2000 class railcar

The "2000" class railcars are self-propelled diesel railcars which are used by TransAdelaide on the Adelaide metropolitan rail network. The body shell design was based on the Budd SPV2000, Metroliner and Amfleet cars but the 2000 class railcars have a slightly different curve to the Amfleet. They were built by Commonwealth Engineering and entered service in 1980. They acquired the nickname "Jumbos" due to the raised driving cab, similar to that of the Boeing 747 "Jumbo Jet". This raised cab was designed so that two passengers could sit at the front or rear window, or in a 3 car set look into the leading trailer.

There are 29 currently in operation, but one has been withdrawn from service and another was moved to Victoria for possible refurbishment. That car has now returned to service. Power cars are Numbered 2001-2012 while trailer cars are numbered 2101-2118. According to the 2008-09 State Budget these trains will all be withdrawn from suburban service by 2018 and replaced by new trains. [cite web
url=http://www.transport.sa.gov.au/pdfs/news_media/newconn%2520budget%2520fin%2520web.pdf
title=Sustainable Adelaide
publisher=www.transport.sa.gov.au
accessdate=2008-06-24]

Each power car currently contains two turbocharged Cummins 6-cylinder diesel engines under the floor driving a Voith hydraulic transmission; the original engine used throughout the 1980s and early 1990s was a V12 turbocharged MAN AG engine. The trains can be used in 2-car (power-trailer) or 3-car (trailer-power-trailer) configurations as well as multiple-set configurations as long as six cars. Five- and six-car sets were last used in 1995; today, the maximum length is four cars (2x 2-car sets).Fact|date=May 2008

Operations

These trains are most often seen during weekdays (mainly peak hours) and sometimes, but very rarely, on Saturdays on the Noarlunga Centre and Gawler lines and on weekends and public holidays only on the Belair. They are not used on the Outer Harbor lines.

Jumbos normally run in the following configurations:-
* 2-car trains: 1x 2000, 1x 2100 (Power car and trailer)
* 3-car trains: 1x 2000, 2x 2100 (Trailers at each end, power car in middle)
* 4-car trains: 2x 2000, 2x 2100 (2x 2car sets, example power-trailer-trailer-power)

Other non-standard configurations have run on rare occasions in past. For example:

* 2x 2000 - 2-car train with double power cars, providing maximum acceleration. Poor fuel economy posed a problem.
* 2x 2000, 1x 2100 - 3 car train with power cars at each end and trailer car in the middle, used experimentally on the Belair line in the late 1980s. The set involved was #2002-#2108-#2003.
* 1x 2000, 2x 2100 - 3-car train with power car at one end instead of in the middle, followed by two trailers. Literally a 2 car set with an extra trailer added to the front of the other trailer. The first 2000 class service was in this configuration. No (2001-2102)-2101). Eventually 2101 was swapped to the other side to create the usual 3 car set layout.

During the 1980s and first half of the 1990s, five and six car Jumbos regularly operated peak-hour trains on the Noarlunga Centre line. These longer trains were formed by coupling a 2-car set with a 3-car set, two 3-car sets and on rare occasions three 2 car sets. Since the mid 1990s trains on normal suburban workings have been no more than 4 cars. However, 5 or 6-car sets do run occasionally when traffic conditions dictate.

The various power cars and trailers are semi-permanently coupled as two and three car sets, which are re-arranged depending on traffic and maintenance needs. Unlike the 3100-class, the sets do not follow any numeric sequence. For example powercar #2001 usually uses trailers #2102 and #2113 and is a 3 car set which has been fully repainted.

Trailer car no. 2117 has had a section of seating removed to provide extra accommodation for bikes. This is was used for weekend Belair services, usually as a 2-car set with powercar #2008 and on weekday services to Gawler and Gawler Central. Now it is used on a second 4-car set with any one of the 2-car sets listed below (usually 2114-2010), or another. Trailer #2118 which was also on the set prior to its repaint, used to be added to the consist for weekday services (the bike area is used for standing room in peak hour services on the Gawler and Noarlunga lines. But now #2118 is on another unrepainted set #2115-#2012 combining the STA and Adelaide Metro liveries together. All of the orange Jumbos actually contain a badly faded STA logo.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s the consists were randomized where any powercar could be with any trailer and with all 30 cars in service there were 6 two car sets and 6 three car sets. But today the powercars are usually assigned to certain trailers but sometimes the ordering of the consists is changed due to cars going in for maintenance, for example #2101 was withdrawn due to repairs and replaced with #2106. Now repainted, #2106 has been swapped back to repainted #2105-#2011 and orange #2109 has been swapped from #2108-#2002 onto orange powercar #2005 until #2101 is returned to the rails. There are seven 3-car sets and four 2-car sets with their usual number arrangements as below. All four 2-car sets are joined into two separate 4-car sets for peak hour usage on the Noarlunga Centre and Gawler lines and are shuffled around. Sometimes a 2-car set can be still seen, especially when a trailer is getting maintenance done to it.

