VIC Rail and Tram Observations 2021

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JRBUS123
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VIC Rail and Tram Observations 2021

Post by JRBUS123 »

Happy New Year and welcome to the new rail and tram observations thread for the year. Thought I jump in to create a new thread for the year

One thing I’m pretty interested in is Metro Melbourne’s new high capacity metro train (HCMT) that started service on December 27 on a service from Pakenham to Flinders St Station
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Heihachi_73
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Re: VIC Rail and Tram Observations 2021

Post by Heihachi_73 »

A new tram crossing was installed on Bridge Rd/Church St Richmond last night as part of the Bridge Rd tram track works. Worth mentioning as the more expensive things aren't always replaced at the same time (case in point, just about anything under Metro Trains Melbourne, such as the life-expired wooden-sleepered crossovers/points at both ends of Ringwood station remaining, while the station pit as well as the tracks towards Ringwood East, Heathmont and Heatherdale were all upgraded); the tracks on Bridge Rd have more patchwork than a quilt so it's been a long time coming.

Still a lot of broken rail joints on the tram network, a particularly large/rough one is on the outbound 109 on Cotham Rd at Glenferrie Rd right before the points, which was given a yellow mark on the road early last year but the break still exists today. Gives an absolutely terrible ride in the plastic fantastic Citadis trams (makes me wonder why the top end of Glenferrie Rd even needs the curve these days, trams haven't regularly turned the corner towards Kew for decades). The Glenferrie Rd terminus on the 16 also has a failing or failed joint near the safety zone (where the single terminus track joins the crossover near the safety zone car flipper), and a few broken rail joints about 200m downhill from there, with one rail sticking up about half a centimetre.

A2 266 did the first run out of Kew to Box Hill (and then Port Melbourne) this morning instead the usual Citadis.
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Heihachi_73
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Re: VIC Rail and Tram Observations 2021

Post by Heihachi_73 »

Caught B2 2085 on the 75 two nights ago which looked ready to car in at Sims Metal Depot. In the #1 end where I rode, it had rust bubbles(?) on the inside wall (I thought they were aluminium or stainless steel thus couldn't rust...), a patched up, riveted piece of sheet metal on the other side wall (driver's side), as well as two dead fluorescent lights behind the driver's cab and water stains in a number of other light covers. While VicSig says it's a Glenhuntly tram, it's been running Camberwell routes since last year and has the 70/75 route stickers inside. Hopefully this one sees some refurbishment soon enough.

Spotted D1 3524 running along Flinders Street at 10:37 last night, got a blurry shot of it at the Elizabeth St outbound stop showing the PTV website on the desto. The photo would have been a lot better but the tram got the green light and moved the instant I pressed the shutter button. Tram Detective shows it was following route 75 so I assume it took a shortcut to Glenferrie Rd to access Malvern Depot. one day the 75 will actually get low floor trams (although I'll happily take a clapped out B2 over a D1 any day of the year).
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Re: VIC Rail and Tram Observations 2021

Post by Aurora »

Tram cancellations to occur shortly because of a shortage of wheel parts.
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1whoknows
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Re: VIC Rail and Tram Observations 2021

Post by 1whoknows »

The wheels usually come from South Africa but have been impacted by both covid and supply chain issues.
Some wheels have been sourced from Europe by YT but have also suffered transport delays (probably due to the recent Suez canal blockage)
The wheels are those fitted to Z, A and B class trams so a number of these classes will progressively go off the road until the situation can be resolved.
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Heihachi_73
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Re: VIC Rail and Tram Observations 2021

Post by Heihachi_73 »

Might have to start cannibalising the ready reserve and Newport W classes for their wheels, just like 90 years ago where apparently the W3 class had their wheels come from scrapped 4-wheelers! Or the 1960s where the Y class diesels and the DERMs got their wheels and bogies from the red rattlers.
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