Re: Use of new QR SMUs

[Barry Campbell <barryC@qimr.edu.au>]

Colin Weaver wrote:
> 
> Does anyone know what the 30 new 3-car SMUs currently being built
> for CityTrain are to be used for? 

 <snip> 
 It seems wasteful to build
> 30 new trains just for peak hour use, so perhaps QR are planning:
> 
> A)  More frequent off-peak services.
> 
> or
> 
> B)  Construction of one of the proposed new lines (Salisbury
>     to Greenbank via the standard gauge corridor, Oxley/Darra to
>     Springfield, Petrie to Kippa-Ring, or electrification west
>     of Rosewood).
> 
> Option B seems very unlikely - can anyone shed any light on this?
> 
I agree that it would be wasteful to just use brand new rolling stock on
peak hour services but of course what would happen is that the older EMU
sets would become peak hour only vehicles. Don't forget that the oldest
sets are now 20 years old and can be expected to become less reliable
with intensive use. I know that there has been a tradition of running
railway rolling stock until it is incredibly ancient but the deleterious
effects of this are well known. Perhaps QR are just doing some forward
thinking.


Barry Campbell