As a part of the rollout of the Waratah train, a portion of the Enfield Freight Yard has been redeveloped to accommodate “S” Sets that will be removed from operation service and replaced by the Waratah train.

These “S” Sets will be kept at an “operational ready” state by rotating back to Flemington Car sheds on a regular basis to undergo maintenance cycles.

Once delivery of the Waratah train escalates, this facility will also be utilised as an overflow storage location for Waratahs prior to entering revenue service.

Considerable work has been undertaken at this location to bring it up to an acceptable standard with little work remaining to be done prior to commissioning and then utilisation.

Waratah Sets 3 and 4 are now operational on a rotation basis for limited passenger runs. Set 5 and Set 6 have been handed over to RailCorp for their PC testing and it is proposed that Set handover rate will escalate prior to Christmas with Sets arriving at the AMF every 15 days.

The RTBU have met regularly with RailCorp Executive in an attempt to resolve the many issues associated with this train and its crew cab:

Windscreen:

The RTBU is happy to report that the quality issue of this trains windscreen has finally been resolved with the company now supplying and installing new windscreens to its existing fleet. A solution has been found to the ‘smoky’ or ‘hazy’ issue originally affecting these screens and initial reviews of the new windscreen has proven to be a complete success.

Detrainment Ramp Issues:

The major risk of head strike/injury from parts of this equipment may be close to being resolved with RailCorp and EDI now discussing plans to have the offending equipment partially concealed within the cab roof cavity.

A risk assessment was recently conducted to validate the required expenditure by EDI to rectify this fault with the RTBU awaiting the results. The RTBU has corresponded to RailCorp its refusal to accept this train beyond the arrival of Set AO7 unless the current crew cab safety concerns have been addressed.

Cab Doors:

The previously reported issue of the crew cab being alarmed on opening and closing has now been rectified, and the cab door can now be opened when side window is open.

Etis System and screens:

These computer screens remain affected by glare despite the application of a non-reflective film and are an outstanding item for resolution. The Etis computer software is currently at version 12, which is approximately 80 per cent functional, with version 13 expected to be applied on Set 7.

Training:

The Millennium Conversion Course has been agreed and is being implemented initially at the Campbelltown Depot. The Tangara Baseline Course has been piloted with a further review of days five and six required before to its implementation early next year. The AMF induction course remains outstanding as procedures for facilities operations still to be finalised.

* Members will be aware that Waratah sets three and four are now operational on a rotation basis for limited passenger runs. Set five has once again failed to meet its Practical Completion [PC] testing by RailCorp and has been handed back to Downer/EDI for fault rectification. Set six has been handed over to RailCorp for its PC testing this week and the set handover rate will escalate prior to Christmas with a set arriving at the AMF every 15 days.

* The RTBU is also happy to report that problem with the “smoky” or “hazy” windscreens has finally been resolved and trials of the new windscreen have been a great success. The company is installing new windscreens to the existing fleet.

* The issue of the head strike/injury to crew working in the cab remains unresolved, however, plans have been announced that may reduce this hazard. Downer/EDI have proposed to recess the offending pulley system for the detrainment ramp higher within the roof cavity. This move is welcomed by the RTBU but it still needs to be assessed before it can be accepted. The RTBU has told RailCorp that if no solution has been found before the arrival of Set AO7, it will review its position of support for the train going into service.

* Waratah trains will commence limited operations from Campbelltown depot in conjunction with the new timetable from October 24. This is the first phase of this train’s rollout into wider revenue operations with several services now working from that depot.

* Campbelltown drivers will undertake training for this train from that date with four drivers and four guards being trained each week for the next five roster cycles subject to future Waratah train availability. During this period, 10 additional drivers and guards will be sent on loan to Campbelltown to cover the shortfall of crew due to training. Additional amenities  will be provided.

DMI screen acceptance trials for the Waratah have now been completed. The aim of the trials was to make sure the screen was located in the correct position and that the information contained on the screen was readable under operational cab conditions.

A draft report has been tabled for comment by delegates and the project manager will also brief delegates at the next ETDC and ICDC.

Members are urged to contact head office for more information concerning the ATP project.

During the ATP project union reps and members have also been involved in several workshops in an attempt to consolidate the TOS screens into one screen in order to be able to accept the ATP DMI screen.

The workshops identified which information the driver needs to see/use in operational conditions and this has now been achieved. The proposals put forward will now be sent to Mitsubishi Electric in Japan to produce a screen that will used in validation and verification trials in November.

The RTBU Loco Division would like to thank all members who took part in the DMI screen acceptance trials and the TOS screen workshops. They offered vital feedback to help gain the best outcomes possible for drivers.

RTBU reps have been involved in the development, piloting and reviewing of the driver training for the Waratah train over the past 12 months.

