Wulkuraka - maintenance facility new generation trains

[ozbob]

Last week when I visited Wulkuraka, there were very good passenger loadings on the Ipswich <-> Rosewood services.

Wulkuraka station is very basic.  It is in line for a pedestrian footbridge, hope ground level station access is maintained or it will be difficult for the mobility impaired.

As can be noted in photographs below, shelter is minimal.  At least there should be an increase in the amount of shelter area.  Can be long waits out Wulkuraka at times ...





Photographs R Dow 1st October 2014

[darthcaligula666]

i was on the rosewood yesterday afternoon and considering it was a public holiday and the train was running every hour, it was actually a little busier than i had expected. it would be nice to see little wulkuraka receive a bit of love and have a footbridge installed and a general upgrade performed once the facility is completed. thanks for the pics bob, ive been grounded with this leg so havent been out and about too much lately

[ozbob]

Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Scott Emerson

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Rail project on track to deliver more jobs

About 350 people are now employed on the construction of a new maintenance centre at Wulkuraka to service South East Queensland's next generation of trains – and there's more work on the way.

Transport Minister Scott Emerson and Member for Ipswich West Sean Choat said the workforce would soon hit 514, delivering on the Newman LNP Government's pledge to boost job opportunities.

"We are working hard every day to create jobs as part of our strong plan to give Ipswich a brighter future," Mr Emerson said.

"This project is now employing hundreds of people and, once complete, will provide 150 full-time ongoing positions.

"The project will also provide more than 1,500 indirect opportunities for contractors and other businesses, creating even more jobs for the Ipswich region."

Construction is nearing the halfway mark, with more than 300 tonnes of steel installed at the site, almost five kilometres of pipework laid and the structural frame of the centre due to be completed next month.

The New Generation Rollingstock project includes purchasing 75 new six-car trains, maintenance of the trains for 30 years, and construction of the purpose-built maintenance centre at Wulkuraka.

"Not only are we creating more jobs and delivering better trains, we will save more than $11 million per train compared to the previous deal done by Labor," Mr Emerson said.

Mr Choat said the facility would provide Ipswich with jobs for generations to come.

"The largest single public transport investment in Queensland's history is happening in Ipswich and the community is starting to feel the economic benefit," Mr Choat said.

"This project is putting Ipswich back at the centre of Queensland's rail industry and creating local jobs, with more than 75 per cent of construction contracts going to south-east Queensland firms.

"We know there is more work to be done to grow the economy, and that's why we will keep working hard to build a four pillar economy that delivers more jobs and better services for Queenslanders."

Bombardier Transportation project director Paul Brown said construction of the maintenance centre was progressing smoothly, with more than 250,000 man hours completed on site to date.

"The first of more than eight kilometres of rail line is now commencing on site, which will enable the new trains to access the centre from the existing rail line at Wulkuraka station," Mr Brown said.

[ENDS] 19 November 2014

[ozbob]

... I assume going by your photos of Wulkuraka station is a 6 car length station truncated to 3 cars by a fence? (Black square with white dot is 3 car marker?)...

Yes.

[darthcaligula666]

did anyone else see emerson on the news tonight as they ran a short feature about this facility? he mentioned that some of the older members of the rollingstock fleet will be retired once this center is up and running.

http://mysunshinecoast.com.au/articles/article-display/rail-project-on-track-to-deliver-more-jobs,36496

this is the best summary article i can find of the story

http://www.qt.com.au/news/bombardier-consortium-wins-tender-for-wulkuraka/2088410/

and this was published this morning, but doesnt contain much we didnt already know.

[SurfRail]

^ EMUs are meant to be gone by end of 2018.  I remain skeptical, but if patronage remains flat some of that skepticism will evaporate.

[HappyTrainGuy]

did anyone else see emerson on the news tonight as they ran a short feature about this facility? he mentioned that some of the older members of the rollingstock fleet will be retired once this center is up and running.

http://mysunshinecoast.com.au/articles/article-display/rail-project-on-track-to-deliver-more-jobs,36496

this is the best summary article i can find of the story

http://www.qt.com.au/news/bombardier-consortium-wins-tender-for-wulkuraka/2088410/

and this was published this morning, but doesnt contain much we didnt already know.

If things are the same no EMU's are to be removed until the completion of the first batch of NGR sets (25 sets or something). Once that's done they'll be phased out as each new set gets delivered and accepted by QR.

