Melbourne Trains

[ozbob]

Herald Sun --> Design for high-capacity trains finalised after lengthy community consultation


An artist's impression showing the interior of the high-capacity trains

MELBOURNE'S congestion-busting high-capacity new trains will have zones for prams and bicycles in a bid to free space.

Final designs for the next-generation trains, which will hit the rails from mid-2019, have been provided to the Sunday Herald Sun.

After 12 months of community consultation, the Andrews Government has made 157 changes to the initial layout to make each train as user-friendly as possible.

They will boast new mixed-use spaces in the middle carriages to cater for bicycles, prams and other clunky items, while storage underneath seats will prevent bags cluttering aisles. More hand rails, extra priority seating, wider aisles and non-slip floors will also be included.

Under the plans, the trains are expected to have 510 seats and enough space for about 1100 passengers. It's understood the number of seats per carriage is on par with existing models, but more space will be created from a longer design and an extra carriage.

Acting Minister for Public Transport Luke Donnellan said hundreds of Victorians had given feedback to make the new trains user-friendly.

"We're making up for four years of complete inaction under the former Liberal government — building bigger trains to carry more passengers and support local jobs," he said.

The government budgeted $2 billion for the 65 new trains and the construction project is expected to create 1100 local jobs over its lifetime.

The design will be revealed to the public next month, with a full-scale model of the new trains to be displayed at Birrarung Marr, by the Yarra River, from February 9 to 18.

The high-capacity trains will start passenger services on the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines from mid-2019.

An artist's impression showing the interior of the high-capacity trains

[ozbob]

Blog: New metro train design finalised - lots of pics https://t.co/gCUoYqXmyb pic.twitter.com/5RzIrQoJpU

— Daniel Bowen (@danielbowen) January 23, 2018

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/metrotrains/status/974023616001118208

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/TransportforVIC/status/975567621843140608

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/983019476676313090

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Relief from the crush: Busiest rail lines set for a big timetable boost

More peak-hour and nighttime trains will run on some of Melbourne's most overcrowded railway lines from June and August, as the Andrews government races to ease the strain on frustrated commuters by completing three major rail projects before November's state election.

The final unfinished section of the "skyrail" through Melbourne's south-east is due to open on June 18, The Age can reveal, ushering in a major boost to services on the choked Pakenham and Cranbourne lines.

Once the $1.6 billion skyrail opens, trains will run every 10 minutes between Dandenong and the city from 7pm to 10pm on weekdays.

Commuters on Melbourne's busiest suburban rail corridor will also get relief from extra services in the morning and evening peak shoulder, a Metro Trains letter obtained by The Age states.

But passengers on the Dandenong corridor are set for 20 days of frustration from next month when part of the line is shut down before the full skyrail opens.

The line will be closed for works between May 29 and June 17, forcing travellers onto replacement buses for part of the journey between Dandenong and the city.

Passengers travelling from beyond Caulfield Station will be affected.

When it reopens, four congested level crossings at Murrumbeena Road, Grange Road, Poath Road and Koornang Road will be gone and two new stations at Murrumbeena and Carnegie will be in use.

A new station at Hughesdale will open later in the year.

The South Morang and Hurstbridge lines in Melbourne's north are also due to get a complete timetable overhaul later this year, once the $600 million Mernda line extension is built and tunnelling and level crossing works are finished on the Hurstbridge line.

The South Morang line, which services Melbourne's booming northern suburbs, will be extended eight kilometres north to Mernda, with three new stations to open, adding an expected 8000 extra commuters a day to the line.

An extra five peak-hour train services will run from Mernda in the morning, and an extra four outbound trains in the evening will cater for the anticipated surge in demand.

In all, 980 trains a week will run between Mernda and the city.

In August, four extra peak-hour services a day will also be added to the Hurstbridge line in Melbourne's north-east, after the $140.2 million duplication of the single track bottleneck between Heidelberg and Rosanna stations and the removal of level crossings at Grange Road, Alphington and Lower Plenty Road, Rosanna.

Extra evening services are also planned for the Werribee line from August, on the edge of the peak, the Metro letter shows, although the government could not confirm this on Thursday.

The extra services might not benefit all Werribee line travellers though - stopping patterns on some services will be altered "to ensure consistency", the Metro letter says.

The extra services will be funded in the 2018-19 state budget, to be handed down on Tuesday.

Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan confirmed that from the end of June, "every level crossing between Caulfield and Dandenong will be gone, fulfilling another election commitment".

"We're delivering the services passengers need now and building for the future – removing level crossings, ordering new trains and delivering the Metro tunnel," Ms Allan said.