The course, which has been reviewed through two pilots, has now reached a point where it’s acceptable for the training of drivers and will start to roll out this September.

The four-day course is for drivers who are Millennium qualified and the aim is to train drivers in the differences between the Waratah and Millennium systems and operating processes.

The structure of the course is:

•   Day 1: General information, train systems etc and introduction to SIM and PTS.

•   Day 2&3: Work through scenarios on SIM and PTS.

•   Day 4: Practical preparation, stable and drive from AMF.

In addition to the Waratah course, a Tangara Baseline course has been developed for drivers with no Millennium or OSCAR experience and is currently undergoing its first pilot training course at Petersham.

The RBTU would like to thank the reps for their hard work on the development of the pilot course.

The State Budget contained funding for a number of important rail infrastructure projects, but this investment will be wasted if there are not enough workers to run services.

350 jobs are being cut to ‘back office’ staff in transport agencies, but the State Government had not announced any new front-line service positions.

The State Budget delivers on new rail infrastructure and provides essential funding for new trains and buses.

But to deliver high-quality services you need to have enough staff to drive the trains and buses, to sell tickets and protect passengers.

There also needs to be enough people behind the scenes running operations, making sure the public transport system works smoothly and effectively.

Budget announcements for rail included:

• $262 million to develop the 23-kilomtere North West Rail Link, including $172 for land purchases;
• $292 million to continue the $2.1 billion South West Rail Link;
• $159 million for the Country Regional Network, including $57.5 million to re-sleeper tracks, $10.3 million to renew bridges, and $3.7 million to convert jopinted rail to continuous welded track;
• $198 million for the Rail Clearways program to continue construction works for the Liverpool turnback, the Kingsgrove to Revesby quadruplicaton, the Richmond line duplicaton and a new line for Macarthur;
• $15.8 to improve infrastructure to meet the needs of new Waratah trains;
• $15 million to continue a new stabling facility at Emu Plains and $10.5 million to continue Wollongong stabling works;
• $152 million to buy and upgrade rolling stock, including $130 million toward 99 new carriages for outer suburban services;
• $102 million over four years to provide more express rail services; and
• $2 million for a study into re-opening services on the Casino to Murwillumbah line.

The second Waratah set has been presented to RailCorp and is currently undergoing testing. Once again the RTBU is finding it difficult to gain access to this set with two reviews cancelled already by RailCorp.

There still remains to be considerable work to be done on the validation of procedures and assessment of train improvements that were supposed to have occurred since the first set was released.

Issue outstanding include:

·         TOM Manual validation

·         Minimum Standards validation

·         Train Preparation review

·         AMF proposed communications

·         Enfield yard consultation

Regular meetings have been held with RailCorp to overcome the windscreen issue, detrainment ramp and other in cab concerns.

A sample of new windscreen glass has been sent out from Switzerland and is being tested by The University of Sydney to see if it is less smoky than the glass in the A3 set. The results should be through in four to six weeks.

It’s been a long and arduous wait but the Waratah train finally made its first revenue service run last week.

As the most senior driver ETR driver available at RailCorp, Vince Vassiliou was chosen to be on board for the first journey. A train driver for 44 years, starting in freight and spending the last 29 years at the Flemington depot, Vince was very proud to part of the event saying it was once-in-a-career opportunity.

The train eventually made its debut on Friday July 1 after a week of frustrating delays. Vince completed four days of training the week before but when he turned up ready to go on the Monday the train still hadn’t been signed off.

“I was ready for the first run from the Monday, but every day that week when I turned up they said sorry, it’s not going to happen today, it was pretty disappointing for everyone involved as each day they’d build themselves up and then have to wait again,” he said. “I did get to go on some test runs on the train though.”

Due to last-minute safety concerns it was decided that the EDI training crew would drive the train, rather than Vince, who was still able to ride in the cab.

“It was a big event, when we got to Redfern there were lots of media and some very excited train enthusiasts jumping on the train and taking photos,” he said. “As we went through Wynyard and Town Hall the station staff were getting photos of themselves and the train. At Circular Quay one lady even came up and took photos of the cab with us in it.”

Vince is impressed with the train overall saying it drives very smoothly, accelerates quickly and has good breaking. It has some similar features to the Millennium and Oscar trains, but he says the new safety features especially for the passengers, such as emergency exits and smoke alarms, are more evolved.

Vince also congratulated the Locomotive Division delegates for their hard work in making sure the needs of members were taken into consideration in the design, testing and trailing of the train, especially the cab.

As previously reported, RailCorp have accepted the first Waratah Train for revenue service. Commencing on July 1, the train conducted limited out-of-peak-hour operations between Central and Macarthur stations on weekdays, as well as some weekend runs. These operations have so far occurred without any train-related issues being reported.

