Sydney Trains

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/GladysB/status/1133890836691685376

[red dragin]

I wonder what the difference between that and the new one at Bowen Hills is then, as that was purpose built.

[verbatim9]

Passenger information screens at Sydney train stations now show seating capacity in each carriage.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/TrainsInfo/status/1152770740338483200

[ozbob]

Heavy delays on train network after breakdown at Town Hall https://t.co/HOgHNiS1dI via @smh #nswpol

— RAIL_BoT_Forum (@railbotforum) August 23, 2019

[ozbob]

News.com.au --> Sydney trains boss blames 'archaic' network for fault led to widespread delays


Commuters are seen at Town Hall train station in Sydney, Friday, August 23, 2019. A train breakdown at Town Hall station is causing delays on the network. (AAP Image/Peter Rae)

An "archaic" system and a second fault at Central station are to blame for the train chaos in Sydney, which rail boss said would not have happened in London.

The CEO of Sydney trains has blamed the "archaic" system and "Frankenstein" infrastruture for Friday's train chaos, saying the same thing would not have happened in London.

Travellers were left stranded on packed platforms for hours yesterday, as the rail network struggled to recover following an early morning mechanical issue.

"It actually boggles my mind that a single train with mechanical issues can shut down a whole transport network. In a developed country. In Sydney. That isn't normal, or acceptable," one commuter wrote on Twitter.

Others questioned why transport officials weren't better prepared for the outage.

"It's not the breakdown itself that is infuriating because I get it - things break down. The infuriating thing is that every time something breaks down, it's like it's an unprecedented and isolated event that #sydneytrains hasn't factored in a contingency plan for. GET GOOD," Jess Davis tweeted.

WHAT CAUSED THE DELAYS?

At 5:20am on Friday, a train was found with a damaged roof at Town Hall station in the city's CBD.

Sydney Trains said it appeared something had struck the train, such as a rock or fallen tree branch, and caused a hatch to come loose, leaving it just millimetres from the 15000-volt overhead wiring.

"To safely isolate the power and remove the hatch, a section of the T1 North Shore Line had to be closed for three hours, causing significant delays across the network," it said.

But more than 12 hours after the fault was repaired, the network was still warning commuters of widespread delays and urging travellers to find alternative routes home.

"We can understand the frustration from today's delays and disruptions. We would like to thank your continued patience and understanding on the issue. Please rest assured that crews are continuing to work on frequency of service to get everyone home tonight," it tweeted at 6:30pm.

CEO BLAMES 'ARCHAIC' SYSTEM

The chief executive of Sydney Trains, Howard Collins, said the city's rail network was "archaic" and the fault occurred at one of the most critical stations.

Town Hall is a major interchange that services multiple train lines, so when faults occur there it can cause a massive flow-on effect. A track circuit failure at Central also delayed the recovery.

The switches at the station also date back to the 1920s and are "almost Frankenstein in their look", Mr Collins said.

"It is a failure of the way our system is built that one train can stop the entire network."

But the CEO said engineers made the right call to fix the broken train before it could cause further damage to other lines, including along the Harbour Bridge.

"We took the right decision not to try to move this train forward but to isolate and get people up on ladders literally to try to remove the actual hatch," he said.

"That caused a two-and-a-half-hour delay to a critical point in the network. But what I didn't want to do was run this train over the Harbour Bridge and end up pulling all the wires down as this device could have damaged the overhead wiring."

Mr Collins, who used to be the chief operating officer of London Underground, said Sydney's rail system couldn't compare to overseas systems.

"Being an ex-London underground guy, we developed that system that could be remotely switched off for each train. Seven minutes, bang the power off. Back on, off we go," he said.

"Here we have to send men and women down tunnels to pull big switches and open them and close them, which takes hours. They have to come with forms, they have to work through things. It is archaic.

"We have plans in place. We have great support ... and we're looking forward to getting further investment to get us up to the 20th century."

COULD IT HAPPEN AGAIN?

Mr Collins said engineers were investigating the cause of the fault, while Sydney Trains said it working hard to improve the network.

"Sydney Trains continues to work hard to recover from incidents. The recent establishment of the Rail Operations Centre and signal improvements have significantly improved response times," a spokesperson said.

"Sydney Trains sincerely apologises to our customers who have been impacted by today's delays."

The network also left the door open for compensation, saying those who have suffered significant financial distress as a result of the chaos could potentially receive compensation on a "case-by-case basis."

[#Metro]

Network design is also significantly different between Australian cities and those overseas.

Rail lines pick up passengers in the suburbs and then all funnel into shared lines when they approach the CBD.

In overseas cities, this funnelling is limited, here all lines seem to share a common core. We have seen this in Brisbane when bats fly into

the wires or tree branches disrupt the overhead wires.

