Victorian Rail & Tram Observations July - December 2016

[PaxInfo]

They're not the first. About a year ago I picked up a book on a train with a 'Train Library' sticker.

Couldn't find much on the web except for

https://www.facebook.com/Train-library- ... 3/?fref=ts

They are sponsored by Wyse Design based at Mordialloc http://www.wysedesign.com.au/

Their shortcoming was they didn't make it easy to get stickers to stick in to books you intended to share by leaving on trains.
One of their photos has a sticker but there's too much background for it to be readily printable.

[712M]

With Carnegie and Murrumbeena stations closed for the next month, Metro are running rail replacement buses to cover the who stations over two separate routes:

- A regular bus running Murrumbeena - Caulfield via Carnegie every 15 minutes all day
- A mini bus running Hughesdale - Carnegie via Murrumbeena every 20 minutes off-peak and every 8 minutes during peak hours.

Seems a bit of a waste of resources running two separate routes, not to mention confusing for passengers as both routes have different bus stops at stations. The stop outside Carnegie station is for buses heading towards Hughesdale, whilst buses towards Caulfield are stopping on Dandenong Road (not sure if this is the same stop as the 900 SmartBus). The most bizarre part being that passengers travelling against the peak hour direction get a more frequent service than those travelling with it.

Would have made more sense to simply run one route from Hughesdale to Caulfield (north of the rail line to avoid congested level crossings) running every 10 minutes which would actually match the frequency of the trains still running.

Given the high level of usage at Carnegie and Murrumbeena (served by trains roughly every 4 minutes), it will be interesting to see if one bus every 15 minutes will be able to handle the loads. Having said that, nearby Glenhuntly, Ormond and East Malvern stations and the 67 tram will be used an alternative by many passengers.

[philm]

I've been noticing D2s operating on the route 8 over the past few days (which are very welcome additions). Does anyone know if this is a temporary arrangement or a result of the E-class cascading? So far seen #5009 and #5020.

[Leyland B21]

I noticed it to. I was under the understanding that the D2s were Brunswick based and used on route 19. Maybe Malvern has inherited some as both depots share route 8. I'm curious now as well.

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

[mattylovesB1.2001]

I noticed it to. I was under the understanding that the D2s were Brunswick based and used on route 19. Maybe Malvern has inherited some as both depots share route 8. I'm curious now as well.

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

No, Brunswick still has all D2s and they are running them on 8 and 19. Don't know why 1 misses out.

[RailwayBus]

I've also noticed a lot of this lately, having seen D2s on the 8 every day for the last 2-3 weeks. B2s are also appearing on the 19, with the odd Z3 also making an appearance.

[Heihachi_73]

Noticed B2 2005 hiding up the back of Kew Depot this morning.

[maxy54]

Noticed B2 2005 hiding up the back of Kew Depot this morning.

This is quite a regular occurrence, Camberwell will quite often send its B Class trams to Kew for servicing, the same occurs at Glenhuntly where their trams are sent to Malvern depot for servicing

[philm]

Noticed B2 2005 hiding up the back of Kew Depot this morning.

This is quite a regular occurrence, Camberwell will quite often send its B Class trams to Kew for servicing, the same occurs at Glenhuntly where their trams are sent to Malvern depot for servicing

False hope for the 48

[tonyw]

For at least a couple of years now Yarra Trams have been running E Class trams along Route 86 as test runs with either "Not In Service" or "Test" on the desto. I notice they have sand bags all over the floors to simulate passenger weight I assume. I asked a driver once if we would ever get to ride on one. He told me they have to run defect free for 1,000 km before they can go into service. If they have a fault at 999 km they have to start over again.

Is there any plan to ever run E Class trams along Route 86 or are they just teasing us? Testing on 86 for use on other routes.

Also, how to drivers get from New Preston Depot to the Junction for changeover? Do they have to walk?

And finally, what are the plans for East Preston Depot?

Cheers ...

[Richard1207]

Is there any plan to ever run E Class trams along Route 86 or are they just teasing us? Testing on 86 for use on other routes.

The E Class trams will finally be used on Route 86 from November this year, the wait will soon be over.

[krustyklo]

I asked a driver once if we would ever get to ride on one. He told me they have to run defect free for 1,000 km before they can go into service. If they have a fault at 999 km they have to start over again.

