I went to enjoy the only line that has fit for purpose trains for Regional Rail Travel
On Sunday VN14 shunted in with PH power van attached as I am not surprised as I had feeling something wasn’t right, as I had the same set the day before!
- As one thing that caught my attention was carriage lights on Saturday whist riding this set down direction to Swan Hill was the carriage main lights flickering at odd intervals!
- WC had issues with bad smell suspected high flow of water fouling the WC area on flushing
- conductor says it related to water pressure after sharing my concerns to him and he reported it for repairs
- Put icing on the cake we lost the light and air conditioning in the train whist I sat in my carriage as we were waiting for departure on 13:35
- I abruptly stopped what I doing beforehand blurted out a reaction toward it as I heard a “Click” at the time it occurred!
Oye! Lights out!
It was promptly soon after rectified by crew.
Before Bendigo I whist walking through the carriage to my seat I noticed a passenger getting up from the seat and whole seat base moved with this person!
- In doing so I saw the floor of the carriage and seat frame!
- I naturally had concerns for people safety regarding the state of the seat
- I couldn’t access the conductor so I it put online to V/line Bendigo/V/line for work order to be issue so it could be rectified!
As a concerned train traveller VN14 in BZN258 seat no. 28 seems to be unfastened in your 13:35 Swan Hill up
@VLine @vline_bendigo returning to Southern Cross.
Please arrange a work order for this if required..
Thank you.
Seat cushion unfastened in carriage.
29-28 no…. Near WC
*admittedly I was very tired and the message came out it bit gabbled….*
On the down the trip very nice pleasant run to Swan Hill in my carriage the tell tale features of it’s era the exposed blind track where the blind used to be in the carriage.
Arrived Swan Hill on time.
On the return things noticed a few odd events took after returning from a nice lunch for the return service.
- Notice the seat 29 in BZN258 was not rectified the day before and when station staff was advised of this was very concerned and surprised it wasn’t rectified the day before!
- Apparently the locomotive N452 had issues and fitters from Bendigo was coming to rectify it. As the driver couldn’t rectify it as he didn’t have the special tools for it.
- Later was advised it was minor “Fuel Leak”.
- But was I aware that any fuel leaks are no laughing matter and big safety concerns could compounded issues
- Fitters was delayed on arrival and at first the station staff/crew was aiming to have rectified on the spot and late departure back via train.
- Fitters was no show at Swan Hill as the station staff and few gave half hour before departure for their arrival from Bendigo Railway Workshops who oversees maintenance of Locomotives and trains overseen by 3rd party contractor.
- Two coach ordered for the transfer on stand by
As result the Train Service was cancelled.
Two Buses were arranged for passengers one Express to Melb and one stopping all stops
The people who got off the Mildura coach I don’t think they were impressed as they some without meals on the buses. The Bus its self had a WC thankfully but some cases very hard to use on route for some people!
One arrival at Souther Cross I manage gather info that the Evening service was a loco haul 18:43!!!
From my observation:
- As those fitters could of arrived shortly after we left and rectified the locomotive and stabilised the issue with N452 fuel leak as I got gist of what it meant pulling it apart and replacing something.
- Made it safer it to point to get a train order arranged and possibly ran it empty cars to the workshop under certain conditions.
- As report was made on the unfastened seat on BZN258 another safety concern
- Increase maintenance on current fleet
Conclusion:
Maybe some options could be considered or suggested to our budding Assist CEO of V/line who has background of Metropolitan Train Operations?
https://rocketreach.co/warwick-horsley-email_4686914
Warwick Horsley, based in Melbourne, VIC, AU,s currently an Acting CEO at V/Line.
- Warwick Horsley brings experience from previous roles at V/Line, Metro Trains Melbourne
- Transdev and Public Transport Victoria.
- Warwick Horsley holds a 2015 – 2015 Transition to General Management @ INSEAD.
- With a robust skill set that includes Rail, Stakeholder Management, Change Management, Project Management, Project Planning
After a cramped bus coach ride to Melbourne some people avoid buses as it not the best way for long haul travel if some people fall in any of these categories:
- Body stature size ie: Height or size
- Complexed dietary requirements
- Mobility
- Water works issues and other medical issues etc.
For such incidents how can they arrange the process of allowing a train service to continue with minimal disruption with less bus transfers?
[please click on arrow to see suggestions]
- Geelong yard there is a few N class locomotives sitting there at time what stopping them from keeping some those unused loco at Bendigo Workshop for such events?
- What happened, and was the work order for the job delayed in anyway?
- As I understand Bendigo is roughly 2 hrs away from Swan Hill.
- What stopping them doing a light engine movement to Swan Hill?
- How about redirect ground staff ie:Shunters etc. to assist this role?
- Whist at Swan Hill uncouple the defective loco from the train and shunt it in the siding of the yard off the mainline and couple up the “Substitute” Locomotive to run the service?
