Comeng (train)

The Comeng train (/ˈkɒmɛndʒ/ KOM-eng) is a type of electric multiple unit (EMU) that operates on the suburban railway network of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Built by Commonwealth Engineering (Comeng) in Dandenong, they were introduced in 1981 as a replacement for the Tait and Harris trains. In total, 570 carriages (380 motor cars and 190 trailer cars, a total of 95 six carriage sets) were built.

Comeng
Alstom refurbished Comeng 667M in Metro livery
In service1981–present
ManufacturerCommonwealth Engineering
Built atDandenong
ReplacedTait, Harris
Constructed1981–1988
Entered service1981
Refurbished2000–2003 Alstom, EDi Rail
2017–2020 UGL Rail
Scrapped2017 (all chopper sets), 2021-present
Number built190 sets (570 cars)
Number in service139 sets (417 cars)
Number scrapped51 sets (153 cars)
SuccessorHCMT and X'Trapolis 2.0
Formation3 cars (driving motor-trailer-driving motor, two sets usually coupled to make 6 cars)
Fleet numbers301M–468M, 471M–554M, 561M–680M, 691M–698M
1001T–1084T, 1086T–1127T, 1131T–1190T, 1196T–1199T
Capacity210 seated, 765 crush load per 3-car unit[1]
Operator(s)Metro Trains Melbourne (2009–present)
Previous:
Depot(s)All Metro Trains depots
Line(s) servedCaulfield, Cross City, Northern Group Lines (Currently), All Melbourne Suburban (Formerly).
Specifications
Car body constructionStainless steel
Car length24 m (78 ft 8+7⁄8 in) (motor carriages)
23.2 m (76 ft 1+3⁄8 in) (trailer carriages)[2]
Width3,050 mm (10 ft 1⁄8 in)
Height3,827 mm (12 ft 6+5⁄8 in) (not including pantograph)
Maximum speed115 km/h (71 mph)
Weight141 t (139 long tons; 155 short tons) (max)
Traction systemResistance control (301M-680M)
Chopper control (691M-698M)
Acceleration0.8 m/s2 (2.6 ft/s2)
Deceleration0.9 m/s2 (3.0 ft/s2)
Electric system(s)1,500 V DC (nominal) from overhead catenary
Current collector(s)Pantograph
Braking system(s)Westinghouse Westcode tread brakes (first order)
Knorr-Bremse disc brakes (second order)
Coupling systemScharfenberg
Track gauge1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) broad gauge

Description

Comeng trains are single deck and are semi-permanently coupled as M-T-M (motor-trailer-motor) sets. Most frequently, they are coupled as M-T-M-M-T-M (six-car) 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 had driver only air-conditioning fitted more recently.[3])

They operate in larger numbers on the Northern, Dandenong, Cross City and Sandringham group lines, and since 2017 it has been rare to see comeng on the Burnley and Clifton Hill group lines which are serviced almost exclusively by newer X'Trapolis trains. The design of Melbourne's Comeng trains is closely related to that of TransAdelaide's diesel-electric 3000 class railcars.

The Comeng fleet has begun retirement, with many sets being transferred to North Shore and Tottenham in order to be scrapped. The fleet will eventually be replaced by the High Capacity Metro Trains (HCMT) and X'Trapolis 2.0 fleet.

History
A scrapped unrefurbished Comeng set in its original Metropolitan Transit Authority livery

The first Comeng trains ran in 1981. By the middle of 1984, 38 sets had been delivered, and some older rolling stock had begun to be phased out. The order was increased from 50 to 95 six-car sets, with the aim of completely replacing the Tait and Harris sets by 1988.[4]

Set 381M-1041T-382M was the first delivered in the Metropolitan Transit green and yellow scheme, though the sets including 27T and 28T had been repainted (with those cars renumbered 1027T and 1028T respectively) before then.[5] Notably, when the 41st set was delivered the front panels of the motor carriages were still silver-framed rather than yellow.[6]

The 45th set delivered had custom decals applied to the sides celebrating the halfway point through the order. These had been removed by 1 February 1991.[7]

Refurbishment
2000 - 2003
An M>Train liveried Comeng 477M as delivered after refurbishment by EDi Rail. The brand went defunct in 2004, leaving Connex to take over all Comeng operations.