[ozbob]

THIS JUST IN: This photo from a fan clearly shows that the #SwoopyBois have started establishing outposts on some of our old Overhead Wiring Infrastructure.

We can only assume that this is some kind of retaliation/show of strength in response to our display of defiance... pic.twitter.com/gyopbySlhC

— Trains Info (@TrainsInfo) September 5, 2019

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/TheSydneyBlog/status/1171188441259790342

[kram0]

https://twitter.com/TheSydneyBlog/status/1171188441259790342

That figure is insane!!

It's amazing what is possible with major infrastructure projects. Shame the Qld government are so far backward in their approach and planning.

[ozbob]

Newcastle Herald --> Newcastle to Sydney train wifi, mobile signal boost on Central Coast under $29 million plan

COMMUTERS riding trains between Newcastle and Sydney will have improved mobile coverage as part of a $29 million infrastructure upgrade unveiled on Friday.

Telstra and both the state and federal governments are funding the upgrade, which includes a mobile base station and Narara and free wifi at Tuggerah, Mount Colah and Lisarow stations.

"Building new mobile infrastructure reduces mobile black spots along this busy rail corridor and allows passengers to catch up on work or the news, and stay in touch with friends and family, while in transit," Federal Minister for Communications Paul Fletcher said.

Robertson MP Lucy Wicks said roughly one in four people on the Central Coast used the Newcastle Line to make the two-hour commute into Sydney

"I have heard from hundreds of commuters about how continuous mobile coverage will improve their daily lives and it's good to be here to help launch the first stage of services," she said.

"Sitting idle on a train is just not productive for commuters who need to stay connected to work and family."

[SurfRail]

^ It'd be nice if we had continuous coverage all the way from the Coasts to Brisbane.  Coverage is still virtually non-existent in certain pockets on my trip, however I'd say they are mostly in Logan.  Trinder Park area is persistently the worst.

[ozbob]

Western Weekender --> Western Line services fail to meet on-time running targets

It's been nearly two years since Transport Minister Andrew Constance introduced the "timetable that Sydney needed" but for western Sydney train commuters, the headache continues to worsen with poor on-time running, delays and growing frustrations.

Monday presented a familiar challenge for commuters with extensive delays during the afternoon peak, caused by signal problems at Werrington and Milsons Point.

As a result, many Western Line services were either delayed or cancelled as the network tried in vain to recover.

It comes as figures reveal that the monthly on-time running targets for Western Line services during peak periods haven't been met once this year.

Despite issuing five separate transport-related media releases in the past week, including excitedly announcing extra services for the T5 Cumberland line, Mr Constance wasn't keen on addressing the Western Line reliability issues when contacted by the Weekender this week.

Instead, he handballed the issue to Sydney Trains, which said an "increase in services and longer dwell times" had impacted peak punctuality.

Shadow Minister for Transport, Chris Minns, said the reliability figures were appalling, claiming there has been a lack of focus and investment in the rail network.

"This is yet another appalling example of the lack of investment and focus on the existing rail network," Mr Minns said.

"The government cannot simply neglect those who rely on this important transport infrastructure.

"It simply does not meet the definition of functioning public transport to have a service that is late or does not arrive 20 per cent of the time."

Transport for NSW's publicly available train performance data shows that the on-time running target of 92 per cent has not been met once between July 2018 and October this year.

The average on-time running percentage during that period, excluding the current month, is 86.32 per cent with the lowest being 80.3 per cent in November last year and the highest being 90.7 per cent in September last year.

These figures only worsen when PM peak times are exclusively selected.
Some factors that impact a train's performance times include sick passengers, fatalities, delays, weather conditions, mechanical problems and anti-social behaviour.

During these delays, timetable changes do occur, some skipping scheduled stops to help minimise the delay on services of which the majority rely on.

A spokesperson from Sydney Trains said there had been a massive increase in services stopping at Penrith, which contributed to punctuality targets not being met.

"The T1 Western Line is one of the busiest on the Sydney Trains network. Since November 2017, we have added hundreds of extra services to western Sydney, including a 20 per cent increase in trains stopping at Penrith," the spokesperson said.

"The increase in services and longer dwell times has impacted peak punctuality, however we are providing more frequent services and choice to customers than ever.

"Future stages of the More Trains, More Services Program will also address the need to add extra services on lines where demand continues to grow, like the T1 Western Line."

A commuter caught in the latest afternoon of chaos on Monday opted to delay her trip home due to safety concerns.

"I've actually been forced to make the decision to hang around in the city until I can get on a train and still be able to breathe," Kristina Wilson said on Twitter.

"It's not like I want to go home or anything! The amount of people on the last Penrith service was so unsafe!"

Performance data can be viewed on the Sydney Trains website.

