I especially avoid talking on video these days. Partly because others often chatter when I want to hear the train doing its thing, and also because viewers overseas may be much better at written English rather than spoken. I also avoid adding music as while its style might please some viewers, it will annoy others.
Yes, for a video which does not actually involve a train running anywhere, it has been especially successful, much more than I expected. Maybe one day we will see preparation of some other train type.
I used to be qualified in all the signal boxes including Kensington along the racecourse line and was the last signaller to work Flemington. Used to love the morning shifts bringing the docks out for the peak and then putting away the return shunts. Sat listening to the trains being prepped and knew when you were nearly ready to TR.
Sounds like happy memories 🤗. The last I heard was that in the whole of NSW there is only 1 or 2 local signal boxes still in use. The rest of the state is run by a couple of giant signal boxes. I know that Melbourne has a way to go to equal that, but I dare say the number of local signal boxes is forever declining. Less work for the signalmen of old.
This is the most wonderful 15 min journey back to memory lane in RU-vid. Had been on the footplate for several years before changing career path for better income. We used to have Westinghouse brake equipped trains powered by GEC motors in Hong Kong and cab controls were quite similar to yours. You handle your train with ulmost care even some switches are located a bit away from the driving desk but in HK most drivers kick-opened the cock for charging the brake pipe (although it was prohibited) . Ive visited melbourne once in 2019, miss trains and trams there so much.
Interesting report thanks. I don’t know which is the cock for for charging the brake pipe which your workmates used to kick unless it was the valve in the Comeng Trains which has to be turned to cut the cab into service.
@@tressteleg1Thanks for your reply! It seems to me that both of them act in the same way as It activates the brake controller and charges BP as shown in your video.
@@rlvedhzl3743 Glad I got that right, as I have never officially been a train driver but in the past did it discreetly from time to time. By the looks of this Melbourne one, there is a steel bracket around it more likely to stop it accidentally being kicked rather than being kicked to open or close.
To “John Citizen”, I tried replying to your comment/question but it was not accessible. As for raising pantographs, one set of button are related to just this power car, the other set related to the other power cars. I guess it’s necessary to get the front car fully operational before other cars have functions brought on line.
Well the driver knows this one has been quite successful. Maybe he will do some other train types but not HCMT. They have cameras inside the cab watching the driver.
@@Dungeon-Gaming I’m sure that Metro and all other government entities, and probably big companies, are forever checking social looking for any public praise or criticism. See my other response.
😊.. if you have not seen this one before, it explains pretty well all the signal combinations. Melbourne Train Signals Explained I Hope! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-U9VM3fkJ6Bg.html
In response to Geoffrey's comment regarding learning signals; another signalling by Taitset exists, which while with less historically pleasing video footage and sounds than Tressteleg's video, goes a bit further into the theory side, as well as discussing some (but not all) regional variations. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-96SuLXxh6Lo.html Tressteleg's video is also good as it shows a lot of examples of the same aspect but in different scenarios, and from views the public don't normally get to see!
@@BaileyChap I thought that Taitset’s video was about train prep but it seems you were referring to my Melbourne Train Signals Explained video. Anyway I do recall seeing his video in the past. Maybe people would gain most by watching both versions.
Interesting thanks, I particularly like watching city trains videos done at night ( or early morning hours) & just the relatively quiet of train (& city still asleep) so found this very enjoyable.
Thanks for a great video! How do the Comeng trains with tread-type brakes differ from the disc brakes, in terms of stopping ability and reliability? Given that I think the disc brake Comeng trains might be getting the life extensions, I assumed that meant they were preferred?
My driver has never commented about one or the other being better. I expect that disc brakes need less adjusting, and may in fact do that themselves. I expect the main reason for keeping them rather than trains with tread brakes is simply because they are newer so should be in better condition.
Glad you liked it. I imagine that Melbourne Comeng and Sydney S set equipment would be fairly similar as both train types are roughly the same age and I think both were Comeng products.
