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VicRail N type carriage

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N type carriage
N class locomotive hauling a five-car N type carriage set
ManufacturerVictorian Railways
Built atNewport Workshops
Constructed1981 - 1984
Entered service1981 -
Refurbished2007
Number built57
Number in service56
FormationBG sets: ACN-BRN-BN, some sets have extra BZN and BTN cars.
SG sets: ACN-BRN-BDN-BN-BN
OperatorsV/Line
Lines servedAll lines
Specifications
DoorsManual swing, 2 per side
Articulated sectionsRubber corridor connectors
Maximum speed115 km/h (71 mph)
Power supplyUnderfloor generator or Head end power
Track gauge1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
3 sets to be converted to 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge in 2010

The N type carriages are an intercity passenger carriage used on the railways of Victoria, Australia. They were introduced between 1981 and 1984 as part of the 'New Deal' reforms of country passenger rail services. Today there are seen on both V/Line long distance InterCity services, as well as shorter InterUrban services.

The carriage sets have both first class 2+2 seating, and 2+3 economy seating. Snack bar facilities are also provided on board. Originally delivered as 3-car sets, some sets were extended in length with S and Z type carriages.

Today the carriages are normally hauled by N class diesel locomotives. The carriages can use an external head end power supply for lighting and air conditioning operation, or an internal generator set. Each carriage has two swing doors per side, which were originally manually opened by passengers, but have since been converted to powered operation by the conductor. Toilets, drinking fountains and luggage areas are provided throughout each carriage set.

History

The order for the N type carriages was placed in 1977 for 30 carriages (10 sets) for use on the Geelong line, with 6 cars added to the order in 1978 for the Ballarat line, due to a by-election in the city.[1] Under the New Deal of 1981 the order was extended to 54 carriages, and then to 57 due to cost savings during construction.[2] They were built between 1981 and 1984, based upon the structural design of the Victorian Z type carriages built between 1956 and 1960.[3]

In 2007 V/Line commenced a refurbishment program for their existing H type carriages and Sprinter railcars,[4] this program later being extended to the N type carriages. In October 2007 the first refurbished N type carriage was released into traffic with the new V/Line grey exterior livery, as well as updated interior curtains and seat fabrics. Since then various complete sets have been released from refurbishment (VN4, FN6, VN12, FN13, FN14, VN17). Work continues on the remainder of the fleet.

As part of the Albury line upgrade some N carriages will be converted to standard gauge to run this service. Two sets (consisting of 5 carriages and one power/luggage van) have already been formed (SN15, SN16). Carriages for a third set (SN1) are presently undergoing refurbishment at Newport Workshops.

Coding

N type carriages are individually numbered in the 1 to 57 series. Sets were issued to traffic with three types of carriage:

  • ACN first class with conductors van
  • BRN economy class with snack bar
  • BN economy class

From 1995 surplus Z type carriages were upgraded to N type interiors, with the following codes but with their original Z type numbers:

  • BZN economy class with disabled access and toilet
  • BTN economy class

In 2009 a new code was introduced in conjunction with the formation of 'pure' 5-car N sets for standard gauge use:

  • BDN economy class with disabled access and toilet (interior similar to a BZN carriage).[5]

Carriage sets

The N cars appear in fixed sets not altered in ordinary service. The sets are numbered between 1 and 19. Initially issued to service as 3-car sets, from 1995 additional cars of the BCZ, ACZ, BS, BZN or BTN type were attached to give longer sets. Additional cars may also be temporarily attached or detached to a set without the set code being altered.

  • N: 3-car set ACN-BRN-BN
  • FN: 4-car set ACN-BRN-(mix of 2x N/Z cars); while Z cars out of service, 1x temporary 4N set ACN-BRN-BN-BN.
  • VN: 5-car set ACN-BRN-(mix of 3x N/Z cars); while Z cars out of service, 2x temporary 5N set ACN-BRN-ACN-BRN-BN.
  • SN: 5-car set ACN-BRN-BDN-BN-BN on standard gauge. Usually includes a PCJ power van, but this is not counted in the set definition.

Set history

Note: Colours are representative only, and do not directly correlate to liveries worn in the era.

