 are now in service spotted at 7:20am at wynnum station heading to cleveland moderate loading around a 3

[Derwan]

267 is at Mayne (with 266).

[O_128]

267 and 266 were testing tody on te clevead lie

[mufreight]

Lost, SMU 265, has anyone sighted this unit of late rumored to have been returned to Marybrough.

[Arnz]

267 and 266 were testing tody on te clevead lie

266 was reported to be on the Nambour/Cooroy 11am service on Monday.

[O_128]

yeah they were at hemmant @ around 7am

[stephenk]

Is this turning into a train spotters forum?

[mufreight]

With all due respect to Stephenk and his post this thread is SMU sightings as to the site becoming a train spotters forum I think not, but there is interest in the introduction into service of the new SMU units considering the delays to this time that make the claims by the Premier of one 3 car train set per month, at this time there has not been a set per month and the deliveries and placement into service is running well behind what we have been led to believe by both the Premier and the Minister hence the interest.

[Mozz]

I appreciate the spotting of the new train sets as has been indicated here, it helps to keep a bit of honesty in the process of promoting new trains that may or may not actually be used for the transportation of commuters. Can't say I am that impressed with QR telling another member on the site that sometime "early" in 2009 there will be an extra two trains on the Ipswich/Cab line when there haven't been any additional services for 7 years before Monday (insert chant .... why are we waiting.... why are we waiting.....) or will the definition of "early 2009 = the promise of additional services on the Ipswich line in March 2007 which I suppose was satisfied on Monday mid October 2008 with a single extra service before 6am.

Media reports of the GM of QR passenger services explaining away latent demand (commuters left behind because the trains are too full to board) as an issue of "commuter choice" whether to barge onto a fully overloaded train or wait the for next train doesn't help the current situation. It has been indicated by others who appear to have the credentials to know that 1200 + passengers on a 6 carriage unit is beyond what is considered safe from an engineering and passenger safety perspective. 

Last Friday at Central station early, before the afternoon peak I made this decision, not to board what was an overcrowded train (because it was late running) based on the information provided by the station monitors, only to find that the next train/s were also significantly delayed and not much assistance provided by the speaker voice announcements.

[mufreight]

It would appear that it is no coincidence that following the ongoing comments on this website that the SMU sets have started to be introduced into service, untill the threads highlighting the fact that new SMU sets were sitting idle and had been for some months there was an obvious recitence to bring the new sets into service so it woulds appear that as a group we have contributed to the introduction into service of the new SMU sets.
Additional services and additional track capacxity needed to operate them are the next topics that we should promote for the benefit of all but your comments and ideas have contributed to public knowledge of what can be so give yourselves a pat on the back and keep your opinions and ideas comming.

[ozbob]

I spotted an SMU (267) + another, running empty down at Toowong tonight about 8.30pm.

Might have been returning from an Ipswich service!

Yo!!

[Derwan]

I trust Stephen was joking.   

I agree with mufreight that we're highlighting the fact that the first trains had been completed since April or earlier (based on the photos I took at Maryborough).  It took until August before the first sightings and introduction of the units.  That's 4 months.

Now we're seeing the units that I photographed at Maryborough in September being introduced within about a month.  That's a significant improvement.

I think this thread is/should be used for keeping up-to-date on the introduction of the new 260 series units - when they're first sighted, when they're seen in testing and then when they're seen in use.  It will create a timeline on how quickly (or otherwise) the units are being introduced into service.

[ozbob]

Reported elsewhere that SMU263 was spotted at Rosewood at 4pm 14th Oct waiting to depart on an Ipswich service.

[stephenk]

I trust Stephen was joking.   

I'm glad someone noticed!

[ozbob]

SMU263/264  UP Oxley 12.30pm  Saturday 25th.

[brismike]

Off topic . . but has anyone ever seen EMU Unit 05? I have seen and probably ridden every one of them except for that one. Was it one of the ones that was involved in the Trinder Park Collision in the 1980's? If it was, was it withdrawn from Service? Just curious lol.

[ozbob]

Found this Mike

A freight train derailed and collided into empty sets EMU05 and EMU60 at Petrie in 2001, leading to one set being salvaged from three carriages as EMU60.

http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Electric-multiple-unit

Cheers
Bob

PS EMU 03 the air con wasn't working this week in the lead unit!

[O_128]

I was on the second 3 car set that was paired to EMU 1 a few days ago and was sitting in the last carrige. the gurds compartemnt at the back of the trai was wide open as the door is broken any one could of easily walked in there.

[brad C]

The consist of set 60 is the guard and middle car from the original set 60 and the driver car is that from set 05.
Look at the panelling above the windows on the sets - the original 13 EMU sets features smooth panelling above the windows and doors whilst sets 14 -88 have ribbed panelling in that location.
Another bit of trivia is that set 60 was originally set 80 (the last of the 6 motor or 60 class sets constructed).
It was renumbered 60 when infill sets 41 -59 were completed.
Set 80 forms part of the '80' series sets which have a higher powered radio and were the mainstay of the Nambour services for many years.
Leading sets on the commissioning trains during the electrification roll out included:

Darra - Ferny Grove - sets 01,03,04 (9 car)
Darra to Ipswich - set 12
Shorncliffe to Kingston - set 30 (featuring at that time orange livery)
Northgate to  Petrie - set 36
Park Road to Thorneside - set 40
Kingston to Beenleigh - sets 62/64
Petrie to Caboolture sets 86,85,83 (9 car)

Long live the EMUs!!!!   

[O_128]

can somone please get a pic of the EMU in orange livery?

[Derwan]

267 was alone at Mayne this morning. 266 may have been put into service?

[Arnz]

266 has been in service for a bit now, it was reported at Nambour not too long ago, and 267 was reported coming back to the depot from Ipswich in the evening not too long ago.

[O_128]

i got EMU 66 [though i was at the back in 65 with no buttons] and SMU 202 on the way homew 66/65 is very good and seems quieter

[Derwan]

It's so nice to dig up this thread again.

SMU268/269 spotted as "Test Train" going through Roma St yesterday afternoon around 4:15pm.

SMU268 was seen almost complete at EDI Rail back in September.  It's probably been sitting up at Maryborough Station for a while.

[brismike]

Just wondering if there have ever been any mixed workings? Such as a 3 car EMU connected to a 3 car SMU? I have never seen it myself but is there a chance it has ever happened? 

[Derwan]

Just wondering if there have ever been any mixed workings? Such as a 3 car EMU connected to a 3 car SMU? I have never seen it myself but is there a chance it has ever happened? 

EMU's are regularly coupled with ICE... looking very ugly.

Other than that, the only one I've seen was an empty 12-car train (6-car EMU and 6-car SMU together) heading through Central presumably returning to the depot.  Perhaps one of the trains broke down?  Or could it be a common thing?

I understand the couplings are compatible but perhaps they use different systems that aren't entirely compatible for use with passengers aboard?

Or maybe it's just because they'd look ugly!!