Love old trains and cars. Best thing is Comeng (Commonwealth Engineering) was made here locally in Dandenong Victoria. Nowadays we barely make anything ofr ourselves 😢
@@CPOK1980 I knew that this was the intention, but did not know that train construction was already under way. Is Alstom (who I think own the old Walkers) the contractor?
@@Dungeon-Gaming I’m glad you appreciate the risk. I thought something could have come from Management but in the 8 years of doing Melbourne train videos, I have never heard from Officialdom. I know that some tram Driver Trainers use my videos to help their students. Maybe the trains are the same so they don’t want mine to stop.
@@tressteleg1This is just my opinion, but if I were a tram or train trainer or trainee, I think these videos would help a lot with the training, and I think they put less work on the trainers, if people watched these videos before applying for the job. 😂 Also, hoping to see something about this with the Siemens or X’Trapolis, but I know they can’t do HCMT’s or the X’Trapolis 2 trains, if it ever gets built, because of the camera, which is a bit of a shame, but most of us are still grateful for the trains the driver can do 😊.
@@Dungeon-Gaming Yes I quite agree with you. Just whether my videos are used by trainees, officially or otherwise, is something I don’t know. Nobody has said anything in Comments to me.
@@tressteleg1I’m sure you’ll get some soon, especially if you post these types of videos, and if I ever become a train driver in Melbourne, I already know these videos will help a ton.
Interesting how the Melbourne Trains are stabled with their pans down and are left "Cold and Dark" as such. Railcars in Perth are stabled with their pans up and everything running. Just the cabs are isolated.
Gold Coast trams are also left with pantographs up, but otherwise put to sleep I believe. My only thought is that if there is an unexpected thunderstorm, you could have a lot of ‘fried’ trains if lightning hits. Also if compressors are left running, that is a lot of unnecessary wear and tear.
Please make more of this content, such as a Head POV cam (if metro allows it). I'm sure some would also like to see just a really long, unedited version of this!
What a fascinating video! I've been watching your channel for some time, taking trips around the streets of Melbourne, usually after a long shift at work. Its wonderful to see how your day begins.
@tressteleg1 Not to sound rude, I understand he might be extremely busy, instead sending his video to you to publish, couldn't he just do it if he has any free time to spare?
@@planetX15 Once a year I borrow his disc drive and copy whatever he has recorded over the last year. Preparing even a simple video from the raw clip usually takes a couple of hours, and with working and maybe family commitments he just doesn’t have the time. It’s also best if the source is not readily traced back to him. Additionally these weekly videos give me something to do in my retirement days. He lets me decide which videos I think would be best published next. We have been doing it this way for probably over 10 years now.
I really liked how you showed how to do checks on brakes and you also answered my question of how to put up the pantographs. I know I am a bit late to ask this, but what is your opinion on the new Comeng Horn?
I think that it is most unfortunate that the last remaining examples of what had essentially been unique Melbourne whistles have been removed and replaced by rather mundane ordinary sounding whistles.
the tressteleg1 the king of the Comeng Train great video keep up the great work i just ordered micro soft train simulator igot the ptv edi comeng train im new here
I was surprised by all the pneumatics, but I guess that makes sense to prevent high voltage entering the cab. Also, I was a bit shocked how poor the headlights were around the bends.
Yes there is no need for high voltage to be anywhere near the cab. Well in Sydney drivers are not allowed to use headlights in the suburban area. You get used to it. So Melbourne drivers have it easy regardless of the light quality.
Well the overhauled ones should be around for a number of years yet. It may have been somebody else, but I also suggest you have a chat with a few existing train drivers and ask them what they like about the job, and if they find any things not so good.
@@tressteleg1 I appreciate that mate. I've spoken to a few drivers I've been fortunate enough to be put in contact with, it sounds pretty similar to what my work as an interstate driver was except less hours haha
@@CryticalAce Well it sounds like you’ve done a reasonable amount of research. Nothing worse than jumping into a job and it being quite different from what you expect.
Are they removing the traditional chimes from existing Comeng trains? What a disgrace. Modern horns are so bland. For many decades they were the ‘traditional’ Melbourne whistle.
