New South Wales Xplorer

Xplorer

Xplorer at Sydney Central in original
CountryLink livery in October 2006

Interior of a refurbished economy class carriage
In service October 1993
Manufacturer ABB Transportation
Built at Dandenong
Entered service 199395
Number built 23 cars
Formation 2–4 cars
Fleet numbers EA 2501-2508, EB 2511-2517, EC 2521-2528
Capacity 42 First (EA) 66 Economy (EB) 50 Economy (EC)
Operator(s) NSW TrainLink
Depot(s) Xplorer-Endeavour Service Centre
Line(s) served Main Northern
Main Western
Main Southern
Specifications
Car length 25.250 m (82 ft 10 in)
Width 2.921 m (9 ft 7 in)
Height 4.11 m (13 ft 6 in)
Maximum speed 145 km/h (90 mph)
Weight 57 tonnes (56 long tons; 63 short tons)
Prime mover(s) Cummins KTA-19R (one per car)
Power output 383 kW (514 hp) per car
Transmission Voith Turbo T311r KB260
Auxiliaries Cummins LT10R(G) 181 hp (135 kW)
Bogies PJA (Power) NJA (Trailer)
Coupling system Scharfenberg
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 12 in)

The Xplorer is a diesel multiple unit train operated by NSW TrainLink on regional rail services in New South Wales from Sydney to Armidale, Moree, Broken Hill, Griffith and Canberra. The first Xplorers entered service in October 1993, and are mechanically identical to but feature a higher level of passenger amenity than the Endeavour railcars. All 23 carriages were built by ABB Transportation in Dandenong, Victoria.

History

Following the election of the Greiner State Government in March 1988, consultants Booz Allen Hamilton were commissioned to prepare a report into NSW rail services. On purely economic grounds, the report recommended closing all country passenger services as they were judged unviable, however this was not politically acceptable.[1] If services were to be maintained, the report recommended an 'all XPT' option supported by an expanded coach network.

This option was taken up by the government and a new timetable introduced in February 1990. One of the casualties was the Northern Tablelands Express from Sydney to Armidale which was operated on alternate days by a locomotive hauled HUB/RUB set and XPT. This was truncated back to Tamworth allowing it to be operated by one XPT as a day return service. A road coach from Sydney to Armidale was introduced. Another service to be replaced by coach was the Werris Creek to Moree connecting service that was operated by a DEB set.[2]

After suffering a number of losses in northern NSW electorates where services were cut during the March 1990 Federal Election, the National Party decided a policy reversal was needed. In June 1990 the government announced that it would purchase 17 Xplorer carriages to reintroduce services to Armidale and Moree and replace locomotive hauled stock and coaches on services to Canberra. This would release an XPT to operate a daily service to Grafton.[3][4] The Xplorers entered service on the North Western service in October 1993[5] and on the Canberra service in December 1993.[6] In November 1994 the government ordered a further four Xplorer carriages.[7]

From May 2000 Xplorers took over the weekly services to Griffith and Broken Hill.[8][9]

Service

CountryLink Xplorer in Goulburn in March 2012 painted in the final CountryLink livery

The XPLORERs currently operate on these services out of Sydney:

Carriages

Coding for the carriages are as follows:

Carriage numbering is as follows:

EA 2508 and EC 2528 used to be Endeavour railcars LE 2815 and TE 2865. They became available following the electrification of the Illawarra line from Dapto to Kiama, and were converted to Xplorers by Bombardier Transportation, Dandenong.

Each car is powered by a Cummins KTA-19R diesel engine rated at 383 kW at 1800rpm coupled to a Voith T311r hydraulic transmission driving both axles on one bogie via Voith Turbo V15/19 final drives. The transmission incorporates a Voith KB260/r hydrodynamic brake. This traction package gives the Xplorer a maximum speed of 160 km/h (100 mph) but in service this is limited to 145 km/h (90 mph). An auxiliary 135 kW Cummins LT10R(G) diesel engine drives a Newage Stamford UCI274F alternator to supply power for the air conditioning and lighting.[13]

Refurbishment

In October 2006 RailCorp issued a tender for the refurbishment of the Xplorer and Endeavour railcars. The contract specified new seating, buffet upgrades, new carpets, toilet upgrades, DVA upgrades, extended booked luggage section, and more wheelchair spaces for the trains. Bombardier Transportation, Downer Rail and United Group Rail responded, with Bombardier being the successful bidder. All units were repainted into new CountryLink colours. The refurbishment started in mid-2007 and concluded at the end of 2008. After the creation of NSW TrainLink, the CountryLink branding was removed from the trains.


References

  1. "CountryLink 2000" Railway Digest August 1989
  2. "The New Timetable" Railway Digest March 1990
  3. "New Trains for Northern NSW" Sydney Morning Herald 13 June 1990
  4. New "Explorer" trains for NSW Railway Digest July 1990
  5. "Xplorer Enters Service" Railway Digest November 1993
  6. "No Big Bang for Canberra Xplorers" Railway Digest December 1993
  7. "More Xplorer & Endeavour Cars Ordered" Railway Digest December 1994
  8. "CountryLink Loco-Hauled Services Cancelled" Railway Digest May 2000
  9. "Griffith Xplorer Launched" Railway Digest June 2000 page 6
  10. North West timetable NSW TrainLink
  11. 1 2 Southern timetable NSW TrainLink
  12. Western timetable NSW TrainLink
  13. Xplorer/Endeavour Operating Manual. ABB Transportation. 1994.
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