It seems we’ve hit a tipping point with the roll out of electric trains in which they are now sometimes being used to cover for services that have broken down. Presumably this means the pendulum is starting to swing positively for the number of drivers who have been trained to drive them. So far I’ve heard of a few isolated services on the Western line having been run by EMUs and last Friday morning my regular morning service to Britomart was replaced by a 6-car one. I believe it was the first time one has been run out west in the morning peak and I made a number observations I thought would be worth sharing.
Passengers
I’ve been on the EMUs plenty of times before and know they are far superior pieces of kit compared to what they’re replacing however most regular passengers on the Western Line have probably only seen them at Newmarket or Britomart. In the past I’ve overheard conversations on the train and at the platform by passengers looking forward to them.
Friday was a wet and miserable day and most of the 80 odd passengers at my local station were huddled under the single small shelter the station has. Perhaps because of this most people on the platform didn’t realise the service was an EMU until it was almost at the platform. It was when they did realise that was notable. There was an audible gasp and flurry of happy small talk. Suddenly everyone I saw had smiles on their faces. What’s more this wasn’t an isolated incident as I’ve heard similar stories from people on platforms at other stations too.
It didn’t end there. Upon entering the train passengers would basically stop in amazement looking up and down the carriages. I heard the words like ‘wow’ and ‘isn’t this nice’ many times on the trip to Britomart. The smiles continued all the way to town.
The reason I mention all this is that it was a remarkable reaction considering the actual service provided was no different to the ones these regular passengers have used for years. People were excited to be using the train and it was the piece of kit that transformed their experience. Perhaps it was just because it was something new or perhaps it signified that that the years of disruption, delays and frustration are coming to an end – that Auckland is finally growing up and delivering a modern transport solution. When was the last time these passengers were this excited about PT in Auckland.
Reactions such as those that I witnessed are priceless for Auckland Transport, something no advertising can buy. They are also bound to be repeated across the rail network as more and more services become electric over the coming months. People sharing their positive experiences with friends, family and co-workers will help fuel future patronage growth. This is of course likely to be a large contributor to what is known as the Sparks Effect (strong patronage growth after electrification).
Electrics on the Western Line
Other than seeing people reactions I was also very keen to see just how the trains performed on the western line given AT had already slowed down the timetable prior to their introduction. Overall the train was 5 minutes late into Britomart but that was after being held up at a few signals and in the Britomart tunnel for a few minutes to wait for a platform. Without those hold ups the train would have been fairly close to being on time.
The issues with dwell times are known and obviously need to be worked through. This includes a new one I’ve heard about in which there is a built in 5 second delay between the doors being closed the driver being able to move the train (one the western line that adds alone adds over 1 minute to trips to/from Swanson).
Perhaps most positively I got the distinct impression that if the restrictive signalling system can be addressed – something that should be much easier once all services are electric – that considerable time savings could be achieved. Unlike the diesel locomotive’s which sometimes feel like they are struggling on the hills and curves the EMUs feel like they take them in their stride. I almost got the impression that the frequent restrictions for things like level crossings would have made driving the train feel a bit like driving a high powered sports car in rush hour.
All of this gives me hope that over time AT, Kiwirail and whoever operates the trains can get them faster and faster.
EMU Rollout
In related news, I’ve heard that from now onwards all weekend services on all lines – where there are wires – will be run by electric trains.
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Wonderful! I look forward to a new experience on the Western Line. It’ll be a change from those old experiences: delays, cancellations, breakdowns, etc. Now ‘all’ we need is for AT to get its act together and start grade separating and/or closing those level crossings that most notoriously affect the efficiency of these new units.
Great news to see that the West has had a ‘new change’. Meanwhile down south in Pukekohe the Community Board is up in arms with respect to the disappointing service AT s providing. In 2014 there were 1820 services delayed by more than 5 minutes and 325 were partially or fully cancelled. And that is without AT operating a weekend service.And we folk in Franklin pay the same standard fare rates and rates as the rest of the city. So please do not complain when the motorway fills up with cars at Drury, no one trusts AT to run a rail network and it is expected it will get worse with reliance on the old diesel units. Wake up Len
“Wake up Len”. It’s amazing that everyone seems to think that Len Brown has control over everything.
