D set | |
---|---|
Stock type | Electric multiple unit |
In service | 2024–present |
Manufacturer | Hyundai Rotem |
Built at | Changwon, South Korea |
Replaced |
|
Constructed | 2019–present |
Entered service | 3 December 2024 [1] |
Number built | 610 carriages (61 4-car sets and 61 6-car sets) |
Number in service | 16 carriages (4 4-car sets) as of 4 December 2024 |
Formation |
|
Fleet numbers |
|
Capacity |
|
Operators | Sydney Trains |
Depots | Kangy Angy Maintenance Centre |
Lines served | |
Specifications | |
Car body construction | Stainless steel |
Train length |
|
Car length |
|
Width | 3,034 mm (9 ft 11+1⁄2 in) |
Height | 4,402 mm (14 ft 5+1⁄4 in) |
Doors | Plug-style, 2 per side |
Maximum speed | 176 km/h (109 mph) (design) 130 km/h (81 mph) (service) |
Weight |
|
Traction system | Mitsubishi SiC–VVVF [2] |
Traction motors | 3-phase AC induction motor [2] |
Acceleration | 0.8 m/s2 (2.6 ft/s2) |
Deceleration |
|
Electric system(s) | 1,500 V DC (nominal) from overhead catenary |
Current collector(s) | Pantograph |
UIC classification |
|
Coupling system | Dellner |
Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
The New South Wales D sets, also referred to as the Mariyung trains, are a class of electric multiple units (EMU) that operate on Sydney Trains' intercity lines. The sets operate on the Blue Mountains Line, Central Coast & Newcastle Line and South Coast Line services. When all sets enter service as planned, they will replace the outgoing V set fleet, and subsequently allow for the reallocation of the entire H set fleet to Sydney's suburban line services.
The first trains were delivered in December 2019. After a protracted dispute between the government and the drivers' trade union over their safety, they entered service on 3 December 2024 on the Central Coast & Newcastle Line. [3] [1] [4]
In May 2014, the Government of New South Wales announced its intention to purchase new carriages for the intercity network, then-operated by NSW TrainLink . The new trains would replace the V sets and allow the H sets to be cascaded to Sydney Trains suburban services. [5] [6] The class of trains were given the name Mariyung, a Dharug word for emu. [7]
In August 2014, expressions of interest from manufacturers were called for. [8] [9] The following parties responded: [10] [11]
In July 2015, the government announced that Alstom, Downer/Changchun, Stadler, and UGL/Mitsubishi Electric/CSR had been shortlisted to tender. [12] Following the merger of CSR and the parent company of Changchun Railway Vehicles, Hyundai Rotem replaced CSR as a partner in the UGL/Mitsubishi Electric consortium. [13] The consortia provided two variants of their designs – a longer train and shorter train. [13] The Hyundai Rotem/UGL/Mitsubishi Electric consortium was announced as the successful bidder in August 2016. [14] [15] The companies formed a joint venture called RailConnect to manage the project. [16] The trains are being built by Hyundai Rotem's Changwon factory in South Korea. [17]
The initial contract covered the supply and maintenance of the 512 carriages which would consist of 77 4-car trains and 34 6-car trains, as well as the construction of the Kangy Angy Maintenance Centre. [12] [18] [19] which was completed in August 2020. [20] The maintenance contract runs for fifteen years from the delivery of the first train with an option for a five-year extension. [17] In February 2019, a further 42 carriages were ordered to extend 21 of the 77 4-car trains into 6-car trains to allow for more 10-car train operations especially on the South Coast line during peak hour. [21]
A contract was let to Downer EDI to make modifications and upgrades to existing rail infrastructure across the electrified network to accommodate the new fleet. [22] Platform extensions at multiple stations were also required to accommodate 10-car trains.
