Re: Melbourne's Old Train Fleet

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

Rod Young <berlina@bigpond.com> wrote in article
<34B77F46.7B53@bigpond.com>...
> > also pretty sure that the 4D is the same length as a 3-car Comeng, as
> > existing stations were supposed to be able to take an 8-car 4D without
> > alterations, and a '3 car Comeng + 4D' used to fit platform length
easily.
> > 
> > Also, when the 4D first appeared, it was supposed to be the first of a
> > fleet of 18 (2 x 4-car sets?) which were to be introduced on the
> > Lilydale/Belgrave lines. At that time, they were not going to be
> > introduced on other lines until a (much?) later date, according to TV
and
> > newspaper reports at the time, and even then only on the longer distant
> > runs.
> > 
> > Mick.
> > 
> > p.s. Does anyone know why the 4D HASN'T been running with a 3-car
Comeng
> > attached since Dec 96?  Since then, it has only been running as a
single
> > 4D set, even during peak periods.... needless to say, hopelessly
> > overcrowded!
> > 
> >SNIP
> When the 4D arrived we were told that the only changes were removal of a
> lot of side glass a/c vandalism. That less than an inch had been lost in
> height [they wanted more for Swanston St Bridge] and that they had been
> narowed slightly!
> I never heard or saw any thing that sugested they were shorter, and
> having used both types of "tangara" I cant see the difference.

The seats on both the Tangara and the 4D are identical, and are pitched at
the same distance - the Tangara has 10 rows of seats in the double deck
section, the 4D has 9 - so there is a reduction there - whether this is
made up in the end sections, I'm not sure about.

> Corten Steel cars are longer than Comeng cars, but because the bogies
> are mounted further from the ends,for high speed comfort etc, they need
> broader banked curves. These Cars are allowed in the Melbourne
> Underground. So I dont think the Tunnel size has anything to do with the
> 4D being built to Near enough Sydney Specs. Goninan had to use modified
> Tangara Jigs in the assembly or they would have been unable to build it
> for the price>>The 4D when it arrived gave Met Drivers a chance to
> experience what we always knew...That Sydney Sparks accelerated and
> stopped in ways we could only dream of...To match the Comenge fleet, our
> Engineers destroyed a great train and set it up with Comenge shit
> braking, and similar lousy acceleration. I hate the idea of
> Privatisation, but even asset stripping Yanks couldn't be that sick
> ...could they??
>    By the way the Feds bought the 4D as a one off...Never was any order
> for more..Goninen got 4 times the cost of a Tangara, because the
> possibility of an order was remote....more crony-ism I think/
>                     Rod Young
>