New Zealand AM class electric multiple unit

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New Zealand AM class electric multiple unit
Exterior of the EMU at Puhinui railway station
AM 103 at Puhinui station
Auckland EMU interior
Interior
In service 2014
Manufacturer CAF
Built at Beasain, Spain
Family name CxK
Replaced ADK, ADL class DMUs
SA, SX class locomotive hauled carriages
Constructed 2013 - 2015
Entered service 2014 - current
Number built 57
Number in service 57
Formation 1 AMA (driving motor) + 1 AMT (trailer) + 1 AMP (driving motor/pantograph), per set[1]
Capacity 230 seated, 143 standing, 373 total[2]
Operator(s) Transdev Auckland
Depot(s) Wiri
Line(s) served Eastern Line
Onehunga Line
Southern Line
Western Line
Specifications
Car body construction Stainless steel[2]
Train length 71.8 m (235 ft 7 in) per set[3]
Car length 24.3 m (79 ft 9 in) (AMA, AMP), 23.2 m (76 ft 1 in)
Width 2.76 m (9 ft 1 in)
Height 3.99 m (13 ft 1 in) (over Pantograph Lowered)
Floor height 1.10 m (3 ft 7 in) (Standard Floor Level), 0.75 m (2 ft 6 in) (Low Floor Section)
Platform height 0.75 m (2 ft 6 in)
Doors 4 × twin doors (2 per side) per car, push-button opening [2]
Maximum speed 110 km/h (68 mph)[2]
Weight 132 t (130 long tons; 146 short tons) per set, Tare.
Power output 1,520 kW (2,038 hp)[1]
Acceleration 1 m/s2 (3.3 ft/s2)[2]
Deceleration 1 m/s2 (3.3 ft/s2)[2]
Electric system(s) 25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead
Current collection method Pantograph
AAR wheel arrangement Bo−Bo + 2−2 + Bo−Bo
Safety system(s) ETCS (to application level 1)
Coupling system Scharfenberg
Multiple working Within class only
Track gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)

The New Zealand AM class of electric multiple unit (EMU) was constructed for the electrification of Auckland's railway network. The class was introduced in 2014[4] with the first unit having arrived in September 2013.[5] The units are classified AM (Auckland Metro), with the driving motor car with pantograph classified AMP, the middle trailer car AMT and the driving motor car without pantograph AMA.[1] The trains are operated by Transdev Auckland for Auckland Transport under the AT Metro brand.

History

In February 2010, an "industry engagement document" preceding the formal call for tenders was published, calling for 114 EMU cars in 38 three-car sets, capable of being coupled as six-car trains, the maximum Auckland's stations can handle. The tender also included 13 electric locomotives. The sets would have seated around 240 passengers. While the document specified only a small number of elements, it required a speed of 110 km/h for fully laden trains, a minimum design life of 35 years and the ability to climb the steep grades of the proposed city link. The expected value of the contract was approximately $500 million.[6][7]

In December 2010, there was concern that government handling of the tender could be placing the process into doubt, with four tenderers out of the ten shortlisted having withdrawn. One of them, Bombardier Transportation, criticised the government for initially shortlisting four companies then extending it to ten, which in their view created a lack of confidence in the tendering process.[8] Also criticised has been the fact that KiwiRail had "effectively prevented" their facilities in Hillside and Lower Hutt from tendering for the contract or parts of the contract, settling for encouraging overseas tenderers to include some local component. This, together with the refusal to allow local manufacturing to build railway wagons, was seen by groups such as unions and newspaper commenters as a sign that KiwiRail/the Government was unwilling to support New Zealand rail manufacturing.[9]

In April 2011, it was confirmed that the shortlist had been reduced to two, with the contract expected to be awarded several months later. Still uncertain was ownership of the trains, with Auckland Transport preferring to take ownership rather than being owned by KiwiRail. The Rail & Maritime Transport Union favoured this course, as it would ensure that they cannot be sold by the government at a later stage.[7] Auckland Council transport committee chairman Mike Lee noted that it would be inappropriate that Auckland would be expected to pay back a government loan for the trains (unlike recent Wellington train purchases), yet could end up not owning the trains.[10]

In August 2011, it was confirmed that the tender specification had been changed to 57 three-car EMUs (approximately 50% more than before) and no locomotives, reducing long-term maintenance costs.[11] All trains would be able to use the City Rail Link, which might not have been possible for locomotive-hauled carriages as they would not have met performance and fire rating requirements.[12] The purchase price includes a 12-year maintenance contract.[11] On the funding side, after long negotiations between Auckland Council/Auckland Transport and the government, it was declared that the trains would be owned by Auckland, with Auckland paying approximately half of the cost from rates, as well as paying annual track access charges to KiwiRail and any potential purchase price increases as the winning tenderer is finalised.[11]

On 6 October 2011 it was announced that Spanish rolling stock builder Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF) had been selected. Further information regarding the trains was also released, including artist's impressions resembling the Class 4000 DMUs for NI Railways, built by CAF.[13][14]

File:Auckland EMU mockup.jpg
Exterior of mockup, MOTAT.
File:Auckland EMU mock-up interior, Auckland waterfront, 12 June 2012.jpg
Interior of mock-up, Auckland waterfront, 12 June 2012.

A mock-up was unveiled in June 2012,[15] and was on display at MOTAT. The mock-up is a hybrid of motor car and trailer sections - the actual layout is different, with greater length in each section.

Production of the first unit was underway in October 2012.[16] In mid 2013, it was announced that the first train had been shipped, and was to arrive in Auckland by September 2013.[17] It arrived at the Ports of Auckland on 24 August 2013.[18][19][20]

The class was designed with the City Rail Link in mind, which will extend the underground operation of the 57 units and any future suburban stock considerably.

Introduction

The first unit was transferred to the purpose-built Wiri depot on 26 August 2013.[21] It was certified at the depot before being officially unveiled on 12 September.[21][22]

The next units arrived in Auckland in November 2013, with two sets due to arrive every month December 2013 - November 2014, four each month December 2014 - July 2015.[21][not in citation given]

File:AMT Interior April 2014.JPG
Inside an AM on the first day of revenue service.

The first revenue service ran on 28 April 2014 on the Onehunga Line, following a public open day the preceding day on which the trains were used to run free shuttle services between Britomart and Newmarket.[23] Electric Eastern Line services commenced on 15 September 2014 as far as Manukau;[21][not in citation given] Eastern Line services to Papakura were diverted to terminate at Manukau from 8 December 2014, completing the Eastern Line electrification.[24]

Electric Southern Line services to Papakura commenced on 15 January 2015,[25][not in citation given] running two return off-peak services on weekdays. The final line, the Western Line, is planned to commence later in July 2015.[24] From 16 May 2015, all weekend services, with the exception of the shuttle service between Papakura and Pukekohe are now operated by electric trains, including the Western Line.

Electric trains were fully introduced into daily services across the Auckland electrified rail network on 20 July 2015. Electric trains operate as far as Swanson on the Western Line and as far as Papakura on the Southern Line.[26]

Footnotes

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "at" defined multiple times with different content
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ https://at.govt.nz/bus-train-ferry/service-announcements/train-changes-from-monday-20-july-2015/ Auckland Transport. 9 July 2015. Retrieved 12 July 2015.

External links

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