The Hurstbridge line upgrade will benefit commuters in the marginal, Labor-held seats of Ivanhoe and Eltham, where the opposition unveiled its own rail promises last week.

Opposition Leader Matthew Guy promised to spend more than $300 million to duplicate the Hurstbridge line between Greensborough and Eltham, and $4 million on extra car parking at Eltham, Montmorency and Greensborough stations.

Daniel Bowen, spokesman for the Public Transport Users Association, said it was encouraging to see the government planned to add extra services after many months of disruption.

"Extra peak-hour services on the Mernda and Hurstbridge lines will be particularly welcome, given regular overcrowding on these services," Mr Bowen said.

But he said the government would need to closely monitor patronage on the new Mernda line in particular, given it services some of Australia's fastest-growing suburbs.

"With the three new stations serving a huge growth area, further service upgrades will be needed sooner rather than later," he said.

The South Morang line suffered a spike in overcrowding last year.

Thirty three per cent of all services recording load breaches - up from 26 per cent in 2016, PTV data shows.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/TransportforVIC/status/993268270491824128

[ozbob]

https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/more-train-services-for-a-growing-melbourne/

More Train Services For A Growing Melbourne

Minister for Public Transport

4 June 2018

Three communities in Melbourne's north will have access to train services for the first time and passengers in the north, west and south east will have more trains, more often, with the introduction of 190 new metropolitan train services every week and hundreds of extended services.

Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan today announced details of the new metropolitan train timetable, which will deliver new weekday services across the Mernda, South Morang, Werribee, Hurstbridge lines and the Dandenong Corridor later this year.

South Morang passengers will be able to choose from 115 new and extended services every week to improve travel choice, especially during peak times, while the new Mernda Station will give passengers access to 982 services every week when the $600 million Mernda Rail Extension opens later this year.

Dandenong Corridor passengers will benefit from up to 80 new and extended services each week and a longer turn-up-and-go service frequency in the evenings, meaning trains every 10 minutes until 10pm on weeknights.

Thirty-five new weekday services will also be added on the Werribee Line, and passengers at South Kensington, Seddon, Yarraville and Spotswood can catch a turn up and go service until 8.20pm on weekdays.

Hurstbridge Line passengers living between Eltham and the city will have more options to get to work, school or leisure activities with 35 new and extended services each week.

The new timetable will help make public transport a convenient and attractive transport option in the lead up to the opening of the Metro Tunnel, which will create space to run more trains, more often, right across Melbourne.

The Andrews Labor Government is also making space for more passengers with 14 of its order of 24 Ballarat-made X'Trapolis trains now in service and the first new High Capacity Metro Trains rolling out on the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines in mid-2019.

Bus connections to trains will be maintained, with adjustments made to bus times when the new train timetable begins. Timetables will be available at ptv.vic.gov.au before the changes are introduced later this year.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan

"We're introducing 190 new metropolitan train services each week and extending hundreds of others to give people more choice about when and how they get around."

"It's part of our record investment in tracks, trains and services throughout Victoria, to connect new and growing communities and get people home safer and sooner, wherever they live."

"We're laying new track, upgrading signalling, opening new stations, removing level crossings, introducing bigger, better trains and building the Metro Tunnel – we're getting it done."

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Extra Frankston express trains could be derailed due to politics

Frankston line commuters could miss out on more express train services due to a stand-off between the federal and state governments over $1 million.

The Turnbull government has expressed its support for the construction of a third track between Frankston and Moorabbin to allow for express services along the rail line, which runs through several marginal state and federal seats.

But the so-called "Frankston flyer" proposal has been dismissed the Andrews government.

It claims the project would cost well in excess of $20 billion, require hundreds of homes and businesses to be acquired, and the removal of all level crossings along the line.

In 2016, the federal government committed $4 million for Frankston line upgrades.

The money was intended to be split evenly between a business case for the Frankston flyer project, and a business case for extending metropolitan rail services from Frankston to Baxter – two stops south, on the Stony Point line.

Acting Minister for Public Transport Luke Donnellan said the extra $1 million had not been provided to the Victorian government, and the government would not undertake a business case into the project.

The Frankston train line is an extremely narrow corridor, and expanding it would involve lane closures on Station Street and the Nepean Highway, the removal of car parking, and the acquisition of hundreds of properties, he said.

All of the level crossings along the line (about 30) would also have to be removed, to allow for trains to run fast enough to complete the journey from Frankston to the city in 30 minutes, the minister said.

"If Chris Crewther and the Turnbull government want to do a business case into the 'Frankston flyer', they can go for it. We will continue to deliver real projects that deliver more public transport options for Victorians," Mr Donnellan said.

