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

[ozbob]

Indeed!  



Image source http://www.nearmap.com/

New yards Robina top left ..

[stephenk]

280 is now at Mayne.

[somebody]

No doubt that some will e stabled at Robina/Varsety Lakes when the new section opens, I understand that the stabeling capacity there has been increased so that may be part of the answer.

Yeah, but only 5 more 6 car trains.

[Derwan]

Another trip to Maryborough on the weekend.

The road closure into EDI Rail looks permanent (even though they're still using temporary fencing).  That makes it harder to see what's coming off the production line.  I managed to see a completed IMU 179.  There was a single car behind it but it was obscured by 179 so I couldn't see markings.

IMU 178 was in the electric train commissioning area at Maryborough West.

Perhaps IMU 177 has already been delivered.

[Derwan]

Perhaps IMU 177 has already been delivered.

Saw 177 at Mayne this arvy. 

[#Metro]

Aha! Maybe Ms Nolan is going to tell us that there are new train services coming???

[Train Controller]

SMU 280/282 worked 1165 on Friday afternoon.

SMU 262/281 worked 1844 through Cannon Hill this morning, this means all 14 x SMU 260 units from the second order are now in revenue service.

[Jon Bryant]

Next order of 28 at 2 a month.  Repeat until you run out of suppliers qualified to supply new trains.  Train as many new staff including emergency replacement/standby crews. Only stop when you can not physically run any more trains on current infrastructure.

[Train Controller]

Only stop when you can not physically run any more trains on current infrastructure.

Which is not to far away, especially between Bowen Hills-Roma Street/South Brisbane.

[Derwan]

178 is now at Mayne.

[Train Controller]

IMU 177 is now in revenue service, its first job was UE63 to Ferny Grove on Friday.

[stephenk]

IMU 177 is now in revenue service, its first job was UE63 to Ferny Grove on Friday.

Good to see the IMU's running on lines that require toilets! 

[mufreight]

Obviously there are two points here,
1 They (QR Network) did not want it getting too far away from Mayne in case it broke down under load.
2 That the standards of service on the FG line are such that the length and speed of the journey could leave commuters in need of toilet facilities unlike those Nambour commuters who being much more storic can hold on a little longer.

[ClintonL94]

I spotted IMU 179 coupled with 178 at Mayne this evening.

[stephenk]

I spotted IMU 179 coupled with 178 at Mayne this evening.

I also noticed 179 this morning. Good to see more trains with toilets for the Ferny Grove and Doomben Lines.

[Derwan]

I'm in Maryborough at the moment.  There was a complete IMU set at EDI Rail with absolutly no markings.  (They usually put some on before they complete individual carriages - but this one had nothing!)  There was a second set - I think a complete set but it was sitting behind a Perth set so I couldn't see all of it.  Another Perth set was at Maryborough station, but that's it for this trip.

[stephenk]

There is a train at Mayne with 180 written on it.

[Derwan]

I was in Maryborough over the weekend.  A completed 284 was sitting outside EDI Rail.  A single carriage of 287 was also sitting outside.  Nothing at Maryborough or Maryborough West stations.

[ClintonL94]

IMU 181 with no logo at the front/back of the train was sighted during a Gold Coast service with IMU 174 last week.

[Stillwater]

What is the max speed of IMU-160 and IMU-180 train sets?  And what is their seating capacity when coupled as a six-car train?

[#Metro]

Stillwater, you can find the info here:

The max is about 130 km/h but this would be on short sections IMHO.

http://www.queenslandrail.com.au/RailServices/City/Fleet/Pages/imu160.aspx
http://www.queenslandrail.com.au/RailServices/City/Fleet/Pages/SMU260.aspx

The toilet apparently takes up 9 standing spaces for each 3 car unit AIUI.

[Stillwater]

Thanks for that.  Now another question.... Is the QR Passenger network configured to eventually take double-decker passenger trains similar to those operating in Sydney?

[#Metro]

Um, best ask someone more experienced that I.

I tend to focus on the network planning/co-ordination/frequency/integration aspects of things... the others might have a better knowledge than I. Though, looking at the tunnels at central, I can't really see much clearance... and I recall reading somewhere that there was some controversy over the new trains as they were something like 1mm or 1cm too high so modifications had to be done.

'Somebody' might know.
IMHO capacity increases will come from trains with 3 doors designed into the carriage and longer 9 car trains.

