Sydney Trains T set

Tangara
Tangara at Wolli Creek
Tangara vestibule.
In service	1988–present
Manufacturer	Goninan
Constructed	1988–1994
Number in service	447 cars
Formation	4 and 8 car (two 4 car sets)
Capacity	840 seated (8 car set - 98 in driving cars, 112 in motor cars)
Operators	RailCorp as the product group CityRail
Lines served	All suburban lines
Specifications
Car length	20.320 m (66 ft 8 in)
Width	3 m (9 ft 10 in)
Height	4.413 m (14 ft 6 in)
Weight	42 tonnes (41 long tons; 46 short tons)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)

The Tangara (an Australian Aboriginal word meaning to go) is a class of electric multiple unit operated by CityRail in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The Tangara comes in two subclasses - suburban sets known as T sets, and outer-suburban sets known as G sets. Tangaras commenced service between 1988 and 1995, and are third generation trains.

A Tangara is a four car set, with the middle two cars being non-control motor cars, and the two outer cars being driving control trailers fitted with one pantograph each. Like other suburban trains in the CityRail fleet, Tangaras are of a double decker design. The trains are equipped with air conditioning and chopper control. Two four car sets can be coupled to provide one eight car set - All suburban Tangaras operate this way.

A total of 450 carriages were ordered, and in 1996, five spare driving trailers were ordered as replacements for damaged carriages. All carriages were manufactured by Goninan.

T sets

T72 in original livery at Milsons Point.

With 370 carriages, the standard T sets are one of the most common models in the fleet. The T sets replaced the first generation of Sydney's electric rolling stock.

The cars built were:

Driving Trailer Cars - D6101-D6285 with additional spare cars D6286-D6289.

Motor Cars - N5101-N5285.

Unlike most other CityRail trains the seats in the upper and lower decks of the T sets are not reversible, but fixed, meaning that half the seats face backwards.

When first introduced, the T sets were fitted with passenger door release handles to prevent loss of air conditioning at stations. These were later disconnected (and some removed and plated over) due to passengers not getting used to opening the doors for themselves when needed. Many T sets still have these handles in place, but pulling them does nothing. The C sets were fitted with a similar system, using push buttons instead of handles. The T set seats originally had fabric upholstery, but were gradually converted to blue vinyl upholstery.

• T-set interior images
• 
  Tangara Carriage No. D6234's vestibule prior to refurbishment.
• 
  Tangara T set vestibule looking towards steps leading to lower and upper decks, prior to refurbishment.
• 
  Original seating fabric on a T set Tangara.
• 
  A T set upper deck prior to refurbishment.
• 
  A T set lower deck prior to refurbishment.
• 
  Upper deck of a refurbished standard Tangara.
• 
  Lower deck of a refurbished standard Tangara.
• 
  Upper deck of a refurbished ex G set Tangara.
• 
  Lower deck of a refurbished ex G set Tangara.
• 
  Vestibule of a half refurbished ex G set Tangara.
• 
  Refurbished vestibule of an ex G set. The luggage racks above the seats, designed for longer distance travel, were not removed when the train was converted to a T set.
• 
  Luggage rack in ex G set Tangara, originally designed for luggage storage on Intercity services
• 
  Stairs leading to upper deck from vestibule

G sets

Outer Suburban Tangara
Tangara G Set G6 in original livery at Sydney Central.
The upper deck of a G set prior to refurbishment.
In service	1994–present
Manufacturer	Goninan
Constructed	1994
Refurbished	2010-
Formation	4 and 8 car (two 4 car sets)
Capacity	406 seated (4 car set - 98 in driving cars and motor car with lavatory, 112 in motor car)
Operators	RailCorp as the product group CityRail
Lines served	Illawarra, South Coast, Blue Mountains, Western & North Shore lines [before conversion to T sets]
Specifications
Car length	20.320 m (66 ft 8 in)
Width	3 m (9 ft 10 in)
Height	4.413 m (14 ft 6 in)
Weight	42 tonnes
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)

Lower deck of a G set prior to refurbishment.

T104 was originally plated as G4 and was the first G Set to be converted to a T Set.

The last 80 of the 450 Tangara cars were modified for use on South Coast, Blue Mountains and Central Coast peak hour services and were known as the outer-suburban G sets. They entered service in 1994-1995, shortly after the delivery of the last T set carriages. The G sets have a similar external appearance to the T sets - the only major differences are round green door buttons and a modified front with orange panels & bottom corners that taper inwards. Inside, the G sets sported improvements, such as high-backed reversible seats, toilets, fresh water dispensers and luggage racks. The G sets were originally nicknamed "Odyssey" when first released .

The cars built were:

Driving Trailer Cars - OD6801-OD6841

Motor Cars - ON5801-ON5820.

Motor Cars with Toilet - ONL5851-ONL5870.

Set G7 was fitted with an AC drive system for evaluation purposes with the existing DC stock and compatibility with signalling and communication systems on the network. G7 was scrapped in 2005 at Maintrain facility at Auburn after the Waterfall train disaster, as all four cars were beyond repair.

In late 2005 15 V Set carriages were suddenly withdrawn due to the discovery of corrosion in their underframes. G sets began to operate more off-peak Intercity runs to Port Kembla, Kiama, and Wyong to cover for the withdrawn V sets.