[HappyTrainGuy]

^ EMUs are meant to be gone by end of 2018.  I remain skeptical, but if patronage remains flat some of that skepticism will evaporate.

IIRC 2018 was the expected date before the delays.

[ozbob]

Queensland Times --> Jobs on track for locals at new Wulkuraka rail facility

[HappyTrainGuy]

Depends on the patronage and network as to whether their life gets extended. Eg Morning peak hour on the Caboolture line still has free seats available before Northgate. There have been times where I have seen seats available arriving at Bowen Hills. I've been harping on about this for a while that the bus network really needs a big kick up the ass. As much as I'd love to see a 4tph frequency on the Caboolture line I still say the patronage does not support it at least until the MBRL comes online. Yes yes yes the supply it and they will come won't always work especially when you have hourly off peak buses, hourly peak hour buses, buses that leave the station just minutes before a train arrives (BT are just bastards at this - 327, 325, 340, GCL to name a couple) and buses that go home when the sun is still up (BT, Thompsons and KBL). If you happen to live at Warner/Joyner or even just 1-2 or 3 km from the stations at Strathpine, Bray Park, Lawnton and Petrie etc and you miss the 6pm train from the city then you are more than likely walking home from the train station. Walk up patronage might draw some but you just have to look at the locations of where these stations are. Take Narangba. Brand spanking new station located about 1km from the first lot of dense housing. Same for Dakabin. Geebung has a great feeder bus that runs every 2 hours between 8.30am and 4pm. They also stuffed up a proper bus interchange with the new works instead making a taxi bay at the front door WTF! There is a reason why all stations from Geebung to Caboolture (except Dakabin and Lawnton but they have makesift parking lots that the public have made) have all had massive expansions. Even with the new line Petrie is still on line for getting another multistory parking lot.

The EMUs have their very own issues that the general public don't really know about. Especially when it comes to the electronics and sourcing parts for some components. The older SMU's are also starting to show signs of this as well.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Guards unable to protect commuters on new trains: union

Commuters will not be properly protected on new trains, Queenslanders are being told.

The warning came from the union representing Queensland Rail onboard guards, who will see their guard cabins in the rear carriage of the new trains coming to the state's tracks.

The current setup allows the guards to occupy drivers' cabins in the middle of the trains, because two three-carriage units are coupled together.

However the 75 new Bombardier trains, which will be rolled out between late 2015 and 2020, will come in units of six.

Queensland Rail said this meant guards would be shifted to the rear drivers' cabin.

Rail, Train and Bus Union Queensland secretary Owen Doogan said the move was not practical.

"If you've got a passenger with a wheelchair who needs assistance and is five carriages down, how will the guards know about it?" he said.

"There's significant safety reasons why they need to be in the middle. Even if you had them at the end, it's an awful long way to go from one end to the other."

The specialised guard vans normally house one guard, and contain an emergency brake, along with maintenance and communications equipment.

A Queensland Rail spokeswoman said train guards in Sydney had been moved to the rear of their new eight-carriage trains without problems.

"As the new trains will run as a six car unit, it is unnecessary to provide a drivers compartment in the middle of the train," she said.

"The new configuration maximises the space available to customers."

The spokeswoman dismissed claims by the union that the decision to remove the centrally-positioned guard cabin could cost 600 QR guards their jobs.

"No decision has been made to cut Queensland Rail guard staff," she said.

A spokeswoman for state Transport Minister Scott Emerson also said the LNP would not cut train guard jobs, and the union's claims were "scaremongering tactics".

The new Indian-built train fleet was announced in January 2014, after the Queensland government signed a $4.4 billion agreement with the Bombardier NGV Consortium.

The deal will see the company build the trains over a five-year period and maintain them for the next 32 years.

"Unlike the previous Labor government we have been able to deliver new trains for less by paying around $13.7 million per six-car set compared with Labor who paid almost twice that amount," Treasurer Tim Nicholls said last year.

But Mr Doogan accused the government of cutting corners and purchasing "throwaway trains".

"This is the first time in Queensland's history of passenger trains that they've manufactured outside Australia," he said.

"The design means that will be cheaper, but the cost of operation will be more. You've always got to run six cars, even if it's not busy."

[#Metro]

Honestly, it is just like they pull nonsense out of thin air.

