6-car electric train

[Eagle Eye]

Tonight's 6:15pm train from Adelaide to Brighton ran as a 6-car set owing to the line's closure between Brighton and Noarlunga Centre throwing schedules out.

4005 led 4004 as the first 6-car electric set to run a timetabled service in Adelaide. I was in the first set (4005) as 4004 was only coupled up a few minutes before departure from Adelaide so I don't know how many PSAs were on board 4004 but it would have required a few to man the doors. Only 4.5 carriages fit on the Hove platform and obviously less at Oaklands. All 6 just fit on the middle road where the service terminated at Brighton. Very snug indeed!

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After a 20-minute stopover (blocking further trains from arriving) the set continued Not In Service to Seaford Depot under authority.

[Mitch]

Are the 4000 Class only going to ever run in 3-car sets or will Adelaide follow suit of the rest of the country and couple it so it's 3-3 (i.e MTM-MTM which is the norm in Melbourne)?

I quite like the design of the 4000 class. If and when V/line decides to order more Vlocity units, they should adopt the same headlight design.

Thanks,
Mitchul [;

[Bedford-29]

After many years of diesel operation the electric trains would be a welcome change.

[Eagle Eye]

Are the 4000 Class only going to ever run in 3-car sets or will Adelaide follow suit of the rest of the country and couple it so it's 3-3 (i.e MTM-MTM which is the norm in Melbourne)?

There's no demand for 6-car sets yet. Footy match days might be the only time when 6-car sets would be needed at present but the problem is Adelaide's platforms are too short. A number of platforms struggle to accommodate 4 cars let alone 5 or 6.

[The Phonj]

To think that at one point, the entire Noarlunga Centre line was capable of running six car trains; with all platforms built to accommodate them without issue!

The new platforms at Adelaide Showground, Seaford and Seaford Meadows look long enough to accommodate six car trains; the platforms at Goodwood has been shortened but should still be able to accommodate a six car train (although some of that train may be beyond the little fence on the platform towards the Adelaide end. Sadly, refurbishments at Oaklands and Hove cut back the platforms to their current lengths.

Short platforms have existed on the Adelaide system however; some being long enough to only accommodate one doorway of a train (Port Adelaide-Dry Creek line) and the most recent being Tambelin which for many years required passengers to travel in the front carriage only (heading towards Gawler) in order to access the platform. Tambelin was extended to its current length about 10-15 years ago.

Short platforms do exist on the Sydney network; although mostly on the Interurban aspect of that network; requiring passengers to travel in specific carriages to access these platforms.

[crazyturbo76]

Short platforms do exist on the Sydney network; although mostly on the Interurban aspect of that network; requiring passengers to travel in specific carriages to access these platforms.

One example of such stations on our network is Zig Zag on the Blue Mountains Line (which is unstaffed and (used to be) only a short ZZR ride to the proper Zig Zag railway station from Bottom Points). In this case you would have to buy a ticket at your destination as Zig Zag does not have a ticket machine and is unstaffed; in addition you have to tell the guard that you want to stop at Zig Zag too as it is a "by request" stop.

[Lt. Commander Data]

I think with all the new electric trains that it is time for Adelaide's stations to ALL be able to accommodate 6 carriage long trains.

[boronia]

During a recent visit to Adelaide, I was surprised at how long most of the suburban platforms were, compared to the size of the trains operated.

[leyland4ever]

Seven-car Red hen sets were standard in peak hours on the (then) Hallett Cove line in the 1960s, and into the early 1970s.

These of course were shorter in length than the subsequent 2000/2001 series cars, which, I think, only ran as a maximum of six cars in normal service.

Are the electric cars a little longer than the 2000/2001 carriages?

The Hove platform was always regarded as the most dangerous on the suburban system, due to the curve at the Brighton Road end. I know there was at least one fatality there in the 1960s when a passenger fell on to the tracks through the gap.

I have a feeling that the use of 7 car Red Hen consists ceased after the line was extended to Christie Downs and then to Noarlunga Centre in the mid 1970s. This was also when the pattern of semi-express trains was introduced, with all stations to/from Brighton preceding or following the Noarlunga Centre expresses. This seemed to be a pretty good method of operating. I wonder why they have gradually moved away from it over the last few years, and now seem to have eliminated it altogether. It had the advantage of giving a speedier service to stations south of Brighton, while not inconveniencing passengers between Brighton and Adelaide too much.

Cheers,

Trevor

[Eagle Eye]

I think with all the new electric trains that it is time for Adelaide's stations to ALL be able to accommodate 6 carriage long trains.

