Southern Line next to carry the EMU’s in revenue service (carrying passengers) And so today marked the next chapter in the roll out of Auckland’s electric passenger trains. At … Continue reading First Electric Train Service on the Southern Line to Britomart Away
Complaint to the Ombudsman Pending Today was the last day Auckland Transport could reply to my Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act request on the Electric Train grounding … Continue reading Auckland Transport Fails to Respond to LGOIMA Request
Delayed until further notice Last night the Electric Train fleet as part of a limited non-fanfare roll-out were meant to ply the Manukau Line for the off-peak evening … Continue reading Electric Trains were No Show on the Manukau Line
Auckland Transport: “Acknowledged the problem had yet to be fully diagnosed – let alone fixed.” Continued coverage of our Electric Train and Rail System Fault that caused a 10 … Continue reading Electric Train Fault Believed to be Found. No Idea on Fix Yet
I was going to do a post in follow-up to Transport Blog’s Why are the electric trains so slow? in light of Stuff’s article yesterday: New Auckland trains can’t speed up
There is no point doing that post any more when you see this:
I will give credit to Alex on Twitter who first raised the situation earlier this morning. I did notice when I went past the Westfield Yard on my way to Britomart this morning that all Diesel DMU’s were out which I thought would only happen if we lost another Electric Train again (see Our New Electric Trains Breaking Down in Peak Services? [Updated])
Well it was not a single EMU being out of service but the entire fleet ground due to issues I have recently raised on this blog and have been mentioned by others here: http://www.bettertransport.org.nz/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2460&start=2760
Also check here for the latest: http://www.bettertransport.org.nz/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1653&start=3520 in which is quoted:
The EMUs have been withdrawn from operating services indefinitely as of yesterday, due to ongoing problems with the overhead line power supply fluctuating and causing the trains to shut down.
ADLs have been operating most services on the Onehunga line since Sunday
Note: I have been told by a few people know that only three of the five (or six) substations needed to run the Electric Train fleet in Auckland were ever bet. I wonder if this shortcoming has bearings on the EMU faults and subsequent grounding
NewsTalk ZB have also picked up on the issue
Aucklandâ s new electric trains are being temporarily replaced by diesel trains on the Onehunga Line.
Auckland Transport says what appears to be an intermittent power fault has occurred twice in 24 hours.
Chief Operations Officer Greg Edmonds stresses there are no safety issues associated with the incidents.
He says they want to ensure services run reliably while they get to the root of the issue.
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[Update] From TVNZ
Published: 1:15PM Wednesday July 23, 2014 Source: ONE News
A power fault has led to Auckland’s new electric trains being replaced on the Onehunga Line.
Auckland Transport has stressed the faults had not resulted in any safety issues.
The power fault has occurred twice in the last 24 hours and while it could take several days to fix timetables will remain unchanged.
Auckland Transport chief operations officer Greg Edmonds says the organisation intends to get to the root of the issue.
“So as not to inconvenience customers we have decided to run diesel units,” he says.
Mr Edmonds also says issues such as this are expected while phasing in a new train fleet.
….
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Source: http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/fault-prompts-electric-train-replacement-auckland-network-6036157
Such an issue was expected while the fleet was running in revenue service? I thought that was what the tests were for so that we did not have the cancellations and fleet muck arounds that we have now…
More as it comes to hand
I caught this on Twitter last night while at the launch of (Deputy Mayor) Penny’s Hulse’s campaign launch in Henderson last night
Photo Credit: Port of Auckland
Hi @mayorlenbrown, your new train set has arrived at your port 😉 @AklTransport pic.twitter.com/cEjV9J5JpV
That is the two motor units and the middle “trailer” unit that will make up our first EMU commuter/metro train.
The consist will head down to the new Wiri Depot for extensive testing before it will come into service next year. Exciting times ahead.
Mayor Len Brown was also at Penny Hulse‘s campaign launch last night and I was able to deliver him the good news of the EMU arrival after seeming it on Twitter (thank you POAL for the Tweet and photo).
I can safely say there was excitement all round after the announcement.
Talking Auckland will be looking back at the journey of electrification and will produce a series of it very soon.
But for now Auckland takes one step closer towards the 21st Century with its transport system
Talking Southern Auckland 