I can see Len will have to pay a visit to the beach and order the tide to stop coming in a la Canute. In case you were unaware Canute knew he had no control over the tide. He did it to show everyone that he was not all powerful.
Wake up Steven Joyce, Gerry Brownlee, Simon Bridges and John Key. They are the ones who have- and still are- refusing to engage with a whole raft of much-needed rail developments.
Len would have it sorted in a trice if it was up to him.
Oh, and wake up all those who voted National in the last 3 elections. Transport-wise, we would be a lot further ahead by now, had things gone differently.
Yes, very true. Don’t blame Len Brown for no electric train extension to Pukekohe. Blame the 22,000 voters in the Hunua electorate who voted for National.
The Govt has the responsibility to fund the electrification of the state owner Kiwirail tracks. If the National Govt won’t fund the electrification extension then you have to live with the diesel railcars ( one of which could be used on a similar Swanson – Huapai connector service).
Your National MP, Andrew Bayly, said at the meet the candidates meetings pre-election “he supported infrastructure the electorate deserves”. I quote that as I remember him repeating that line. I guess Andrew Bayly thinks your electorate doesn’t deserve electric trains then?
You got the MP you wanted. You’ve got the rail service he promised.
Hopefully in the weekend we see weekday style timetables without the peak frequencies soon, its kind of annoying having to check a completely different timetable for weekends. Also friday only services moved to everyday.
Western line EMU experiance is great, gone from Grafton to Swanson in a 6-car and back. Was on time and much more peaceful and extremely comfortable. DMU’s such as the ADL’s are less comfortable than some buses. EMU’s take things to a whole new level of comfort. You can actually take a phone call or have a convo outside an idling train now which is also nice! :p
Yep, the EMUs are very nice to ride on. The ADLs seem to make more noise than movement, it’s always a disappointment when one pulls up. With the SAs I tend to board the SD car when possible, just to get away from the loco.
Lap that up John Key & co.
What are the average dwell times on these trains? By that I mean the average time it takes from the time the train comes to a complete stop, till the time it departs. The last couple of times I’ve actually got the stop watch (my mobile) out on my morning and afternoon commute here in Melbourne. Time at suburban stations is usually 15-25seconds, depending on the station. Usually it’s 20secs or less. At the city stations it’s almost a minute, but that’s to be expected. The only time it will exceed the 25seconds is if there’s a disabled person who needs to get on/off the train, and that was usually about 45seconds.
It would be interesting to see comparison in Auckland, just to see if they really are as long as you guys think they are.
I would say around 40 seconds, though it depends on a few factors that include the TM, Driver & the Passengers.
Dwell time for EMUs on the Eastern Line and Onehunga Line off-peak, is regularly 45-50 seconds from wheel stop to wheel start. Peak dwell time can be anywhere from 70 seconds up to 1 minute 30 seconds. In comparison, average dwell time for EMUs in Japan for peak and off-peak on both suburban and rural services – from wheel stop to wheel start is 25 seconds: doors open at the 2 second mark, doors close at the 13 second mark, 10 seconds from there til wheel start which covers the conductor checking full door close, pressing the button inside the rear cab to advise driver the all-clear to proceed and the driver re-engaging the motor. This average of 25 seconds dwell time in Japan also includes services (rural lines predominantly) where passengers open the doors themselves from both the inside and outside and conductors have a main door and local door close procedure.
Recently, JR East Rail have removed from the conductor’s standard operating procedure for major suburban lines, the pressing of the all-clear button after door close, since as soon as the doors are fully closed, a light automatically comes up on the driver’s dashboard anyway, advising he can re-engage the throttle. The removal of the all clear button-press step in the conductor’s operating procedure, has shaved 5 seconds off the dwell time, bringing it down to 20 seconds total.
Like rural Japan, Auckland’s EMUs have passenger-operated doors and an automatic display light for throttle-engage upon full door close, on the driver’s dash. Its around 1.5 seconds from the time the driver re-engages the throttle, to wheel start. Auckland has the same main doors / local door close procedure as rural Japan. Auckland’s EMU dwell time can thus be brought down to at least 30 seconds by removing the pressing of the ROW all-clear-to-proceed button and by better timing out and configuring the way in which the Train Managers open the doors upon wheel stop, exit the train, check the platform and re-enter the train to close main and local doors. The long dwell times in Auckland are not a technology issue, they are a people and procedural efficiency issue – an issue which can be solved relatively easily and quickly if the will is really there to provide a better service whilst adhering to passenger and staff safety requirements.
