On Wednesday is the next meeting for the Auckland Transport Board and as usual there are a couple of interesting items worth looking at. I will cover the main business report in a separate post as there is lots in there but there was one separate item I felt deserved its own post which is an update on our new electric trains (EMUs) that are being built by CAF in Spain. The report to the board says that the design is 70% complete and that the current work being undertaken is to finalise all of the details. As many of the key parts of the design have already been finished, work has already started to actually build the first unit with construction on the chassis, body shell and bogies under way. Work has also started by a subsidiary of CAF to build a simulator that will be used to train all of the drivers and they will video the entire Auckland rail network to make it as realistic as possible. Over the next few months the design will be finalised, as will the first body shell which will then be painted before assembly starts early next year. What is really positive is that overall everything is still on schedule.
What is the most interesting thing about the document though is that we are starting to get some firm dates for when things will happen. Below is a list of the key milestones for the project and as you can see it appears that we can expect the first train to arrive at the end of August next year. Of course both it and the rail network will then need to undergo some pretty extensive testing so it is not expected that we will see it regular service until some time in 2014.
And here is a more detailed summary of the milestones including dates for the first 5 EMUs.
What is perhaps most interesting is the date of the last EMU. It is due to arrive in mid 2015 which is about 1 year earlier than previously announced and my understanding is that due to AT getting an additional production line. This is great as it means we will be able to get the trains arriving faster and therefore see the benefits of the entire fleet sooner. I really can’t wait to see these new trains as they are going to be such a significant improvement in every way to what we have today.
Huge cost savings in retiring those diesel trains earlier too.
The first major step in cost saving will be when EMUs can run all the off-peak services as 3-car consists, and each diesel consist is only required for one return service each peak. This would be when about one third of the EMU order is in service, which would be about July 2014. Once this milestone is met, night and weekend frequencies could be increased at relatively low cost.
It would be great if in this transition to EMUs drivers could be persuaded to accept driver-only operation under certain circumstances, such as during peak hours. There is not much a train manager can do on a crowded train, and their time is more effective at stations. However at nights passengers feel more protected if there is a person in authority on board, and it helps protect the assets.
Yeah! That’s what I’m talking’ ’bout!
The other question is this – if the govt finds the money for the rail loop, what will it cost to buy extra trains for the network and can we buy from the same manufacturer at a good price?
This gov is not looking for the money for the CRL, but I’m sure, all going well with the first 57 EMUs that CAF would be the first port of call for more…. bring that day on; but even if we were to start digging the tunnels now we will still have years to evaluate the first ones it’s not exactly a pressing issue…. Thus far the Spanish have been very keen, which I guess is no surprise given how their economy is going.
According to AT it will cost an extra $300m to buy additional trains
And yes the there are options for additional trains to be built. My understanding is the options allow for a total fleet of about 88 trains which is the amount that is suggested that we will need post CRL.
88 means what sort of frequency do you think Matt?… usually PT planning is very conservative, as it was for the Northern Busway
It really depends on what kind of routes that you run as the CRL allows for a lot of different options. Based on my favourite one of linking West/South and East/Onehunga then some quick calculations suggest it would probably allow for about 8 trains per hour or 7.5 minute frequencies if all trains were made up of two EMUs (6 carriages in total). You could higher frequencies if you ran trains as a single EMU which would obviously be fine at first but long term we will need doubled up.
Note: I didn’t take into account the impact of electrifying to Pukekohe.
That’s my favourite service pattern too! Interesting how it requires the Eastern Link to the CRL.
So when will the actual electrification infrastructure be operational? I mean the over head wires to power the EMUs.
According to all the documents that have come out, it should be completed by the middle of next year. In the lead up to Christmas and the summer shutdown, we will likely see the wires installed a lot faster than they have been to date
We’re likely to need more EMUs for Pukekohe services prior to needing them for CRL.
Thanks for the update – excellent to hear that we are going to see hardware here within the year. As for the likely costs of further EMUs; the way the exchange rate with the Euro is going and the state of the Spanish economy there could be some bargains to be had.
One would think given the exchange rate it would also be the logical time to purchase some new diesel units for an intercity service between Auckland and Tauranga, stopping at Hamilton. Covering Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty Councils, one would think funding could be obtained. But of course logic and funding do not always mix.
Have just today, seen a detailed set of photos taken of the EMU mockup at MOTAT.
The external colour scheme is bad….really, really, really bad. A large white stripe linking to a full-colour AT logo at the end…yellow doors and a dark blue stripe down the centre…and a silly red line up the top that says ‘do not clean above here’….who the hell did this colour scheme? They have an automated train wash at Wiri so there is no need whatsoever for a red line at near-roof level. Even if someone is cleaning the sides, no way can they reach up to where the red line Is – stupid! Absolutely meaningless thus having a red line go all the way around the unit. There is a full colour AT logo over the safety yellow on the front – stupid again. If an AT logo has to go on the front, put it in monochrome – white or black – brand logo usage 101.
The interior colouring is also really, really bad. Yellow poles…this is a train not a bus. The blue seat material is the worst I have ever seen…again, this a train, not a bus! The people who designed this EMU exterior / interior colour scheme are most definitely amateurs and need to be replaced with professionals immediately. They have already improperly used the new AT logo. They have obviously chosen to ignore the AT brand usage manual. Why arent AT using Altitude Aerospace Interiors (AAI) Ltd to do the interior work? AAI do all Air NZ’s cabin interior work – they are based out at AKL Airport and know all there is to know about functional, yet asthetically attractive PT interior design.
AT, call in AAI now – you are in serious need of people who know what they are doing.