The spokeswoman dismissed claims by the union that the decision to remove the centrally-positioned guard cabin could cost 600 QR guards their jobs.

Nice numbers, so the cost of guards on the network is 86 000 x 600 = $51.6 million per year, assuming all are full time.

The life of ATP system might be say 25 years economic life.  If we assume ATP will be installed when costs (ATP) = costs (guards) then
(Rough calculation, more accurate calculation would include discounting etc)

25 years x $52 million = $1.3 billion

If the ATP system costs equal to or less than $1.3 BN, it should be installed.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Local employment issues questioned at Qld's massive rail building project

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Govt requested audit for rail company over favouritism

[#Metro]

 

In 2014 Mr Emerson said the complex infrastructure agreement would save $11 million per train, paying around $13.7 million per "six car set", half the price paid by the previous government.

[petey3801]

There's actually a lot more to it than just that. A walk-through/fixed 6car set is always going to be considerably cheaper than two 3-car sets, particularly because there is only two cabs on the 6car train. Cabs add quite a lot of complexity and money to the price of a train, hence why new diesel locomotives are generally only single cab these days.

The price of the 160/260s was quite competitive for the time and for what it was, as far as I have been told. This is just more political grandstanding from Emerson, just like the 'We saved $50mil on the tilt train project because we deleted the extra cars', even though the money had already been spent and sunk.

[#Metro]

The price of the 160/260s was quite competitive

Is there publicly available information on the cost/train for that?

[red dragin]

In 2014 Mr Emerson said the complex infrastructure agreement would save $11 million per train, paying around $13.7 million per "six car set", half the price paid by the previous government.

Trains probably cost less but fit out cost more - just number juggling.

I would have thought they'd be passed the design stage by this point.

[petey3801]

The price of the 160/260s was quite competitive

Is there publicly available information on the cost/train for that?

Not as far as i'm aware, but it's sure to be buried somewhere in the budget papers or some other gov't papers somewhere

[petey3801]

There are also so many variables that make it difficult to do an order cost for cost comparison between different orders. To name a few:
The 160/260s are 3 car sets, meaning an extra 2 cabs per 6 car train;
The 160/260s didn't have much in the way of design costs as they were an adapted version of the Perth B sets;
The 160/260s are a local build (with some overseas parts etc), whereas the NGR is a completely overseas build;
The 160/260s were an order for 64 3car units (made up of multiple smaller orders), NGR is a single 75x6car unit order, much greater economies of scale;
NGR contract also includes maintenance for 30 years, which may have influenced the cost price of the trains;
The Aus$ exchange rate would have influenced a fair amount as well in both orders, and so on...

So yeah, basically just political grandstanding as usual from Emerson...like we expect anything different from him!

[pandmaster]

Just how much design is needed? Bombardier have built many trains before: why not take an off-the-shelf design and slightly modify it for narrow gauge and the QR loading gauge?

[petey3801]

Because this is Queensland!
In reality, both types would need some designing due to different loading gauges etc. The 160/260s are slightly narrower in the bottom of the body than the Perth B sets. The NGR is pretty much a basic Bombardier design (such as the Adelaide A-City 4000s, the V'locities etc), but tweaked for loading gauge, track gauge etc.etc., which would require a reasonable amount of designing/engineering to make it all fit together properly.

[ozbob]

From South West News 3rd September 2015 page 19

Wulkuraka on track

[Derwan]

Headed to Wulkuraka today to check on the progress.

Unfortunately the spot where we took photos from late last year now has a massive barrier with an electric fence on top.



I was basically limited to getting a photo of the entrance.  Interesting signal.  Permanent red with shunt only - and what I'm guessing is some sort of routing indicator.



I got a few other shots in and around Wulkuraka station.  Here's the approach to the station, with the new siding to the maintenance facility on the left.  (Taken from the bridge over the Bremer.)



Here's the approach taken from the station platform.



You can just see some new signals in that shot (not in use yet).  Here they are a bit closer up.



A coalie rumbles through as I wait for my ride back to Ipswich.



EMU 01 doing the shuttle today.  The fenced area to the right and left looks to be foundations for a pedestrian overpass??

[ozbob]

^ great pics!  Thanks.  Bit of a bonus with EMU 01 !! 

[petey3801]

Interesting signal.  Permanent red with shunt only - and what I'm guessing is some sort of routing indicator.