[Stillwater]

Public announcement at Sydney Central Railway Station as I and others were changing from one train on the platform to the train heading the other way on the same platform. "To the guard of Train XYZ, hold your train ... do  not let it leave ... passenger transition in progress."  In Queensland one train would have pulled in and the other train would have pulled out.

[timh]

Public announcement at Sydney Central Railway Station as I and others were changing from one train on the platform to the train heading the other way on the same platform. "To the guard of Train XYZ, hold your train ... do  not let it leave ... passenger transition in progress."  In Queensland one train would have pulled in and the other train would have pulled out.

Wait, not sure if I'm understanding correctly. You're saying they can fit two trains on the same platform, on the same track??? that's one long platform...

[Cazza]

I think he means cross platform transfers, like 3+4 at Central Brisbane, or 16+17 at Central Sydney.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/7NewsSydney/status/1193797294920880129

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Arrival of NSW's new intercity trains set to spark stand-off over guards

The Berejiklian government and rail union are heading for a showdown with the arrival of the first of $1.6 billion worth of new intercity trains from South Korea next month, due to claims that they have been "specifically designed to get rid of guards".

The first two of 55 intercity trains on order will arrive at Wollongong's Port Kembla on or about December 17, about eight months later than originally planned.

Commuters will have to wait until at least March to ride on the first of the new double-deck trains from Sydney to the Central Coast and Newcastle because they are required to undergo rigorous testing on local tracks before they are permitted to carry passengers.

Their arrival just days before Christmas is set to ignite a battle between the government and unions about whether the state intends to keep guards on the new trains in the longer term.

Rail Tram and Bus Union state secretary Alex Claassens said the new trains had been "specifically designed to get rid of guards altogether" and make them driver-only.

"We believe this train is inherently unsafe set up the way it is at the moment, and we will do everything we can within our power to ensure the travelling public of NSW are safe. We will trial and test it but we won't allow passengers to get on it if it is not safe," he said.

Mr Claassens said roles that guards performed on other trains in the state's fleet, such as making special announcements and responding to passengers via help points in carriages, would now be carried out on the new intercity trains by drivers or remotely from an operations centre.

But Transport Minister Andrew Constance said he wanted to reassure passengers that the new intercity trains would have "both a driver and a customer service guard on board when it comes into service next year".

"We have no plans to change this staffing arrangement on the new trains," he said.

However, his assurances have failed to dispel staff fears that guards will eventually be removed. Mr Claassens said the way the new trains had been engineered meant that the guards would "not be in a meaningful role and therefore will not last".

The state's transport agency said the new trains would have a "dedicated and enclosed crew cabin which the customer service guard would travel in".

"Customer service guards will be visible, coming out from the crew cabins, and walking through the carriages and monitoring platforms to provide customer service and assistance with boarding and alighting," Transport for NSW said. "Our customers will benefit most during express services where there is more time between stations for the guard to be in the carriage."

Internal documents obtained by the Herald under freedom-of-information laws show Transport for NSW staff have been regularly visiting Korea to keep a close eye on production of the trains. Some of the inspections were necessary to resolve "commercial matters" relating to "minor defects" and the completion and transportation of the "first train unit".

Labor leader Jodi McKay said the project had been dogged by poor planning and execution.

"Given that many intercity stations don't have staff on the ground, it is unclear who will be keeping a watchful eye on passenger safety," she said.

Transport for NSW said it had "held the trains in South Korea for longer to allow us to do more testing", which would avoid a significant impact on Sydney's rail network. Sections of track have to be closed when testing of new trains is undertaken.

The entire cost of the intercity project is $3.9 billion, of which $1.6 billion is the capital cost of the new trains. It also includes a 15-year contract with engineering firm UGL to maintain the trains at a new facility at Kangy Angy on the Central Coast, which is late to open.

[achiruel]

Apparently NSW interurban lines either have ATP or are in the process of having it rolled out, so I'm not sure what the issue with DOO is. Do they have a lot of curved platforms like Qld?

[Arnz]

ATP is installed North of Caboolture and west of Ipswich.  However full safeworking requirements (the 2nd driver requirement for non ATP trains - in most cases 3 crew) are required north of Nambour and west of Rosewood

[SurfRail]

Apparently NSW interurban lines either have ATP or are in the process of having it rolled out, so I'm not sure what the issue with DOO is. Do they have a lot of curved platforms like Qld?

There is no technical issue, it's just industrial relations.

[ozbob]

IRJ -->  Hyundai unveils first New South Wales inter-city EMU

THE first of a fleet of new double-deck EMUs, which will operate New South Wales TransLink services has been unveiled by Hyundai Rotem.

The new trains are part of a $A 2.3bn ($US 1.5bn) order for 512 EMUs placed in 2016 by Transport for New South Wales (TfNSW) with the RailConnect joint venture comprising Hyundai Rotem, Mitsubishi Electric Australia and UGL Rail. An additional 42 EMUs were ordered in March, when TfNSW exercised a $A 130m option.

