Riding N12 reduced 4 cars after it’s return

26/11/25 V/Line website and saw 4 X cars on the Swan Hill service I figured out it was the set N12

that set no. being out at Bendigo Rly Workshop for good length of time since Jun 2025

N12 was seen at Bacchus Mash earlier and ended up at Bendigo Rly Workshops

I waited at middle of the plaform 5 when 07:16 Y class shunt in with N12 for Swan Hill 07:39

1. looking at the train it’s self it has being shorten to 4 cars instead of 5 cars I do believe and feel BZN266 is missing from this set!
   • BZN265 stood out the rivets along the length of rolling stock outline featuring the older methods of carraige farbication when putting the steel skin on the frame.
   • Whist the other 3 cars N series had the newer spot weld method which resulted the smooth steel skin finish with no rivets.
2. N458 come up at couples to the train at 07:21
   • The crew goes throught it normal safety check HEP etc.
   • Buffet stocked up and good crowd was waiting for the boarding call
3. settled in lead car BZN265 behind the locomotive and at 07:27 slight electrical spike in fluro tube took place, nothing to see at the moment for now.
4. on the flyover noticed a Pacfic National Loco and frieght on the fly over whist pulling out toward Footscray
5. 08:12 the crew was doing PA sound check on the train, saying “test, test” it seems there were problems with PA system
   • ie: BZN265 it seem okay and audible and intermittently the PA could not be heard.
6. Near Middle Footscray notice a big freight on standard gauge heading towards Albury near Totterham yard.

Jostled awake between Woodend – Kyneton, I wonder why it was rough response between scheduled stops?

I could clearly hear the brake rigging underneath activating and felt the the carriage roll toward the locomotive and felt the couplers taking up the slack after.

Was N485 having issues on route?

1. I remembered seeing a sign was on the driver control It seemed unusual painted in yellow “Do not use dynamic Idle 10 sec.” in a workshop recently after it was repaired with those tags clearing it safe to reinstall.
2. As I found it interesting that sign was on the driver control It seemed unusual and I was willing to understand the reasoning and logic on why such sign existed and for what purpose.
   • Was this sign of caution or a SOP [Standard Operational Procedures] ?

In my case, by luck stumbled into a “Mentor” from within who generous enough to enlighten me with their experience of the reasoning and logic of in the rail Industry

I learnt from this person who has seen service in Train Operations the reasoning for this

• The locomotive when powering it emitting some sort magnetic field and the 10 sec time delay was to ensure the magnetic field was cancelled out before applying the Dynamic Brake
  • When this process was skipped it resulted in rough handing of the train
    • run in = carriages rolls toward the locomotive
    • run out = carriage roll away from the locomotive

• newer locomotives I understand the driver can apply dynamic braking straight after putting in idle away
• ie: N class has timer as there’s 10 second lag before the locomotive responses to it

As I felt this is going into specialised field beyond rolling stock dept as edging into Railway Safe working and locomotive Dept!

I found this quite fascinating and intriguing

After we rolled in Bendigo more less on time and the was trip uneventful could not help noticing the windows of the carriage I was riding had black spotting speckling including the I was looking out of too!

“Someone please give this train a Rubella shot, she’s got measles again!!!”

1. At Kerang 11:47 I saw the Driver got out of his locomotive walked down the the length of the train to the ACN I wonder why?
   • As it didn’t seem normal to me as most trips I rode the driver often stay in his cab and the train pulls out after the doors lock of the carriages are activated pulled out 11:50 !
2. 12:35 we pulled in Swan Hill with N12

After train was prep for the return I notice a good crowd waiting to board the 13:35 to Southern Cross

After nice few hrs ride toward Raywood I got my drinks ready as was expecting a good crowd as it 4 cars after Bendigo as it was peck hour and workers and students board from there onwards.

At Bendigo 16:02 another electrical spike was noticed in fluro tube of lights before departure.

G531 and N467 stabled at sidings off Bendigo

Rolled back to Melb a good crowd in 4 cars th the train rolled by Albion station

the 4th car BZN265 scrapped Albion station’s platform again, what a rotten noise 17:51!

I heard the metallic noise of it rubbing of the carriage, it made contact 3 times on the rivets areas and often seen the signs of it after arrival at Southern Cross afterwards the shiny metal that had it paint layer rubbed off when it past by!

Metro train from Sunbury in section off Albion mid section stationary next N12 stopped mid section off Tottenham yard!

• Found out it was trespasser causing delays for both Metro and V/Line service soon after. https://x.com/metrotrains/status/1993578020473606298?s=20
• PA advice came out and the conductor advised of trespasser at Sunshine
  • I noticed no train movement ahead until 18:25 Metro train past by heading to Sunbury
  • 18:27 V/Line VLocity started on the move out toward the west

18:30 N12 was on the move again, the backlog would sure mess up the peak services!

VN14 on Swan Hill 18:08 was delayed too seen at Footscray as we pulled out

It was a very interesting end to the day….

• I feel that the standard length for current remain Classic Fleet should remain as 5 cars taking in consideration that our Vic Gov has promoted free trip for carers with their client this summer
  • as V/Line need to consider more fleet to be available for this be it VLocity or older trains as people are not cattle to be jammed in overcrowded train services some sitting on the floor or standing for the longer routes the heavily congested lines in the West of Vic
  • as some travellers in regional Vic have luggage and mobility travelling requirements to consider on route
  • as 4 Cars for the Swan Hill services won’t be enough.
  • As car fuel prices are costly and state roads are poor conditions I notice more people are taking the train on my travels
    • And when population is growing so do the pressure on current services transport with others can’t cope a temporary pause to migration of halt to mass migration could be considered at moment the current level is unsustainable.

The knock on effect lasted few hours, service were altered some delayed and some terminated mid route.