My first/only experience of an EMU was actually an anti-climax.
Living in Sydney and having a fairly good train service with a range of trains in age and comfort, upon boarding the EMU from Panmure to Britomart, my brain said train and I got on with reading my book, just like normal.
I look forward to the upcoming milestones of all of the EMU in country, all of them in service and the completion of switch over to all electric service.
Ummm, what were you expecting other than a train? Of course that’s what it is. I used to live in Sydney up until a few months ago, the new trains are nice but the old ones are disgusting and filthy. I hope they keep the newer ones cleaner.
> Ummm, what were you expecting other than a train?
Sometimes you expect a train but get a bus instead?
In Auckland you’ll be lucky to even get a bus to replace your train.
The 5-something pm service on the Southern line yesterday was an EMU too, which was a nice surprise.
I think one minor benefit of the EMUs is that if the train is about to depart you can jump onboard through the first open door, then easily amble along the carriages to find a seat at your leisure, unlike the diesels where you might feel somewhat trapped in a carriage after boarding due to closed doors between the carriages.
Matt,
This is so important:
>> The reason I mention all this is that it was a remarkable reaction considering the actual service provided was no different to the ones these regular passengers have used for years. People were excited to be using the train and it was the piece of kit that transformed their experience. Perhaps it was just because it was something new or perhaps it signified that that the years of disruption, delays and frustration are coming to an end – that Auckland is finally growing up and delivering a modern transport solution. When was the last time these passengers were this excited about PT in Auckland.
>> Reactions such as those that I witnessed are priceless for Auckland Transport, something no advertising can buy. They are also bound to be repeated across the rail network as more and more services become electric over the coming months. People sharing their positive experiences with friends, family and co-workers will help fuel future patronage growth. This is of course likely to be a large contributor to what is known as the Sparks Effect (strong patronage growth after electrification).
It is especially important in light of earlier statements from Auckland Transport about improving communications to counter misguided public perceptions. It is never enough to patch over fundamental delivery problems with advertising (only “form”); and it is often not enough to provide a substantially good service that is presented poorly (only “function”). High-quality product design and superior user experience can bridge the gap between form and function — communicating messages without uttering a word, whilst serving a utilitarian purpose. The reaction to the new electric trains is “Show, Don’t Tell” in action.
The biggest issue I find with the new trains is that you can’t tell which line it is running on.
So if you are Puhinui where there are no displays boards and a train turns up saying it is going to Britomart – how you supposed to know if it is a Southern or Eastern Train Service?
They really need to get the information that displays on the side of the new trains saying which line they are on. It’s OK at the moment at Puhinui when only new trains go east and old trains to Newmarket – but soon this is going to be a complete mess.
Also display boards at all stations would be helpful as well.
It should show on the PIDS at the station if its /GI or /N, whichever is “*” or lowest ETA minutes (as sometimes lags a bit).
But yeah they should easily be able to add a /GI or /N to the end of the plain “Britomart” on the EMU’s displays.
Why don’t the displays show /E and /S rather than /GI and /N – and how are passengers informed what these suffices mean?
They are normally shown under the pids what N and GI mean. I suppose now there are no Papakura trains via GI they can use /E and /S but would require sticker overlays for PIDS at every relevant station and require changes to the PIDS database to show on the PIDS. As for on the trains themselves… not sure. Maybe they can fit full form “via Eastern Line” or etc but I doubt it
I can confirm the part about weekend western line EMUs. I directly emailed AT if it applied to western line the EMU weekend rollout and they confirmed it does.
I find it strange how AT stopped announcing rollouts after Onehunga and Manakau. Theres nothing on their website about weekend electrics at all…
Probably to avoid disappointment/criticism if for some reason they had to delay the rollout.
I received a flyer in the mail today advising of the Western rollout, but no dates are actually specified.
I havent received anything despite my proximity to a station… odd.
AT told me yesterday a press release was due about the weekend but nothing in my inbox yet.
Yeah its funny how TB is always quicker than AT at announcing the good stuffs :p
At least AT are consistent with their (non) communication.
The Western PIDs now display a message about the weekend EMUs.