Is there any plan to ever run E Class trams along Route 86 or are they just teasing us? Testing on 86 for use on other routes.

According to PTV press releases, the 86 will get E class after routes 96 and 11. I suspect that the 86 is an easy and quick place to build up kms for trams at Preston Depot where I gather the E class are delivered to. When I was a student at LaTrobe Uni 5-10 years ago, it was not uncommon for B, A and even Z class trams to terminate and cross back over at the LaTrobe Uni crossover displaying "Tram On Test". I suspect the length of the route means that less time is spent turning around, along with the segregated track, meaning Yarra Trams can get an efficient amount of test kms in, along with less delay to road traffic if something goes wrong. The 59 and 75 was often used to run the Siemens trams in under the M>Tram regime, presumably for similar reasons, although an informed source once suggested that once trams had stopped for the day, they had free reign to run Siemens trams wherever they liked to build up kms.

[philm]

I've been noticing D2s operating on the route 8 over the past few days (which are very welcome additions). Does anyone know if this is a temporary arrangement or a result of the E-class cascading? So far seen #5009 and #5020.

Saw #5010 and (I think) #5019 running yesterday.

[crakening]

And finally, what are the plans for East Preston Depot?

Based on this PTV travel notice: https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/live-travel-updates/article/route-86-permanent-stop-closure-from-saturday-8-october-2016/, East Preston tram depot will be closed from the 8th of October.

[mattylovesB1.2001]

And finally, what are the plans for East Preston Depot?

Based on this PTV travel notice: https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/live-travel-updates/article/route-86-permanent-stop-closure-from-saturday-8-october-2016/, East Preston tram depot will be closed from the 8th of October.

What about all the trams that are stabled there? Moved to PWS maybe?

[krustyklo]

Based on this PTV travel notice: https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/live-travel- ... ober-2016/, East Preston tram depot will be closed from the 8th of October.

Whilst it's only a short walk from the East Preston Depot stop to the Bell St stops, the loss of the Tyler St stop northbound will be somewhat more annoying to have to walk to either Wood St or Ethel Gve, especially given it is the interchange for several bus routes as well.

[BroadGauge]

Quite a bad level crossing smash at Union Rd, Surrey Hills this afternoon with a car crushed and split in half by an outbound Belgrave express service.



Buses are replacing trains between Camberwell and Box Hill during the evening peak.

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/train ... rg9w1.html

[Mitch]

Is there any plan to ever run E Class trams along Route 86 or are they just teasing us? Testing on 86 for use on other routes.

The E Class trams will finally be used on Route 86 from November this year, the wait will soon be over.

Spotted two E-Class trams out on the 86 today but they were short-running on an 86A terminating at the corner of LaTrobe and Spencer.

Thanks,
Mitchul

[krustyklo]

Spotted an E-class around 12.30 to 1pm yesterday whilst I was at the Bundoora shops. Couldn't see the destination, but when they have been on test in the past they have usually terminated at LaTrobe Uni. This one ran all the way to the terminus so may well have been in service.

[crakening]

I would imagine it was probably out of service. E-class trams and low-floor trams on a new route is probably worthy of some political fanfare.

[Craig]

Spotted an E-class around 12.30 to 1pm yesterday whilst I was at the Bundoora shops. Couldn't see the destination, but when they have been on test in the past they have usually terminated at LaTrobe Uni. This one ran all the way to the terminus so may well have been in service.

I've seen them testing all the way to RMIT a few times over recent months, and I don't even live in the area!

Kind Regards


Craig

[tonyw]

They have been testing E class trams all the way to Bundoora RMIT for months now.

[krustyklo]

Fair enough, I stand corrected.

[Mitch]

I would imagine it was probably out of service. E-class trams and low-floor trams on a new route is probably worthy of some political fanfare.

Wouldn't be so sure. Both the E-class trams I spotted had people on them and were displaying 86A on the destination.

Thanks,
Mitchul

[CAL]

I would imagine it was probably out of service. E-class trams and low-floor trams on a new route is probably worthy of some political fanfare.

Wouldn't be so sure. Both the E-class trams I spotted had people on them and were displaying 86A on the destination.

Thanks,
Mitchul

They've been operating "86a" services for a few years. Basically the former Route 95. Lunch time shuttles along Bourke St plus Etihad Stadium events.