What's next to look out for?

Millenniums!

Speaking of which, M11 also left Cardiff today attached to M8. When M8 was sitting idle in the Cardiff yard, it was displaying "Special / Do Not Board" destos.

A80 is just being detached from 4464 in AMF now. Making it the last A set to be delivered to Auburn.

My apologies, FullSeries, I failed to  thank you also for the original tip-off that today was A80's delivery date. Most grateful for that! I blame the excess of excitement - two in two days! Thanks again, enjoy your weekend. Cheers.

Video of Set A80, the last Waratah Set to be delivered

And here is a video. Sorry about the shakiness, as I was "walking" while filming, with the tripod. I should've just stayed in the one spot.

PS: Since they are called Waratahs, would anyone know why they chose to call them "A Sets instead of "W-Sets"?
PS-2: Since the numbering system is slightly different (eg: each carriage of the same set ends in the set number), IF they were to build the fleet up to 100 or more sets, would they then start to use a five digit number, or a different four digit system?



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4JMNv4cJuo

As from Monday, April 7, three Sector 3 Rosters have been allocated new Roster numbers, for the purpose of grouping all Rosters operated by A sets in one sequence or series.

8K set Roster 132 has been changed to Roster number 185.
8K set Roster 134 has been changed to Roster number 186.
8K set Roster 137 has been changed to Roster number 187.


These three Rosters were to have become A set Rosters from April 7, however, this has been deferred until Thursday, April 10, when the Easter Timetables start to roll.

To update my post from April 5, the above three Rosters continue to be Tabled with 8K set consist.


- Scott.

Waratah set A80 now at Clyde for over a week
does this mean no set A2 and no A79 (which was speculated in Railway Digest)?

As has been previously stated by piepants - Who I have no doubt will reiterate:

A02 was badly damaged and scrapped, A79 isn't... The PPTV Driving trailers (IE, the spares) are D6379/D6479, so to lessen confusion..., and A80 is A02.

At least, that's what I got from it.

As from Monday, April 7, three Sector 3 Rosters have been allocated new Roster numbers, for the purpose of grouping all Rosters operated by A sets in one sequence or series.

8K set Roster 132 has been changed to Roster number 185.
8K set Roster 134 has been changed to Roster number 186.
8K set Roster 137 has been changed to Roster number 187.


These three Rosters were to have become A set Rosters from April 7, however, this has been deferred until Thursday, April 10, when the Easter Timetables start to roll.

To update my post from April 5, the above three Rosters have continued to be Tabled with 8K set consist.

As from Monday, May 5, Roster 185 will be Tabled with a Waratah A set consist.


- Scott.

As from Monday, April 7, three Sector 3 Rosters have been allocated new Roster numbers, for the purpose of grouping all Rosters operated by A sets in one sequence or series.

8K set Roster 132 has been changed to Roster number 185.
8K set Roster 134 has been changed to Roster number 186.
8K set Roster 137 has been changed to Roster number 187.


These three Rosters were to have become A set Rosters from April 7, however, this has been deferred until Thursday, April 10, when the Easter Timetables start to roll.

A Final Update to my post from April 5.

As from Monday, May 12, all three Rosters mentioned above are now Tabled with Waratah A set consist.

Total A set Rosters in operation, as follows:-
Sector 2 (South, East Hills, Bankstown & Inner West Line Services): 32 sets
Sector 3 (North & West Line Services): 37 sets

3 more Rosters to be introduced to Sector 3 and allocation is complete.


- Scott.

Sighted the following A sets in Revenue service:-

A76: Friday, 9/05/14, 1708 hours at Redfern, Down Service to Campbelltown (via Sydenham and Tempe).
A77: Friday 16/05/14, 1830 hours at Redfern, Down Service to Blacktown.


- Scott.

As from Monday, May 19, Sector 3 Roster 133 (North and West Services) is Tabled with A set consist.

Two (2) more A set Rosters to be introduced to Sector 3 for completion.


- Scott.

From Monday, May 26, another Waratah A set has been Tabled to run in Sector 3 (North and West Services), as per Telegram
141-14GM:-

Monday & Tuesday, May 26 & 27: Roster 142
Wednesday, Thursday & Friday, May 28, 29 & 30: Roster 139

One (1) more A set Roster to be introduced to Sector 3 for completion.


- Scott.

How many S sets runs are there remaining in the timetable?

How many S sets runs are there remaining in the timetable?

Under the thread "S set Scrapping", I made a posting on April 5 and May 8, as follows:-

S set Rosters remain operating Sector 2 services:-
8 x 4S set Rosters operating Cumberland & Carlingford Line Services.
2 x 4S set Rosters operating the Lidcombe - Olympic Park Sprint Services (currently built-up to 8S set consist).
1 x 8S set Roster on "Standby" duties.


- Scott.

Sighted the following A sets in Revenue service, Friday, 30/05/14:-

A78: 1650 hours at Redfern, Down Service to Homebush.
A80: 1628 hours at Redfern, Up Service to Central, forming a service to Hornsby (via Shore Line).


- Scott.

How many K-set runs are there still on sector 3?

From Monday, May 26, another Waratah A set has been Tabled to run in Sector 3 (North and West Services), as per Telegram
141-14GM:-

Monday & Tuesday, May 26 & 27: Roster 142
Wednesday, Thursday & Friday, May 28, 29 & 30: Roster 139

One (1) more A set Roster to be introduced to Sector 3 for completion.

