View source for 4D (train)

{{Short description|Melbourne prototype double deck electric multiple unit}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Use Australian English|date=October 2013}}
{{Infobox train
| name = 4D
| image = Melbourne 4D Train.jpg
| caption = 4D train at [[Southern Cross railway station|Spencer Street]], 2000
| interiorimage = Lower Deck 4D 5000M.jpg
| interiorimagealt = 
| interiorcaption = Lower deck Interior showing passenger seats and stairs
| service = 1992-2002
| manufacturer = [[UGL Rail|A Goninan & Co]]
| ordernumber = 
| factory = [[Broadmeadow]]
| family = [[Sydney Trains T set|Tangara]]
| successor = 
| yearconstruction = 
| yearservice = 10 March 1992
| yearretired = 25 February 2002
| yearscrapped = 30 March 2006
| numberbuilt = 1
| numberscrapped = 1
| formation = 4 carriages
| fleetnumbers = 6000T-5000M-5002M-6002T
| capacity = 346 seated, 628 standing
| operator = [[Public Transport Corporation]]
| depots = [[Bayswater railway station, Melbourne|Bayswater]]
| lines = {{rcb|Melbourne|Lilydale|croute}} {{rcb|Melbourne|Belgrave|croute}}
| carbody = [[Stainless steel]]
| trainlength = 
| carlength = {{convert|20.32|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| width = {{convert|2.89|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| height = {{convert|4.27|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| floorheight = 
| platformheight = 
| entrylevelorstep = 
| doors = 4 twin-leaf plug doors per carriage
| wheeldiameter = {{convert|940|mm|in|0|abbr=on}}
| wheelbase = 
| maxspeed = {{convert|130|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|186|t}}
| axleload = 
| traction = [[Mitsubishi Electric|Mitsubishi]] [[Gate turn-off thyristor|GTO]]–4-quadrant [[Chopper (electronics)|chopper]] control
| traction motors = 8 × Mitsubishi MB-3303-B {{convert|170|kW|abbr=on|0}} 2-phase DC [[Brushed DC electric motor#Shunt wound motor|shunt-wound motor]]
| poweroutput = {{convert|1360|kW|0|abbr=on}}
| transmission = 4.94:1 (84:17) gear ratio<ref>{{cite web |title=Technical Report Vol.62 No.6 |url=https://www.giho.mitsubishielectric.co.jp/giho/pdf/backnumber/1988(vol62)/Vol62_06.pdf |website=[[Mitsubishi Electric]] |access-date=3 July 2024 |pages=53 - 58 |language=ja |date=June 1988}}</ref>
| acceleration = {{convert|0.75|m/s2|abbr=on}}
| deceleration = 
| aux = [[Toshiba]]
| hvac = 
| electricsystem = {{1,500 V DC}} (nominal) from [[Overhead line|overhead catenary]]
| collectionmethod = [[Pantograph (transport)|Pantograph]]
| uicclass = 2′2′+Bo′Bo′+Bo′Bo′+2′2′
| bogies = [[Nippon Sharyo]] bolsterless<ref>{{cite book |last1=Allen |first1=Geoffrey Freeman |title=Jane's World Railways 1991-92 |date=1 November 1991 |publisher=Jane's Information Group |isbn=9780710609557 |page=75 }}</ref>
| brakes = 
| safety = 
| coupling = [[Scharfenberg coupler]]
| multipleworking = 
| gauge = {{track gauge|1600mm|lk=on}}
}}

The '''4D''' was a prototype [[bilevel rail car|double deck]] [[electric multiple unit]] built for the [[Public Transport Corporation]] in [[Victoria, Australia]], for operation on the [[Railways in Melbourne|Melbourne railway system]]. It remains the only double deck train to have ever operated in Melbourne. The train's name stood for "Double Deck Development and Demonstration."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://vicsig.net/index.php?page=suburban&section=4d|title = VICSIG}}</ref>

Depending on sources, the intention was for this train to be the demonstration unit for a future order of either 20 or 50 extra sets, had the tests been successful.{{citation needed|date=July 2023}}