The comeng horns were replaced due to not meeting the rules, they were replaced with zollner makrofon 370s, no RVB 3s remain on comeng, but there is RVBs on the restored Taitset 317M 230D and so on
@@levonandonian7613 I lose patience with bureaucratic nonsense such as this. How could horns which were perfectly good for maybe 80 years suddenly be non-compliant? On top of that, there’s no way you could confuse those horns with a truck or anything else as could so easily happen with the modern “compliant” horns.
I like any train which has gear sounds which you can hear instead of electronic warbling. Melbourne and Adelaide, as you say, now have just the Comeng trains while Sydney has only the V set interurbans and Brisbane has the first generation of Electric trains, the EMUs. All will be phased out sooner or later.
Also reminds me of some COMENG three car sets that have the problem of shutting down on their own every few minutes and possibly lowering their pantographs at the same time which is probably whenever they have an electrical fault. Sometimes those sets are running in service behind a fully functional three car set.
@@tressteleg1 I pretty much experienced it around a year ago on the Frankston line heading inbound to the city and I was sitting in the faulty rear set. The train even did an emergency stop when going around the sharp bend into Caulfield in response to all of the doors releasing while the set was shut down but moving with a really long fading beep like when the doors are released without any external power. The train couldn’t move again until the set restarted and locked the doors though it was very strange of how the doors on both sides released on their own in that set. Might have been something like the brake line pressure getting too low in that set or something else. I also believe those trains may now also have a brake valve linked to the door safety circuit so the brakes/parking brake will automatically engage whenever the circuit is broken by the doors being released. That seemingly would be a system that was added later after the 2003 runaway train incident.
@@Techno-Universal Well no doubt any driver becoming aware of it (and who would not notice dragging 3 dead carriages presuming it still went) would sign the train off with that fault, but whether the fault was present when checked in the workshop is another matter.
Thank you for this detailed video as I was always interested how a comeng was set up. Is the driver still required to insert a key anywhere? Like next to the throttle control theres a round silver object and I've seen a key in there?
No, but I have unofficially driven trains in the past and a few times walked with drivers as they did prep on various types of trains so I had a fair idea of what this driver was doing nearly all the time. The video came with no explanations. It was checked and a couple of corrections made. It is not a complete prep.
In order for the train to go the driver needs to unisolate the controls in one cab, with the cab active the train can now go, if switching ends the controls need to be isolated and then unisolated on the other end for the train to go the other direction, the trip leaver stops the train running a red signal by automatically engaging the brake, the dead man’s handle stops the train if the driver lets go or passes out?
In essence, yes. The driver has to set the reverser to Off, and lock the controller and take his unlocking key to the other end. Things like head and tail lights must also be changed as well as the destinations.
Does the STOP arm have to be down in order for the train to move, because sometimes I've seen a train in motion with the stop arm raised in the front cab?
@@Dungeon-Gaming I’m not a driver but I believe that if the pressure is too low, the train will not move but the stop arm operates at higher pressures, so it’s advance warning if pressure starts to drop.
Love this! I especially like night-time runs, they feel soothing, especially on a Comeng! I can only imagine what a Werribee express run on a Comeng is like, racing through the darkness, alas I don't live in Melbourne, maybe one day!
@@BaileyChap We just need to be grateful that some are being overhauled for a potential extra life of 10 years. If money is short for new trains, it possibly could be longer..
Fast reply from the driver. More complicated than expected 😊 37 minutes for a normal start of the day prep. 60 minutes if it’s just come out of maintenance. 20 minutes if it shunts out and reenters service again the same day.
@@johntasevski8046 I will pass on your thanks. Just as a guess, lots of things these days I kept on an internal railways computer network which staff can access, but not the public. If I get any reply, I will let you know.