From Tuesday, June 3, the final Waratah A set Roster will be incorporated into the Timetable, as per Telegram 149-14GM.

Rosters 142 and 139, mentioned in the previous post, will run each Weekday (Monday to Friday) with a Waratah A set consist:-
Roster 142 will run Weekdays, commencing Monday, June 2.
Roster 139 will run Weekdays, commencing Tuesday, June 3.


- Scott.

How many K-set runs are there still on sector 3?

With the final Waratah A set Rostered in the Timetable, this leaves four (4) 8car K set Rosters operating in Sector 3.


- Scott.

There was apparently a "Waratah Demonstration Train" which was recently mentioned to me as being in Newcastle on 28.7.2009. The composition was 8141 (loco), D6379, N5342 N5442, D6479, 48130 (loco). Is information correct?

There was apparently a "Waratah Demonstration Train" which was recently mentioned to me as being in Newcastle on 28.7.2009. The composition was 8141 (loco), D6379, N5342 N5442, D6479, 48130 (loco). Is information correct?

As I understand it these four cars have been stripped of power equipment, air conditioning (where fitted) and doors.

Some time ago (Steamfest) I saw a 6379 and a power car whose number had been changed to read something like "NS99" standing outside Cardiff. All equipment and doors had been removed and plastic sheeting covered the door spaces, including the end door on 6379.

I assume that there are new vehicles with these numbers in set 42 and as spare driving cars.

I had heard that Downer offered these vehicles as a four car set for Carlingford line operation but this was not taken up.

Since I'm told set 2 was damaged being returned to China, and replaced, at least 12 extra vehicles have been built over the planned 626.

M636C

electrax, whilst I can't confirm that specific sighting, the train you're referring to was the Pre Production Test Vehicle (PPTV). This was a four car set made up of two "spare" driving trailers and two motor cars from A42. The idea was RailCorp could test all of the major systems on the Waratah trains to ensure compatibility with existing OHW power supplies and all other aspects of the train. The two driving trailer cars would then be delivered as "spares" to be used should an operational driver trailer car get damaged. The two motor cars were to be placed in set A42 which would have arrived from China as six cars.

I understand due to various reasons (probably the same reasons which had A1 and A2 returned to China) the two spare cars have not been completed, and the two motor care were replaced on A42 with two new cars (A42 was delivered from China as an 8-car block, so technically there would be two cars numbered as N5342 and N5442. One of each on A42, and the other two at Cardiff.

As M636C has mentioned, the PPTV was stripped partially at AMF before being loco hauled back to Cardiff. The cars are little more than shells now.

A2 was returned to China as A1 was for remedial works, although A2 was damaged in transit (the story I've heard multiple times is that a chemical being transported on the same ship leaked and corroded the steel to the point that the set was scrapped. How many parts were retained I'm not sure).

Instead of delivering an A79, the replacement train was/is A80 (I imagine this was to avoid doubling up on the D6379 and D6479 car numbers). A80 is now in service, which was the final set delivered from China (delivered without working park brakes, so the transfer was undertaken by four 81 Class instead of the usual 81/G/BL and 48 pairing), and the final set delivered from Cardiff to Sydney.

If you're interested, this is what the PPTV looked like during testing in Sydney (it was hauled to/from the test site by hired locomotive 442s1).

[img]https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4064/4649104690_85592797c2_s.jpg[/img]

[img]https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4051/4648333483_5fefab1a79_s.jpg[/img]

I had heard that Downer offered these vehicles as a four car set for Carlingford line operation but this was not taken up.

they didnt take up a free 4 car set? why am i not suprised.

they didnt take up a free 4 car set? why am i not suprised.

He didn't say it was free.

As I understand it these four cars have been stripped of power equipment, air conditioning (where fitted) and doors.

Some time ago (Steamfest) I saw a 6379 and a power car whose number had been changed to read something like "NS99" standing outside Cardiff. All equipment and doors had been removed and plastic sheeting covered the door spaces, including the end door on 6379.

Currently, the cars originally designated N5342 and N5442 were going to be used in set 42, but as the amount of work to bring them up to scratch was huge, CRC just built another 2 motor cars and the PPTV cars went unused. To avoid confusion when PPTV was transported on the network, the original car numbers were covered up with new numbers "MC01" and "MC02". As mentioned, everything has been stripped. All that remains on these cars is the original electrical harnesses, a little bit of GRP, some of the cab equipment and bits and pieces of underframe gear.

Here's what D6379 and N5342 looked like a couple of months ago:

https://flic.kr/p/nJerXc

https://flic.kr/p/o1pKDx

I had heard that Downer offered these vehicles as a four car set for Carlingford line operation but this was not taken up.

Interesting you say that - currently the TDCs are being stripped down the stainless steel with the intention of being rebuilt into usable spares, but I did hear a rumour that the motor cars could be rebuilt too...

Since I'm told set 2 was damaged being returned to China, and replaced, at least 12 extra vehicles have been built over the planned 626.

Just 10 cars - set 80, plus the 2 motor cars for set 42.

Can anyone please advise what happened to the 7:30am ex Berowra to Richmond via the North Shore A set. For the last 3 weeks this service has been run by either a K set or T set.