Perhaps the most unusual 2000 class working took place on Saturday 30 July 2005. The 2-car bike train set #2008-#2117 failed at Belair. A 3-car set comprising #2107-#2004-#2110 was dispatched from Adelaide to retrieve the failed cars and pull them back to Adelaide (stopping all stations to Goodwood then express to Adelaide). The resultant 5-car set was #2107-#2004-#2110-#2008-#2117 with only powercar 2004 active. This is probably the only time a 5-car set of 2000 class railcars has worked on the Belair. 3 car sets were worked up there in the 1980's. Line. [http://www.railpage.com.au/f-t11306908.htmretrieved 12/09/2008]

Standard 2000 class consists as of today

* #2102-#2001-#2113 (Repainted Set)
* #2108-#2002-#2109
* #2103-#2003-#2104 (Repainted Set)
* #2107-#2004-#2110
* #2101-#2005 #
* #2112-#2006-#2116 (Repainted Set)
* #2111-#2007 #
* #2117-#2008 # (Repainted Set)
* #2114-#2010 #
* #2105-#2011-#2106 (Repainted Set)
* #2115-#2012-#2118 (2118 is Repainted)

* 2009 (is used for parts in the railcar depot, clearly visible on the NW side of the sheds)
* # All 2-car sets are now used on two separate 4-car sets, one for Noarlunga and one for Gawler peak hour services.
* (Repainted Set) wears the Adelaide Metro colour scheme.

Powercar No #2009 was withdrawn in 1997 after suffering a transmission failure. Today it has no underfloor engines and has been slowly broken up for parts. #2101 has now been returned to service with #2005 after undergoing repairs from the derailment in September 2007 (see below). A refurbished and repainted 3 car set consisting of previously withdrawn cars #2103-#2003-#2104 has already entered service. #2003 was withdrawn in April 06. Powercar #2006 which was withdrawn from service in 2000 was sent to Dandenong, Victoria for some work but was returned to Adelaide and uses previously withdrawn trailers #2112 and #2116. #2006 as well as all the other previously withdrawn jumbos has been repainted in the yellow Adelaide Metro livery and has received two rebuilt 525hp Cummins underfloor diesel engines (the same engine type as the existing fleet) and a new interior look with painted walls and new seat trims. This brings the in-service 2000 class fleet to 29, with seven 3 car sets and four 2 car sets. This will give the 2000 class fleet service until retirment starts in 2016 when the Adelaide network is to be electrified and converted to Standard Gauge.

Most 2000 class railcars contain a five-abreast seating layout, 2X3, but refurbished trailers #2103, #2112 and #2116 have been reconfigured in 2x2 seating to allow for more standing room.

Derailment(s)

On 27 September 2007, a packed four car Jumbo set with about 600 people on board #2111-#2007-#2101-#2005 was involved in a low speed derailment after departing Adelaide Station on a peak hour service to Noarlunga Centre. Nobody was injured. Cars #2101 and #2005 derailed at a speed of about 20 km/h which flattened a signal pole in the process. A crossover accident was the cause. #2101 was withdrawn from service for repairs while #2111-#2007 was undamaged. #2005 suffered no damage has returned to service with various trailers, until #2101 was repaired. The consist is now back together again. [http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,22495129-5006301,00.html Demand for derailment inquiry, Adelaide Advertiser September 28, 2007]

Accident(s)

In 1982, powercar No #2008 suffered a head on collision with a truck at a railway crossing and sustained severe front end damage. The railcar was eventually repaired and returned to service.

On 9 December 2004, Jumbo Powercar #2011 (with trailers #2105 and #2106) caught on fire at Adelaide station at around 8 am. The fire was contained to an electrical cabinet in the diesel alternator room. As the diesel alternator room is airtight, with only oxygen coming in from the air intake for the engine, there was minimal damage to the interior of the car. The railcar was returned to service with #2105 and #2106 (which were used with #2002 when #2011 was taken out) all in the Adelaide Metro livery after being repaired. #2102-#2001-#2113 also was repainted.

Destination Codes

Between 1980 and 1988 the railcars displayed destination codes consisting of two numbers and a letter. The destination windows were eventually painted over, except for cars #2003, #2005, #2011, #2107, #2113, #2115 and #2117 which retained a window with no number. (The windows of #2003 and #2113 were painted over when converted to Adelaide Metro livery.) The numbers indicated the route, either from or to Adelaide and the letter indicated the stopping pattern. At the time of their introduction to traffic, destination codes had not been decided, so initially the trains showed the destination code OOX regardless of the destination or stopping pattern. Sometime during 1980, destination codes were decided and are shown as follows:

It should be noted that during the time destination codes were in use, STA Working Timetables showed both the number and letter while the relevant Public Timetables only showed the number. In theory, both the relevant number and letter codes were meant to be display but in practice the letter code displayed was almost always A regardless of the stopping pattern.

tatistics

ee also

* 3000 Class Railcar
* Redhen railcar

References

State Transport Authority Working Timetable - Book #15 (General Instruction and Addenda to Working Timetable - 12 February 1984)

State Transport Authority Working Timetable - Book #26 (General Instruction and Addenda to Working Timetable - 9 October 1988)

External links

* [http://www.geocities.com/sa_railways/ 2000 class railcar home page]

Other reading

2000 Class Railcars - Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, March, 1988 pp49-69