The Beginning of the End of the Comeng Trainsets, Hello Evolution HCMT Trainsets.
Well, this day is finally here, the long-awaited ‘High Capacity Metro Train’ that was delayed for over two years now due to design issues and the ongoing but strict testing regime has finally ended with fault-free testing underway. The HCMT trains will be officially coming into service on 1 February 2021.
With the new trains coming, this marks the end for some of the older Comeng units as they start going into retirement once deemed by Metro Trains Melbourne.
The Cranbourne and Pakenham lines have been seeing unprecedented growth with new brownfield development with more and more of the general population moving to Clyde, Pakenham and other suburbs within the area. This is putting extra strain to the South-Eastern Metro Lines that can’t be eased by using older trains. This is why the HCMT was developed, something to suit the ‘long distance metro services’ and ‘short distance high capacity services’.
This also adds to the existing capacity issue of the City Loop being at absolute capacity. With trains every 2–3 mins in every group, in every tunnel. Pushing the City Loop tracks to the absolute brim. By simply taking Frankston and Sandringham Lines out of the City Loop, this allows the Dandenong Group to be fully dedicated to the HCMT trainsets by the Feb 2021 timetable change, running in an anti-clockwise route through the Loop with the new signalling dedicated to the HCMT trainsets until the Metro Tunnel opens in 2024–26, which will see those lines moved into the new tunnel and Frankston can be once again put back into the Loop.
The Metro Tunnel is built and open in 2024–26, this would be limited to one train fleet, that being only the HCMT trainsets. Which have platform screen doors which will improve safety within the new state of the art stations at Anzac, Town Hall, State Library, Parkville and Arden.
What are the HCMT trains?
The HCMT trains are the seventh generation of electric Metro Trains seen in Melbourne. These trains are fitted out with next-generation technology not seen in any other metro train before. These new trains are built in Victoria with the body and wiring done by CRRC in China.
These HCMT trainsets will be the future of the MTM rail network with the trains being rolled Sunbury, Pakenham and Cranbourne lines by 2026, and these trains are fully equipped with ‘automatic train operation’ through the ‘communication-based train control’ system that would be eventually rolled out onto the rest of the network by 2050. These HCMT trains will be the outstanding quality of something that has been long been awaited for, despite the setbacks.
The passenger experience has been a key factor for these new HCMT trainsets with all of the 65 trains able to have a crush load of 1800 people, but these have state of the art passenger information display units, new seats and hopefully, more bike racks to help with passengers move around. Hopefully, these new trains will usher the next standards for future train orders in the years to come.
With 2020 fading away into history, many things will remain. Social distancing is being introduced to more and more services as the trains are running to a normal timetable. These trains will add much-needed space and capacity to the already tough enough rail network. These trains are absolutely a godsend to help with this ‘crush load’ that we are all facing… (I’m joking, trains are somewhat empty but slowly getting back to normal).
These trains are pending to be inserted into regular service in February 2021 with an initial revenue service now.
E0011 makes history, being the first HCMT to enter revenue service on 27 December 2020.
As this is the final hurdle before the February timetable change which is totally dependant on the HCMT trainsets being ready and able to allow the other fleets (Comeng and Siemens) to be cascaded to other groups to allow better service frequencies for those lines getting an upgrade in the coming weeks. E0011 entered service into ‘restricted revenue running’ to allow acceleration of the testing process.
December 27, 2020. That was the date which was hinted out to everyone that the first HCMT ‘Evolution’ trainsets were introduced into ‘restricted (or limited) revenue service’ as they would be attempting the first revenue service. This service would be an additional service for the cricket at the MCG and serve as a taster for the HCMT train project to those close to the project, whilst allowing photographers and media to get up close with this train for the very first time (other than a mockup).
E0011 or Set 11 would attempt to complete a trial extra non-passenger service required service, forming the 0831 Flinders Street from Pakenham via the Loop and 0955 Pakenham.
As one of the passengers on this service who boarded on at Noble Park — Richmond, Flinders Street — Pakenham. I wanted to see and experience this train as a customer and simulate some environment that would be ideal for a commuter. So these are my thoughts on the trainsets.
I’ve posted a separate article on my personal blog.
Comeng Retirement?
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.
Whatever happens in the coming days, this will be marking a new chapter in Metro Services in Melbourne’s critical routes that is booming with patronage.
So when can I get an HCMT?
I can safely say with confidence that the HCMT trainsets are bound for glory. These dates and times are off the Metro timetable and will be obviously subjected to network operational requirements.
- 21 Jan — 0942 ex Pakenham to FSS via Loop, 1103 to PKE.
- 25 Jan — 0942 ex Pakenham to FSS via Loop, 1103 to PKE
- 26 Jan — 0953 or 0959 ex Pakenham to FSS via Loop, xxxx to PKE (unconfirmed)
- 28 Jan — 0942 ex Pakenham to FSS via Loop, 1103 to PKE
My thoughts on the HCMT?
Welp, it’s simple.
We should be proud that these trains are the future. Just order more lol… even to the point of saying this on Twitter.
“You know what’s sad. These trains are so perfect… can they just make this standard on all lines… I just cannot go back to the inferior Xtrapolis train sets on the Ringwood group.” -Max Thum 2020
