The Victorian Government has announced plans to introduce long called for six carriage sets on the Warrnambool Line, before the end of the year.
V/Line is in the final stages of planning and commenced testing the six carriage trains on Thursday evening.
Once testing is complete, the six carriage trains will operate on busy Friday and weekend services later this year.
Observations
On reading the article why is a certin MP Jacinta Ermacora claming credit from a few other MP’s work?.
I understand a election is coming, can this be seen a grab for votes?
Current issues & questions to be considered:
They are knocking out Vlocity urban railcars 3 cars to 6 cars at time at Southern cross at regular basis due intermittent faults.
Why does the makes MP from Warrnambool think they can maintain a regular 3×2 VLocity without buffet metro urban rail car on the Warrnambool service?
They cannot even regularly operate a Wyndham Vale 3×3 VLocity service without reducing capcity to 3×2!
The line is known well for the amount of people using the service and currently experincing overcrowding and cancelled services.
if that small line of Geelong Line is having issue with capacity what make V/Line & DOT so sure they can spare rail cars extending the IMU metro urban rail cars to extend the service to Warrnambool to 6 cars?
The 142 Vlocity order now completed this rate extra services they may run short of rolling stock!!!
Did they consider the back log of trains waiting for attention?
This includes for Bio Wash for animal strikes and inspection of damage?
Periodic maintance?
Conclusion:
I do believe that it is because of the state elections coming up they rushing out these decisions. As it is clear the people who use it are not happy and some MPs might lose their seats!
This not a new idea as V/Line & DOT shot it down due to “Safety Reasons” Plaforms too short etc.
Currently on other lines they put flag up on the cars fouling the plaform on other lines and advising people to ride in certin sets in accordence of the station that are within the plaform’s length as because of the limitations of the VLocity design cab at the end of 3 cars one conductors can’t walk through the length of 6 cars without getting off mid trip!
Whist the only old loco haul serviced that remain on the Swan Hill Line the conductor can access all 5 cars and do the flag safety proccedure without having to get off mid trip!
The Warrnambool locals will get 3×2 VoLcity metro urban rail cars without buffet which a outdated rail technology of Alstom and hardly fit for purpose for the longer routes!
As few day ago on Tues 18th Jul a VLocity caught fire and had to be evacauted of it’s passengers
They should left the older trains alone and not do a half hearted job at replacing the trains on the longer distance routes like Warrnambool etc. and thought of getting deisgnated rollingstock for that purpose!!!
It seems to look like the DOT’s & V/Line’s one size fit all operation concept for the metro urban rail cars VLocity may of pushed it beyond is mechical stress threshold for a oil fire to occur with people on board as it was pure luck no one got seriously injured on board!
Had it been a smaller business that had a similar incident I feel Vic Worksafe or ONRSR would had field day with those in responsible roles!
Interesting why now and why not earlier?