I agree in principle but not in reality. Stations such as Torrens Park, Pinera, & Grange will never require 6-car trains, whilst Gawler Oval may have to be extended if/when 6-car sets make it to Gawler Central. Oaklands is the real problem currently. 6-car sets could operate on the Seaford line at any time (as we saw Friday, and maybe with footy starting next week) and poor design will force 2 carriages to miss landing at the platform. And with a likely lengthy shutdown needed to build the long-awaited Oaklands Overpass it's more likely a temporary platform extension (north side) will occur first.

As a guide, Brighton's platform lengths are the minimum for a 6-car train. The set parked in the middle road there on Friday night fit with a metre to spare at either end, cab-to-cab.

The Hove platform was always regarded as the most dangerous on the suburban system, due to the curve at the Brighton Road end. I know there was at least one fatality there in the 1960s when a passenger fell on to the tracks through the gap.

That's why you must <pinch nose> "Please mind the gap when alighting from the train" </pinch nose>

Good that at last this phrase no longer interrupts "Now arriving at ..... then express to ....." or "Now arriving at ..... this train will terminate here" although there are a few exceptions. Too inconsistent. Then you are asked to please mind the gap when alighting from the train just after departing a station, as in "The next stop is Goodwood. Change here for trains to Belair. Please mind the gape when alighting from the train." That phrase should be reserved for arriving at stations, not after departing them!

The average citizen (and even those less with less brain cells) know to mind the gap when alighting. Perhaps this announcement should be reserved only for stations with curved platforms, i.e. larger gaps? You'd only need the announcements at stations such as Hove, Mitchell Park (remember this one?!), Belair and Islington.

[Bedford-29]

I was on a Jumbo DMU out to Gawler many years ago and the longest it was six cars ready to do the peak service back to the city from Gawler Central.

[The Mayor]

Are the 4000 Class only going to ever run in 3-car sets or will Adelaide follow suit of the rest of the country and couple it so it's 3-3 (i.e MTM-MTM which is the norm in Melbourne)?

There's no demand for 6-car sets yet. Footy match days might be the only time when 6-car sets would be needed at present but the problem is Adelaide's platforms are too short. A number of platforms struggle to accommodate 4 cars let alone 5 or 6.

Shame that there is no longer any demand for 6 car trains.

I remember the big four on the Noarlunga Centre & Gawler Central lines from yesteryear. There were two trains in AM & PM peaks on both lines that were always 6 car Jumbo's and carried in excess of 1200 passengers.

Furthermore, the 3.26pm Noarlunga Centre was 5 cars usually Red Hens and the 3.50pm Gawler Central was also 5 car Reds.

Shows you how much patronage has dropped.

[citadis203]

If you're running 6 cars on the Seaford line to the footy, it wouldn't be a real struggle as 99.5% of people would be boarding the train.
On the return, you could say if you're going to e.g Oaklands to travel in the rear consist of carriages, easy?

[Torrens_5022]

Or for footy express services park two electrics like a 6 car and have them leave separately, like 5 mins apart.
Will all the platforms be full waiting after the showdown? that would be a sight to see
I heard the news say all "90 carriages" will be in service.

[Eagle Eye]

Will all the platforms be full waiting after the showdown? that would be a sight to see

So it will look like any other post-event then!

I don't see how the barrier gates at ARS will handle all the freebies at Barrier 1 before and after a match. But if they throw the gates open then everyone will get free travel. Dilemmas...

[Lt. Commander Data]

Will all the platforms be full waiting after the showdown? that would be a sight to see

So it will look like any other post-event then!

I don't see how the barrier gates at ARS will handle all the freebies at Barrier 1 before and after a match. But if they throw the gates open then everyone will get free travel. Dilemmas...

Don't forget any regular commuters (if there are any). Thedy will need to be on the platform to catch their train as well. I think I would just catch a bus though………

[Eagle Eye]

Just think about all the unsuspecting shoppers and workers trying to catch a tram from Rundle Mall to Glenelg or part of – every tram for a good 45 minutes after the match will sail past Full – No Pick Up.

[Lt. Commander Data]

Just think about all the unsuspecting shoppers and workers trying to catch a tram from Rundle Mall to Glenelg or part of – every tram for a good 45 minutes after the match will sail past Full – No Pick Up.

Poor suckers.

[jibb]

To ensure everyone gets a spot on a tram including shoppers some services will commence from Rundle Mall after the football.In addition to the normal timetabled services,there will be an additional 10 trams to supplement extra services before and after the football.

[Eagle Eye]

To ensure everyone gets a spot on a tram including shoppers some services will commence from Rundle Mall after the football.

Good. I was hoping this would happen. Otherwise when a 1:40pm game finishes all the shoppers and workers may have to wait an hour or more to get a spot on a tram.