Comeng… Retirement Plans
As the network progresses onwards in modernisation and streamlining operation to the point where one to two train fleets can run one line group, one workhorse is slowly being put down into bed and eventually scrapped.
The Comeng trainsets, built in 1980’s to replace the remaining Taits and Harris trainsets. Now reaching over 40 years old, there is a current need to upgrade and replace these trainsets. Life extending them will prolong its passenger moral but time will catch up with these units.
In 2016, the HCMT (now Evolution) trainsets and 2021 Alstom X’Trapolis 2.0 (oddly indirectly based off the Bombardier Aventra) would be selected as the future replacements of the Comeng, once again accelerating the Comeng retirement to meet the timeline of 2027–2030.
Earlier this year, I’ve posted this on ‘The Gauge’, as hinted by many sources.
According to Public Transport Victoria data stated in 2019 Expression of Interest ‘Decommissioned Asset Disposal’ contract. The Department of Transport has requested that 549 assets in ‘Metro Trains’ sector will be disposed of by 2029. This is to be presumed to be the Comeng trainsets, Hitachi trainsets and other assets that had been deem unusable.
In 2019, 63 carriages are said to be considered to be disposed of, with the mass withdrawals happening in 2022–2028 happening in phases with 87, 63, 96, 99, 69, 72 carriages disposed of in those respective years.
With the Life Extended ones expected to last up to 2030, those will remain until the very end of the Comeng train fleets that has held the Metro Train Network for over 50 years by the time of the retirements.
It is currently proposed that 301–320M (first-order Comengs) will be retired by 31 January where they will be put into warm storage and eventually decommissioned once the HCMT fully replaces them.
This was confusing, I get it and this was a poor explanation of what's happening. :P
Time to explain.
Its currently understood, that the Comeng will be phased out in phases, currently there is around 18–20 Evolution trainsets have been accepted into operational fleet, and the timetable change has allowed a moderate rollout with one Evolution trainset allowed into passenger service every fortnight.
This started the slow and tedious process of scrapping the Comengs, and as reported each year, an average of 12 Six Car Comeng sets will be retired.
- Phase 1: Chopper Comengs (now retired, stored at Newport Workshops)
- Phase 2: Comeng in Newport and 301M to 321M and their respective trailer carriages + any additional units deemed redundant.
This phase is where we are at this moment of time, the following units are put into warm storage pending decommissioning, 301/302, 363/364, 307/308, 320/321 with a few more added to the list. These are all Tread Brake units.
*Warm storage in this context is the unit is able to be reactivated at any one moment notice.
Its assumed that any parts from these units will keep the others alive if deem necessary.
From here, its all assumptions, as these ones listed in Phase 3–5 are unknown, but this is the most logical options (factoring in that a portion of the Alstom Comengs did get a traction upgrade, technology and interior overhaul under the Comeng Life Extension). Some units in the EDI series didn’t get a interior refresh and only had the front panel restickered on with the stripes.
- Phase 3: EDI Comeng units (without interior LE) (Tread Brakes)
- Phase 4: Alstom Comeng units (without interior LE) (Tread Brakes then Disk Brakes)
- Phase 5: Life Extended Comeng units. (Disk Brakes)
The retired units will be hauled off to an undisclosed location where the Comeng units will meet their fate as future soup cans.
If you were me, get your Comeng shots in the next few years as they are slowly expected to disappear off the Craigieburn, Cranbourne, Frankston, Pakenham, Sunbury and Upfield Lines by 2025.
They will leave behind a legacy, but one that won’t be forgotten as a true bred workforce of the Melbourne Rail Network. One that was “Made by Melbourne, For Melbourne”.
A more detailed series on each electrical multiple unit is coming, this is starting out with the First Generation Taits and Swing Doors. This will be coming out next month!