[mufreight]

Thanks for that.  Now another question.... Is the QR Passenger network configured to eventually take double-decker passenger trains similar to those operating in Sydney?

The short answer is NO

[Golliwog]

Not sure what the planning dimensions for the CRR tunnel is (ie: would it be Sydney style train compatible) but my understanding is that they are taking the the recomendations from the ICRCS seriously and making the stations long enough to take a 9 car train. Not 100% certain, as its still under planning but I have seen it written down to that effect.

[somebody]

I can't imagine double decker on 3'6" gauge anywhere.  It's ride is bad enough on 4'8.5".

[Golliwog]

How is the ride on the double decker bad? I havn't riden a Sydney train since I was about 6 or something. All I remember was that they had two levels and it was awesome

[somebody]

How is the ride on the double decker bad? I havn't riden a Sydney train since I was about 6 or something. All I remember was that they had two levels and it was awesome

Well, not as bad as on 3'6", but compare it to Melbourne and it is pretty poor (Yes, I know that they are also 5'3".)

The wider the gauge, the less the train rocks, but a higher centre of gravity makes it rock more.

[#Metro]

How is the ride on the double decker bad? I havn't riden a Sydney train since I was about 6 or something. All I remember was that they had two levels and it was awesome Tongue

I 100% agree. Sydney's rail system is something we can only dream about!
Bradfield really did a good job!

[Golliwog]

But IIRC the lower level is lower than ours (you step down to it don't you?) That would help negate the COG issue. My understanding is that the rocking of the train has nothing to do with the gauge of the track but is all down to Klingel motion. Not sure what we have here but english tracks are slanted 1:20 towards the centerline of the track so that as a train progresses down it will move side to side (usually about 5-10mm off the top of my head). The knocking comes when the clearance between the wheels and the track is too small. Of course this Klingel motion deteriorates with time as it relies on train wheels being conical not cyclindrical and both the wheel and the rail will deform under load.

[Derwan]

Is the QR Passenger network configured to eventually take double-decker passenger trains similar to those operating in Sydney?

The CRR stations will be designed to allow for 9-car trains, so this appears to be the direction we're heading as far as individual train capacity is concerned.

We should hopefully be finding out about the "next generation train" in the not-too-distant future.  We'll see if it incorporates any design changes such as 3-doors each side per carriage.  One of the issues with that was consistency with the current trains - particularly if they install station doors at the CRR stations.

[somebody]

But IIRC the lower level is lower than ours (you step down to it don't you?) That would help negate the COG issue. My understanding is that the rocking of the train has nothing to do with the gauge of the track but is all down to Klingel motion. Not sure what we have here but english tracks are slanted 1:20 towards the centerline of the track so that as a train progresses down it will move side to side (usually about 5-10mm off the top of my head). The knocking comes when the clearance between the wheels and the track is too small. Of course this Klingel motion deteriorates with time as it relies on train wheels being conical not cyclindrical and both the wheel and the rail will deform under load.

Even assuming you are correct here, unless the suspension is proportionately stiffer (which would have its own problems), the rocking would be worse the higher the train and the narrower the gauge.

[ClintonL94]

SMU 283, 284, 285 and 286 are at Mayne.

[Derwan]

287 is outside EDI Rail in Maryborough.  (Looks complete - ready to go.)

[ClintonL94]

IMU 182(with no logo on the cab) was doing Gold Coast - Airport runs today. First time I've seen it do a scheduled service.

[ClintonL94]

SMU 283, 284, 285 and 286 are at Mayne.

SMU 283 and SMU 284 are now in Revenue service - about time! They were at Beenleigh this morning. I am unsure of 285 and 286.

[Derwan]

I've definitely seen 285 in revenue service.

Trip to Maryborough on the weekend.  A completed 291 was outside EDI Rail along with one carriage of 293.  290 was in the new finishing area at the lower end of Kent Street (photo below).  289 was waiting at the Electric Train Commissioning Area at Maryborough West.  162 was also there for some reason.  It must've been returned to EDI Rail.

None of the trains had the new QR logo or livery.

The new finishing area.  A refurbished 239 was also there.

 

A new-look QR National loco.

[#Metro]

Wow, the way they run their trains on track embedded in concrete, you would think they ran a light rail service!

[Stillwater]

What's the future of the ICE train sets now new SMU and IMU trains coming on line?  With some refurbishment they could offer good service for several more years.  Understand ICE will still do Gympie North run.

[Arnz]

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.