I'm not sure if anyone else managed to get a look at the S/S/AK/AK/AK/S/S set running around the city the last week or so, but it was split up last night/this morning when 8182 took the AK Cars back to Meeks Rd. I was hanging around Central last night and managed to get a few shots, although I felt this one was the most unusual:

[img]http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3787/9470431318_b000408fa0_n.jpg[/img]


Four S Set motor cars all coupled together (the pantograph on the third car was not raised, however). A rather odd sight outside of a maintenance centre, I would think?

I did get a few other shots, I'll try and process them/upload them when I get the chance, but figured this would appeal to our spark buff members!

That would have went like stink!

That would have went like stink!

Great shots Raichase. That 4 car motor set would've been interesting to control.

The S set motor cars used were 3063-3982-AK Cars- 3044-3949, just if anyone is interested.

So yeah, very little coverage of the train actually doing what it was created for, but I'm pleased that I got some coverage of it at all, especially the shunt at the end. Given that one of the Roger track inspection vehicles is designed to replace the AK Cars on the RailCorp/Sydney Trains network, one has to wonder if this type of thing will be performed again?

Super 6's were fast. Imagine Super 4's....

The track recording equipped Roger 800 (MTPV1) won't take over from the AK cars just yet - but I suggest that the March/April or July/August AK runs next year may be the last using the S sets...

There's a "special" showing up on the indicator boards for the city circle right now. It has been bouncing around allocated times for the past 20 min or so. The last two times I've seen that it has been the S/AK sets doing a loop, so might be worth seeing if it is what is coming. Unfortunately I am now sitting on the train that is right in front of it so won't be able to confirm.

That would have went like stink!

It would have moved like a slug. There is no way to couple the electrics of two power cars back to back (with out a plug adaptor box anyway), so the rear two would be 'dead attached'. And since there is no electrical connection, no EP either, so air brakes only.

Slow to start, slow to stop.


The 3rd car pantograph was probably lowered only due to concerns about contact wire uplift with two pans that close together.

I believe that they experimented with a through cable to connect the control jumpers of the S-Set motor cars on either side of the consist, but can't say if they succeeded or not.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/raichase/9473795318/

It's probably not super visible in this shot when they were dismantling the consist last time they did this type of running (August), but there is what appears to be a control jumper receptacle on the car (the one on the right looks like a dummy, I'm assuming for loco jumpers, but what about the one on the left)?

I think they did get the through MU working. It would have been a very heavy load for 2 Set motors if they hadn't. I was referring to the 4 S motor set returning home when they coupled the two motor pairs back to back for the trip back to Flemington. With out some sort of adaptor magic, back to back power cars can't MU to one another.