Metro Trains Melbourne driver training, February 2011
Thursday 3 February 2011
T376 and T369 ran around the network late at night in order to train El Zorro diesel crews on the Flemington Racecourse, Craigieburn and Williamstown lines.
Metro Trains Melbourne launch
Monday 30 November 2009
X'Trapolis 863M-1632T-864M-897M-1649T-898M was stickered into the new 'Metro' livery for the first day. Held on platform 1 at Flinders Street Station, Premier John Brumby and Transport Minister Lynne Kosky were in attendance, along with MTM management. The train left late because the media were interviewing the politicians, but they ended up being left behind.
Metro Trains Melbourne stuffups, April 2013
Friday 26 April 2013
Over five days over the Anzac Day break there was a shutdown for Regional Rail Link related works at Viaduct Junction. April 26 was a normal workday but with limited platforms available at Southern Cross Station, resulting in all kinds of delays.
Metro Trains Melbourne works trains
Thursday 27 June 2019
On taking over the contract to operate and maintain the Melbourne suburban rail system in 2010, Metro Trains Melbourne have hired wagons and diesel locomotives B76, B80, T369, T373, T376 and T377 from CFCLA to operate works trains. Three types of train operate: open top containers mounted to miscellaneous flat wagons for the carriage of spoil, CHOY hoppers to carry ballast, and flat wagons fitted with stanchions to carry rail or concrete sleepers. The arrangement ended in 2017, with works trains instead being operated by Qube Logistics and Southern Shorthaul Railroad.
Metro Tunnel test trains
Saturday 13 April 2024
On the morning of 25 July 2023 the first trains entered the Metro Tunnel via the South Yarra portal to commence the testing program. Additional trains have since been rotated through the tunnel, a full occupation being required on the mainline tracks so they can enter the normally blocked off junction. In November 2023 the first end-to-end testing from Footscray to Hawksburn was completed.
Mitcham level crossing removal project
Tuesday 7 January 2014
In 2013-2014 two level crossings at Mitcham were removed from the Lilydale / Belgrave line, when the railway line was lowered beneath Rooks Road and Mitcham Road, with the station at Mitcham also having to be rebuilt.
New X'Trapolis EMUs
Wednesday 11 April 2018
A second batch of X'Trapolis EMUs are being imported, number from 1M upwards (and 1301T). The first 6 car set arrived in 2009 and underwent testing before being commissioned into service.
Poor service from Metro Trains Melbourne
Sunday 31 March 2024
Woeful service from Metro Trains Melbourne is a running joke - here are some examples.
PTV Night Network launch
Friday 30 October 2015
On October 30, 2015 the politicians visited Federation Square to launch PTV's new 'Night Network' - all night trains and trams, as well as a rejigged Nightrider bus service.
Rebranding Connex to Metro Trains Melbourne
Wednesday 16 August 2023
Metro Trains Melbourne took over operation of the Melbourne suburban rail network from Connex on 30 November 2009, with rebranding of trains and stations commencing right away.
Regional Rail Link rail replacement buses
Thursday 24 April 2014
For two weeks in July 2011 the railway between Footscray and Sunshine will be closed to allow the first stage of Regional Rail Link works to proceed. Metro's Sydenham line service will be replaced by a bus service between Albion Station and Flemington Racecourse - by the looks of the bus interchanges, this will not be the only series of disruptions.
Return of the Bendigo Hitachis, August 2006
Thursday 31 August 2006
After their withdrawal from suburban service in Melbourne, in February 2004 four 3-car Hitachi sets 29M-1972T-214M-25M-1945T-84M-221M-1947T-195M-140M-1936T-155M were transferred to the Bendigo North Workshops and stored unsecured in the open. In 2006 stripped of parts, and with broken windows and covered with graffiti, they were moved back to Melbourne by El Zorro using Y145 and S302 in the middle of the night of August 30th. Here they are upon arrival the next morning at Newport Workshops.
Richmond station
Wednesday 10 November 2021
A windblown concrete monolith from the 1950s with inadequate passenger interchange passageways and narrow platforms
Rock throwing media conference, October 2007
Tuesday 16 October 2007
On 16 October 2007 Connex Melbourne and V/Line management held a media conference at Flinders Street Station to address the spate of rock throwing indicdents endangering their trains.
Second Merri Creek bridge at Clifton Hill
Sunday 20 January 2019
Clifton Hill is the junction of the Epping and Hurstbridge lines in inner Melbourne, with a new bridge being built in 2008 across Merri Creek to duplicate the Hurstbridge line tracks.
Siemens train braking issues
Monday 15 January 2018
A number of Melbourne's Siemens trains were withdrawn from service in 2007 due to braking issues. The Werribee line between Newport and Laverton was used to test the affected sets. The test procedure involved spraying soapy water onto the rails to confirm the operation of the brakes. By 2010 it was decided the solution to the problem was to install sandboxes to the middle four bogies of each 3-car set.
