Comeng (train)

Comeng (Melbourne)
EDi-refurbished Comeng in Metro livery
Alstom-refurbished Comeng in Metro livery
In service	1981 - Current
Manufacturer	Commonwealth Engineering
Built at	Dandenong
Replaced	Tait cars, Harris cars.
Constructed	1981 - 1988
Entered service	1981 - Present
Refurbishment	2000 - 2003 Alstom, EDI Rail
Number built	190 trainsets (570 cars)
Number in service	182 trainsets (546 cars)
Number scrapped	24 cars scrapped/stored due to accident damage
Formation	Three car set (Driving motor-trailer-driving motor (M-T-M)). Can be marshalled into 6-car unit.
Fleet numbers	301M-1001T-302M through 697M-1199T-698M
Capacity	268 seated, 763 crush load per 3-car unit (Alstom refurbished)[1]
Operator	Metro Trains Melbourne
Depot(s)	All Metro Trains depots
Line(s) served	All Melbourne suburban (except Stony Point)
Specifications
Car body construction	Stainless steel
Car length	24 m
Width	3050 mm
Height	3835 mm (excluding pantograph)
Articulated sections	2 per 3-car set, open gangway.
Maximum speed	115 km/h
Weight	49.76 t (unrefurbished)
Electric system(s)	1500 V DC overhead
Braking system(s)	Tread Brakes (First order), Disc Brakes (Second order)
Gauge	Broad (1600 mm, 5' 3")

The Comeng train is a type of electric train that operates on the suburban railway network of Melbourne, Australia. They first appeared on the network in VicRail "teacup" livery in 1981 to replace the last of the then-60 year old Tait trains. More were ordered after the failed refurbishment and subsequent withdrawal of the Harris trains. 570 carriages (380 M cars and 190 T cars) were built in total, by Comeng (Commonwealth Engineering) at their Dandenong factory.

Description

The Comeng trains are single deck and are semi-permanently coupled as M-T-M (motor-trailer-motor) sets, but these sets spend much of their time coupled in pairs to make six-carriage sets.

Comeng trains have power operated doors that must be pulled open by hand but are closed by the driver. The trains were the first suburban trains in Melbourne to have air-conditioning in the passenger saloon. (The older Hitachi trains having had driver only air-conditioning fitted more recently^[2].)

The design of Melbourne's Comeng trains is closely related to that of TransAdelaide's diesel-electric 3000 class railcars.

Refurbishment

From 2000 to 2003, the two train operators at the time, the now defunct Connex and M>Train, introduced a refurbishment program for the trains. Connex had Alstom refurbish their trains,^[3] while EDI Rail refurbished M>Train's vehicles.^[4] Both refurbishments had operator-specific livery applied.

The Alstom and EDI Rail sets have a number of differences, including:

• Interior arrangement - The interior LED displays on the M>Train Comeng trains were in the middle, as opposed to being at both ends of the carriage on Connex sets.
• Upholstery - Seats in M>Train Comeng trains are blue, while Connex opted for rainbow-textured seats.
• Seating arrangement - Connex provided a different seating layout to M>Train.
• Exterior front panels - Information on the train's terminus is displayed on top of the window on M>Train fleets, while Connex trains have them displaying on the left window (in the pre-refurbishment style).
• Cab layout - The EDI Comeng trains retained a second full-size seat on the right-hand side of the cab, originally used for the guard, whereas the Alstom sets only have a small seat, the same size as the passenger ones.
• Cab fittings - The EDI Comeng trains also have a windscreen-wiper on both sides, the Alstom sets only having one on the driver's side.
• Light fittings - The Alstom Comeng trains have grated light coverings, while the EDI type retained the original flat coverings.

Both sets had CCTV and emergency assistance panels added as part of the refurbishment program.^[5]

After Connex assumed responsibility for all of Melbourne's suburban train network in 2004, the EDI refurbished trains had the M>Train exterior logos removed, and later received Connex blue and yellow side stripes, and a repainted front panel.