Hyundai Rotem announced on December 2 that construction of the first 20 EMUs had been completed at the company's factory in Changwon, Korea. The trains are capable of speeds of up to 160km/h and will be delivered in 10-car sets.

This is the first time that Hyundai Rotem has produced rolling stock for the Australian market.

In order to reduce testing time for the first units, the majority of critical tests have been carried out over the past few months at a new 13km test track which opened in March at the Korea Railroad Research Institute (KRRI) in Cheongju, Korea.

The EMUs will go through final trial runs in Korea before being delivered to Australia, where they will operate inter-city services from Sydney to Newcastle, the Central Coast, South Coast and the Blue Mountains.

[ozbob]

ATSB --> Richmond buffer stop collision final report released



Why the driver of a suburban passenger train did not slow the train before it collided with the buffer stop at Richmond Station in Sydney's northwest on 22 January 2018, resulting in injuries to 16 people, could not be conclusively determined, an investigation into the event notes.

The eight-car Waratah class passenger train (designated A42) collided with the buffer stop at the end of Richmond Station's platform 2 at a speed of about 26 km/h.

A number of possibilities for the driver's inaction were examined during the course of the investigation, which was conducted on behalf of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) by NSW's Office Transport Safety Investigations (OTSI). These included: the driver blacking out; the driver experiencing a microsleep due to fatigue impairment; or the driver being distracted or inattentive.

The buffer stop withstood the impact of the collision and prevented the train from crossing onto a main road, the investigation found. But the investigation also concluded that the two hydro-pneumatic rams on the front of the buffer stop did not perform as designed, due to their non-alignment with the crash energy management system on the front of the Waratah train.

In addition, the crash energy management system on A42 did reduce the impact force of the collision, but not all components performed as designed.

Rail operators should ensure that multi-layered defences are in place against over-speeding.

"Rail operators should ensure that multi-layered defences are in place against over-speeding," said Mick Quinn, OTSI CEO and chief investigator.

"This should include infrastructure design, rolling stock design and train crew health management. They need to ensure that identified risk controls are implemented, and that these control measures are effective in their performance."

Mr Quinn said that if the driver's cab had been fitted with an inward-facing camera, the footage may have provided investigators with an insight to why the driver was unresponsive leading up to the collision.

"Having audio and video recordings would allow investigators to eliminate, early in the investigation, potential contributory factors," he said.

Since the accident, Sydney Trains has proactively addressed a number of safety issues, including redesigning the buffer stops for Platforms 1 and 2 at Richmond, while intermediate train stops, previously identified and recommended as a risk control, have been installed at Richmond.

However, the ATSB has issued a formal safety recommendation calling for Sydney Trains to take action to ensure that existing procedures regarding train crew rest breaks between shift cycles are adequate and start time rotations are reinforced to safeguard against fatigue impairment of train crews.

Finally, the report notes that automatic train protection, which if installed on A42 may have prevented the incident, was still being trialled at the time of the incident. Transport for New South Wales has scheduled automatic train protection to be operational on most Sydney Trains electric rolling stock by May 2021.

Read the report RO-2018-004: Waratah passenger train A42 collision with buffer stop, Richmond NSW, on 22 January 2018

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Christmas trackwork to push thousands of Sydney commuters onto buses

Several sections of Sydney's rail network will be shut over Christmas and the new year to allow for track maintenance and construction, pushing tens of thousands of commuters onto replacement buses.

Sections of the busy T3 Bankstown line will be shut down over the holidays, while the construction of the Parramatta Light Rail means the Carlingford line will close forever.

Buses will ferry customers between Carlingford and Parramatta from January 5, 2020, until the new line completed, which is due to be 2023.

Commuters using the T3 line between Central and Campsie will have to use buses between Christmas Eve and December 28.

Up to 90 buses a day will then operate for the rest of the closure of the Bankstown line until January 5, transporting as many as 28,000 passengers each day between Sydenham and Campsie.

The project for the second stage of the $20 billion metro rail line involves converting a 13.5-kilometre stretch of the Bankstown line. The metro will link Sydney's north-west to Chatswood, the CBD, and on to Bankstown.

TfNSW expects a 35 per cent drop in patronage over the Christmas period.

Transport for NSW coordinator general Marg Prendergast urged commuters to plan ahead if they were travelling on public transport during the summer holidays.

"We're in the midst of transforming Sydney's transport network," she said.

"We still have more work to do to ensure our transport network keeps pace with Sydney's growing population."

Stations between Hurstville and Central on the Illawarra line will also close for track maintenance between December 24 and December 28. Stations between Penrith and Bathurst will be closed on the Blue Mountains line between Boxing Day and December 30.