Siemens train static inverter issues
Monday 17 August 2015
In December 2014 it was discovered that Melbourne's fleet of Siemens trains had been fitted with defective capacitors in the static inverter unit found beneath the train floor, resuling in a number of explosions. As an interim workaround fire blankets and tie down straps were fitted around the equipment boxes to reduce the risk.
Smashed sign at Sunshine station
Tuesday 24 October 2023
What happens when you put a road sign right beside a tight corner, on a footpath leading through the Sunshine station car park? Clueless motorists drive over the top of it, over and over again.
South Morang rail extension project
Sunday 20 January 2019
Extension of the Epping line a few kilometres to South Morang, as well as the duplication of the existing line between Keon Park and Epping.
Special trains to Flemington Racecourse and Melbourne Showgrounds
Saturday 22 October 2022
Additional train services are run for major events at Flemington Racecourse and the Melbourne Showgrounds.
Steamrail - Glen Waverley shuttles, June 2010
Saturday 26 June 2010
On Sunday 27th June 2010 Steamrail operated steam shuttles between Darling and Glen Waverley to marks 80 years rail services to Glen Waverley. However due to an occupation on the line between the city and Newport, the train was stabled at South Dynon for a few days before the trip itself.
Steamrail - Good Friday Appeal suburban tour 2015
Friday 3 April 2015
On Friday 3 April 2015 K153 and Y112 led a train around the Melbourne suburbs to raise funds for the Good Friday Appeal.
Steamrail - Snow Train, July 2013
Sunday 21 July 2013
R761 and R707 lead a 14 car long train from Southern Cross to Traralgon and return, having to run from Newport to Southern Cross via Sunshine and Deer Park due to Regional Rail Link works.
Steamrail - Suburban Rambler, April 2014
Sunday 6 April 2014
On April 6, 2014 Steamrail took diesel Y164 and steam Y112 for a trip around the Melbourne suburbs
Stony Point line
Sunday 26 November 2023
The Stony Point line is an orphan on the Melbourne suburban network, being an isolated shuttle service without electrification. A class diesel locomotives hauling MTH carriages were the usual consist for a decade, until replaced by Sprinter railcars in 2008.
Stony Point line transfers
Tuesday 19 January 2021
Trains running the diesel shuttle service on the Stony Point line run empty cars between Frankston and Southern Cross for maintenance on a weekly basis.
Sunbury electrification project
Saturday 9 May 2015
Electrification of the Bendigo line between Sydenham and Sunbury started in 2011 and was completed in 2012. Diggers Rest and Sunbury stations were upgraded, a new stabling yard built at the end of the line, overhead wires were installed above the tracks, and five new traction substations were built.
Sydney Trains
Wednesday 5 October 2022
Sydney Trains, formerly CityRail, operates the passenger rail service covering suburban Sydney
TPWS in suburban Melbourne
Wednesday 15 December 2021
Commencing in 2010 Train Protection & Warning System (TPWS) has been retrofitted to signals across suburban Melbourne.
VICERS vigilance control system
Monday 16 February 2015
In 2006 the installation of the Vigilance, Control and Event Recording System (VICERS) commenced on all suburban electric trains in Melbourne. Originally due to be completed by 2010, it took until 2012 for the system to finally be tested and commissioned.
X'Trapolis 2.0 mock-up
Friday 2 June 2023
In 2023 Alstom produced a mock-up of the upcoming X'Trapolis 2.0 train being built for Melbourne, to get design feedback from train drivers as well as passenger, accessibility and specialist groups.
X'Trapolis test run to Craigieburn, January 2011
Thursday 20 January 2011
After the last train on 19 January 2011, set 33M-34M + 35M-36M headed slowly to Craigieburn in order to clear the route for X'Trapolis trains.
X'Trapolis transfer, December 2016
Thursday 1 December 2016
On December 1, 2016 T369 and T377 with generator wagon CFSX125G transferred newly completed X'Trapolis set 225M-228M from Ballarat Workshops to Epping via Bacchus Marsh
X'Trapolis transfer, July 2017
Thursday 20 July 2017
On 20 July 2017 brand new X'Trapolis train 234M-1417T-233M+236M-1418T-235M was transferred from the Alstom factory at Ballarat North to Epping Workshops, behind T373 and T376 with generator wagon CFSX125G
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X'Trapolis transfer, October 2005
Tuesday 25 October 2005
The Connex X'Trapolis EMU fleet required a number of modifications that were carried out at the Ballarat Workshops. Set 925M-1663T-926M + 919M-1660T-920M was transferred from Ballarat to Bayswater (via Geelong) with T377 as the motive power, with power van ZVDY 52 attached to the rear
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