Yeah, that's a fairly regular signal for entry to a yard. No mainline aspect as it's only a yard, so white lights is all that you will get, plus the route indicator saying which road is set.

Have heard Wulkuraka will be getting raised platforms as well, with a possible closure of the platforms in the near future for it to happen?

[ozbob]

^

Works Notice

Wulkuraka Station temporary closure

From Monday 21 September to Sunday 18 October 2015, Queensland Rail will temporarily close

Wulkuraka Station to undertake essential upgrade works as part of the New Generation Rollingstock (NGR) Project.

Work will include the construction of a new pedestrian overpass with lifts, raising of the existing
platforms, removal of the existing pedestrian crossing and upgrading the Grace Street entrance.

During the closure, trains will run express between Thomas Street and Karrabin in both directions.
A rail bus service will operate between Wulkuraka and Karrabin stations between the first and last
train.

The rail bus will operate from the existing alternative transport location on Dixon Street
approaching Aspinall Street, opposite the T-junction.

Ticket machines and gocard facilities at Wulkuraka station will be unavailable during the closure.
Passengers will use the ticketing facilities at Karrabin. Customers will need to contact the
TransLink call centre on 13 12 30 to organise for a fare adjustment.

Passengers will need to arrive at the rail bus stop 10 minutes before the timetabled departure of
their normal train service.

Passengers requiring assistance are asked to call 13 16 17 or SMS 0428 774 636 up to 24 hours
in advance of your planned travel.

Queensland Rail will make every effort to keep disturbance to a minimum and appreciates the
understanding of the community as we deliver the essential connection works for the NGR Project.

Community contact

If you have any questions or comments, the project team can be contacted by email at
ngr@tmr.qld.gov.au and during business hours on telephone 1800 478 238* or visit www.tmr.qld.gov.au/ngr.

*Free call Australia wide. Call charges apply from mobile phones and pay phones. Check with your service provider for
call costs.

[Gazza]

Lifts at Wulkuraka?

Wow.

[petey3801]

AND full height platforms!

[ozbob]

Went out to Wulkuraka this morning.  Station is closed, lots of works in progress.

Shuttle bus from Karrabin to Wulkuraka is working well.  TransLink staff at W. to assist during peaks.





Wulkuraka - 3 lift towers/wells in construction 







Karrabin

Photographs R Dow 22nd September 2015

[ozbob]

Some more pics around Wulkuraka and Karrabin today.  Much work in progress, a lot completed too. 

































Karrabin







Photographs R Dow 22nd September 2015

[ozbob]

[ozbob]

Work starts on Wulkuraka Station access upgrade

>> http://www.bmd.com.au/news/work-starts-wulkuraka-station-access-upgrade-2/

[ozbob]

July 2015

[ozbob]

http://translink.com.au/travel-information/service-notices/61181/details

Wulkuraka station reopening

Last updated: 2.54pm Tuesday 13 October 2015

From the first train on Monday 19 October, Wulkuraka station will reopen as normal.

Wulkuraka is on the Rosewood line, between Thomas and Karrabin stations.

Cross-corridor access

The pedestrian crossing was permanently closed on 3 October.

A cross corridor shuttle bus will run between the Dixon Street and Grace Street platforms until the pedestrian bridge is opened on 6 November.

Please allow an additional 5 minutes travel time.

Lifts will be operational from 18 December following testing.

Need assistance

If you need assistance, call 13 16 17 or send a text message (SMS) 0428 774 636 up to 24 hours ahead of your planned travel.

[ozbob]

Works Notice – Shuttle Bus Detour

As part of the adjacent timber rail bridge replacement project, a full road closure is required at
Sadliers Crossing bridge at Grace and Dixon Streets to facilitate the installation of stormwater
drainage infrastructure.

The closure will take place from 7am Monday 30 November 2015 through to 5pm Wednesday 2
December 2015.

This closure will mean that the free cross-corridor shuttle bus between Dixon and Grace Streets
will be detoured via Toongarra Road.

Passengers will need to allow an additional 10 minutes travel time between platforms compared to
the regular shuttle bus service.

There will be an additional cross-corridor shuttle during peak hours to assist passengers with
making their connecting train service.

Passengers requiring assistance are asked to call 13 16 17 or SMS 0428 774 636 up to 24 hours
in advance of your planned travel.

Queensland Rail apologises for any inconvenience and thanks the local community for their
cooperation during these important works.

