I'm surprised one entered service today, despite the Seaford extension not having opened yet. Guess the government's motto should be 'expect the unexpected'.

Can't wait to go for a ride on Sunday.

I'm surprised it hasn't been out in regular service sooner. But I am pleased to see them out in public service.

Well this will give the whiners more to whine about when it doesn't happen - channel 9 just stuffed up and claimed 22 more electrics will be on the rails by next month.
Unless we will be getting multiple car deliveries per day for the next month?!?

The funniest part was on Channel 9 news tonight when Brenton Ragarse......sorry Ragless said at the end of the story about todays first electric revenue run that all 22 electric trains will be in service by the end of next month. I think he should go back to doing the weather.

I'm surprised it hasn't been out in regular service sooner. But I am pleased to see them out in public service.

On 891 Breakfast earlier this week Tom Koutsantonis said they were awaiting clearance from the Rail Regulator for the 4000's to enter service.  He mentioned that 4 units may be available for public service.

Alex C

I'm surprised one entered service today, despite the Seaford extension not having opened yet. Guess the government's motto should be 'expect the unexpected'.

Can't wait to go for a ride on Sunday.

4003 passed me as it left Hove for the city at about 17.00, so on my return home from Westfield Marion I lay in wait at Oaklands. I was surprised to see a goodly number of commuters detrain there. Its very quiet passing was quite a surprise to one who is used to the sound of Melbourne electrics, as was its small pantograph stretched to the limit to reach the very high overhead contact wire spanning the Diagonal/Morphett Roads crossing, presumably to allow for overdraft road traffic.

If the proposed extremely expensive overhead white elephant is ever built, that will be an indication of the inconvenience that every passenger to the end of the line's existence will have to encounter as he climbs or descends stairs or waits for lifts to the platforms far above. Putting Morphett Road over the line on the city end of Oaklands and leaving Diagonal Road as it is would achieve manageable traffic conditions at a fraction of the price.

I too am keen to ride an electric train on the Seaford extension next Sunday.

Ill be at Oaklands station 8am this Sunday to ride the electric train for a few round trips till I get bored of riding it.

Channel Ten's story tonight about them hitting the route: Electric Dreams

Some one on Facebook is already complaining about the "new high piitched and high volume train horn from the new electric train" and they haven't entered regular service yet, I see a Messenger paper article coming up.

Some one on Facebook is already complaining about the "new high piitched and high volume train horn from the new electric train" and they haven't entered regular service yet, I see a Messenger paper article coming up.

Given the purpose of a train horn is to be loud, and distinguishable, I'm pretty sure that complaint will go on 'deaf ears'.

Its much better than the sick sounding horns on a heap of 3000/3100's. They are terrible. I hate getting a set with sick sounding horns.

Anyway, back to the topic. There were lots of important people around today watching 4003's first passenger trip. Ministers, media, senior management, Rail Regulator, etc...

As for latest count, there looks to be 3 sets handed over to the Rail Commissioner for use in passenger service from Sunday. Still, can only confirm one (as I have mentioned a few times before, 4003).

How many are on order

22 wasn't it?

and which railcars might go into service? 4001 and 4002? or 4001 and 4004?

Just a little heads-up of what to expect for those of you contemplating catching a 4000 on Sunday, most likely 4003 (assuming they won't be running tomorrow - Saturday).
I was fortunate enough to catch 4003 running the 17:48 today on the way home from work and here are my observations:

• I reckon that the seats (all 2 x 2) are aligned wrongly. At the front of each carriage they are facing towards the back. AT the back of each carriage they are facing towards the front - makes no sense to me. Comfort wise I would call them in between the comfort level of a Flexity and a Citadis tram - not too bad.


• Disappointingly there is a fully solid partition between the drivers cab and the passenger saloon area. I was hoping for something like the trams where you could still see out the front of the train - No more seeing what is coming up or knowing what platform you are pulling into at ARS.


