Re: Connex refurbished train at Flinder Street Station

["HXP1" <hxp1@dingoblue.net.au>]

James C <idonthavemail@noemail.org> wrote in message
397bec95$0$11187$7f31c96c@news01.syd.optusnet.com.au">news:397bec95$0$11187$7f31c96c@news01.syd.optusnet.com.au...

> I visited Flinder street just after 11am saw 3 refurbished comeng
> carriages stable at platform one towards Spencer street side. The
> train looks quite smart actually and already attract lots of
> attension, most of the visitors are either rail fans(with camera)
> or Connex employees(especially drivers)

This gunzel had been & gone by 11.00. |-)

> The exterior painted yellow and blue with Connex symbol near the
> doorway. 2 level LED sign replaced traditional destination sign.

This is probably my only gripe on a massively better train.  The LED
units used for the Desto appear to be the same unit used for the
internal display.  This unit is OK for the internal display, but a
mechanical dot matrixas used on the Trams & Busses IMHO would have
been better.  The text from the LED Desto is not particulalrly visible
unless the lighting conditions are good; glaring sun, distance & angle
causing the Desto to become inditingushable.  The text on the LED
display is also physically smaller than the roller blinds that they
replace.

> The interior looked somewhere in between recent Yarra trams
> refurbished trams and QR's SMU2 .Looks quite pleasant I must say.
> Similar to Yarra trams the handles painted green color instead of
> yellow.  LED sign on the celing telling passengers the route
> (destination) and next station,  plus prerecorded PM system inform
> the stopping pattern and next stop. Security cameras also been
> fitted on the celing.

Internal PIDS is a big improvement, this is driven automatically from
I beleive the POTS transponders.  All the driver does is enter the TD
number into the keypad and the system does all the rest.  At todays
launch they were uncertain of how the system would cope with altered
stopping patterns, like converting an express into a stopper.  It
apears from talking to the people that the programming for the PIDS is
not finished.

> The new seats somewhat firmer then current Comeng seats, this
> maybe a vandal prevention. There are intercoms for passengers in
> case of emergency. At the end of the carriage extra 2 windows were
> fitted so you can see through to the next carriage, this maybe a
> security measures and simplify transit police's job. Also 1 public
> phone been fitted each set(just behind the cab)

The phone uses a proprietry phone card, presumably obtainable from
Connex Booking Offices.  I was unable to find out (due to the fact I
forgot to ask...) what technology these phones use to access the PSTN,
(GSM/CDMA or Sat).

> Lots of drivers came to checked out the new driving cab with Video
> fitted so drivers can see inside the passenger saloon.

The screens automatically turn off under normal running, and the
correct screen is called when the Driver answers a duress button.  The
reason that the screens are off normally is to avoid distracting the
driver from driving (especially in summer).

The vision (from each camera?) is kept on a hard disk, for 7 days.
The vision can be downloaded if required onto a laptop computer, and
has a watermark/timestamp.

> Overall I must say Alstom did a good job, this will definitely
> impress new and old users of Connex.

When you consider this train as apparently 6 months earlier than
originally planned, it's not bad...

--
HXP1
(now with V6.08 software)