Prayer is asking for a Hitachi, faith is carrying the camera

574M · Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 4:12 pm

Flagstaff · Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 10:56 pm

wongm · Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 12:24 pm

Saw the Alstom fronted one at North Melbourne on Thursday:

Marcus Wong

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G516 · Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 10:11 pm

Lucky you got that shot Wongm.

Next time you see the Elec-Rail set (the left one) it will be refurbished. It is off tomorrow to Ballarat. I think the loco is going to be T369.

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Westernport · Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2008 12:18 pm

hang on a tick..

i thought the Elect-rail set wasnt Connex's and it wasnt going to be refurbished.. i always thought that because it wasn't Connex's they weren't gonna touch it with a 4 metre pole.

if anything M23 and crew should have been sent for refurbishing.

i wonder if the good people at Elect-rail know that their pride and joy is being sent for refurbishing...

Gauntlet · Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2008 3:25 pm

10M is at Hurstbridge today for the Wattle Valley Festival (or whatever its called) as well as the steam train. Did anyone else see it and get pictures? (stupid question!)

wongm · Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2008 8:33 pm

Bills_Billboards · Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 6:09 pm

sighted a Connex Hitachi sunday night about 9.45 pm at Keon Park heading to Epping desto displayed SPECIAL , couldnt get the numbers but was no D cars in the train
Bill

Batman1988 · Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 11:17 pm

144M and friends spotted at North Melbourne Stables at 2:34pm today.

“Those ticket inspectors are trying to kill us.”

“I know, dad!”

“It’s a new experience for me…”

“Happens to me all the time!”

Batman1988 · Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 11:51 pm

144M and friends sighted at North Melbourne stables at 3:11pm.

“Those ticket inspectors are trying to kill us.”

“I know, dad!”

“It’s a new experience for me…”

“Happens to me all the time!”

Gauntlet · Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2008 6:41 pm

I spotted two Connex stickered Hitachis and a 3-car X'trap stabled at Newport today. 23M....144M is still at Melbourne yard.

GeoffreyHansen · Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 3:01 am

Just a quick question from an interstater making a flying visit are any Hitachis running at present and if so when and where are they running.

Thanks in advance.

Bring the 3900s back to Brisbane
Bring Karlsruhe Tramtrains to Australian cities
Extend the proposed Metro to Taylor Square
Extend the Gold Coast line to the Tweed

RM22 · Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 7:48 am

All removed from service due to rust problems.

What are people thinking. Is this the end?

RM22

Heihachi_73 · Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 8:11 am

I think they're all banned (again) - this time due to rust apparently (on stainless steel, what's next excuse going to be?).

If V/Line can take apart 50 year old carriages and rebuild them to as-new standards, why cant the suburban trains get the same treatment? Apparently Hitachi cars are all 'built in 1972' and not worth the effort of repairs, but Comeng cars in the low 300s are still considered 'new' due to being refurbished by EDI a few years ago, and sound like crap, like 507M I was on this morning (#2 bogie).

233M (Hitachi) - in service 9 Jan 1981, 'refurbished' 14 Aug - 15 Oct 2000.
303M (Comeng) - in service 22 Feb 1982, refurbished 11 July - 12 Aug 2002.

Note: Hitachi cars shouldn't really be classified as refurbished, they were mainly cleaned up and given new 'wallpaper' at window level to kill that nasty 1970s woodgrain look. Z/A/B class trams also received this 'upgrade', but only with paint, which has been defaced on some trams.

Could anyone imagine V/Line hauling unmodified S, Z and Harris T cars (with knuckle couplers) around in this day and age? I doubt it very much, they don't even have any tangerine cars in service.

All people want is a modern, quiet ride with minimal squeaks and rattles. I'm sure it can be done with a whopping 6 six-car units remaining (leaving Elecrail's 7M...99M set untouched). Take them down to Alstom Ballarat to receive the same refurbishment as half of the Comeng fleet had, computers and all. There can't be that much of a difference between gutted interiors, save the front end of the D cars. I'll post something later if I can remember to.

You cannot run from your own bunghole.

alstom_888m · Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 8:55 am

I find it hillarious that the Hitachi are considered "ancient" despite the fact that they are less than 40 years old. Let's look at some trains that lasted longer;

Swing Door - Some built as early as late-1880s, given electric equipment 1920s, last withdrawn 1974. Frames lasted 85 years.

Tait - 1916-1984, never given any substantial refurbishment, lasted nearly 70 years.

Harris - First ran 1956, last ran 1988. Were banned due to dangerous materials rather than age. Many rebuilt into H cars. Still running today being 40-50 years old. Probably last at least another 10-20 years.

S Cars - First ran in 1937. Still running today. Age 70 years.

Z cars - First ran 1957(?). Still running today in refurbished form. Aged 50 years.

DERMs - Built early 1930s, last ran in 1991, aged 60 years.

B, S, & T Class locos - Built 1950s, still running in freight service.

I'm sure there are more.

Reliable, Economical, Safe, By Rail.

Away for Summer. Won't be on RP.