"We don't support the third track as it would destroy hundreds of homes, close roads and cost well in excess of $20 billion. If the Liberals do – they should say so."

The stand-off over the express train proposal threatens to become tense as state and federal elections draw nearer.

Dunkley, on Melbourne's south-eastern fringe, is a marginal seat for the Liberals, just as the four state seats along the Frankston line are marginal for Labor.

Federal Liberal MP for Dunkley Chris Crewther said the Turnbull government was powerless to act on the plan without state government involvement, because the rail line is state-owned.

The Andrews government is removing nine level crossings on the Frankston line by building a mix of rail trenches and bridges, including a 900-metre rail bridge to remove three crossings in Carrum and Bonbeach.

"Since the federal government committed [to the Frankston flyer], they have built sky rail in three inappropriate locations and they haven't future-proofed it for a third future track," Mr Crewther said.

He said it was likely that a shorter express track between Carrum and Moorabbin stations could still be built, although it would do less to cut the journey time between Frankston and the city, which takes about an hour in the morning peak.

Opposition public transport spokesman David Davis accused the Andrews government of leaving no spare room for a third track in their level crossing removals, but refrained from committing to the project if the Coalition wins the November election.

Instead, he said that his party would look at the feasibility of creating additional passing loops for the line, "which could provide enhanced capacity for expresses".

A third track was built from Caulfield to Moorabbin in the 1980s, but the original plan was to extend the track as far south as Mordialloc – six stations away.

Some express services run along the Frankston line during peak periods, but they still take an hour.

The fate of another project – electrifying the rail line to Baxter – appears more positive after the Turnbull government committed $225 million to the project in its last budget.

Transport for Victoria started on the project's business case in April.

But Mr Crewther said the extension would cost between $500 million and $800 million, and he hoped the Andrews government would match the federal contribution before the state poll.

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Malcolm's Melbourne - a city running on rails

The Turnbull government's vision for Melbourne would see large "employment hubs" developed away from its congested CBD and connected by a new generation of rail lines.

But Cities Minister Paul Fletcher has warned the federal government's dream of new kinds of "heavy rail" networks moving large numbers of workers to new kinds of jobs will not come cheap.

Mr Fletcher says areas such as Clayton and Melbourne Airport are good examples of employment centres that support many thousands of jobs but could really take off if they were connected by train lines.

Sunshine, in the city's west, is also making a pitch to become Melbourne's latest rail-powered growth precinct with local authorities there hoping it could become a major rail hub on the proposed line between the city and the airport.

Mr Fletcher told The Age that both he and the Prime Minister were thinking of jobs and economic growth when they were planning their big infrastructure spending announcements of up to $5 billion for airport rail and $500 million for a line to Monash University in Clayton.

"He [Mr Turnbull] is a strong believer in the role of public transport and heavy rail in our cities being efficient productive and liveable," Mr Fletcher said.

"Heavy rail in particular, can move large numbers of people quickly and if you look at the great cities of the world, all of them have metro-style rail systems."

The minister said the Turnbull government was enthusiastically supporting urban rail building around the nation, citing Gold Coast Light Rail, Flinders Link in Adelaide, Sydney Metro, the massive MetroNet project in Perth and the commitment of up to $5 billion for Melbourne Airport rail.

"Melbourne Airport is a jobs hub," Mr Fletcher said.

"It has a lot of growth capacity, it doesn't have a curfew and both domestic and international air travel is growing and there's no real constraint on that.

"It is a very important employment hub and there's every likelihood that's only going to increase.

"Rail connectivity can be a very powerful factor in attracting businesses because they know that employees will find it easy to get to work.

"So that was part of our thinking behind Melbourne Airport rail."

Both the Prime Minister and his Cities Minister have been heavily influenced by the success of Macquarie Park in Sydney's north which has doubled its economic output, to more than $9 billion a year, since it got a rail link in 2009 and is now Sydney's second largest market for office space.

"Our thinking on Monash was very much driven by the same factors, Monash is the second biggest employment hub outside the CBD and again if we can get that rail connectivity, the experience of Macquarie Park in Sydney and the experience around the world suggests that it would just boost that area, attract additional employers and additional jobs," Mr Fletcher said.

The minister said the latest technological advances allowed modern networks to run trains in numbers that would have been impossible decades ago when much of the nation's suburban rail networks were designed.

Railway lines are expensive to build, the minister said, but both he and Mr Turnbull believe that the advantages of trains make the high pricetags worthwhile.

"The great challenge of heavy rail is that it's very, very expensive from a capital point of view but in the highest density parts of your city, it has some advantages that no other form of transport can have," Mr Fletcher said.