Buses will replace trains between Gosford and Wyong from Boxing Day to noon on New Year's Eve.

Information on changes to transport are on Transport NSW, while the latest updates on changes to the road network, including impacts from the bushfire season, are on Live Traffic.

[ozbob]

Daily Telegraph --> Emergency response units and RFS team up to protect NSW train lines

Transport emergency response staff are working alongside volunteer firefighters to protect local train infrastructure from the threat of raging bushfires.

State transport staff and volunteer firefighters have teamed up to protect train lines from the destructive NSW bushfires.

NSW Trains' Rail Emergency Response Unit has been working side-by-side with the NSW Rural Fire Service and Incident Rail Commanders to protect infrastructure on the Blue Mountains line and the Southern Highlands line as fires rage closer and closer to the train lines.

"Their efforts are simply heroic," NSW Trains tweeted in a brief statement.

Teams are currently assessing some damage to the Blue Mountains line.

"We have suffered damage to some Blue Mountains line infrastructure between Mt Victoria and Lithgow," NSW Trains stated.

"The situation is changing and it could be some time before the full extent of the damage is known."

Buses are replacing trains between Mt Victoria and Lithgow due to bushfires, while both Bell and Zig Zag stations remain inaccessible due to road closures.

"Please continue to allow additional travel time," NSW Trains tweeted.

Services resumed this morning between Katoomba and Mt Victoria.

Train services have also resumed on the Southern Highlands line in both directions following rail infrastructure repairs prompted by fire damage.

For service updates and to plan your trip, visit transportnsw.info or use transport apps.

[verbatim9]

New Korean built Driver only  Intercity City Trains (NIF D Set 102) First night of testing 

[ozbob]

Sydney's New Intercity Fleet 'D set' trains were tested at multiple stations across the city last night. The new fleet is set to roll out this year. This video was taken by 7NEWS viewer Tyson James George at Toongabbie Station. https://t.co/TWh1KQycs4 #SydneyTrains #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/SW9FBXOoor

— 7NEWS Sydney (@7NewsSydney) January 9, 2020

[ozbob]

Rail Express --> Limited services to resume on Blue Mountains line

After fires forced the closure of the Blue Mountains line in late December and early January, limited services will resume between Mount Victoria and Lithgow from the evening of Monday, January 21.

Bushfires in the Blue Mountains area laid waste to a 25 kilometre stretch of railway, damaging signalling equipment and rail infrastructure. Services between Mount Victoria and Lithgow had been suspended since 19 December.

Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Paul Toole, highlighted that crews have been working on restoring services since the closure.

"Sydney Trains' engineers have worked tirelessly to develop temporary systems that will allow us to restore rail connectivity and safely operate a limited number of freight trains from Monday evening and passenger trains from Tuesday 21 January," he said.

"We recognise how important this rail connection is to passengers travelling to and from the west and to moving freight and we are doing everything possible to resume full services as soon as possible."

The damage was so extensive that significant parts of the line will need to be wholly restored, said Toole.

"This will be a long recovery process as we are essentially rebuilding some parts of the operating system from scratch."

Sydney Trains staff have removed over 300 trees and relaid kilometres of communication, electrical, and signal wiring.

Schedules are still be altered to account for maintenance., said NSW TrainLink chief executive Pete Allaway.

"The first Bathurst Bullet, the Broken Hill XPLORER and most Dubbo XPT services will resume to a slightly altered timetable, with the remaining affected services to continue to be replaced by coaches and buses while repair work continues."

[ozbob]

A tree has fallen on a train at Sutherland. Picture: Supplied

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1219280952553160704

[ozbob]

Daily Telegraph --> Train driver and guard told to 'drive over' body and 'keep going'

A Sydney train diver and guard were allegedly ordered to "drive over" the dead body of a self-harm victim before completing the journey to Gosford.

The shocking allegation from a rail union source last week sent members into meltdown with the NSW Rail Tram and Bus Union demanding a review of protocols.

It is believed a body was discovered under the train after a self harm incident and while the train driver and guard were replaced, the union claims protocols were then breached by allowing the train service to continue.

It is understood the traumatised guard, who was told not to look out the window, is seeking counselling.

A union source said trains involved in a self-harm incident were ordinarily emptied of passengers before being sent to the nearest maintenance yard.

Instead, the passengers remained on the train as police undertook an inspection.

After the police finished their job, a replacement crew was ordered to drive the train forward to allow the body to be removed, before continuing the journey, the source said.

"With the deceased victim still under the train, this meant the driver was told to actually drive over the body," the source alleged.

"The driver questioned whether the train was to be terminated, passengers detrained and the train sent to Flemington.