@@justanaturalcarguy4031 Funny you should say that. Apparently somebody complained that the old horns were too loud, but tests showed they were too soft! I wonder how the complainer likes the new horns? 😆
Awesome video Mate I love Comeng trains for years and I love the sound of the train departing and leaving station now I will miss it and sadly it’s getting old. Soon will be retiring and replaced to new X’trapolis 2.0 by 2025 or 2026😊
Not according to my driver. While the wheel tread brakes cars, numbered below 499M and some scattered through the 500s, quite a few of the later disc brake trains numbered 600M and up are undergoing 10 year extra life overhauls. You will recognise them, I think, with PID screens inside the cars and other improvements. So they should be around for a number of years to come. You are not the only one who will enjoy riding trains whose gears and motors you can readily hear rather than weird electronic noises.
@@tressteleg1 You know that I’m still doing the video of Keon park level crossing removal works and I’m not finished yet I will upload my video when I’m done😊
@hassansayyab1194 Obviously they get the trains running and stations open ASAP, but often landscaping outside is not complete until months later. To do your video properly, wait until the last workmen are gone.
And with some Adelaide lines not likely to be electrified, they will be around for a while yet. Apparently some are being fitted with batteries to make them a bit more efficient.
Is the unit a really old one? It seems like most units built in the last 20 years or so (at least the ones used here in the UK) have a TMS computer to monitor various things. The Desiros used on my local line, when two couple together the cabs automatically shutdown and the external lights turn off automatically
Somehow I missed the Comment from our UK friend, but you summed it up quite well. Maybe the only thing to add is that some of the newer Comeng trains with disc brakes are being refurbished for extra life, but how long that will be will depend on money for new trains to replace them, and the current state of Victorian State finances is not strong. The cost of the level crossing removal projects must be considerable and gobbling up a lot of State money.
@@tressteleg1 The new trains here in the UK often seem to take ages to enter service, I believe the most common issue is with software. Do they have many level crossings to replace?
We can beat that here in the UK. Up until 2021 the oldest trains on the national network were the class 483s, which were 83 years old when withdrawn. They were replaced with class 484s, which are ex LU D78 stock (District Line)
@@leeroberts1192 It seems to me that modern trains and trams have much too much complicated electronic equipment, which makes more chance for failure. I don’t know how many level crossings remain in Melbourne but there would be dozens. I expect that some will remain indefinitely due to low road traffic volumes and maybe some resident opposition in areas where intrusive bridges would be considered an eyesore. The Sandringham line seems to have no crossings removed recently, or any planned. Maybe you will find this of interest. bigbuild.vic.gov.au/projects/level-crossing-removal-project/projects
How does the driver know which track the train is going to take? Is it planned in advance? Gets a bit complicated there at the Upfield/Werribee/Craigeburn junction
As train drivers have to “learn the road“ they would be familiar with what signal aspects relate to which direction the train will go at each junction. At most junctions, one track is fairly straight and the other curves away so the straight track would often have a signal which allows a faster speed than the branch. That is it, in general terms although sometimes a large letter of the alphabet will give the distinguishing information.
They were parts left out of the prep that were too difficult to do and also video at the same time. Nevertheless this video gives some idea of some of the steps.
@@tressteleg1 Oh yeah, don't get me wrong, i wasn't complaining, i was just saying. In any case, a video of a full prep would be boring, lots of repetitive tasks, and it would need a second person to film it unless a body cam was rigged up, a driver needs both hands to do a prep.
@@AshleyReynolds-vc6ly Sounds like you have some familiarity with the tasks. Nevertheless the viewers seem happy with what they saw, a lot of steps they could never see otherwise.
Well if you go out to Belgrave and Lilydale you will see plenty of curves. I think the big difference between Sydney and Melbourne is that a somewhat greater percentage of Melbourne is comparatively flat so there is no need for rail lines going around the sides of hills to avoid them. This has also meant that at least since the Second World War there has not been more than a handful of level crossings on the whole of Sydney. It’s much easier to put one or the other on a bridge in hilly territory
@@tressteleg1 Yes. The topography difference is stark. Sydney has very few straight sections of main road, let alone railway lines. One of the issues converting the Bankstown line to Metro with platform screen doors was that only 1 of the 10 stations has straight platform edges. From memory, there are about 6 level crossings on the far south coast (well outside greater Sydney), 1 at Fairfield and 1 out west near Ricmond.