• These things are dead quiet on the inside (as you would hope). The only noise that you get is the air-con which seemed to be OK today - Not exactly a hard day for climate control today. For reasons unknown as we were going through the cutting prior Meyer Road bridge at Lonsdale the air-con cut out (fans stopped) and a couple of passengers let out a muted "Oh oh". Ride was very quiet then! As we went over the Chrysler Road LX it came back on only to stop again at Lonsdale station (which we were express through). As we went over Dyson Road it came back on and stayed on for the remainder of the Journey to Noarlunga. Only other noise was a light what could only described as shudder for the majority of the journey due to the quality of the track - will expand upon this in my next dot point


• Ride Quality. Hmmm, not very good in my opinion. Not the fault of the rolling stock, more the quality of the track. Being brand new rolling stock I think that it compensated reasonably well for the fact that THE LINE IS CRAP. The whole journey could be best described as being in a car with a rear wheel out of balance. The whole journey there was a mild shudder. Not a swaying as someone of Facebook described, just a constant shudder with the odd sideways slight jerkiness. The stretch from Marino to Hallett Cove seemed particularly bad to me. And I thought that this track had been relaid recently. Methinks that DPTI need to run the Plasser over the track a few times to try to sort it out because for me, it really detracted from the ride. I have been on the TGV in France at 320 KM/H+ and believe me you can sit a near full glass of water on your fold out tray table and barely spill a drop. I would not dare attempt that feat on the SEAF/NOAR line in its present state.
  Points were no worse/better than usual, I just found the quality of the track disappointing in general.


• The lady (lets call her Anna {The announcer } that tells you next stop info got her knickers in a twist before the Showground station. When we left ARS she said that we were express to Goodwood. Driver manually announced as we passed through the old location of Keswick that we were stopping at Adelaide Showground. As we pull up at the station Anna announces that we are at Goodwood. As we leave Showground she announce that the next station is Clarence Park. Then the information screen goes blank and a few seconds later she (and the screen) then announce that this is a train to Noarlunga Centre. Screen goes blank again and then she says that the next stop is Adelaide then express to Goodwood. Huh? I don't think that that is a message that we are likely to hear any time soon (Next stop Adelaide then express to X). When we pull up at Goodwood, she is well and truly confused and announces that we are at arriving at Clarence Park and we will be express to Woodlands Park (Second part was right - After our scheduled stop at Clarence we were due to run EXP to Woodlands). So after we leave Goodwood she goes blank again and then she repeats her announcement that the next stop is Clarence Park and that we will be express etc. After that she was pretty well behaved until arriving at NOAR where she said that the next stop was NC with no mention that we were terminating there. As we pulled up in the platform she announces word to the effect of "All Clear. This train terminates here" or something like that.


• One other minor observation. Signal # 3031 between Elizabeth Road and Beach Road on the down used to be a 2 aspect (Caution/Red) with a feather on top. SInce the extension of the line it has been changed into a conventional 3 aspect with feather. For the first time I have ever seen, this signal was green (with feather lit) to run us into the normal platform 3 at NCI where new signal # 3133 was already lit with caution for our arrival.


• Staffing was interesting on the train. 2 x uniformed SAPOL officers - one in the front carriage, one at the rear. At 1 of the doors of each carriage was a RAil Commissioner employee - not checking tickets, just handing out timetables on request.

So there you go. My report card.

The grade I would give would be B-

Good but still plenty of room for improvement.

Im wondering why was there a need for police aboard the train...

My biggest disappointment with these trains is you are no longer able to see through the front of the train anymore and I'm wondering if these trains were able to hit 110kph today. I heard these trains were already arriving a few minutes ahead of the timetable at their final destination too so Im looking forward to these faster trains in general.

Im wondering why was there a need for police aboard the train...

My biggest disappointment with these trains is you are no longer able to see through the front of the train anymore and I'm wondering if these trains were able to hit 110kph today. I heard these trains were already arriving a few minutes ahead of the timetable at their final destination too so Im looking forward to these faster trains in general.

Well our Police also need to become familiar with the new rail cars and their operation.

From the videos and photos we have been seeing for a while, it has been obvious that there would be no view out the front for passengers.

Faster acceleration would mean time is gained.

