Re: Melbourne's Old Train Fleet

["David Proctor" <daproc@bigfoot.com>]

J Richmond <richmond@melbpc.org.au> wrote in article
<68kjcf$97$2@wombat.melbpc.org.au>...
> Does anyone know when Melbourne will get new EMU sets?

Probably when we see pigs taking off from Tullamarine! Victoria currently
has the most anti-Pulblic Transport government in recent memory - what
purchases have they made? The sprinters were introduced during the Kennetts
term, but they were ordered by Labor - also the joint order for XPT's for
the Sydney-Melbourne run. I do not believe - but I am open to correction
here - that the Kennett government has not ordered a single piece of
rolling stock for ANY mode of public transport - train, tram or bus. (I am
not counting infrastructure maintenance equipment here!)

> The last real new EMU's we got were 1981 when the Comeng Supertrains were
> brought in. We do have the 4 car 'Public Development Train' Tangara but
> that's too wide to use on most routes (isn't it?).

My understanding is that the double deck train is not too wide, but is too
high for the western group of lines - Upfield, Broadmeadows, St Albans and
Werribee. I'm not sure about Glen Waverley, Alamein, Epping or Hurstbridge.
The set can, and does, operate every day over the Lilydale and Belgrave
lines. It has been to Dandenong and Frankston without problems.

There was a proposal out to order double deck trains for Melbourne, but
this was cancelled after the October 1992 election, which brought the
Kennett government to power - I wonder if it was a case of "It was a Labor
proposal so it MUST be bad"

> The Comeng Supertrains are looking pretty scruffy, not to mention the
1970's
> Hitachi tin cans.
> I use Melbourne's trains at least once a day and I don't think the older
> trains will last too much longer.
> 

-- 
Regards

David Proctor
daproc@bigfoot.com