Between 2000 and 2003, the two train operators at the time, Connex and M>Train, had Alstom and EDi Rail respectively refurbish the trains.[8][9]

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

  • Interior arrangement - The interior LED displays on the M>Train trains were in the middle, as opposed to being at both ends of the carriage on Connex sets.
  • Upholstery - Seats in M>Train trains are blue, while Connex opted for rainbow-textured seats.
  • Seating arrangement - Connex provided a different seating layout from 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 Rail refurbished 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 Rail trains also have a windscreen-wiper on both sides, the Alstom sets only having one on the driver's side.
  • Light fittings - The Alstom refurbished 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.[10]

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
2006 - 2007

From December 2006 both fleets were allowed to run system wide. The electronics of both Comeng types were 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
2009

From the beginning of March 2009, Connex ran a test set of carriages with new seating arrangement on city lines.[11] The new arrangements removed 44 seats, making room for more standing on the train. The changes were made to accommodate the increased patronage on the Melbourne rail network.[12]

Door upgrades
2014 - 2015

Comeng trains still require passengers to manually open saloon doors to enter and exit the trains. Pneumatic air pressure keeps the doors closed whilst the trains are in motion, and is released by the driver when the carriages stop at station platforms. Prior to 2014, the doors were fitted with large "door knob" style handles. These made it relatively easy for unruly passengers to force the doors open, including while the train was in motion. All carriages were retrofitted with a new flat slim handle designed to make doors more difficult to force open. This followed an incident at Watergardens railway station where teenagers forced a door open while the train was moving and one jumped out, causing injury to himself. Alan Osbourne, then director of Transport Safety Victoria (TSV), informed Metro that the Comeng trains would be taken out of service if their doors were not made impossible to force open by 2017.[13]

Life extension
2017 - 2021
Alstom Comeng
EDI Comeng
Life extension refurbishments were carried out between 2017 and 2021

75% of the Comeng fleet are currently undertaking a life extension (stages 1/2) refurbishment program with a number of upgrades taking place including:

  • Upholstery - Seats in Connex rainbow-textured pattern change to Public Transport Victoria's corporate identity in either orange or blue geometric design.
  • Concertina style enclosed gangways between carriages.
  • Improved saloon lighting and additional handholds.
  • LED marker lights
  • New vinyl stickering with PTV branding identity livery on the exterior fibreglass front panels.
  • Removal of external handles and step ladders at the leading end of all motor cars to reduce instances of train surfing.

In December 2019, it was announced that the 31% of the existing Comeng units (Disc Units) will be further enhanced with upgrades under the third stage of the life extension program. A number of upgrades taking place included:

  • Dynamic Passenger Information Screens which displays real time data.
  • Improved safety enhancements, including an upgrade to high definition CCTV cameras with better clarity and a wider field of view
  • Improvements to hearing aid links with a new and upgraded speaker system.
  • Improvements to the overall air compression system powering the brakes, doors, pantographs and traction systems.

By the end of 2021, 75% of the fleet are expected to have received the upgrades with the remainder of the non-life extended Comeng units planned to be progressively replaced by High Capacity Metro Trains, which would see those units retired.

Retirement
Chopper Comeng carriage 694M stored at Newport Workshops

In November 2017, none of the remaining Comeng chopper carriages including the (691M-698M) motors and (1196T-1199T) trailers were included in the new Metro contract, which saw them retired out of service. Half of these units were stored at Newport Workshops, while the other half have been supplying parts to the remaining Comeng units in service.

In 2018, Comeng set 313M-1007T-314M and 367M-1034T-368M were withdrawn from service and stored at Newport Workshops.

In 2019, it was revealed that if the X'Trapolis 2.0s were made, the Comengs could be out of service as early as 2026[14]

On 21 August 2021, Comeng sets 321M-1107T-320M and 363M-1032T-364M were withdrawn from service and transferred to North Shore. These sets were replaced with the High Capacity Metro Trains, starting a long process of the retirement of Comeng sets, likely to take most of the decade. As of 27 April 2022, 44 3-car Comeng sets have been retired out of 189 3-car sets in service at the formation of Metro Trains Melbourne.