==Design==
[[File:Interior 4D 6000T.jpg|left|thumb|Vestibule, 6000T Interior looking at stairs, seats and door entrance, 2000]]
A tender for the design and construction of 19 double-deck trains was opened on 24 November 1989.<ref name="newsrailmar11">{{Victorian Rail-Newsrail|title=4D Double-Deck Development and Demonstration Train|author=John Scott|month=3|year=2011|pages=78–79}}</ref> The number of carriages to be built was at the discretion of the builder, however it had to comply with capacity and length requirements.<ref name=newsrailmar11/> By 11 April 1990, when the tender was closed, a number of tenders were received, including from [[Commonwealth Engineering|Comeng]] and [[UGL Rail|A Goninan & Co]].<ref name=newsrailmar11/> However, the project was stopped by the [[Government of Victoria|State Government]], due to financial constraints.<ref name=newsrailmar11/> Instead, [[Public Transport Corporation|The Met]] was granted approval to acquire a single double-deck train for evaluation purposes.<ref name=newsrailmar11/> A contract was signed with Goninan in late 1990, for the delivery of a four carriage set.<ref name=newsrailmar11/>

Built in [[Broadmeadow]], [[New South Wales]], it was delivered by rail into Melbourne on 10 December 1991.<ref>{{Victorian Rail-Newsrail|title=Introduction of Four D Train to Melbourne|month=11|year=1991|pages=348-349}}</ref><ref>Interstate Rolling Stock ''[[Railway Digest]]'' February 1992 page 73</ref> After being bogie exchanged, it was transferred to [[Jolimont Workshops]] on 18 December of the same year, for an inspection and final fit out.<ref name=newsrailmar11/> Funding for the train was supplied from both the Victorian and [[Government of Australia|Commonwealth]] governments.<ref name=RailwayDigest>Melbourne's double-deck experiment and Sydney's Millenium trains ''Railway Digest'' March 2003 pages 15-17</ref>

The train's design was based on the [[Sydney Trains T set|Tangara]] train being built by A Goninan & Co for [[CityRail]] in [[Sydney]], however it was similar only in terms of interior and exterior bodywork; the train's electrical system was much closer to that of the [[Comeng (train)|Comeng]] sets. The design was further modified for use on Melbourne's [[broad gauge]] track, and its control system was designed specifically to allow in-service coupling and operation with Comeng sets.<ref name=Vicsig>[http://www.vicsig.net/index.php?page=suburban&section=4d 4D train] Vicsig</ref> In addition, the individual carriages were narrower and shorter in both length and width against their predecessors, to fit the Melbourne loading gauge. Altogether, it was 78 metres long; same length as a four-car [[Harris (train)|Harris]] set, but seven metres shorter that a three-car [[Hitachi (Australian train)|Hitachi]] set.<ref name=newsrailmar11/>

It was manufactured from stainless steel and was fitted with air-conditioning, tinted windows, and inter-car doors, allowing passengers to access all carriages of the train. Much of the equipment matched Sydney's Tangara fleet, from the traction motors (8x MB 3303B) down to small fittings like console buttons.

The four-car set had a total passenger capacity of 974 passengers (346 seated and 628 standing); considerably more than a three-car [[Comeng (train)|Comeng]] train of similar length, which would only hold 763 passengers in crush load conditions, including 263 seated. However, the set had about the same seating capacity as a [[Tait (train)|Tait]] train - 10 seats per compartment, 34 compartments per four-carriage set, with no data available on crush loads.<ref name=RailwayDigest/>

As part of the trial, the [[Belgrave railway line|Belgrave]] and [[Lilydale railway line|Lilydale]] lines were selected as main testing grounds for the unit and necessary works were performed to accommodate the train's somewhat unconventional dimensions. Preparations for the train occurred at [[Flinders Street railway station|Flinders Street]] and near the [[Princes Bridge]] in May 1991, when the tracks were lowered.<ref name=newsrailmar11/> The [[Overhead line|overhead wire]] to [[Belgrave railway station|Belgrave]] and [[Lilydale railway station|Lilydale]] was also altered, including the power feeds, and platforms were cut back where required.<ref name=newsrailmar11/> It was known that the train was physically too large for the Jolimont tunnel between [[Jolimont railway station|Jolimont]] and [[West Richmond railway station|West Richmond]] stations, on the [[Hurstbridge railway line|Hurstbridge]] and [[Mernda railway line|Epping]] lines. Given that the train was a demonstrator, it was likely that production designs or future infrastructure plans would have dealt with this.

By early 1993, the Victorian Government had decided not to proceed with the acquisition of any further double deck trains, deciding infrastructure changes required to accommodate the larger trains were too expensive.<ref>"Melbourne abandons double deck plans" ''Railway Digest'' March 1993 page 84</ref>

==Service==
[[File:4D Cableless Flinders Street.jpg|thumb|Power car, 2000]]
[[File:4D Cutter.jpg|thumb|4D carriages being scrapped at Brooklyn Tip, March 2006]]
The unit broke from Melbourne tradition by being configured as Driving Trailer-Motor-Motor-Driving Trailer (D-TM-TM-D); all other sets in service at the time were configured as Driving Motor-Trailer-Driving Motor (M-T-M). In a further break from tradition, the 4D did not use the 'D' code for a driving trailer, instead it was coded simply as T-M-M-T. The car numbers were also placed far outside the usual range; the 4D was numbered as 6000T-5000M-5002M-6002T.