"(He was told) no, continue in revenue service to Gosford. The actions of the businesses in this incident are viewed with absolute disgust and the decision to continue running the train as a passenger service shows a blatant disregard of everything except running trains, including decency, humanity and respect for the deceased and any possible emotional impacts on the passengers on the train at the time."

The source said a similar incident occurred a decade ago following a self-harm incident on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

In that incident, a train driver refused to proceed with the service.

NSW RTBU secretary Alex Claassens said it was clear procedures needed to be changed.

"The incident has shocked everyone involved," he said.

"In all my years in the railways, I've never heard of a situation quite like this one. If this is what following the procedure after a fatality looks like, then the procedure needs to be changed.

"The way this situation was handled showed no respect or empathy for workers, passengers or the family of the deceased. The union simply won't accept that the handling of this incident was OK. It wasn't and we're seeking assurances that it will never happen again."

The service was a NSW TrainLink-operated Central Coast & Newcastle line train.

Sydney Trains operates and maintains the rail corridor between Central and Berowra.

While The Sunday Telegraph is aware of the location and time of the incident, these details have been withheld our of respect for the family.

In a joint statement, Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink said both organisations were committed to the safety and wellbeing of its staff.
It said sites where self-harm incidents had occurred fell under the control of NSW Police.

Following an incident, the organisations worked with police and other emergency services to re-open the rail network.

"Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink are committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our staff," the statement said.

"Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink provide an Employee Assistance Program to all our employees.

Additional support is provided to any staff member involved in a Critical Incident on our network. For drivers and guards, this support includes immediate crew relief, access to qualified medical and psychological professionals, Critical Incident Leave and a structured return to work program."

It is understood the RTBU will make a formal complaint to rail management

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> NSW rail staff refuse to work on new fleet

NSW railway staff say they will refuse to work on the state's new fleet of intercity trains from South Korea amid union claims that a "design fault" in the trains increases safety risks.

Projected to cost $2.43 billion, the new fleet is set to replace the V set trains which have been in service for more than 40 years.

The NSW Rail, Tram and Bus Union says a design fault in the new trains means guards are not able to properly monitor passengers in the moments just before the train leave the platform.

The danger period is the 15 or so seconds before a train takes off, when people running late try to board, or when people are separated from children, it says.

The union says the trains' guard's doors and passenger doors close at the same time, stopping guards from monitoring the platform to make sure everyone has boarded safely.

"A design fault in the new InterCity Fleet means they're simply not safe .. It needs to be changed, or we risk serious injuries - or worse," RTBU NSW secretary Alex Claassens said in a statement on Sunday.

Transport for NSW denies there are any issues.

"There is no flaw in the design of the new Intercity Fleet. Traction interlocking on doors, which stops the train from moving while the door is open, is a design safety feature," a department spokesman said.

CCTV on board the train will mean staff no longer have to lean out of the door of a moving carriage to look at the platform, the spokesman said.

"These cameras allow drivers and guards to easily monitor the entire length of the train, even on curved platforms and in bad weather where visibility may be compromised," he said.

The union now says the state's railway workers will refuse to work on the fleet.

"The trains won't be moving anywhere unless these serious safety issues are fixed," Ms Claassens said.

"This design fault is bad for commuters, bad for the train guards, and bad for other workers like the train drivers who are already under immense pressure.

An independent review was commissioned by Transport for NSW of the NSW TrainLink's proposed method for operating the fleet, which was released in December last year.

"The review found the new model is safer than the current train fleet operating conditions for guards," the department's website says.

Static testing of the first two trains has finished and dynamic testing - on the rail network - is underway.

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> New metro rail line to force shake up of existing train services

Most commuters travelling from stations west of Bankstown will be able to use direct services to get to Sydney's CBD and avoid having to switch trains if a "preferred option" for a shake up of the rail network to accommodate a new metro rail line is adopted.

The conversion of a 13.5-kilometre stretch of rail line through Sydney's south-west from Sydenham to Bankstown to allow it to carry single-deck metro trains by 2024 means major changes are in store for the existing suburban railway west of Bankstown.

The NSW transport agency's preferred option is for trains on the existing T3 Bankstown Line to run from Liverpool via Regents Park to get to the CBD. At present, the Bankstown Line operates as two branches with trains running from Liverpool and Lidcombe to the CBD via Bankstown.

While describing it as the best of three options canvassed, transport experts say it will put more pressure on a "rail bottleneck" between Lidcombe and Homebush, which is nearing capacity in terms of the number of trains it can handle during peak periods.

"The preferred option is the best option for customers because it allows for faster trips to the city and connects the west with the inner west," said Mathew Hounsell, a transport expert at the University of Technology's Institute for Sustainable Futures.

But Mr Hounsell said the complexity involved in funnelling more trains through the western rail corridor between Lidcombe and Homebush risks a reduction in the reliability of services.

"It could lead to a less reliable network if investment is not undertaken," he said.

