The 100th VLocity carriage has entered service and will service Bendigo and Ballarat line commuters.
Passengers across regional Victoria are now benefiting from more than 7200 extra seats across the network since VLocities were introduced in December 2005.
The first 22 carriages were designed to convert the original two-carriage VLocities into three carriage sets.
The remaining extra carriages will be delivered as full trains and will be a mixture of two and three car train sets.
Questions and background about the VLocities can be found below.
This is the 100th VLocity carriage on the network. How many more carriages will be introduced?
The Victorian Government will deliver a total of 74 extra carriages, with the first 54 on track by 2012.
This 100th VLocity carriage is the 20th of these 54 carriages to be delivered leaving 34 VLocity carriages still to be rolled out on the network by 2012.
The VTP has also allocated $550 million over 12 years to build and operate an additional 20 V/Line carriages. Stabling and maintenance facilities are also included in this allocation.
If the Government has only ordered 74 carriages how can we have 100 VLocity carriages already on the network?
The 74 carriages that the Government has ordered are on top of the carriages that were already introduced to the network as part of Regional Fast Rail (RFR) in 2006.
Thirty-eight two-carriage VLocity trains were introduced as part of the RFR project. A further two, 2-car sets were delivered in December 2007.
How many extra seats have been introduced to the network since these 100 VLocity carriages have been introduced?
These 100 VLocity carriages have resulted in an extra 7,200 extra seats on the regional rail network. The great news is there are more carriages on the way which will result in even more seats on the network.
Are these really extra seats or are older carriages retired once new VLocity carriages are introduced to the network?
These are extra seats. The new carriages are added to our busiest commuter services meaning seats are added where they are most needed.
Where new carriages do replace older train sets, the existing trains are redistributed across the network for long-haul trips where VLocity carriages don’t operate.
Where will the 100th VLocity carriage be used?
The 100th carriage will be seen around the whole state (where VLocities operate) as part of V/Line’s rotation of the fleet. This particular carriage will result in extra seats on Bendigo and Ballarat services.
Over the past 16 months, the 20 extra carriages have been distributed based on passenger loadings as follows:
• 3 extra to Traralgon
• 2 extra to Geelong
• 4 extra to Ballarat
• 9 extra to Bendigo
• 2 extra carriages cover maintenance rotations so nothing is removed from service during fortnightly maintenance.
Visit vline.com.au/expanding for more information.
Where will the other new carriages be used when they are introduced on the network?
Each of the extra carriages runs on four to six services per weekday, including at least one morning and one afternoon peak service. This means that while Ballarat has received four extra carriages, eight peak services and several off-peak Ballarat line trains have grown in seating capacity as a result.
They will be used with services on our hugely popular RFR lines to Geelong, Bendigo, Traralgon and Ballarat (see above for specific numbers).
V/Line conductors take passenger tallies on each service and extra carriages are added to the busiest services. In effect, every month at least two of the carriages will be added to our busiest commuter services meaning seats are added where they are most needed.
Will these carriages allow you to run extra services?
No, instead they allow us to boost capacity on our existing services.
But don’t we need more services?
With the additional services we have provided on both the metropolitan and regional networks our lines are already at capacity during peak.
Additional carriages mean we can carry more passengers, without having to run new services.
It also provides us with flexibility to transport passengers to special events, such as the football.
How many extra seats will 74 carriages provide?
These 74 carriages will mean more than 6200 extra seats to the network.
How much will it cost to build the extra 74 carriages?
The Government has already committed $333.2 million to deliver 54 carriages. These trains are currently on order and being brought on to the network. This funding will also provide stabling, maintenance and fuelling facilities to support the longer trains.
The VTP allocated $550 million over 12 years to build and operate an additional 20 V/Line carriages. Stabling and maintenance facilities are also included in this allocation.
Why isn’t the North East line getting new carriages?
The VLocity trains are designed for shorter distance inter-city commuter travel and are not suitable for long distances. VLocities do serve Seymour in the north-east, but over longer distances people want facilities such as 1st and economy class and onboard buffet facilities (which are available in the locomotive-hauled carriages).
As part of the North East Rail Revitalisation Project, work is underway to convert three V/Line passenger locomotives and 15 passenger carriages to standard gauge and refurbished to include a new colour scheme, recovered seats, new curtains and carpet, upgraded toilets and power assisted electric doors for safer boarding.
The first of these locomotive conversions is almost complete, with all three due to be completed by first half of 2010.
This work is being carried out by Downer EDI.
Where are these new carriages being built?
The VLocity carriages are being built by Bombardier at its plant in Dandenong, which is not only excellent for local jobs but also reduces the delivery time.