Unfortunatley, that's the way it's gone. No forward view.

I look at this way, we've actually had something very special with the fact we could see out the front along with the driver for a very long time, and still have rollingstock with that as an option. Look at Sydney's S or V sets, and there's no forward view. The only time I can remember having a forward view was if the driver left the blind up on a Hitachi in Melbourne. Although technically a full-width cab, the elevated cab of the 2000 Class really spoiled us, as we glued to front window. The 3000s took us a step-back, and width the refurb brought us a little closer.

The end is here now with a full-width cab, and a central seating position, at least with your own eyes. However, I'm sure that there is a driver or two that could set a GoPro up at the front of the train visual run and put it up on YouTube, as some drivers in NSW do, such as Cuboz1
(

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgvnB0WhVQE&list=UUgjRusN9wXmIC3NtzmUIY8w&feature=share&index=6) or nadnerbster r
(

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFChRWKhoiA&list=UUjXKBhaUjgs4x9saQBh8HKQ&feature=share&index=1).

For the driver that does, I will be truly appreciative.

Maybe they could mount a camera in the front in the cab like the 300/3100's have and as well as recording it for safety purposes have it live on a screen inside. Would be a logical step until some halfwit mucks up the television set that is showing it.

Im wondering why was there a need for police aboard the train...

I often wonder why we don't have burly guards and an executioner on every train to get rid of the feral window scratchers and misbehaving bogans and also to flog fare evaders.

I often wonder why we don't have burly guards and an executioner on every train to get rid of the feral window scratchers and misbehaving bogans and also to flog fare evaders.

It was a similar story in 2009 when Melbourne's X'Trap's entered service



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-AouuAyIqk

Ok, I have said this probably half a dozen trains... At the moment ONLY 4003 is owned by the Government. Thus, that is why 4003 was the only one kicking around carrying passengers.

Second, I'm told 4002 and 4004 and next cabs off the rank, and shouldn't be too far off (if not actually in service today anyway).

As for the solid bulkhead, as a driver I am over the moon with it! It is fantastic. There is nothing worse than people sitting in that little seat in the A end of a 3000 watching you as you drive. People banging on the window to get your attention, etc... is not only irritating, but its dangerous as it can distract the Driver.
As a Driver, we would like to see that window on the 3000/3100's removed or replaced with one way glass so we/PSA's can see out, but no one see in.

I don't think people realise how much of an annoyance/distraction it is seeing someone watching your every move out the corner of your eye.

Finally, for some reason, and I don't actually get why, but it would appear that most people who sit up in the front seat in a 3000/3100 have some body odour issues. Which is great when we are travelling along with the window open, and have the fumes sucked into the cabs.

Is there any access from the cab back into the passenger cabin or is it only through the external door on the side (obviously)??  Not thinking about it as being a 'customer service' access but rather a potential emergency egress point.

Is there any access from the cab back into the passenger cabin or is it only through the external door on the side (obviously)?? Not thinking about it as being a 'customer service' access but rather a potential emergency egress point.

Yep, there is, right in the middle of the bulk head is a large door which opens out in to the passenger saloon area. It is extremely heavy duty, with 3 massive safe like bolts that swing out into the door frame. Its extremely solid. It'll be pretty rare that drivers would use that door as there are external doors either side of the drivers cab.

It was a similar story in 2009 when Melbourne's X'Trap's entered service



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-AouuAyIqk

You mean when the second round of xtraps entered service - the original xtraps entered service way back in 2002, the xtraps are pretty bland looking trains both inside and outside

Heaps of pics from first public day!

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Loving the GPS display on these new trains.

Train departs from Woodlands Park and heading to Ascot Park then guess what we see and hear...

"Next Stop Mile End"

Fixed itself halfway towards Ascot Park passenger let out a YEEEAAAHH that was funny as heck.

Whoever designed the seating arrangements for these trains needs to be smacked across the head a few times. LOTS of people complaining the seats facing backwards near the front of the train for the first half of the carriage so they cant sit in the proper direction and watch in the direction the train is heading.

Also by mid afternoon train services started becoming over 20 minutes late.