Re: Hitachi vs. Comeng

["Rob O'Regan" <robbie@alphalink.com.au>]

Michael Kurkowski wrote:

> Hi All,
>
> I have been wondering for a while now, why the driver/passenger
> communication doors have been taken out of the hitachi trains, and
> driver/passenger communication doors put into the comeng trains.
>

They were removed from the Hitachi trains when the front communicationdoor was
removed. Both sets of doors were provided originally for
emergency exit reasons. Both sets of dors were removed after it
was realised they were unnecessary and sometimes downright dangerous.
There were numerous complaints regarding the lack of weatherproofing
of the front doors and complaints regarding the ease of access from the
passenger saloon to the van area for unauthorised and mostly unwanted
passengers. There were also security concerns regarding the ease of
access to the handbrake, (guards) emergency tap and door control
panels.

> I do understand that the hitachi's had them removed long before (late
> 70's?) and the comeng's had them fitted in the early 90's. Why didn't they
> refit them into the hitachi's?
>
>

By the time the SPOT (Single Person Operation of Trains) projectcommenced, the
Hitachis were all rostered as 6-car sets. At all
locations where changing ends occurred for 6-car sets, a crushed
rock walkway was provided. As there was no rostered requirement
for 3-car Hitachi sets, the passenger saloon to van compartment doors
were not refitted. As well, the Hitachi drivers cab air-conditioning
project was also based on semi-permanent 6-car sets, hence the
reason that not all Hitachi motors were fitted with air conditioning.

> Regards
> Michael.



--
Regards, Robbie,
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
"I must not drink copious amounts of beer before posting"