On 9 February 2022, the first Comeng unit was scrapped since 2014. This saw the scrapping of set 338M-1092T-484M at Dandenong South. Subsequently, there have been 7 3-car Comeng sets scrapped as of the 27th of April 2022.

Stored carriages
Car 368M stored at Newport Workshops awaiting scrapping

70 Comeng carriages have been scrapped or removed from service.[15]

Eight carriages have been scrapped: 315M, 388M, 1165T, 1109T, 533M, 305M, 1003T and 306M. 315M was burnt out at Hurstbridge on 9 April 1983, along with Tait 472M,[16] 388M was hit by V/Line locomotive N457 at Officer, 1165T was burnt out at Northcote, 1109T was damaged in a collision with Comeng 634M at Epping,[17] while 533M was burnt out by vandals at Merlynston in April 2002.[18] Both 1109T and 533M were stored at the Ballarat Workshops and were scrapped in August 2010.[19] In November 2012, 305M-1003T-306M crashed into a truck at Abbotts Road in Dandenong South. These cars were stored in Dandenong South near the crash site, visible from the Cranbourne Line until May 2014, when they were scrapped.

Following the Dandenong South collision, set 583M-1022T-589M was withdrawn and stored at Newport Workshops. This set was trailing 305M-1003T-306M but received significantly less damage.

Another four carriages have been stored: 500M, 671M, 672M, and 1186T. 500M was burnt out at Sandringham in 2002[20] and can be seen in a yard close to the North Williamstown station side of the Newport railway workshops. 671M was partly burnt out at Gowrie in 1994. Spare cars 672M and 1186T, which were made redundant after 671M was burnt, underwent a prototype refurbishment before being stored. 671M is currently in use by Fire Rescue Victoria for firefighter training.

On 25 February 2019, EDI Comeng 333M collided with a buffer stop at the end of a stabling siding at Newport. The train was withdrawn from service and EDI Comeng 314M was modified to run with 1017T and 334M. The set was coupled with existing retired cars 313M and 1007T.

  • An Alstom refurbished Comeng in Connex colors can be seen in the background of a carriage scene on the TV series How I Met Your Mother, Season 9, Episode 1 (set in New York).[21]

Notes

    References
    1. "Metro - WTT Network Configuration - Metro Rolling Stock" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 January 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
    2. "1. Home" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 July 2019. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
    3. "Vicsig: Hitachi Trains". Archived from the original on 31 July 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
    4. "Transport". Victorian Year Book 1985 (PDF). Victorian Year-Book. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 1985. p. 525. ISSN 0067-1223. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 January 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
    5. Newsrail April 1984 p.120
    6. "Vicsig - Photos". Archived from the original on 12 July 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
    7. Newsrail April 1991 p121
    8. "Minister for Manufacturing Industry: '$150 Million Investment in Rail Manufacturing' - 17 August 2001". Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
    9. "Australian Railway Industry Corporation: EDI Rail". Archived from the original on 22 April 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
    10. Department of Infrastructure Archived 20 May 2009 at the Library of Congress Web Archives New and refurbished trains and trams
    11. Johnston, Matt (13 March 2009). "Commuters get to try new look Connex trains". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 8 September 2012. Retrieved 14 March 2009.
    12. "Connex demonstrates a new train layout". 12 March 2009. Connex Melbourne. Archived from the original on 26 June 2009. Retrieved 14 March 2009.
    13. Carey, Adam (15 March 2014). "Ageing trains targeted by vandals and Transport Safety Victoria". The Age. Archived from the original on 4 January 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
    14. Jacks, Timna (15 July 2019). "New train designs revealed, but contract under threat". The Age. Archived from the original on 15 July 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
    15. "Vicsig: Comeng Trains". Archived from the original on 27 February 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
    16. "Delays, Derailments, etc". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. September 1983. p. 247.
    17. "Vicsig: Comeng-1109T". Archived from the original on 29 August 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
    18. "VICSIG". Archived from the original on 13 March 2021. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
    19. "Vicsig: August 2010 scrappings". Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
    20. "Vicsig: 500M burnt out at Hampton". Archived from the original on 13 March 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
    21. "Yes, that was a Melbourne train in a US sitcom… but can anybody name the station? #MetroTrains". Daniel Bowen. 29 September 2013. Archived from the original on 28 August 2016. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
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