"It is essential that the government builds the missing two tracks between Lidcombe and Homebush to keep our western rail network reliable. It has to be fixed and it has to be fixed soon."


The 'preferred option' is for trains to run between Liverpool and the CBD via Regents Park. CREDIT:TRANSPORT FOR NSW

Another option considered by Transport for NSW as part of the rejig of the network is to run "shuttle trains" between both Bankstown and Lidcombe, and Bankstown and Liverpool.

However, it would force more commuters to switch trains to get to the CBD, and lead to more crowding on the T2 Inner West and Leppington Line.

The third option is to run trains from Bankstown to the CBD via the inner west, as well as shuttle services between Liverpool and Bankstown, resulting in Birrong station becoming the main interchange point for commuters.

Colin Schroeder, from public transport advocacy group EcoTransit, said the agency's preferred option was the best of the three as it restored what was known as the inner west line.

But he said the preferred option would boost the number of trains running from Lidcombe to the CBD between 7am and 9am, putting the rail corridor under pressure.

An upgrade of the signalling system for the rail corridor from Lidcombe to the central city would ease pressure by boosting its capacity by 30 per cent, he said.

Transport for NSW said upgrades to existing rail infrastructure would be made in advance of the introduction of new services to ensure passenger demands on the network were met.

"This work is currently being assessed and won't be confirmed until a final service option has been selected, following the conclusion of the community feedback process," the agency said.

The option the agency decides on will be confirmed late this year.

The conversion of a section of the Bankstown Line to carry single-deck trains is part of the second stage of a metro rail line under construction in Sydney, which is now forecast to cost $4.3 billion more than orginally expected.

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Sydney Metro flooding prompts review of network after 37 weeks of service

Extreme flooding within the Sydney Metro should be the catalyst for the NSW government to consider making changes to the multi-billion dollar system, the state's transport boss says.

More than five million litres of water poured into the Metro tunnels over the weekend, flooding the deepest areas up to platform height and cancelling parts of services for three days.

The flooding occurred in the decade-old tunnels between North Ryde and Chatswood, which were retro-fitted during construction of the new Metro.

Transport for NSW chief operating officer Howard Collins said the weekend's heavy rain had prompted a review.

"I think it's time with our colleagues in Metro to have a real look at what we can do there," he said on Wednesday after the service reopened.

"People talk about a 'once in a lifetime storm', I've learned in Australia that's generally once a year, so my view is lets build in some more resilience."

While the new Metro tunnelling features waterproof gaskets that prevent flooding, the old tunnel - which was opened in 2009 - relies on pumps to get rid of water that seeps into the network.

Mr Collins said it was not a mistake government used existing tunnels, even though they had flooded before, but added that a review assessing the resilience of the equipment would be welcomed.

"I know my colleague Jon Lamonte [chief executive of Sydney Metro] ... is working with the operators about looking and reassessing some of the infrastructure," he said

"They are doing a review and I think we will find that we'll get an understanding ... what is the best way of securing the integrity and robustness of those assets."

He added that issues weren't contained to the Metro, with many services affected by the storms.

Train and light rail services were cancelled across the city, while several arterial roads and bridges also closed.

More than 80 lifts were put out of service by the rainfall over the weekend, though that number had been reduced to 24 by Wednesday evening, according to TfNSW.

"Sydney Trains would like to apologise to our customers, particularly those less mobile, who have been inconvenienced by the lack of lift access at our stations," a TfNSW spokeswoman said.

Mr Collins said it would be "several weeks" before the fire-ravaged Blue Mountains line would be reopened after it was also impacted when a large section of land gave way under the tracks near Leura.

He said engineers were working hard to rebuild parts of the fire-affected network and attempting to redesign facets of the track in weeks, when it would normally take a year.

Acting Transport Minister Paul Toole described the rebuilding work at the landslide site as "a huge job".

"We understand this ongoing closure may cause some frustration for customers, but we thank you for your patience as we continue to rebuild the rail corridor," he said.

Sydney Trains staff have secured the track, and are working to stabilise the land, he added.

Mr Collins said there was still no overall damage bill for the clean-up, but added that the overall cost shouldn't be a priority.

Meanwhile, the Electrical Trades Union also claimed a large section of the WestConnex construction was flooded, with work being halted for several days.

Footage obtained by the union shows hundreds of metres of tunnelling inundated by water.

About 240 metres of the tunnel is flooded at the lowest point of the project, according to the union.

[ozbob]

Daily Telegraph --> Sydney trains: February delays the worst in seven years

Sydney commuters have slogged through the worst train delays on record in the past month with just 83 per cent of scheduled services arriving on time and one line had it the worst.

Commuters have suffered the worst train delays in the record books of Sydney Trains with one-in-five services arriving more than five minutes late last month.