Code Set No. From To Car E Car D Car C Car B Car A (East end) Changes to achieve Notes
N 01 1981-09-16 BN01 BN02 ACN03 As built
N 01 BN02 BRN53 ACN03 BRN53 ex Set #18, BN01 to Set #18
FN 01 ??? BN02 BRN53 ACN03
SN 01 BN19 BN02 BN50 BRN53 ACN03 Add BN19 ex ?, add BDN50 ex ? Standard gauge from 2011-mm-dd
N 02 1981-10-02 BN04 BN05 ACN06 As Built
N 03 1981-12-18 BN07 BN08 ACN09 As Built
N 03 BN08 BRN47 ACN09 As Built
FN 03 2007-10-17 BTN254 BN08 BRN47 ACN09
N 04 1982-02-19 BN10 BN11 ACN12 As Built
N 05 1982-03-12 BN13 BN14 ACN15 As Built
FN 05 BZN252 BN13 BRN40 ACN15


N 06 1982-04-02 BN16 BN17 ACN18 As Built
N 07 1982-05-14 BN19 BRN20 ACN21 As Built First set with buffet
N 08 1982-06-07 BN22 BN23 ACN24 As Built
N 09 1982-06-30 BN25 BN26 ACN27 As Built BN cars both entered service 1982-07-02
N 10 1982-10-29 BN28 BRN29 ACN30 As Built
N 11 ACN33 As Built
N 12 ACN36 As Built
N 13 ACN39 As Built
N 14 ACN42 As Built
N 15 BN10 BRN43 ACN45 As Built
SN 15 2010-01-27 Current BN05 BN10 BDN21 BRN43 ACN45 BDN21 ex Set #07 as ACN21; BN05 ex Set #02 Standard Gauge from 2011-04-01
N 16 ACN48 As Built
SN 16 2010-01-24 Current BN22 BN07 BDN06 BRN46 ACN48 BDN06 ex Set #02 as ACN06; BN22 ex Set #08 Standard Gauge from 2011-04-28
N 17 ACN51 As Built
N 18 ACN54 As Built
FN 18 ACN54
N 19 1984-04-06 BN55 BRN56 ACN57 As Built

Services

N sets are used on lines including:

  • Interior of an unrefurbished BTN type economy carriage
    Interior of an unrefurbished BTN type economy carriage
  • Interior of an unrefurbished ACN first class carriage
    Interior of an unrefurbished ACN first class carriage

Model railways

As of July 2013, only HO scale plastic models of the N-series carriages are available (although there have been brass models released in the past), produced by Auscision Models.[6] Each set contains one each of the ACN, BRN and BN cars, plus a D louvre van thought to have run on occasion with that consist. No Z type cars, spare N cars or PCJ power vans have been made available in ready-to-run plastic.

A second run is expected to be released in June 2016, though manufacturing price increases have lifted a set to $550.00ea.

Pack Era D Set ACN BRN BN
VPS05 (2013) VicRail orange/silver D305 N04 ACN12 BRN44 BN11
VPS06 (2013) VicRail orange/silver D306 N06 ACN18 BRN38 BN17
VPS07 (2013) V/Line orange/silver D316 N12 ACN36 BRN35 BN23
VPS08 (2013) V/Line orange/silver D347 N19 ACN57 BRN56 BN55
VPS09 (2013) V/Line orange, green, white, grey D325 N08 ACN24 BRN34 BN22
VPS10 (2013) V/Line orange, green, white, grey D348 N16 ACN48 BRN46 BN07
VPS11 (2013) V/LINE Passenger Mk1 red/blue/white D324 N05 ACN15 BRN40 BN13
VPS12 (2013) V/LINE Passenger Mk1 red/blue/white D335 N13 ACN39 BRN37 BN16
VPS13 (2013) V/LINE Passenger Mk1 red/blue/white, no bottom stripe D339 N14 ACN42 BRN41 BN14
VPS14 (2013) V/Line Passenger Mk2 red/blue/white D302 N02 ACN06 BRN50 BN05
VPS15 (2013) V/Line Passenger Mk2 red/blue/white D322 N11 ACN33 BRN31 BN25
VPS16 (2013) V/Line Passenger Mk3 grey/red/purple/white D324 (V/Line Passenger Mk2 red/blue/white) N15 ACN45 BRN43 BN10

References

  1. ^ "Discussion on FSH21". Railpage Australia Forums. www.railpage.com.au. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
  2. ^ Scott Martin and Chris Banger (October 2006). "'New Deal' for County Passengers - 25 years on". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division). p. 319.
  3. ^ "Level Crossing Collision V/Line Passenger Train 8042 and a Truck Near Kerang, Victoria 5 June 2007" (PDF). Chief Investigator, Transport and Marine Safety Investigations. Retrieved 2008-03-16.
  4. ^ "Media Release: NEW LOOK V/LINE FLEET TAKES TO THE TRACKS". www.dpc.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 2008-03-16.
  5. ^ "Wongm's Rail Gallery - BDN carriages". wongm.railgeelong.com. Retrieved 2009-11-16.
  6. ^ http://www.auscisionmodels.com.au/N%20Car%20Page.htm
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