Most of the time the 4D was on the rails, it was parked in the [[Rail yard|stabling facilities]] at [[Bayswater railway station, Melbourne|Bayswater]], on the Belgrave line.

It first ran under its own power on 27 December 1991, when it conducted a test run to Lilydale and back. By January 1992, it was running tests coupled with a Comeng set, testing for performance, clearances and its effect on [[Railway signalling|signalling]]. By 28 January of the same year, it was conducting tests between [[Bunyip railway station|Bunyip]] and [[Longwarry railway station|Longwarry]], on the [[Gippsland railway line|Gippsland line]]. Testing continued through February 1992.<ref name=newsrailmar11/>

On 5 March 1992, it was officially launched. It departed Flinders Street in the morning, running to [[Parliament railway station|Parliament station]] to collect the Minister for Transport and the awaiting media, before proceeding to [[Ringwood railway station, Melbourne|Ringwood]]. On the return journey, it stopped at [[Box Hill railway station, Melbourne|Box Hill]] and [[Camberwell railway station, Melbourne|Camberwell]]. Throughout the remainder of the day, it conducted tours around the City Loop for Public Transport Corporation staff and their family members. Over the [[Labour Day]] weekend, this was repeated for the public.<ref name=newsrailmar11/>

It entered revenue service on 10 March 1992, after testing and a subsequent media launch.<ref name=Vicsig/> Eight trips were scheduled for its first day in service, the first being the 08:36 service from Flinders Street to Box Hill, followed by the 09:08 return, on which the train suffered door problems, the first of its many failures. This required the train to be removed from service at [[Camberwell railway station, Melbourne|Camberwell]], and the cancellation of the remaining trips.<ref name=newsrailmar11/>

Initially, the 4D was run coupled to a three-car Comeng set until 1996, when, after a troubled conversion to driver-only operation, it was permitted to operate on its own. Often as not, though, it was towed or pushed by a three or six-car Comeng set following a failure.

When the suburban system was split into two in 1998, in preparation for privatisation, it was allocated to Hillside Trains, which became [[Connex Melbourne|Connex]].

Throughout its 10 years in Melbourne, the 4D continued to be plagued by reliability issues that saw it constantly in and out of service. After its disappointing entry to service, the train saw little use and was in storage by 1999. It was revived in June 2000, but lasted only a year.<ref name=newsrailmar11/>

A final attempt was made on 22 February 2002 to return the set to service, but after three days, it again failed, and was placed back in storage, never to operate in revenue service again.<ref>[http://www.vicsig.net/photo.php?filename=20020222_4d_laburnam-gl.jpg Vicsig photo: "The 4D lasted 3 days in service during 2002. It is shown here on a Blackburn to Flinders St service at Laburnum" - Friday, 22 February 2002]</ref><ref>[http://www.vicsig.net/photo.php?filename=20020324-rwd-hitachi-4d.jpg Vicsig photo: "The 4D withdrawn and stored at Ringwood" 24 March 2002]</ref><ref name=newsrailmar11/>

==Disposal==
Ownership of the 4D was transferred back to the Victorian Government's [[Department of Infrastructure (Victoria)|Department of Infrastructure]], and the set was moved under its own power to [[Newport Workshops]] in December 2002, for long-term storage.<ref>[http://www.vicsig.net/photo.php?filename=20021214-nps-4d.jpg Vicsig photo: "The 4D in storage at Newport Workshops" - 14 December 2002]</ref>

By 2004, the set, which was once stored near the [[Australian Railway Historical Society]]'s [[Newport Railway Museum|railway museum]], was transferred to the western side of the workshops, for a potential return to revenue service. However, this did not eventuate, and the 4D remained in storage.<ref name=newsrailmar11/>

In 2006, the 4D was purchased by [[RailCorp]] and stripped of parts compatible with the Tangaras. It was transferred by [[El Zorro (railway)|El Zorro]] to metal recyclers [[Sims Metal]], [[Brooklyn, Victoria|Brooklyn]] for scrapping.<ref>Melbourne 4DD train scrapped ''Railway Digest'' May 2006 page 17</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline}}

{{Victorian rolling stock|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Double-decker EMUs]]
[[Category:Electric multiple units of Victoria (state)]]
[[Category:Melbourne rail rollingstock]]
[[Category:Train-related introductions in 1992]]
[[Category:1500 V DC multiple units of Australia]]