The first two 10-carriage trains were delivered in December 2019 and testing started the following month. [6] [23]
During early ordering stages, the trains were simply referred to as the New Intercity Fleet. In April 2021, the name Mariyung, a Darug word for emu, was officially designated for the fleet. [24]
In July 2021, the Mariyung fleet received its final approval to carry passengers from the independent Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator and would enter service as soon as possible. At the time, 16 trains were being tested on the network and 8 of which were ready to progressively enter passenger service. [25]
In September 2021, 56 additional carriages were ordered, bringing the total number of carriages to 610, meaning that there would be 61 of both the 4 car and 6 car variants. [26]
In December 2024, the first revenue service of the Mariyung fleet took place on the Central Coast and Newcastle Line with sets D54 & D53, operating the 8:21 service from Newcastle Interchange to Central. [27] [28] Addtionally, due to excessive passenger numbers for the inaugural service, an additional unscheduled service from Gosford to Central with sets D44 & D51 ran approximately 10 minutes behind the first service.[ citation needed ]
The trains are double deck electric multiple units measuring 163 m (534 ft 9 in) for an 8-car set or 204 m (669 ft 3 in) for a 10 car-set. [29] They will include accessible toilets and dedicated space for luggage, prams, bicycles and wheelchairs. Fixed seats on the upper and lower decks will be in a two by two arrangement. The seating will include cup holders, tray tables and arm rests. Each seat will feature a charging station for mobile devices. [16] The trains are being designed to be operated with or without guards, with tender documents stating the trains must support one-man operation. [30]
The new trains are wider than the V sets they replace and required modifications to be made to parts of the Blue Mountains line route (as had previously been completed on the Newcastle line, the South Coast line to Kiama and the Blue Mountains line to Springwood only) to create sufficient clearance from adjacent structures. [19] A contract was awarded to the Continuum Alliance, an alliance between Transport for NSW, CPB Contractors and Lendlease, to make these modifications. Work started in February 2019 [31] and was completed in July 2020. [32] [33]
In 2015, the project reached a $1.1B blowout due to modifications that were required for the design of the train, changing proportions from almost identical to the V sets to the standard suburban double decker proportions. [34]
In October 2016, it was announced that the D sets would be 3,034 mm (9 ft 11.4 in) wide, 135 mm (5.3 in) wider than the V sets they would replace. This required works to provide additional clearance on several sections of the Blue Mountains line between Springwood, Katoomba, and Lithgow, including the heritage-listed Ten Tunnels Deviation. The new trains would also be too long for the platforms at Linden and Warrimoo stations. [35]
In 2018, it was announced that the trains would have a maximum of two staff members on board, suggesting that the train guard be either replaced by a customer service role or merged with a customer service role, ruling out Driver Only Operation. The Rail Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) welcomed any announcement regarding safety and retaining train guards. [36]
However, in 2019 it was announced that Driver Only Operation would be implemented, with the driver viewing the side of the train via several CCTV cameras. The RTBU criticised this move as being "unsafe", due to the lack of microphones on the train. [37] [ failed verification ]
In February 2020, the RTBU announced that members would refuse to staff the New Intercity Fleet over safety and employment concerns. [38]
On 27 November 2020, a strike in protest of the safety concerns was performed by the RTBU, shutting down all intercity services effective immediately until 7 am. [39]
A confidential 2018 report to the NSW government revealed that the doors could easily fail when opened at speed, which was only announced to the public in 2021. [40]
On 5 February 2021, an incident where a commuter fell between a train and the platform at Hornsby station in January was highlighted as a potentially fatal situation if it had occurred with a D set. [41]
On 2 March 2021, the Customer Service Guard position was cancelled. [42]
In November 2021, an 18-month delay of entry into service was announced due to the union standoff and the COVID-19 pandemic. [43]
Over December 2021, the RTBU carried out a series of industrial actions in protest. [44] [45]
On 22 March 2022, Nine News revealed the RTBU regarding the CCTV cameras as unsafe, highlighting the lack of microphones, viewing blackspots, and poor vision quality, especially in the rain. [46]
In July 2021, the independent Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator deemed the fleet to be safe. [47] Sue McCarrey, CEO of the ONRSR, outlined that they had worked with the operator since design stage right through to testing, pledging that ongoing safety audits would continue through to their operation. Additionally, McCarrey concluded that there was no greater risk than the current older fleet and in fact the use of technology on the new fleet would make them even safer, saying: "We believe that risk is being managed through the technology on the train. The operating model we have approved for the NIF includes the use of a driver, a guard and the use of CCTV cameras at each door providing both the guard and the driver a view down the entire platform. Both the driver and the guard have access to screens to show them what is actually happening along the entire platform". McCarrey made it clear that as an independent regulator she is not part of the current negotiations between the RTBU and the train operator (NSW Trains) and nor should she be, however if those negotiations resulted in a change to the operating model, then the ONRSR would have to relitigate those proposed changes and once again complete that independent check to ensure that the changes proposed to the train operations continue to effectively manage the risks. [48]
On 26 November 2024, the D sets were given final approval from the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR). [49]
On 18 February 2022, Sydney Trains and Transport for NSW lodged an application to the Fair Work Commission seeking to suspend or terminate any further industrial action from the RTBU regarding the D sets, the Transport Asset Holding Entity, wages and any other cause. [50] After the February shutdown the Fair Work action was suspended. [51]
In September 2017, the Central Coast Express Advocate opposed the Kangy Angy Maintenance Centre citing issues of noise and flooding. [52]
In December 2021, it was announced that only 20 out of 300 jobs would be made from the Kangy Angy Maintenance Centre, which was heavily criticised by several Labor MPs including Chris Minns. [53]
The train is specified and designed to be able to operate to the equivalent design limits as the XPT, this includes a design maximum service speed of 160 km/h (99 mph). During the testing and acceptance phase, the operator made a decision to lower the permissible maximum service speed of the vehicles to 130 km/h).[ citation needed ]
The trains currently operate on the Central Coast & Newcastle Line. 3 trains per day [54] are currently scheduled to operate from Central to Newcastle Interchange, with corresponding southbound services unconfirmed.
