G'day all.
With most restrictions finally lifted I wasn't trapped to just 25km and have been out and about regularly capturing some of the regular and some of the soon to be gone from our rail network.
First up we begin from 14/11.
A 6 car Siemens lead by 828M on the down with a Pakenham train between Richmond and South Yarra. Beyond planned trackwork it's unusual to see a Pakenham train use the Caulfield Through tracks. Normally they use the Caulfield Local to the right.
Not long after on the Caulfield local is Vlocity VL41 on the down with a Traralgon train between Richmond and South Yarra. VL41 is one of few still in it's original livery.
On the down Sandringham line a 6 car Alstom refurb Comeng lead by 565M is between Richmond and South Yarra with a Sandringham train. 565M-1131T-561M-M-T-M is another of the disk braked units that have been through the CCTV and digital display upgrade as evidenced by the large headboard in the offside window.
EDI refurb Comeng 327M is on the up local powering out of South Yarra with a City Loop train while t18M-1059T-417M-357M-1029T-358M slows for it's stop at South Yarra.
Alstom Refurb 643M takes up the rear. Mixed tread/disk sets like this will become extinct once the disk braked units recive the CCTV/digital display upgrade.
On the down local crossing the Yarra River is 344M-1044T-390M-580M-1140T-579M with a Pakenham train. 344M is one of a few EDI refurb cars that have had thier dot matrix headboard replaced with an LED display.
HCMT unit 18 comes out of South Yarra with a Reliability Growth Running train to Werribee. For all but the first unit in service 2000km worth of fault free RGR has to occur. The first unit in service requires 2500km.
Now we cross to the other side of the city at North Williamstown where we see 3 car Siemens 786M-2543M-785M on the down with a WIlliamstown train. With the new timetable on the 31st of January the 3 car weekend Williamstown-Newport shuttle will become a thing of the past. All trains from Williamstown will be extended from Newport to run into the city and run as 6 car trains like on weekdays.
At the Champion Road crossing at Newport Pacific National standard gauge locos G523 and 8210 with light engine move D770V. Between Newport and Geelong the broad gauge and standard gauge lines parallel each other. This bit of track is part of the western SG that takes trains to Adelaide and beyond.
PN doesn't seem to be in too much of a rush to repaint thier locomotives. G523 is still wearing it's Freight Australia livery while 8210 is wearing it's Freightcorp livery.
Now we move onto 21/11
Arriving on the up into Southern Cross from Wendouree is VLocity VL25 and VL01.
Vlocities VL66 and VL09 depart Southern Cross with a Waurn Ponds train.
Moving out to Footscray we see Qube's QBX002 and 8044 come out of the Bunbury Street tunnel and stop at signal DYN160 on a light engine move to Victoria Dock to run the 7MC7 cement.
Arriving into Footscray to pick up passengers is N456 with N set FN13. Of note behind the locomotive is a PH van. PH vans are power vans used when the HEP on the locomotive isn't working.
With thier day done SSR's T386-T385 have uncoupled from the consist and wait for the Ps shunt the train into another siding at Tottenham Yard.
Moving to the northern suburbs Siemens 714M trails a Cragieburn train at Kensington.
Still earning thier keep some 60 plus years of service S302 and B75 are stabled at B siding of the Kensington flower mill awaiting thier next run to collect grain.
S302 is still wearing it's El Zorro livery while B75 is wearing the livery of SSR subsidiary Consolidated Rail Leasing.
Departing what can only be described as Melbourne's most dreary station EDI refurb Comeng 448M is on the rear of a Upfield train at Macaulay. In the late 90s Citylink was built on top of the station.
Moving on to the 5/12.
In one of those right place right time moments is HCMT unit 11 departing Narre Warren on the up after doing a simulated stop as part of the Simulated Passenger Service part of testing. Like the RGR part of testing 2000km has to be completed fault free. SPS as the name suggests is set the train up as if it's running a normal service including station stops.
The first one is expected to enter service with the new timetable but it has been rumored one will run in a couple of weeks as a propaganda exercise.
With borders finally re opening interstate trains are starting to resume. N464 and N set SN16 are at Southern Cross awaiting departure on the 1205 to Albury.
On the back is power van PCJ492. Unlike the broad gauge power vans where they are used as required, the PCJ and PZ power vans are always attached to an SN set HEP working or not.
The railmotor yard this week is much more crowded with a couple of Vlocities and Sprinters. Of note is one of the new Vlocity units on the right.
Over in the Bank sidings are a bunch of N class locomotives, a Vlocity and a Sprinter awaiting thier next turn of duty.
Finding freight trains can be a bit of a challenge but there are a couple that run to regular schedules. Here G536-G527 clatter over Richmond Junction with the 9553 down Long Island steel. This train takes steel unloaded off a standard gauge train in Dynon to the Bluescope Steel plant at Long Island in Hastings.
With the steelie out of the way Siemens 786M gets back on the move with a Frankston train. In the background is an X'trapolis heading to Flinders Street.
With the part of the city skyline behind Alstom refurb Comeng 617M leads a Sandringham train.
On any other weekend X'trapolis 257M would leading it's Belgrave train coming off off those points from the left but due to works on the viaduct between Flinders Street and Southern Cross all Burnley Group trains were running direct to and from Flinders Street.
EDI refurb Comeng 346M trails a Sandringham train at Parhan.
With a delay in the Northern group tunnel in the City Loop Metrol made the deicion to run trains direct to/from Flinders Street. As a result some trains like this Werribee train trailed by EDI refurb 318M ended up using Platform 14 at Southern Cross. A move that will become the norm on weekends with the Jan 31 timetable taking Werribee trains out of the loop and through running them with Fraknston trains like on a weekday.