"Universities, hospital and the type of businesses and institutions they attract around them are becoming more important jobs hubs than they were 20 or 30 years ago,

Hope is eternal ...   

[SurfRail]

Unless it's Brisbane, and then you can go jump.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/MetroReportInt/status/1022058505820356609

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/TransportforVIC/status/1031345873337298944

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/metrotrains/status/1032530379880718336

[ozbob]

Herald Sun --> Daniel Andrews promises trains every 10 minutes after $750m Cranbourne line duplication

EXCLUSIVE: THE number of peak-period train services to and from Cranbourne will be doubled under a $750 million Andrews Government plan to duplicate track on the crowded line.

The project, to be completed by 2023 if Labor wins the November state election, means trains will run every 10 minutes in the morning and evening rush hours along the whole Cranbourne line, which services Melbourne's booming outer southeast.

More than 1000 jobs would be created during two years of construction to duplicate 8km of track, removing bottlenecks which cause frustrating delays beyond Dandenong.

The Sunday Herald Sun can also reveal that Premier Daniel Andrews will today commit $7 million to finish planning the extension of the line from Cranbourne to Clyde.

The state Opposition has promised to extend to Clyde by 2022, but the government ­argues the duplication closer to the city must be done first.

"Our track record speaks for itself — only Labor will give people in Melbourne's southeast trains every 10 minutes on the Cranbourne line with this massive upgrade," Mr ­Andrews said last night.

Nine level crossings ­between Caulfield and Dandenong have already been ­removed as part of the controversial $1.6 billion sky rail project to improve the city's busiest rail corridor.

The government's decision to duplicate congested sections of the line beyond Dandenong will improve services for commuters in the growing southeastern suburbs.

Tracks will be upgraded around Caulfield station where the Frankston line breaks off, and Dandenong station where the Pakenham and Cranbourne lines separate.

Labor's Cranbourne candidate Pauline Richards said commuters had been "crying out for this upgrade".

If the government is re-elected, detailed plans would be developed next year before construction kicks off in 2021.

The Coalition's Clyde extension project would cost $487 million, adding 5km of track plus new stations at Cranbourne East and Clyde, and more commuter parking.

Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said last month the area was struggling with "substantial population growth pains", and that extending the line would "bust local congestion" and allow residents to enjoy their lives.

Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan said the government was already "building the public transport system Victorians need".

In Melbourne's outer north, trains return to Mernda today for the first time in almost 60 years, with Metro's South Morang line extension opening six months ahead of schedule.

[Gazza]

$750m to do 7km of Duplication, Jesus Christ.

[ozbob]

https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/upgrading-melbournes-trains-for-the-future/

Upgrading Melbourne's Trains For The Future

Minister for Public Transport  27 August 2018

The Andrews Labor Government is getting on with rolling out the third stage of its overhaul of Melbourne's Comeng train fleet, to keep passengers safe and comfortable as they travel.

The first contract has been signed to deliver Stage 3 of the Comeng refurbishment project, which will upgrade key communications systems on Comeng trains.

The upgrades will be installed on the youngest Comeng trains, as they will remain in service the longest as the Labor Government's upcoming High Capacity Metro Trains allow for progressive retirement of the Comeng fleet.

These targeted upgrades will include new CCTV cameras, driver CCTV screens, PA systems and emergency buttons.

Works will also involve overhauling Comeng air and brake systems and delivering traction control upgrades to the trains.

Comeng trains entered service in 1982, manufactured by Commonwealth Engineering in Dandenong and were first refurbished in 2000 by Alstom Ballarat and Downer EDI in Melbourne.

The current life extension project began in 2017, adding additional handholds and more comfortable seats to the trains, as well as vertical poles and bigger seat handle backs to ensure comfort for standing passengers.

These works follow the Labor Government's recent $103.5 million investment in five new six-carriage X'Trapolis trains, bringing this government's total X'Trapolis orders to 24, 16 of which have already been delivered.

The Government is also delivering 65 new High Capacity Metro Trains, the first of which will start running on the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines in 2019, and eventually through the Metro Tunnel to Sunbury in 2025.

Since 2015, there has been a commitment of over $4 billion for a pipeline of new and upgraded rolling stock and supporting infrastructure to transform the public transport network.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan

"As we get on with building the infrastructure that allows us to run more trains more often – we're also upgrading our trains to make sure passengers are comfortable and safe."

"We've delivered a record investment in new trains and trams – both new and old – to get Victorians where they need to go safer and sooner."

[ozbob]

$750m to do 7km of Duplication, Jesus Christ.

Does seem a bit over estimated ...   