@@peterelvery 3 suburban crossing I know of which closed were near the present Como station, National Park (now tram) and Parramatta Rd on the former Carlingford line. Besides Fairfield, there used to be one behind Liverpool hospital, maybe there is another out that way while the Richmond line has added a few to the total, and that is about it. I see changing Bankstown to metro as being a massive waste. If they wanted to build more metro, send it into an area without trains rather than downgrade a perfectly OK existing line.
@@tressteleg1Converting the Bankstown line would not have been my choice BUT the benefit that is frequently missed is that as well as at least quadrupling capacity, it will simultaneously completely avoid having to merge 16 trains an hour into and out of the city circle at peak times, thereby allowing increased frequency on all the other lines that currently share those tracks.
@peterelvery 16 trains an hour is barely a challenge. Years ago they did tests and close to 30 trains an hour on the city underground was close to achievable.
Not Gonna lie This is pretty Basic and Simple to Set up the Comeng and Start your Morning shift As I'm Looking forward to working for Melbourne Metro Train Driver When I'm 18 by 2026 as I'm hoping to Drive the Comeng Before There gone by 2031
Even now, certain train types run on some lines and not others so you would need to choose your depot carefully to get some Comeng trains. Also it would be wise to chat to a few trains drivers, tell them your plans, and ask what the job is like. Some aspects may not suit you.
That's what I'm aware of So I gathered the List of what comeng are running on the Line by now 2024 Frankston - Werrbilee (Green line) {Even tho it might change the destination to Sandringham and the Colour line would change to Pink Which will increase more trains and New Timetable to Increase more Capacity} -Siemens -X'trapolis -Comeng Flinder street to Sandringham (Pink line) {The same line with Sandringham as it's going to change to Werribee line} -Siemens -Comeng Sunbury, Craigieburn and Upfield (Yellow Line) {For Sunbury line it will change because of The new Metro tunnel to extend the line to Cranbourne and Pakenham line} -Siemens -Comeng For Comeng used to run before now in 2024, they don't anymore so here is the List Mernda and Hurstbridge (Red line) and Lilydale, Belgrave and Glen Waverly (Dark Blue line) -X'trapolis Only Cranbourne and Pakenham (Blue line) {Might change because of Metro tunnel for the Sunbury line -HCMT Only (High Capacity Metro train)
@@transportnswcb6067 Thanks for that list. Obviously when enough HCMT trains are delivered, they will run Dandenong region to Sunbury so the Comeng trains may increase in numbers on the lines they already serve, or may leave us for good 😢. We will just have to wait and see what eventuates. While you nicely set out the list, my email notification took away all the spacing and it was a clutter of words! I have taken a screen shot of your nice chart.
@@Terraboat Quite possible, but when? These older ones with the brake shoes are gradually being phased out at present. Another guy earlier listed where Comeng trains now run. From memory, Sandringham, Frankston and Sunbury, but that will end when eventually the HCMT work that line.
I don’t know what the latest requirements are but it would be a good idea to have a chat to a few existing train drivers. The younger ones may know, and you could also ask them what the job is like. There may be some things you don’t know about which you would not like.
Well, when do you think a train is most likely needed to enter service? Early in the morning or late at night? The normal thing for trains to be doing after dark is going to bed ☺️
I did this with guards in the 1980'/1990s until I retired several years ago very different then enclosed cabs equalizing test from the driver after guard "pulls the tap" also prep different to what's shown here the comengs are slowly disappearing what's left is soulless/no skill to drive Surburban trains theirs no way I could do it again and with a disrespectful shouldn't be there Metro
Yes, the guards were involved. I remember in Sydney the guard had to ‘pull the tail’ to check brake continuity. Don’t know how that is done in Melbourne now. Perhaps the driver does it then checks the result when he returns to the front.
These companies keep a watch on social media and after a week I have heard nothing from them. As it says in the video, this process does not include all steps. One way or the other, Metro has never contacted me over anything I have posted. It’s quite possible that driver trainers could be using some of my videos with students. A few tram driver trainers have told me that they use mine.
