After disasters on the network, AT is speeding up the roll out

After a disaster of a March for the rail network (see: RAIL FAILURES CONTINUE – THIS TIME WITH THE NEW ELECTRICS. FULL INVESTIGATION REQUIRED!) Auckland Transport is speeding up the roll out of the electric trains to replace the diesels.

From the NZ Herald:

Auckland Transport wants to fast track electric trains

By Mathew Dearnaley

2:15 PM Wednesday Apr 1, 2015

Auckland Transport is trying to accelerate its rollout of electric trains, after continuing disruptions from diesel breakdowns.

Although August remains the official target for completing the rollout by extending electric trains to the western line, the organisation’s board was told yesterday of efforts to bring the date forward.

Public transport group manager Mark Lambert said that would allow an earlier retirement of much of the increasingly troublesome diesel fleet, although 10 multiple-unit ADL trains would be kept and eventually refurbished for shuttle duties between Pukekohe and Papakura.

……..

Mr Lambert said there had been a high rate of diesel train breakdowns in January and February, which tended to cause greater disruption than previously, because of a higher frequency of services on the rail network.

“When it happens it has a bigger impact because of higher frequency,” he said.

A broken-down diesel train blocking the tracks at Papakura on Thursday had a significant flow-on effect through the rest of the city’s rail network.

His staff were working with passenger train operator Transdev on how to improve recovery times from such events, he told the board.

Last week’s disruption was compounded when a second diesel train, sent to clear the first unit off the line, also broke down.

According to an internal Auckland Transport report, that caused the full or part cancellation of 32 services and delays to 64 others.

Although rail electrification will extend only as far south as Papakura, Mr Lambert said diesel shuttles would run between there and Pukekohe every 20 minutes.

……….

Full article: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11426521

As my blog post link above shows we have been having issues with the Electrics – especially the 6 car sets as well. So the problem is split across the diesels and electrics; for which it should NOT be happening with the Electrics a year after the first Electric began revenue service on the Onehunga Line.

As for working with Transdev to improve recovery systems? Well that took long enough seeming the contingency systems folder has been there since 2011 (and hopefully updated with the Electrics on-stream).

Here is hoping in any future disruptions the recovery systems are better than what they have been the last wee while.