- Plus when the seemly qualified fitters etc. are delayed it may lessen the need for Train Replacements!
- Plus arrange a light engine movement back to Bendigo Railway Workshop and rectify problems
- And send back to ground zero aka Southern Cross or Spencer St Station Melb Yard in the quieter hrs when not many service are operating.
My observation is:
How about a suggesting the top Management Team stop cutting maintenance funding on the older Fit For Purpose trains to justify a series of bad decisions that was made previously?
- The IMU known as “VoLcity” Rail Cars is being pushed beyond it design and mechanical limitations on the Warrnambool, Gippsland, Shepparton and Albury lines etc as the user unfriendly “One Size fits All Concept” is failing in the ““Function Of Time“.
- reliability ie: 3×3 cars reduced 3×2 or 3×2 to 3 car IMU VoLcity Rail Car on a regular basis excluding animal strikes, and vandalism
- Not fit for purpose ie: Limited luggage storage, No designated bulk luggage area
- cramped commuter hard style seats with no buffet for people who does coach transfers after getting off the train at terminating points etc.
- How about Limiting the VoLcity IMU rail cars for shorter routes, Bendigo, Ballarat, Morwell, Seymour, Wyndham Vale, Geelong etc?
- How about considering replacing the aging N fleet with a “Intercity” rolling stock to cater for Regional Towns and Cities as many of them are more 3-4+ hrs to terminating point?
- refer to aging XPT 5 passengers isolated from motor units:
- Crew has the flexibility to walk through the 5 cars
- Designated luggage area for bulky items
- bi directional seats
- Buffet that can be accessed by all passengers unlike the Standard Gauge VoLcity IMU rail car and need one staff to operate it
- and for platform that the train exceed the length, passengers can be advised to get out of certain carriages like older loco haul do currently on the Swan Hill runs!
Unquote V/line website earlier but not posted was on X v/line Bendigo line for some reason:
For some odd reason this Morning 07:40 Swan Hill Service was delayed by 20 minutes due to train fault!
V/line website Bendigo line Minor Delay Live Disruptions Service Delay
Bendigo line The 07:40 Southern Cross – Swan Hill service is delayed 20 minutes due to a train fault.
We apologise for the delay to your journey. [08:06 09/06]
I hope they didn’t use Loco N452 today as the day before she had a fuel leak that caused cancellation of a train service!!!
As locomotive haul are not seen as aerodynamic & sleek BUT overseas there newer locomotive technology available so it is possible and can be done if our rail policy decision makers had vision and gumption to make it happen!!!
https://www.railway-technology.com/features/featuretracks-in-time-200-years-of-locomotive-technology-4517022/
V/line have become totally incompetent as an operator.
It feels like V/Line is really offering a poor service to customers and partly due to their poor rolling stock maintenance programme. Who is responsible for the mess?
Well the person in charge in DOTP is Ben Phyland the Rolling Stock and Ticketing adviser and the Transport Minister…..
The Advisor Ben oversaw SA and WA Railway design for the their metropolitan rail system which is not as extensive as NSW beforehand and seems to be applying the same concept in Vic when appointed to his role!
It seems he thinks catering for Metropolitan travellers is the same as Regional Rail for rolling stock designs…..
He seems to out of his depth….
1. The CMU aka Metro rolling stock ie: X’traps is basic for Metro fixed seats that it….short duration on board
and no WC on board ie:1-2 hrs Max
2. the VoLcity rail cars or IMU aka Inter Urban Multiple Units mid distance 1.5 -2.5 hrs max. this has WC and fixed seat but no catering which being pushed on the longer duration routes for example Warrnambool as a “One Size Fit all” Choice of rolling stock with poor results ie:
3×3 reduced to 3×2 whist 3×2 is reduced to 3×1 units and overcrowding results on a regular basis excluding animal strikes and vandalism….
Plus reducing maintenance on older classic fleet to seemly justify the bad advice and recommendations of rolling stock for Regional Rail Travelling conditions for Vic Railway conditions.
Plus a marketing guy with Bombardier Rail Transport Providers in Europe. One might ask if he was seemly so versed at his profession and judgement why did he leave them?
Victoria doesn’t have a ‘Transport Minister’. Surely after all your whinging, you’d have realised this by now?
So your fit for purpose train wasn’t fit for purpose?
Couldn’t have happened to a nicer whinger.
You are a vindictive person, Mike……why wish to misfortune on others? There were 2 bus loads of passengers amongst me in this…are you wishing misfortune on them too?
You gave yourself away your name email in my folder shows your Michael Vale a rich pompous former Government public servant clerk who has tax funded car and short haul traveller from Ballan! Log off you immature man!
As I know maintenance funding was reduced on classic fleet to justify their decision of VoLcity but don’t let that spoil your narrative…..
Old or New don’t Matter lack maintenance any train will break down eventually…….VoLcity is off the shelf something you don’t know……