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Metro's '80s train fleet to be dumped on the city's busiest rail lines

How AM peak train loads are growing

Melbourne Metro's oldest trains, the 1980s Comeng fleet, are to be dumped onto the state's most strained lines in the city's north and north-west, leaked internal documents reveal, while other lines will get new, high-capacity trains.

The documents also show that routes in the city's fast-growing north, west and south-east are under enormous pressure, prompting Metro Trains to call for "urgent" action to boost services on lines that are at capacity during peak hour.

An internal company document obtained by The Age warns that Melbourne's rail commuters cannot wait until the Metro Tunnel is built in 2025, with the rail operator advising that several lines need a solution now.

The northern group – which includes the Sunbury, Craigieburn and Upfield lines – is already at capacity during peak hour, meaning no more services can run through the City Loop.

But the pressure is spreading right across the network, prompting the need for new timetables that encourage commuters to travel outside of peak periods, the company's 2017 Strategic Operational Plan warns.

"The expected growth in MTM [Metro Trains Melbourne] patronage, especially through the peak period, will place considerable pressure on our network," Metro said.

"The highest growth is expected on the Werribee, Cranbourne, Pakenham, Craigieburn, Sunbury and South Morang/Mernda Lines."

The struggling northern lines will predominantly use the ageing Comeng trains in coming years, as the new High Capacity Metro Trains are rolled out on the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines from next year.

Other lines will use either X'Trapolis trains (built from 2002 and still in production) or a combination of X'Trapolis and Siemens trains (built 2002-2005), with high capacity trains set to run to Sunbury when the Metro Tunnel opens.

The Comeng trains built in the 1980s underwent a recent $75 million life extension program but the government said it plans to phase out the trains from 2021 and fully retire them by 2027-28.

A "further order" of High Capacity Metro Trains (in addition to 65 already on order) was needed to help with the Comeng retirement and to ease pressure on the Werribee corridor, Metro said.

In 2024 and 2025, Metro expects that 37 new High Capacity Trains will run on the Cross City Group, which takes in the Werribee, Williamstown Sandringham and Frankston lines, but a government spokeswoman said there were no such plans.

The 2017 report warned the Werribee line would reach capacity this year, despite the $3.65 billion Regional Rail Link between Werribee and the city opening in mid-2015.

But the line is losing city-bound services during peak periods to the strained Northern Group, with some Sunbury trains diverting to the Werribee line to run direct to Flinders Street during peak hour, due to a lack of available track.

Under Metro's contract with the government, it is required to produce an annual document for Public Transport Victoria that identifies problems plaguing the network and proposes solutions, including major upgrades needing government funds.

Solutions put forward by the company included duplicating single sections of track, which cause bottlenecks on the network.

Metro said duplications on the Cranbourne line were needed in the short term, and in the medium term on the Upfield, Lilydale, Belgrave and Hurstbridge lines.

Improvements to "sub-optimal signalling systems" was also needed, Metro said, in addition to better monitoring of rolling stock and upgrades to overhead wiring.

The Metro report also revealed:

    Train speeds were inconsistent across the network, prompting calls to review speeds, to see if they could be "optimised for [a] Metro-style operation".
    Poor security across the network triggered calls for targeted fencing, more CCTV, and an intruder alarm system.
    "Substandard" stations and facilities needed to be replaced. Metro called for more seating, sheltered areas, real-time train information at stations, and wi-fi on stations and trains.

The most overcrowded line is Craigieburn, with 63 per cent of services breaching their load in the morning peak period in 2015, the report found.

This is followed by the Werribee and South Morang lines where nearly half of services are overcrowded.

A government spokeswoman said under its new contract with Metro more funding was given to reduce the number of faults on the system.

"We're delivering a record investment across the state to get Victorians where they need to go safer and sooner," she said.

Metro Trains chief executive Raymond O'Flaherty said he recognised "parts of the network are under pressure" but said billions of dollars of investment was being spent on improving the service

Rail Tram and Bus Union secretary Luba Grigorovitch welcomed a "recent injection of money into public transport" but said it followed years of neglect.

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Commuters in politically sensitive areas get free travel during blitz

Commuters in Melbourne's politically sensitive south east will be gifted three pre-Christmas weeks of free public transport at a cost of $1 million, as the Andrews government marches ahead with its infrastructure agenda.

Trains won't be running for the first three weeks of December on sections of the Cranbourne, Pakenham and Gippsland lines thanks to the last major construction blitz for the year.

The road and rail works are being done primarily to enable the new high capacity metro trains, build the $6.7 billion West Gate Tunnel and carry out maintenance on the train and tram networks.

