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

[mufreight]

ICEs will still be doing Gympie North runs, as well as the weekend short Nambour-Caboolture runs (2 sets a day)

From what I understand, IMU hand-me-downs from the GC Line (100/120 series) may find their way on selected off-peak/weekend expresses to Nambour.  As one poster pointed out earlier, there are platform height issues with the ICEs at the stations between Northgate and Bowen Hills.  Which may leave ICEs with less scheduled work under the proposed timetable.

I personally still think that Peak-Hour Nambour services should be lumped in with Gympie as it's own sector (since Gympie is treated as a separate sector in the draft timetable) in peak hour (eg running on the suburbans), but that's another issue for different thread/s.

Another slice of misinformation, the carriage floor heights are the same for all EMU, ICE, SMU and IMU rolling stock so if platform heights are a safety issue for the ICE sets than they must also be an issue of the same magnitude for the 100/120 series IMU sets.  Facts beat fiction every time.

[Arnz]

Albion and Eagle Junction has curved platforms.   I'm not sure how the gap between the ICE and curved low-level platforms are.

High Level curved platforms had caused issues for the ICEs in the past when they used to operate to Robina on a regular basis for the Afternoon service (and return from Robina to Gympie North) over 10 years ago.  They had to have transit officers guarding each door for the Beenleigh-Robina leg IIRC.

[Arnz]

On a on-topic note, SMU285 is now in service.  It lead SMU268 on the 12:39pm non-toilet Nambour flyer today.

[Train Controller]

SMU 286 (Santa train decals still in place) and SMU 288 are now in revenue traffic

[Derwan]

I guess there will be a minor delay for deliveries with the flooding at Maryborough.  The new finishing area (photos a few posts back) is now under water.  (I hope none of our trains were there at the time!)  Most of the track between EDI Rail and Maryborough Station is under water.

[Derwan]

I was in Maryborough last weekend.  291 was outside EDI Rail along with carriages of 296.  (It was in the same spot in November - so perhaps it went to Brisbane and back again.) 

293, 294 and 273 were in the finishing area.  (I don't know why 273 was there.  Perhaps it was sent back for some reason.  That won't be able to happen if EDI doesn't get the next contract!!) 

292 was at the commissioning area at Maryborough West.

[Arnz]

273 was sent back for repairs.  It was involved in that Strathpine level crossing bungle with a truck a few weeks back.

If I recall the truck driver only escaped with minor injuries, will stand corrected otherwise.

[Derwan]

273 was sent back for repairs.

Ah - that makes sense.  It's handy having the manufacture just up the road. 

[ClintonL94]

Did you spot 287 in Maryborough? 286, 288-290 are in Brisbane.

[Derwan]

I'm sure I've seen 287 in revenue service or at Mayne.  I could be mistaken.

[petey3801]

Did you spot 287 in Maryborough? 286, 288-290 are in Brisbane.

287 is in service, as is 289. They are currently coupled together, and from what I saw this morning, will be on the Airport-Gold Coast corridor today.

[mufreight]

Did you spot 287 in Maryborough? 286, 288-290 are in Brisbane.

287 is in service, as is 289. They are currently coupled together, and from what I saw this morning, will be on the Airport-Gold Coast corridor today.

These are SMU's not IMU sets, there is seemingly a need for more IMU sets to operate not only the Gold Coast services but also services beyond Caboolture on the North Coast Line where the majority of services operated are not toilet equiped.   

[ozbob]

SMU292 running through platform 4 Darra







Photographs R Dow 14th March 2011

[Derwan]

Another trip to Maryborough.  Not much happening.  291 was still outside EDI Rail along with a completed 290.

These are SMU's not IMU sets, there is seemingly a need for more IMU sets to operate not only the Gold Coast services but also services beyond Caboolture on the North Coast Line where the majority of services operated are not toilet equiped.   

One carriage of 183 was also outside of EDI Rail, so looks like more IMU's are on the way. 

[ClintonL94]

SMU 292 is now in service - it was on a Gold Coast run today.

[ozbob]

SMU 290/293 UP Darra around 2.15pm today, Test Train desto ...

[Arnz]

SMU291 replacing the ICE on the early morning Nambour express, followed by Nambour-Caboolture shuttle duties today. 

Seems a waste for any train (ICE or otherwise) rostered on this shift to waste 3hrs in the Caboolture yard between shuttle runs (arr Cab 1207, dep Cab 1553).  Fortunately one of few positives of the new Sunshine Coast timetables gets rid of this anomaly.