The trains are expected to operate on the following services once all sets have entered service: [4] [6]
CityRail was a passenger railway brand operated by the State Rail Authority from 1989 to 2003 and by RailCorp from 2003 to 2013 with services in and around Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, the three largest cities in New South Wales, Australia. It was established in January 1989 and abolished in June 2013 when it was superseded by Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink.
The T sets, also referred to as the Tangara trains, are a class of electric multiple units (EMU) that operate on the Sydney Trains network. Built by A Goninan & Co, the sets entered service between 1988 and 1995, initially under the State Rail Authority and later on CityRail. The T sets were built as "third-generation" trains for Sydney's rail fleet, coinciding with the final withdrawals of the "Red Rattler" sets from service in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The Tangaras were initially built as two classes; the long-distance intercity G sets and the suburban T sets, before being merged after successive refurbishments.
Kangy Angy is a semi-rural suburb of the Central Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. It is in a small valley along Ourimbah Creek and the Pacific Highway. It is part of the Central Coast Council local government area.
The Central Coast & Newcastle Line (CCN) is an intercity rail service that services the Hawkesbury River, Central Coast and Newcastle regions. It connects the two largest cities in New South Wales, running from Central in Sydney along the Main North railway line to Broadmeadow, and to Newcastle Interchange in Newcastle on the Newcastle railway line.
M1 Pacific Motorway is a 127-kilometre motorway linking Sydney to Newcastle via the Central Coast and Hunter regions of New South Wales. Formerly known but still commonly referred to by both the public and the government as the F3 Freeway, Sydney–Newcastle Freeway, and Sydney–Newcastle Expressway, it is part of the AusLink road corridor between Sydney and Brisbane.
The S sets are a class of electric multiple units (EMU) that operated on Sydney's suburban rail network from 1972 up until 2019. Originally entering service under the Public Transport Commission, the sets also operated under the State Rail Authority, CityRail and Sydney Trains. The S sets were originally deignated into three classes, two-car L sets, four-car S sets, and six-car R sets. During their years of service, some were desigated as two-car PK sets and three-car NC sets. Prior to their retirement, the S sets were the last class in the Sydney Trains fleet to not be air-conditioned, earning them the nicknames "Tin cans" and "Sweat Sets". They were also nicknamed "Ridgys" because of their fluted ("ridged") stainless steel panelling; they shared this nickname with similar looking K sets and C sets. Their stainless steel appearance was also shared with the intercity V sets and U sets. All remaining sets were withdrawn from service in June 2019.
The Blue Mountains Line (BMT) is an intercity rail service serving the Blue Mountains region of New South Wales, Australia. The line travels west from Sydney to the major town of Katoomba and on to Mount Victoria, Lithgow and Bathurst. Mount Victoria is the terminus for most electric services, but some services terminate at Lithgow instead. Two express services per day in each direction, known as the Bathurst Bullet, extend to the regional city of Bathurst, which is supplemented by road coaches connecting Bathurst to Lithgow. Due to electrification limits at Lithgow, the Bathurst Bullet is run using the Endeavour railcars, which operate on diesel. The Blue Mountains Line operates over a mostly duplicated section of the Main Western line. As such, the tracks are also traversed by the Central West XPT, Outback Xplorer and Indian Pacific passenger services and by freight trains.