The works will start in October but slow down in November – the month of the election – before ramping up again on December 1 with extended shut-downs.

Cranbourne line commuters will be hit with the longest disruption – a total of 27 days of bus replacement services on sections of the line, which will be staggered over the three months.

Parts of the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines, and potentially the entire Gippsland line, will be closed from December 1 to 23.

This is required to upgrade power, signalling and 80 kilometres of overhead wiring for the new high-capacity trains, which will run between Cranbourne and the city from next year.

Commuters on disrupted sections of the line will be given free travel during that period. Details about how ticketing would work are yet be released.

Premier Daniel Andrews – who during the 2014 election year pledged free tram travel in the CBD – acknowledged that waiving public transport fares during construction work was unusual.

It was designed to "thank" commuters who have endured over 100 days of disruption this year, he said.

"We've not done this before but because there's been so much construction and related disruption this year and the last four years, we think it's the appropriate way to say thank you to the Victorian community."

"When you look at the Gippsland line for instance, on that corridor there's been something like 100 days of disruption this year alone, we think this is a special case."

Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan confirmed that this would cost taxpayers $1 million.

"It will be dictated by passenger demand during the period of the disruptions, and will probably be around $1 million during that period. The budget has been made available for this," she said.

On the roads, Hoddle Street lanes will be closed between Brunton Avenue and Swan Street, and between the Eastern Freeway and Johnston Street into the new year.

This is to enable the second stage of the Streamlining Hoddle Street Project, a program Roads Minister Luke Donnellan said had already delivered a 30 per cent travel time saving between the Eastern Freeway and Victoria Street.

In early October, buses will replace trains on the Gippsland, Ballarat, Ararat and Maryborough lines for the half-a-billion dollar Ballarat line upgrade, which will include track duplication, new stations and new passing loops to boost service reliability in the fast-growing west.

City loop services will be altered on various weekends over the three months for maintenance, and buses will replace trains on sections of the Glen Waverley, Belgrave and Lilydale lines from December 15-16, also for maintenance.

Tram route 64 will be closed for 10 days in December for track and overhead renewal, while tram routes 57, 58, 59 will be closed in sections for maintenance for up to three days in December.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/andrew_lund/status/1057087379217907713

[red dragin]

Sounds like the perfect operator for SEQ. 

https://www.google.com.au/amp/s/amp.theage.com.au/national/victoria/train-splits-in-two-after-driver-told-to-ignore-decoupling-warning-20181113-p50fqc.html

[#Metro]

Sounds like the perfect operator for SEQ. 

https://www.google.com.au/amp/s/amp.theage.com.au/national/victoria/train-splits-in-two-after-driver-told-to-ignore-decoupling-warning-20181113-p50fqc.html

THE doors remained open on the carriage of a train travelling at speeds of up to 100km/h on the Gold Coast line this morning, horrifying passengers on their peak hour trip to work.

https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/gold-coast/moment-gold-coast-train-speeds-along-at-100km-h-with-door-open/news-story/776a5bf293a2508ef6cb52981fe263e2

[red dragin]

Exactly my point, just as bad as the status quo.

[#Metro]

It may surprise you, but in some parts of the world (e.g. Germany) it is standard practice for the train to divide itself into two trains along a line and split.

Clearly, this did not apply in the Melbourne case, as that was unplanned.

Train is being divided at Ohlsdorf station, one stop before the Airport. First set is going to the Airport, the other one is going to Poppenbüttel with three more additional stops

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Train splits in two after driver told to ignore 'decoupling' warning

A peak-hour train split in two with more than a hundred passengers on board last week, after Metro Trains told a driver to ignore warnings that the carriages were about to separate.

In a rare safety incident being probed by rail safety and transport watchdogs, an X'Trapolis train carrying about 150 passengers broke into two parts while travelling to Lilydale early on Friday evening.

The last three carriages of the six-carriage train dislodged and ground to a halt between Croydon and Mooroolbark before 5pm. Passengers were on board but no one was injured.

The driver, who was apparently unaware of the dislodgement at first, continued to drive the train's first three carriages for about 300 metres until he realised what had happened and applied the emergency brakes.

Passengers on the trailing carriages waited for half an hour without any power, until they could alight with the help of firefighters.

An ambulance and police were also called to the incident, which is the first "decoupling" that has occurred on the network since Metro Trains took over as the rail operator nine years ago.

The Age can further reveal that as the train was passing through Melbourne Central less than an hour before the incident, the computer system flashed a signal that warned the driver of a decoupling.

The driver contacted technical support staff but was told to ignore the warning when Metro's internal systems showed that the carriages were still connected, the rail operator has confirmed.