Concorde Program

On 27 December 2006 Both Alstom- and EDI-refurbished Comengs were allowed to run system wide.^[6] The electronics of both Comeng types was altered to make them electronically compatible with each other, with both the PID voices and display formatting altered. Both types of Comeng can run system wide and can run in multiple unit with trains of the same or different type.

Interior rearrangements

From the beginning of March 2009, Connex (now Metro Trains Melbourne) ran a test set of carriages with new seating arrangement on city lines^[7]. The new arrangements remove forty-four seats, instead opting more room for standing on the train. The changes have been made to accommodate the increased patronage on the Melbourne rail network^[8]

As part of the franchise agreement, Metro Trains Melbourne are required to modify the seating layout of all Comeng and (original) X'Trapolis trains to have 2-2 seating which allows better passenger flow through the train and more standing room.

Stored carriages

Nine Comeng carriages have been scrapped or removed from service.^[1]

Five carriages have been scrapped: 315M, 388M, 1165T, 1109T and 533M. 315M was burnt at Hurstbridge, 388M was hit by V/Line locomotive N457 at Officer, 1165T was burnt at Northcote. 1109T was damaged in a collision at Epping,^[9] and 533M was burnt out by vandals. Both 1109T and 533M were stored at the Ballarat Workshops and were scrapped in August 2010.^[10]

Another four carriages have been stored: 500M, 671M, 672M, and 1186T. 500M was burnt out at Sandringham in 2002^[11] and can be seen in a yard close to the North Williamstown station side of the Newport railway workshops. 533M and 671M were also burnt out by vandals. Spare cars 672M and 1186T underwent a prototype refurbishment before being stored.

In popular culture

In the video clip "All Torn Down" by Melbourne band "The Living End", the band is seen boarding an unrefurbished Comeng.

The unrefurbished Comeng also appears on the front cover of a Melbourne Hip Hop artist Fubex, his album was "Upcoming". It also features the now defunct Harris Motor.

Portions of the unrefurbished Comeng can be in scenes of a 1990 film called "The Big Steal" directed by Nadia Tass.

Gallery

• 

  EDi refurbished Comeng in Connex Livery at Tooronga Station

• 

  Alstom refurbished Comeng in Metro Livery leaving Lilydale Station

• 

  M>Train Comeng as delivered after refurbishment by EDi

• 

  M>Train Comeng in 2002

• 

  EDi refurbished Comeng, wearing partially M>Train livery after the Connex takeover

• 

  Comeng carriage refurbished by Alstom

• 

  Alstom refurbished set departing Flinders Street

• 

  EDi refurbished set passing through Galvin

• 

  Alstom refurbished set at Flemington Racecourse.

• 

  Burnt out unrefurbished Comeng 500M at Newport Workshops

• 

  Comeng plaque over carriage doors

• 

  Alstom-refurbished Comeng under Metro's operation, however with stickers covering the previous operator's (Connex) logo

• 

  EDi refurbished set at Flinders Street Station

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Vicsig: Comeng Trains
2. ^ Vicsig: Hitachi Trains
3. ^ MINISTER FOR MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY: '$150 MILLION INVESTMENT IN RAIL MANUFACTURING' - 17 August 2001
4. ^ Australian Railway Industry Corporation: EDI Rail
5. ^ Department of Infrastructure New and refurbished trains and trams
6. ^ Railpage Australia: Sightings of mixed sets in service
7. ^ "Commuters get to try new look Connex trains". 13 March 2009 (Herald Sun.com.au). http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,,25178794-2862,00.html. Retrieved 2009-03-14. ^{[dead link]}
8. ^ "Connex demonstrates a new train layout". 12 March 2009. Connex Melbourne. http://www.connexmelbourne.com.au/news.php?newsid=537. Retrieved 2009-03-14. 
9. ^ Vicsig: Comeng-1109T
10. ^ Vicsig: August 2010 scrappings.
11. ^ Vicsig: 500M burnt out at Hampton

External links

• Comeng trains at VICSIG