UGL Rail is an Australian rail company specialising in building, maintaining and refurbishing diesel locomotives, diesel and electric multiple units and freight wagons. It is a subsidiary of UGL and is based in Melbourne, with a staff of 1,200 across Australia and Asia. It operates factories in Broadmeadow (Newcastle), Spotswood and Bassendean. While it used to operate a factory in Taree, the plant was shut down and the equipment sold off.
The New South Wales H sets, commonly referred to as the OSCAR trains, are a class of electric multiple units (EMU) currently operated by Sydney Trains on its intercity routes and some Sydney suburban routes. Built by UGL Rail in Broadmeadow, the H sets first entered service under the CityRail brand in December 2006, with the last in December 2012. Their introduction allowed for the retirement of some second-class V set carriages. As long-distance trains, the H sets share a similar overall layout and design to the previous Intercity Tangara G sets. Currently operating as 55 four-carriage sets, the H sets now operate between Sydney, Central Coast and Newcastle and between Sydney and the South Coast.
The New South Wales XPT is a class of diesel-powered passenger trains built by Comeng and ABB. Based on the British Rail-designed High Speed Train, each XPT set comprises two XP power cars in a push-pull configuration and, between them, between four and seven passenger carriages.
The Sydney Trains A & B sets, also referred to as the Waratah trains, are classes of double-decker electric multiple units (EMU) that currently operate on the Sydney Trains network. Based on the earlier M sets, the Waratahs were manufactured by a joint consortium between CRRC and Downer Rail, with initial construction taking place overseas in Changchun before final assembly at Downer Rail's Cardiff Locomotive Workshops. The sets were named after the Waratah flower, which is the state's floral emblem.
Transport for NSW (TfNSW) is a New South Wales Government transport services and roads agency established on 1 November 2011. The agency is a different entity to the NSW Department of Transport, which is a department of the state government of New South Wales, and the ultimate parent entity of Transport for NSW.
NSW TrainLink is a train and coach operator in Australia, providing services throughout New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, along with limited interstate services into Victoria, Queensland and South Australia. Its primary services are spread across five major rail lines, operating out of Sydney's Central railway station.
Sydney Trains is the brand name and operator of suburban and intercity train services in and around Greater Sydney in New South Wales, Australia.
Sydney Metro is a fully automated rapid transit rail system in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It currently consists of the Metro North West & Bankstown Line, running between Tallawong and Sydenham and consisting of 21 stations on 52 km (32 mi) of twin tracks, mostly underground. The first stage of the line opened on 26 May 2019, running between Tallawong and Chatswood. This line was extended from Chatswood to Sydenham on 19 August 2024 as part of the first stage of the City & Southwest project. The second stage of the project will then further extend this line to Bankstown as part of a partial conversion of the existing Bankstown railway line with a scheduled completion in 2025.
Metro Trains Sydney Pty Ltd (MTS) is the operator of the Sydney Metro. It is a joint venture between Hong Kong–based MTR Corporation, John Holland Group and UGL Rail formed in September 2014. It operates the network with a fleet of 45 Alstom Metropolis trains under a 15-year contract.
The R sets are a class of bi-mode multiple units (EDMU) being built by as part of the Regional Rail Project to replace NSW TrainLink's ageing Xplorer and XPT fleets for long-distance services, as well as Sydney Trains' Endeavour fleet for diesel intercity services.
The Kangy Angy Maintenance Centre is a railway depot at Kangy Angy on the Central Coast, New South Wales to maintain the NSW TrainLink D sets. The depot was officially opened on 24 February 2021.
Sydney Metro Western Sydney Airport, previously known as Sydney Metro Greater West, is a rapid transit rail project currently under-construction in Greater Western Sydney. The project involves the construction of a 23-kilometre (14 mi) line as part of the Sydney Metro system. The line will operate between St Marys, where the line will connect to the Main Western railway line, and Badgerys Creek Aerotropolis at Bradfield via the Western Sydney Airport. It is intended to provide public transport for the upcoming Western Sydney Airport. Construction of the line started in December 2022 and is expected to be completed in late 2026 in time for the opening of the airport.
The Sydney Metro Metropolis Stock is a class of electric multiple units that operate on the Sydney Metro network. Built by Alstom as part of their Metropolis family, the trains are the first fully automated passenger rolling stock in Australia as well as the first single-deck electric trainsets to operate in Sydney since their withdrawal from the suburban rail network in the 1990s.
The New Intercity Fleet starts from December 3 on the Central Coast and Newcastle Line 🚊
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