Overall, just 83 per cent of trains arrived on time, the fewest since punctuality figures began to be published seven years ago. The worst results were on the Western line where a quarter of all trains ran at least five minutes late.

A Sydney Trains spokeswoman blamed the poor times on a series of weather issues and accidents across the network.

She cited electrical storms that felled trees, landslips, flooding and ongoing bushfire recovery work, as well as a power supply issue at the Hornsby Maintenance Centre and mechanical breakdowns.

"When recovering from major incidents our priority is always to provide a regular service to get our customers where they need to go rather than delivering fewer, but more punctual services," the spokeswoman said.

According to NSW Transport classifications, a train is considered punctual if passengers are delivered within five minutes of the scheduled arrival.

Transport Minister Andrew Constance, who has returned to work after the bushfires, said the delays were not good enough.

'This result is frustrating for commuters and the government alike. We've invested billions of dollars into the network with new trains, assets and upgrades. I expect the network to be more resilient and recover from unexpected events faster."

He said Sydney Trains needed to lift its game but praised workers for their efforts to help customers.

NSW shadow transport minister Chris Minns said accidents and weather were no excuse. "These statistics confirm what everyone suspected, the trains are a complete basket-case for Sydneysiders," he said.

"Failure for this on-time running shambles can be firmly placed with a government that has a maintenance backlog of over $400 million."

Queensland is the only state that reports FMA and CI.  CI is what Sydney Trains and Metro Melbourne are assessed on.  One could argue that is a bit over the top. 

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/T1SydneyTrains/status/1260328980751831040

[ozbob]

https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/news-and-events/media-releases/rail-upgrades-pave-way-for-more-jobs-and-better-services

Rail upgrades pave the way for more jobs and better services

Published 21 May 2020

The NSW Government has signed two construction contracts worth about $600 million to modernise and upgrade infrastructure on the rail network, which will create 550 new jobs.

Transport Minister Andrew Constance said the major milestone will result in the creation of hundreds of jobs for the NSW economy to deliver essential upgrades to rail infrastructure including stabling yards, signalling, track, station platforms and power supply at key locations between Central, the T8 Airport Line tunnel and the South Coast.

"We're cracking on with major infrastructure projects like this one to ensure we support jobs, communities and the economy at this critical time," Mr Constance said.

"Today's announcement means we are keeping people in work and creating about 350 direct new jobs and around 200 indirect jobs located either in Sydney or on the South Coast."

The jobs will cover a range of disciplines including engineers, rail construction workers, security guards, truck drivers, electricians, plumbers, labourers, concrete workers and apprentices.

The employment drive will also be focused on developing a diverse workforce by providing opportunities for skills development and training to groups such as women, young people, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

"The work will support the introduction of new suburban and intercity trains and allow us to deliver more frequent train services, with less wait times and a more comfortable journey for customers on the T4 Illawarra, T8 Airport and South Coast lines," Mr Constance said.

"We're prioritising these lines because they are among the busiest on the network, catering for 440,000 trips in a typical day, which is around one third of daily rail customers."

The infrastructure upgrades, which form part of the NSW Government's $4.3 billion More Trains, More Services program, will be delivered as two separate packages of work, each worth around $300 million.

The Next Rail partnership comprising of John Holland & Jacobs will deliver all projects from Central to Hurstville, while the Transport for Tomorrow partnership comprising of Laing O'Rourke & KBR will deliver all projects between Mortdale and Kiama.

Construction for the rail upgrades will begin in the middle of this year and be completed in advance of the service improvements, which are planned for late 2022.

Further improvements will be delivered for customers in 2024, including on the T4, T8 and South Coast Lines, as part of the More Trains, More Services Program to effectively integrate Sydney Metro City and Southwest.

KEY SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS FOR CUSTOMERS

T4 Illawarra Line

A 20 per cent increase in peak services on the T4 Illawarra Line. This includes an extra three services an hour in the peak for key hubs like Hurstville and Sutherland

Additional capacity to carry 3,600 more customers in the peak

T8 Airport Line

More services for the T8 Airport Line, including a 60 per cent increase at the International, Domestic, Mascot and Green Square stations during the morning peak, meaning trains on average every three to four minutes instead of every six minutes today
Additional capacity to carry 2,400 more customers in the peak

South Coast Line

During peak times, all New Intercity Fleet trains will operate as 10 car trains instead of eight, proving a new level of comfort, convenience and reliability for customers
An extra off peak service each hour between Wollongong and the Sydney CBD, meaning a train every 30 minutes on average

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/7NewsSydney/status/1263331539439378432

[verbatim9]

https://twitter.com/7NewsSydney/status/1263331539439378432

What are they upgrading to? ETCS Level 2 as well?

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/TrainsInfo/status/1263382417060048896

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/RailExpressNews/status/1280382923699437569