Incidentally, here is the very first public run of an EMU to/from Swanson, on April 21st:
https://youtu.be/5zuKiz-Ci70
AM 198 made two return runs that evening.
AM 321 & AM 157 were next in public service, on an evening service on May 1st, and becoming the first double set to run in public service out west.
The third day was on May 8th (which you travelled on) when another double set ran two return trips out west in the morning.
Then on Sunday (May 10th) AM 484 did one evening trip to Swanson and back.
Apparently the July school holidays may see a weekend timetable operate on weekdays, to free up drivers for EMU training.
I hope not or ill have to hang around ages at work when I finish at 5:30am… 🙁
Oh yeah theres this note on the AT site, not sure if its what you are refering to:
“Note: Temporary train timetables will be in effect for Friday 29 May and Queen’s Birthday Weekend (30 May to 1 June). Visit Future works on the Auckland rail network.”
Am glad to see them shift from rail buses to reduced timetables. Though would prefer frequency loss over loss of early/late services for any reduced service periods.
Edit: nevermind i can see a lot of the network is rail buses for this period or evening replacements, but all good if its maintenance works
And now tonight, AM 428 has just departed Swanson.
Meanwhile, apparently two new Matangi sets (Wellington EMU’s) have landed at Port of Auckland.
Another double EMU set out west this morning, making two return Swanson trips again.
Frankly. the seating is far inferior and the curved nature of the seats on the side means there is actually less space to put your feet, which has the general effect of having less space. The seats are also mostly like sitting on a park bench… except even park benches have some sort of contours to them…
Oh, and there is less leg room.
They’re faster, quieter, and should be roomier but, ultimately, they are a gross disappointment.
Disagree here, I am tall and have no complaint about the leg space and the chairs are more comfortable due to extra (or perhaps unworn) seat padding. But all comes down to personal preference I suppose.
I agree, the EMU’s just have simple seats off the shelf from Spain. They are little more than an L shape, and with thin padding. The New Zealand made seats in the SA cars are far superior, with ergonomic design, thicker padding and they are taller for better back and neck support. I pointed all this out back when the mock up came out, but in the end they stuck with the cheap and nasty. The other notable difference is that although the overall ride quality is better, you notice the wheels going over track joints with a thump. Either the EMU suspension is very hard, or it’s a result of the less seat padding. I also find the cosy feel and warm lighting of the SA sets is better than the stark, bright white of the EMU’s, which are about as cosy as a hospital waiting room. Ideally, they would have had the EMU’s sent as shells, then get New Zealand suppliers to fit them out. But then nobody wants to support kiwi companies anymore.
I am a very fussy chair user, and padding is something I often complain about, but the EMU’s chairs have more padding than any bus or train I’ve previous been on. SA’s had barely any padding, felt like sitting on a plastic chair with a material cover and nothing much in-between.
The few times I’ve ridden the EMUs so far they’ve seemed comfortable enough, but I agree with Geoff that the SA seats are a lot nicer particularly if you’re going a reasonably long way. They just look a bit dated & dumpy ten years on.
Now to find some *really* uncomfortable seats, you’ll want to get on any of the newer crop of Auckland buses. I do harp on a bit about the square MAN buses we had from the late 1980s on, but I’m not sure why we have lost the art of making genuinely pleasant bus seating since those were (mostly) taken out of service.
I am 194cm tall and I don’t notice any discomfort at all. These seats are par for the course in overseas trains, at least in the ones I travelled on in Australia. The biggest difference is the air conditioning. It is a godsend. Especially when a huge crowd is on the train, like during the cricket world cup. I sweated profusely on the diesel trains but once I got onto the connecting EMU at Newmarket it was heavenly.
I was amazed this evening to be able to rife home to Greenlane on an electric train that was serving Britomart to Papakura via Newmarket. They may have dinner it before, but that is the first time I’ve seen one.
Had one tonight on the 1808 from Manurewa – replacing an SA
An electrified double-track railway line, especially a predominantly passenger (commuter) railway line, should not have any level crossings. Eliminating level crossings should simplify signalling and train control significantly and enable much higher-frequency scheduling and much better on-time performance. Is there anything in the AT/AC/Kiwirail/NZTA budgets to prioritise the elimination of level crossings on the Western Line?