[ozbob]

New SMU test train Central



Photograph R Dow 13th April 2011

[ClintonL94]

SMU 290/293 UP Darra around 2.15pm today, Test Train desto ...

293 now in Service... Was at Beenleigh this afternoon awaiting departure of a Ferny Grove service

[ClintonL94]

SMU 294 was sighted yesterday morning at Beenleigh servicing the 08:29 Beenleigh - Bowen Hills Express. Only 2 more SMUs for this contract!

[ozbob]

A new SMU295 at Roma St heading off to the Gold Coast



Photograph R Dow 6th June 2011

[ozbob]

In fact onboard SMU295 at the moment, 6.35am service ex Goodna for town.  Running 6 minutes late, this is the first morning peak express pattern in from Darra.  Windows not yet scratched.

[Arnz]

SMU296 now in service.  296 was paired with 262 operating the 8:30am Roma Street-Nambour service (ex-Richlands)

[Arnz]

IMU183 now in service (of yesturday morning).  Seen yesturday morning operating the early service up to Nambour.

[Arnz]

IMU184 is now in service.  Sighted substituting for the ICE on the counter-peak Nambour shuttles at Caboolture this morning at 7:50am.

[Fares_Fair]

well spotted Arnz.

Regards,
Fares_Fair,

[mufreight]

The deliveries of the current build of SMU sets now seems to be complete with the final IMU sets under construction.
As there will be no deliveries of the next generation electric rolling stock, be they configured for SMU or IMU servuce, for at least another four years would it not be prudent to continue to drip feed more sets as in the current build at the rate of six sets per year,
3 IMU and 3 SMU configuration, these additional sets would give the capability to add additional services as needed to meet demand growth over the four year gap with the IMU sets easing the problems presently encountered due to of the frequent  unavaliability of toilet equiped trains for the longer distance services to Nambour and Gympie North.

[somebody]

The deliveries of the current build of SMU sets now seems to be complete with the final IMU sets under construction.
As there will be no deliveries of the next generation electric rolling stock, be they configured for SMU or IMU servuce, for at least another four years would it not be prudent to continue to drip feed more sets as in the current build at the rate of six sets per year,
3 IMU and 3 SMU configuration, these additional sets would give the capability to add additional services as needed to meet demand growth over the four year gap with the IMU sets easing the problems presently encountered due to of the frequent  unavaliability of toilet equiped trains for the longer distance services to Nambour and Gympie North.

I disagree.

Firstly, there are still a 3 more IMU units to come, hopefully this will be enough to get toilet equipped trains on all Nambour/GYN/VL services.

Secondly, the timetable still has a Nambour-Richlands, a Nambour-Ipswich and a Richlands-Nambour run in the AM peak, re-writing the timetable such that the IMUs do not need to make these Ipswich line runs would free them up.  However, I think the SMU fleet could be the more stretched.

[mufreight]

Disagree as you may but given that the current build sets both SMU and IMU are suposedly MU capable as an add on contract one three car set every two months would effectively give the capability of three additional services each peak.
There is little problem with a IMU set subsuting for a SMU set roster but frequent obvious problems are created with the substitution of a IMU set by a SMU or EMU on a IMU roster and the inconvenience of no toilets pales against the timetable disruption causes due to the lower service speeds of the EMU and SMU sets when used on a IMU roster.  

[somebody]

the inconvenience of no toilets pales against the timetable disruption causes due to the lower service speeds of the EMU and SMU sets when used on a IMU roster.  

That point I strongly agree with.  SMU260 series can maintain the timetables that the IMUs can, but does that apply to the earlier SMUs?

[Derwan]

As there will be no deliveries of the next generation electric rolling stock, be they configured for SMU or IMU servuce, for at least another four years would it not be prudent to continue to drip feed more sets as in the current build at the rate of six sets per year,

The next generation rollingstock is (or at least WAS) scheduled to be delivered between July 2012 and October 2013 - at a rate of 2.5 sets per month⁽¹⁾.

If this schedule is to be pushed backwards, it makes sense to have EDI Rail produce additional units in the current build, given they already have the design specs and supply chain.

We're supposed to have phase 2 of the timetable changes in place early next year.  I'm doubtful we'll even have enough units for a decent frequency on the Beenleigh and Cleveland lines.

Also, with the delay of CRR, we need to fringe-peak services (and off-peak services for that matter) to spread the demand.  The current excuse for not increasing off-peak frequency is "not enough rollingstock".

