A Comeng test train fitted with upgraded communications equipment has begun taking passengers on Victoria’s Metro network.
The test train comes before a progressive roll-out to 29 trains over the next 12 months.
The upgrades have been designed to give passengers clearer and simpler journey information to get them where they need to go.
The upgrades include a range of features like real-time high definition information, colour passenger information displays with dynamic route maps and clearer destination screens on the outside of trains.
Metro CEO, Raymond O’Flaherty, said, “Monitoring trains in real-time will lead to a safer and better performing railway – that’s great news for passengers.
“Using real-time data means a smarter approach to train maintenance and fewer faults impacting passengers.”
High definition CCTV cameras with better clarity and a wider field of view will also be installed.
There will also be improvements to hearing aid links for audio announcements for greater accessibility and upgraded speakers for clearer on-board audio announcements.
The upgrades are part of the third stage of the Victorian Government’s $75 million investment to modernise the workhorse Comeng fleet, which first entered service in 1982.
Victorian Minister for Public Transport, Melissa Horne, said, “We’ve invested a record amount into new rolling stock and we’re modernising our current fleet to give passengers a better ride.
“By upgrading critical systems, passengers will have clearer, simpler information and more reliable services so they can get home sooner.”
Stage three of the upgrades also include upgrades to the air compression system powering the brakes, doors, pantographs and traction systems.
Metro is also retrofitting thousands of wireless data recorders to the X’Trapolis and Siemens fleets, allowing engineers to monitor the condition of key train systems in real-time and prevent faults before they occur.
The current Comeng life extension project began in 2017, with stages one and two now complete.
Upgrades already complete include safety upgrades to the Comeng’s doors, upgrading the interiors and exteriors of the trains and enclosing the walkways between the carriages.
