There was an article in today's Age about Melbourne trains. It mentioned some problems with the newer Siemens trains, which got me to thinking about the different kinds of trains on the network.
I went on my first train on a visit to Melbourne when I about 12. It was a big silver train with cloth seats covered in graffiti and had green and yellow stripes down the side.
When I moved to Melbourne in 2003, I was surprised they were still in use. They are really noisy, and smell of burned metal.
The article says that these original trains are not supposed to be in use anymore, but there are problems with the brakes in the newer ones, so they had to bring the old ones back.
What was of interest to me was the names and the history of the trains. I discovered that the old smelly silver ones are called Hitachi trains and were first introduced in 1972.
The next trains were Comeng trains. They were bought to replace the last wooden trains in 1981. They are quite similar to the ones in Adelaide.
After the network was privatised in 1999, it was broken up into Hillside (which became Connex) and Bayside (which became M>Train).
Connex bought 58 Alstom X'Trapolis trains from France. They're the ones with the small face plate and two headlights on each side.
M>Train bought 72 Siemens MOMO trains. They have long face plates and a single head light on each side. They were rebranded as Connex trains in 2004 when Connex bought out M>Train.
I live on the Sandringham line, which used to be run by M>Train, which explains why I've been seeing the Hitachi trains again lately.
There's a heap more information about the Melbourne network here and here but I'm just glad I finally know what to call the old trains!
I went on my first train on a visit to Melbourne when I about 12. It was a big silver train with cloth seats covered in graffiti and had green and yellow stripes down the side.
When I moved to Melbourne in 2003, I was surprised they were still in use. They are really noisy, and smell of burned metal.
The article says that these original trains are not supposed to be in use anymore, but there are problems with the brakes in the newer ones, so they had to bring the old ones back.
What was of interest to me was the names and the history of the trains. I discovered that the old smelly silver ones are called Hitachi trains and were first introduced in 1972.
Hitachi "silver" train leaving Gardenvale station
The next trains were Comeng trains. They were bought to replace the last wooden trains in 1981. They are quite similar to the ones in Adelaide.
After the network was privatised in 1999, it was broken up into Hillside (which became Connex) and Bayside (which became M>Train).
Connex bought 58 Alstom X'Trapolis trains from France. They're the ones with the small face plate and two headlights on each side.
M>Train bought 72 Siemens MOMO trains. They have long face plates and a single head light on each side. They were rebranded as Connex trains in 2004 when Connex bought out M>Train.
39° - Thankfully this Siemens train is air-conditioned!
I live on the Sandringham line, which used to be run by M>Train, which explains why I've been seeing the Hitachi trains again lately.
There's a heap more information about the Melbourne network here and here but I'm just glad I finally know what to call the old trains!
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I notice to X'trapolis trains run on the eastern lines - ie Belgrave, Glen Waverly etc.
I'm on the Pakenham-Cranbourne line and have never spotted one. However, they do run the Hitachi's.
Yes, you're right.
The X'trapolis trains run on the half of the network that Connex originally operated when things were privatised in 1999. It was also known as Hillside Trains (history of Connex).
The Hitachis were brought back to replace failing Siemens, which only run on the half of the network that was run by M>Train.
You can figure out which trains run on which lines based on the group the line is in.
X'trapolis run on the Burnley (Eastern) and Clifton Hill (Northeastern) groups while Siemens and Hitachis run on the Caulfield (Southeastern) and Northern groups.
When working at Newport I personally wired the first few Hitachi trailer cars. The motor cars were made at Stud Rd Bayswater. We should be again making our own trains employing local people.
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