Redeployment to suburban services

In February 2003, a contract was awarded to United Group Rail to construct 41 OSCAR carriages (10 four car trains, plus 1 spare car). These new trains have a very similar level of passenger amenity to the G sets and can be seen as a continuation of the design. In April 2005 an additional 81 carriages were ordered.

OSCARs started entering service in December 2006, leading to a change in the role of the G sets. From 2007 the G sets were progressively redeployed to suburban services, providing extra capacity on high demand existing services such as on the Western line and allowing new services to be introduced. By 2008, G sets were often used on peak suburban services that extend into intercity areas, such as services to Springwood (via the Western line).

In 2009, the conversion of G sets to T sets began, to improve their suitability for suburban working as OSCAR sets continued to replace their interurban duties. Conversion work consisted of the removal of toilets and their replacement with additional seating. Other work included the installation of new handrails and hangers and the recoding of cars and sets. G4 was the first to be converted (into T104). In 2010 sets being converted started receiving a full refurbishment. As of 2011, the program is now finished.

Lines serviced

The Tangaras operate on all CityRail suburban lines.

Usual routes:

• North Shore and Western Lines: Berowra to Emu Plains / Richmond via City
• Eastern Suburbs & Illawarra Lines: Bondi Junction to Waterfall / Cronulla via City
• Bankstown Line: City Circle to Lidcombe / Liverpool Via Bankstown
• Inner West Line: City Circle to Liverpool/Bankstown via Regents Park
• Airport & East Hills Lines: City Circle to Macarthur via Airport/Sydenham
• South Line: City Circle to Campbelltown (Macarthur) via Granville
• Cumberland Line: Blacktown to Campbelltown
• Olympic Park Line: Olympic Park / Lidcombe
• South Coast Line: Port Kembla / Thirroul

In service

Tangara feature curved windows on the upper deck. The top of these are tinted to provide some protection from the sun.

Since 2003, all Tangaras have been updated with a new CityRail corporate appearance. This involved the fitting of yellow panels on the front, yellow painted passenger doors and the end carriages receiving yellow paint surround for the benefit of visually impaired passengers. Blue and yellow stripes along the bottom of the carriages were replaced by a single yellow stripe and new fuzzy CityRail logos were placed on the driving cars.

In 2010 a program to refresh the Tangara interiors was announced. The upgrades include reconfigured seating next to the vestibule area, new seating upholstery and new handrails.

The following Tangara carriages have been scrapped due to damage:

Tangara Motor Cars: N5127, ON5816 and ONL5866

Driving Trailer Cars: D6114, D6127, D6274, OD6831 and OD6832

The following are replacement carriages:

D6285 and N5285 are replacing written-off cars D6127 and N5127.

D6286 is on set T99 (replacing written-off D6274)

D6287 is on set T73 (replacing written-off D6114)

D6108 is on set T16 (replacing D6241 for unknown reasons)

D6288 is on set T71 (replacing D6108 which is replacing D6241)

D6289 is on set T24 (replacing D6148 for unknown reasons)

D6184 is on set T37 (repaired set back to normal)

OD6841 is currently used in Outer Suburban Tangara set G21 replacing OD6807.

D6148 is on set T1 (replacing D6106 because D6106 has been stripped for parts)

Motor car N5127 and Driving trailer car D6127 were both involved in the Wentworthville train derailment on 27 December 1989, Cityrail's first major accident involving the Tangara fleet. Trailer Car D6127 was an immediate write off, due to its collision with the platform. Motor car N5127 was withdrawn from service following the accident, and was sent to Dunheved Railway Station. C3866, was used on the Ropes Creek line for training fire fighters. Both the N5127 and the C3866 were subsequently destroyed by vandals, and were moved to Auburn-Clyde rail yard for either rebuilding or use for spare parts.

4D

The Melbourne 4D variant

Main article: 4D (train)

A train bearing strong resemblance to a Tangara, known as the 4D, was once in use by Connex on the Lilydale and Belgrave lines in Melbourne Australia. It was similar in its shape only as it was of a different gauge and is built to be compatible with Melbourne's Comeng trains. It was not actually a Tangara but was a new-build of a similar design. The 4D stood for "Double Deck Design and Development".

If the double-decker train had proved success on these Melbourne suburban train lines, another 19 double decker trains were proposed. By the end of 1992, it was decided not to order any more double decker trains. Despite its frequent breakdowns, the train lasted until early 2002 before its permanent withdrawal from service.

The 4D was bought by RailCorp (in 2006) who run the Tangara, but was scrapped on 30 March 2006 at Sims Metal, Brooklyn, Victoria. The Tangara-compatible components and interior fittings were removed before scrapping and are rumoured to have been transferred to Sydney to be used in Tangara trains.

Carriage numbers were:

Motor Cars - 5000M & 5002M

Driving Trailer Cars - 6000T & 6002T

External links

• CityRail
• G set technical diagrams
• T set technical diagrams

Further reading

Beckhaus, John; Halgren, Stephen (2007), Sydney's Electric Trains, Australian Railway Historical Society NSW Division, ISBN 978-0-9757870-8-3