A Look at the EMUs
I took a nosy at the Prototype EMU
Saturday I went down to Queen’s Wharf with my camera to take a look at the mock-up of the new EMU that will be running around on the Auckland rail network rather soon.
Here are some of the happy snaps that I took of the mock-up
I must say apart from maybe a few minor adjustments (luggage rack for those bags) I am pretty happy overall with how the prototype looks. The yellow (which is required by law) and the colour scheme to me are fine (and if I did have an issue with it I would deem it trivial). As for the EMU looking similar to the ADL class, okay that’s nice if it was to the point I could not give a monkey’s and rat’s toss if it actually did. All I want as an Auckland ratepayer and train user is a nice sound and reliable EMU that will get me from A to B to C and back again efficiently, comfortably and reliably. Everyone thing else is trivial in this stage of the game.
It is evolution folks, not revolution: if I wanted revolution we would have maglev trains running around instead of pounding the iron as current. Evolution means we move to electrics, then the Rail Efficiency Program, then the Public Transport Operating Model, the CRL and other lines and finally driver-less trains. It is all about the first steps folks: Auckland has to learn to crawl, walk, and then run; to which I am happy on where things are progressing. Yes there might be a few bug-bears at the moment but we shall work through that rather than the colour of a train.
A thought came to me with the EMU’s and Driverless Trains. I will write-up extensively on this in another post but the way I see things; these electrics will be the MK1 class, with an MK2 class coming on-stream in 25 years. MK2 being a version two of these current EMU’s but specifically designed for fully automatic running with no drivers across the HEAVY rail network. Yep driverless trains on our existing and future fully homogenous heavy rail (lines) network across Auckland. As for the MK1’s I am sure the units can be retro-fitted for driverless operations.
Any case we await the final verdict from the consultation on the EMUs before we see the first one running around late next year. I can’t wait!
For those wondering, No I could not go inside and workers will still in there putting the finishing touches on the interior. However I will go and take a look at the interior when I can