Metro Trains' acting chief executive Neal Lawson said both the driver and the technical staff followed safety procedures and checks and the cause of the safety incident was under investigation.

"I am personally ensuring we fully understand every aspect of this incident and a comprehensive investigation is ongoing," Mr Lawson said.

"Immediately following this incident we inspected our entire fleet as a precaution and found no issue with any other train."

"The train in question has been removed from service and a new procedure that will require two drivers [rather than one] to couple trains is in place while an investigation is underway."

The incident has sent chills down the spines of Metro drivers, who fear being held legally responsible if a decoupling occurs again due to a systemic problem.

Public Transport Users Association spokesman Daniel Bowen said the findings of the investigation should be publicly released to show whether this was a "freak accident" or the result of an underlying issue.

"Metro Trains really needs to be open and accountable to the public about the outcomes and any measures going forward to prevent this type of incident happening again.

"We can be thankful that the loose carriages didn't roll away or injure anybody but clearly they will need to get to the bottom of it."

Luke Whiteside, a passenger on one of the stranded three carriages, said the train stopped suddenly in Croydon but people on the train were kept in the dark about the reason until emergency services contacted a passenger about 20 minutes later.

"There was absolutely no communication from PTV to us on the train," he said.

"Either they didn't want to [or] weren't able to make contact with us but I find that surprising."

A spokesman from the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator said the organisation was "continuing its enquiries into the incident at Croydon station last week and at this early stage will continue to gather and assess evidence to determine what regulatory response is appropriate".

An Australian Transport Safety Bureau spokesman confirmed that the organisation was also investigating the incident.

Just days after the decoupling, four Metro rail lines were hit with major peak hour delays resulting from a combination of overhead power and equipment faults.

Equipment faults between Richmond and Toorak caused delays of more than an hour on the Frankston and Cranbourne and Pakenham lines about 5pm on Monday.

An overhead power fault also caused a partial shut down of the Mernda line, with buses running between Bell and Epping.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ptv_official/status/1066935839320612865

[ozbob]

https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/next-step-for-victorias-bigger-better-trains/

Next Step For Victoria's Bigger, Better Trains

Premier

6 December 2018

The first of Victoria's new bigger and better trains is another step closer to being in service, thanks to the Andrews Labor Government.

Last week, the new train was transported from the manufacturing facility at Newport to the new Pakenham East depot using 4 locomotives, 22 freight wagons and one power car.

Victoria's bigger trains will allow room for 20 per cent more passengers to reduce overcrowding and will deliver a more reliable service for Melbourne's south east and Gippsland from 2019, with all 65 trains rolling out as a dedicated fleet in time for the opening of the Metro Tunnel in 2025.

Passengers in the south-east and Gippsland are set for a transformation with the Labor Government to remove every level crossing in Pakenham and a level crossing free Cranbourne line 2025, including a superstation at Pakenham with a new platform to separate V/Line and Metro Trains.

At the purpose-built depot in Pakenham, the train will undergo safety testing, ahead of it going into service from the middle of next year on the Cranbourne/Pakenham lines.

The largest train order in Victoria's history is creating 1,100 high-skilled jobs throughout the supply chain, ensuring on-going work for locals and further establishing Victoria as a world leader in building rolling stock.

Local workers at the Pakenham East depot will ensure the train meets the highest of standards over the next few months, as parts are locally sourced from across Victoria.

Bogie frames have been built in Bendigo, traction and electrical systems made in Morwell, interior components from Hallam, gearboxes from Altona, wheelchair ramps from Braeside and air-conditioning units made in Derrimut.

Manufacturing of the new train began in Newport in June, after a multi-million upgrade of the historic rail yard facility. The brand-new Pakenham East depot includes maintenance sheds, a train simulator and stabling.

To get ready for bigger trains, major infrastructure upgrades – including an overhaul of power and signalling – will continue along the corridor throughout December.

As these works are underway, buses are replacing trains along sections of the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines from 1-23 December. During this time, coaches will replace Gippsland line services for the entire journey, and free travel is offered to affected commuters on these lines from 1-23 December. For more information, visit ptv.vic.gov.au.

Quote attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews

"We're getting on with removing level crossings, delivering bigger, better trains and creating local jobs along the way."

Quote attributable to Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan

"Between upgrading decade old signalling, removing every level crossing on the Cranbourne and Pakenham line – we're doing the work to boost safety, free up traffic and run more trains more often."

Quote attributable to the Minister for Public Transport Melissa Horne

"Whether it's building bigger trains, running more services, or enforcing tougher new contracts – all of our work is about ensuring passengers can get where they need to go, sooner."