With most restrictions finally lifted I wasn't trapped to just 25km and have been out and about regularly capturing some of the regular and some of the soon to be gone from our rail network.
First up we begin from 14/11.
A 6 car Siemens lead by 828M on the down with a Pakenham train between Richmond and South Yarra. Beyond planned trackwork it's unusual to see a Pakenham train use the Caulfield Through tracks. Normally they use the Caulfield Local to the right.
Not long after on the Caulfield local is Vlocity VL41 on the down with a Traralgon train between Richmond and South Yarra. VL41 is one of few still in it's original livery.
On the down Sandringham line a 6 car Alstom refurb Comeng lead by 565M is between Richmond and South Yarra with a Sandringham train. 565M-1131T-561M-M-T-M is another of the disk braked units that have been through the CCTV and digital display upgrade as evidenced by the large headboard in the offside window.
EDI refurb Comeng 327M is on the up local powering out of South Yarra with a City Loop train while t18M-1059T-417M-357M-1029T-358M slows for it's stop at South Yarra.
Alstom Refurb 643M takes up the rear. Mixed tread/disk sets like this will become extinct once the disk braked units recive the CCTV/digital display upgrade.
On the down local crossing the Yarra River is 344M-1044T-390M-580M-1140T-579M with a Pakenham train. 344M is one of a few EDI refurb cars that have had thier dot matrix headboard replaced with an LED display.
HCMT unit 18 comes out of South Yarra with a Reliability Growth Running train to Werribee. For all but the first unit in service 2000km worth of fault free RGR has to occur. The first unit in service requires 2500km.
Now we cross to the other side of the city at North Williamstown where we see 3 car Siemens 786M-2543M-785M on the down with a WIlliamstown train. With the new timetable on the 31st of January the 3 car weekend Williamstown-Newport shuttle will become a thing of the past. All trains from Williamstown will be extended from Newport to run into the city and run as 6 car trains like on weekdays.
At the Champion Road crossing at Newport Pacific National standard gauge locos G523 and 8210 with light engine move D770V. Between Newport and Geelong the broad gauge and standard gauge lines parallel each other. This bit of track is part of the western SG that takes trains to Adelaide and beyond.
PN doesn't seem to be in too much of a rush to repaint thier locomotives. G523 is still wearing it's Freight Australia livery while 8210 is wearing it's Freightcorp livery.
Now we move onto 21/11
Arriving on the up into Southern Cross from Wendouree is VLocity VL25 and VL01.
Vlocities VL66 and VL09 depart Southern Cross with a Waurn Ponds train.
Moving out to Footscray we see Qube's QBX002 and 8044 come out of the Bunbury Street tunnel and stop at signal DYN160 on a light engine move to Victoria Dock to run the 7MC7 cement.
Arriving into Footscray to pick up passengers is N456 with N set FN13. Of note behind the locomotive is a PH van. PH vans are power vans used when the HEP on the locomotive isn't working.
With thier day done SSR's T386-T385 have uncoupled from the consist and wait for the Ps shunt the train into another siding at Tottenham Yard.
Moving to the northern suburbs Siemens 714M trails a Cragieburn train at Kensington.
Still earning thier keep some 60 plus years of service S302 and B75 are stabled at B siding of the Kensington flower mill awaiting thier next run to collect grain.
S302 is still wearing it's El Zorro livery while B75 is wearing the livery of SSR subsidiary Consolidated Rail Leasing.
Departing what can only be described as Melbourne's most dreary station EDI refurb Comeng 448M is on the rear of a Upfield train at Macaulay. In the late 90s Citylink was built on top of the station.
Moving on to the 5/12.
In one of those right place right time moments is HCMT unit 11 departing Narre Warren on the up after doing a simulated stop as part of the Simulated Passenger Service part of testing. Like the RGR part of testing 2000km has to be completed fault free. SPS as the name suggests is set the train up as if it's running a normal service including station stops.
The first one is expected to enter service with the new timetable but it has been rumored one will run in a couple of weeks as a propaganda exercise.
With borders finally re opening interstate trains are starting to resume. N464 and N set SN16 are at Southern Cross awaiting departure on the 1205 to Albury.
On the back is power van PCJ492. Unlike the broad gauge power vans where they are used as required, the PCJ and PZ power vans are always attached to an SN set HEP working or not.
The railmotor yard this week is much more crowded with a couple of Vlocities and Sprinters. Of note is one of the new Vlocity units on the right.
Over in the Bank sidings are a bunch of N class locomotives, a Vlocity and a Sprinter awaiting thier next turn of duty.
Finding freight trains can be a bit of a challenge but there are a couple that run to regular schedules. Here G536-G527 clatter over Richmond Junction with the 9553 down Long Island steel. This train takes steel unloaded off a standard gauge train in Dynon to the Bluescope Steel plant at Long Island in Hastings.
With the steelie out of the way Siemens 786M gets back on the move with a Frankston train. In the background is an X'trapolis heading to Flinders Street.
With the part of the city skyline behind Alstom refurb Comeng 617M leads a Sandringham train.
On any other weekend X'trapolis 257M would leading it's Belgrave train coming off off those points from the left but due to works on the viaduct between Flinders Street and Southern Cross all Burnley Group trains were running direct to and from Flinders Street.
EDI refurb Comeng 346M trails a Sandringham train at Parhan.
With a delay in the Northern group tunnel in the City Loop Metrol made the deicion to run trains direct to/from Flinders Street. As a result some trains like this Werribee train trailed by EDI refurb 318M ended up using Platform 14 at Southern Cross. A move that will become the norm on weekends with the Jan 31 timetable taking Werribee trains out of the loop and through running them with Fraknston trains like on a weekday.