(1)  Source:  CRG meeting on rollingstock.

[somebody]

I'm sure it's too late to add on to the order.  Someone has posted in another thread that parts with long lead times would have needed to be ordered quite a while ago.  I would be surprised if this was incorrect.

[Arnz]

The deliveries of the current build of SMU sets now seems to be complete with the final IMU sets under construction.
As there will be no deliveries of the next generation electric rolling stock, be they configured for SMU or IMU servuce, for at least another four years would it not be prudent to continue to drip feed more sets as in the current build at the rate of six sets per year,
3 IMU and 3 SMU configuration, these additional sets would give the capability to add additional services as needed to meet demand growth over the four year gap with the IMU sets easing the problems presently encountered due to of the frequent  unavaliability of toilet equiped trains for the longer distance services to Nambour and Gympie North.

I disagree.

Firstly, there are still a 3 more IMU units to come, hopefully this will be enough to get toilet equipped trains on all Nambour/GYN/VL services.

Secondly, the timetable still has a Nambour-Richlands, a Nambour-Ipswich and a Richlands-Nambour run in the AM peak, re-writing the timetable such that the IMUs do not need to make these Ipswich line runs would free them up.  However, I think the SMU fleet could be the more stretched.

There is also a Nambour-Ipswich afternoon peak run that begins at Nambour at 3:13pm (service #T5X6).  Leaves Central at 5:04pm for Ipswich (This train runs express Caboolture to Northgate and express Milton to Darra stopping Indooroopilly).  This train can be regularly suspect to delays due to either a late connecting bus (at Landsborough), or signal failures.

[Derwan]

I'm sure it's too late to add on to the order.  Someone has posted in another thread that parts with long lead times would have needed to be ordered quite a while ago.  I would be surprised if this was incorrect.

Yes - a long lead time would be required.  But even if the NGR contract was awarded tomorrow, EDI could easily start supplying units long before the new supplier started rolling them out.  (IMO of course.)

[HappyTrainGuy]

That point I strongly agree with.  SMU260 series can maintain the timetables that the IMUs can, but does that apply to the earlier SMUs?

Nope. Older SMUs top out around the same speed as EMUs.

[mufreight]

I'm sure it's too late to add on to the order.  Someone has posted in another thread that parts with long lead times would have needed to be ordered quite a while ago.  I would be surprised if this was incorrect.

Yes - a long lead time would be required.  But even if the NGR contract was awarded tomorrow, EDI could easily start supplying units long before the new supplier started rolling them out.  (IMO of course.)

Again the long lead time line is a bit of a furphy, West Australia was able to arrange a run on build of additional rollingstock to the same configuration as their previous deliveries and stayed with the current model rather than a new design because of compatibility, cost and delivery timeframes.
It is understood that work has already commenced at EDI for the additional West Australian sets with the first deliveries scheduled for early next year which will be about six months from the add on order being confirmed, yes there would be a short lead time as the outsourced components are currently still being manufactured so Simon you would be surprised your information on lead times for outsourced components while having a kernel of fact is considerably incorrect.
The major delay in obtaining additional rollingstock for operation here is the unwillingness of the Government to commit to spending anything on rail.

[SurfRail]

The major delay in obtaining additional rollingstock for operation here is the unwillingness of the Government to commit to spending anything on rail.

And more relevantly the fact that Perth's order (and part of Adelaide's) has beaten us to the punch.  Parts or not, Walkers will not have the capacity to build trains for us for a while.

[petey3801]

In regards to the lead time for new rollingstock, according to one of the EDi Engineers, there is a minimum 12 month lead time for products sourced overseas in the manufacture of the 160/260 series.

[somebody]

According to this thread: http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=6421.0
The WA trains won't be delivered until 2013 - just over a 2 year lead time.  Are you (mufreight) referring to another order?

[mufreight]

According to this thread: http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=6421.0
The WA trains won't be delivered until 2013 - just over a 2 year lead time.  Are you (mufreight) referring to another order?

A normaly highly reliable source employed by PTA advises that the first deliveries of the run on order are anticipated in the first half of next year but reading the Railway Digest article (July 2011) it suggests that the delivery of these 15 additional sets will be staggered over three years with all delivered prior to the opening of the Clarkson to Butler extension in 2014.
This would be consistent with the supposed delivery rate of one set every two months, as an aside it is understood that the cars from this build will be road freighted from Maryborough to Perth.