Quote attributable to Member for Bass Jordan Crugnale

"These works will help improve our public transport system – we're working towards reconnecting the community split by the train line, removing all level crossings and building a new station.''

[ozbob]

https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/a-healthy-way-to-keep-passengers-moving/

A Healthy Way To Keep Passengers Moving

Minister for Health

7 December 2018

The Andrews Labor Government is taking action to better protect passengers who become sick or injured on Victoria's trains.

Minister for Health Jenny Mikakos and Minister for Public Transport Melissa Horne today joined Victoria's Chief Paramedic Officer Alan Eade at Richmond Train Station to announce a landmark new policy for managing and treating sick or injured passengers.

In the past, sick or injured passengers were left on board trains until first aid or paramedics arrived – causing discomfort for patients and potential long delays for other passengers.

Already this year, incidents involving unwell passengers have caused delays to almost 5,000 services on the metropolitan train network, with bottlenecks regularly occurring around City Loop stations and at Richmond, Camberwell and Box Hill stations.

That's why the Labor Government asked the Chief Paramedic and Safer Care Victoria to work with the key agencies to review the approach.

Now, public transport staff, Protective Service Officers, Authorised Officers, Victoria Police and the public will be encouraged to help unwell passengers off trains as normal practice.

The review found it is safer to treat sick passengers on the platform or station where there is more space and privacy, better access to water, toilets and medical equipment such as defibrillators, and a higher likelihood first-aid trained staff and bystanders will be on hand to help.

Meanwhile for commuters, the policy change reduces disruptions and delays across the train network.

Defibrillators are already in place at 12 metropolitan train stations, while Metro is rolling out the life-saving devices at 32 more. V/Line has recently installed defibrillators at 29 staffed stations in response to 25 cardiac-related incidents involving passengers or staff in 2017.

The only exception to the new policy are when passengers may have a spinal injury and should not be moved, are difficult to move or when their behaviour poses a danger to others.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Jenny Mikakos

"We're taking action to keep patients and other passengers safe – and making sure they get the treatment and care they need when they get sick."

"The safety of sick or injured passengers is our top priority – and moving unwell passengers onto the platform where treatment is more readily available makes sense."

Quote attributable to Minister for Public Transport Melissa Horne

"A sick or injured passenger can have a massive ripple effect on the public transport system, with services grinding to a halt while help is on its way."

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/TransportforVIC/status/1070886751881678848

[ozbob]

High Capacity Metro Train transfer to Pakenham

[ozbob]

There are track closures out from Westall on the Dandenong/Pakenham/Cranbourne lines till the 23rd Dec.

They have a problem now around Murrumbeena ( ' equipment fault ' ) so no trains out from Caulfield.  So far they have found 35+ buses but still massive crowds around Caulfield etc. Very hot day in Melbourne.  Be interesting to find out what has happened in terms of the fault.

If I was stuck at Caulfield I think I would head to the Racecourse hotel!   

[ozbob]

^
Metro have updated and have said 35+ buses now in operation, they probably need ~ 200 ..

(photograph is the southern side of Caulfield station, the normal rail replacement stop area).

https://twitter.com/theepan2000/status/1070931516157386752

[ozbob]

Would definitely be in the Racecourse pub by now ...   

https://twitter.com/stephxkemp/status/1070942432957628417

[ozbob]

Bit of rain in Melbourne ...   

https://twitter.com/DenisOverberg/status/1073467713287204865

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/joannamuses/status/1073467727057014785

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ElleandStuart/status/1073483192760291328

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/vicsesnews/status/1073473207842365440

[Cazza]

I just arrived home from Melbourne today after spending a week there and boy did the rain come down yesterday afternoon/last night. Got woken by torrential rain at 4am this morning and ended up having water coming through my apartment roof. I saw plenty of tunnels under train and tram lines flooded full of water.

I also had to travel between Dandenong and St Kilda on the Mon (around 4pm) and then back again on the Wed (around 9am). At Dandenong Station, it wasn't very well signed that the replacement buses were departing from a carpark on the southern side of the station, rather than the main entrance/bus interchange. Apart from that, it only took about 15-20 mins to travel between Dandenong and Westall on the express replacement bus. Plenty of announcements at stations and on board trains too of the disruptions.

Overall, it was fine for me. Easy transfers, no queueing and direct services.

[ozbob]

Some of the photographs floating around show some serious flash flooding! 

They always seems to use the southern side at Dandenong for the rail replacement buses.  I have noted signage is poor before too there. 

It would not surprise me if some of the ' locals ' knock the signs off.

They expect visitors in particular to know by some sort of magic process ..