The RTBU was successful in gaining recognition of the state’s most senior suburban driver available at the time, Vince Vassiliou, who had the opportunity of being on the first Waratah Train to enter passenger service. This upholds the long-standing tradition afforded to senior drivers in recognition of their years of service to RailCorp and its previous entities.

In order to minimise risks to the wider population of train crew posed by the already reported train faults, the Waratah Train will initially be operated by the test crew.

Two drivers will also be rostered on this train for a period of time to reduce the risks associated with the ‘milky’ windscreen.

Some previously reported issues with this train have been overcome, or interim measures put in place, prior to its entering revenue service. The majority of concerns remaining are to be addressed prior to the next Waratah set entering service.

The RTBU continues to meet with RailCorp on a regular basis to work through the outstanding issues.

RailCorp has finally confirmed it will accept the first Waratah train. After a delay of 18 months it’s likely to enter service in July and will initially be operated by the Waratah Crew.

As reported previously in LocoExpress, the RTBU was able to observe test runs to Newcastle and Wyong, as well having one day on this set at the Auburn Maintenance Facility (AMF). As a result this ‘operation ready’ set was found to contain several faults that could potentially pose a hazard to crew.

Since then the RTBU has been negotiating with RailCorp over the resolution of these faults on this train and working towards getting these issues rectified before the delivery of the second train later this year.

The faults of concern include:

Windscreen visibility issues: For the first train a second driver will be allocated for a limited period. These windscreens, which actually meet the required specifications, will need to be re-evaluated in light of the current issues on the first train prior to acceptance of further sets.

Crew cab doors: Without consultation, audible warnings have been applied to these doors when they are opened or closed, which now poses an unacceptable noise distraction to crew. These doors are also wired not to open when the window is down, once again without consultation, which hinders the crew’s emergency exit. In the short term, the windows will be sealed shut for this set however, in the long term, a software modification will be necessary.

Passenger De-Trainment Ramp: This device was added to the crew cab by EDI without consultation with the RTBU or OH&S representatives. This poses an injury risk because of its overhanging protrusions at driver head height. A long-term fix is being now being researched, but it’s unlikely to be fixed for this or even the next set.

ETIS computer screens: At this time, these screens give off an unacceptable glare level when in sunlight and do not meet the required specifications. The long-term solution will be the installation of better-quality anti-reflective screens. An anti-glare film has been fitted as a short-term solution on this first train.

Guard’s CCTV screens and Fire Detection Panel: During nighttime running and in tunnel environments, high levels of ambient light are let off by these screens which compromise the driver’s ‘black cab’ environment. This will also require a software change in the long term to enable the blacking out of the CCTV screens. The Fire Detection Panel also needs to be made dimmable to help reduce these ambient light levels.

Wheelchair ramp: This device has the potential to cause noise distraction within the cab and is currently placed next to exposed wiring. RailCorp has agreed that any exposed wiring will be covered prior to this first set entering revenue service. The ramp will remain within the cab due to a pre-existing RailCorp agreement that all new rolling stock would have a wheelchair ramp provided.

Shared cab owing to second cab failure: An alternative draft procedure for this degraded mode of operation has been submitted to RailCorp, which minimises the amount of time this working can occur, owing to the distraction it poses. The RTBU is awaiting a response.

Kick-Out panels: The RTBU requested that these panels be hinged rather being able to be ‘kicked free’. This has been done and is awaiting validation.

Crew platform access: There is still concern regarding the guard’s platform access in some locations, in particular, the city underground. A solution is currently being researched.

Crew training: Training courses have to be updated with new procedures prior to implementation.

As members will be aware, RailCorp has been handed set A03 to commence evaluations prior to acceptance or rejection of the set for operational purposes. This period of evaluation expired on the weekend of the 22/23 May and if RailCorp accepts the train it will commence revenue service in the next week.

During the evaluation period, the RTBU was provided minimal opportunity to conduct the various “on train” validations of many of the new train’s safety systems and develop the appropriate procedures for their usage. In addition to this, platform extension validations remain to be completed to assure both crew cabs have access to all platforms within the Cityrail network.

The RTBU project representatives were invited to “observe” on several test runs on this train providing little opportunity to gain “hands on” experience of the train’s operational capabilities. It did however, provide the representatives with an insight into some of the operational faults associated with the crew cab environment and computer software shortcomings.

To date, the RTBU representatives have serious concerns about the quality of the windscreen which goes “milky” when exposed to sunlight, unacceptable reflection and glare from the Etis screens, cab door operations and alarms as well as the current vigilance fitted on this train.

In addition to these issues, the RTBU is also concerned in regards to the Emergency Detrainment ramp and its associated fittings which we believe could potentially cause injury to train crew within the cab.

Members will be kept informed as to the status of this train and our ongoing concerns.