Community contact

If you have any questions or comments, the NGR project team can be contacted by email at sand
during business hours on telephone 1800 478 238* or visit www.tmr.qld.gov.au/ngr.
For information on the Sadliers Crossing works, please phone the project team on freecall 1800645 836 or email communityengagement@qr.com.au.

[ozbob]

Queensland Times --> Wulkuraka rail facility set to put industry back on track

IPSWICH has long been known as one of the original homes of the rail industry in Australia.

Thousands were employed at the railway workshops before they were slowly closed down.

Now the rail industry is back on track thanks to the nearly completed $190 million maintence facility at Wulkuraka.

The ultra modern depot has already employed hundreds of people in the construction phase with the facility now just six months from being operational.

The depot will see Bombardier maintain the latest generation trains with approximately 150 people employed once the operational phase kicks in.

Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR) NGR program director Stuart Langan said the facility had been "purpose built to maintain the 75 six-car trains that we are getting from Bombardier".

"It has also been future proofed and we have an option in the contract for an extra 24 trains," he said.

"Work began around April of 2013 and the depot is almost physically complete.

"We are working through finalising some design issues...and starting to plan for operational readiness.

"Bombardier, who will maintain the trains on site for the next 30 years, are already starting to move into the offices.

"We would expect the first train to get into operational service in the middle of 2016 and all 75 trains in service by the end of 2018.

"On the depot, there will be 150 people employed ranging from managerial and office-type staff to technical people to maintain the trains.

"Prior to that, under construction, there were just over 330 full time employees and an additional 70 contractors."

Mr Langan said the depot was a "fantastic opportunity to have a brand new state-of-the-art facility to support the new trains that are coming".

"The new trains will enable some of the old Queensland Rail trains to go into retirement and once that is all complete it will also allow for an additional 30% capacity on the network.

"Some of the older trains are being retired or replaced with new generation rolling stock which comes with CCTV, wi-fi, toilets and other key features."

All the assets at the depot will belong to DTMR with the contract to maintain the trains resting with Bombardier.

Queensland Rail are the overall operators of the trains.

Laing O'Rourke is the principal contractor for the construction of the depot.

When the trains come in to the bi-directional depot, from either the Rosewood or Ipswich direction, they will go through what is known as the MRX Shed, or colloquially as 'The Giraffe Hut',

where state of the art equipment picks up any defects in the train.

Those issues can then be rectified and the data collected to provide Bombardier with information on maintenance requirements.

There are 10 tracks at the depot, known on site as 'roads', with the first six leading into the maintenance shed.

The seventh is a "through road" leading right through to the western end of the depot.

The eighth leads to the wheel lathe. The ninth is used for stabling purpose and the 10th is a bypass.

"The wheel lathe deals with any issues relating to the wheel sets," Mr Langan said.

"One of the challenges that Laing O'Rourke had in the design and construction phase was that the wheel lathe machine was massive and came from Germany, so in order to get it in they had to design part of the roof section to be removable.

"If the machine ever had to come out, one of the roof panels can be lifted off."

The number six road leads to the main cleaning bay within the maintenance shed.

Roads two to five are for maintenance with number four and five having a crane on hand to enable heavy roof work to be undertaken.

All of the roads have raised tracks in the shed, enabling maintenance workers to get in an elongated pit so they can get right under the trains.

The number one road is the main lifting facility which contains retracted lifting jacks which enables the change-out of underframe equipment to be done.

The Wulkuraka facility has been an outstanding local job creator

"Out at the depot during construction, a lot of the employees and sub-contractors were obtained from Ipswich or south-east Queensland," Mr Langan said.

"Likewise in the operational side of the project, Bombardier are recruiting a large percentage of people from the Ipswich region."

[nathandavid88]

That is a very detailed article, detailing the facilities and what roads lead to them. Well written for all the former workshops staff living in Ipswich.

[ozbob]

https://www.facebook.com/notes/queensland-rail/wulkuraka-footbridge-now-open/1005091222857388

Wulkuraka footbridge now open

23 December 2015 at 15:01

The pedestrian footbridge at Wulkuraka station has now been opened to the public. The previous shuttle bus service will cease service this afternoon.

Until the new lifts are operational, rail customers who require alternate transport can call  13 16 17 or text only to 0428 774 636 for assistance.

[BrizCommuter]

Where are the NGRs?
http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/where-are-next-generation-rolling-stock.html