Transperth Trains

Transperth Trains

A-series trains at Perth station in January 2005
Overview
Owner Public Transport Authority
Locale Perth
Transit type Commuter Rail
Number of lines 7
Number of stations 70 (3 underground)
Annual ridership 64.2 million (June 2015)
Operation
Began operation 1998
Operator(s) Transperth
Technical
System length 180.8 km (112.3 mi)
Track gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)

Transperth Trains is a division of Public Transport Authority of Western Australia. It is responsible for operating Perth’s urban passenger rail system, as part of the Transperth network.

History

The Fremantle to Guildford line commenced operating as a steam-powered service in March 1881, followed by the Perth to Armadale line in May 1889, and the Perth to Joondalup line (now Butler) in 1993 and the Perth to Mandurah line in December 2007. The Fremantle line service ceased in September 1979 but was reinstated in July 1983.[1] Diesel trains were used on the rail network until the three lines then in service, the Armadale, Fremantle and Midland, were electrified in the early 1990s.

The first service with the A-series train was introduced in September 1991, with regular services beginning on the Armadale line on 7 October 1991. The Midland and Fremantle lines commenced service with the then-new A-series trains in December 1991.

The conversion from diesel to electric trains was accompanied by many upgrades to the rail network, such as upgrades to stations and tracks, and the cost of the undertaking was estimated at around $109 million.

Northern Suburbs Transit System

Further information: Northern Suburbs Transit System

The Northern Suburbs Transit System was the name given to the project to provide high-speed passenger rail services to the northern corridor of metropolitan Perth. To service the expanding northern suburbs, Joondalup line was built in the median of the Mitchell Freeway in the early 1990s, after several years of planning.[2] The line was later extended to Currambine in 1993, to Clarkson in 2004 and Butler in 2014.

Mandurah Line

Further information: Mandurah railway line

Legislation for the construction of the Mandurah Line was passed in December 1999.[3] The original proposed route branched from the Armadale line at Kenwick, and then ran alongside the freight lines until Jandakot where it would run in the middle of the Kwinana Freeway. However, a bill passed in November 2002 after a change of state government saw that the route would start at Perth, traverse the Kwinana Freeway, and then continue along its initial route after Jandakot.[4]

Construction of the line started in February 2004 and it opened on 23 December 2007.[5]

Thornlie Spur

Because the government did not begin its review of the Mandurah Line masterplan until after construction had begun, the tunnel under the Roe Highway had already been constructed. To make use of the new tunnel, the government decided to convert this section into a small spur line to Thornlie.

It was decided that Armadale trains would alternate with Thornlie trains, with the Thornlie trains stopping at all stations and Armadale trains only stopping at Oats Street and Cannington stations. Thornlie station opened on 7 August 2005.

New MetroRail

A geographic Transperth Trains services map
Armadale
Butler
Clarkson

Fremantle
Joondalup
Mandurah
Midland
Perth

Thornlie
Rockingham
A geographic Transperth Trains services map
Further information: New MetroRail

In 2003, the government launched the New MetroRail program as the official name of the upgrades to the rail network. This program included the following projects:

Future expansion

In the 2009–10 state budget funding was allocated for extending the Joondalup line north to Butler, with construction scheduled to start in 2010.[6] In addition, the Airport Masterplan calls for a spur line from the Midland Line to connect to Perth Airport. The line would deviate between Bayswater and Ashfield stations, run through the suburb of Redcliffe.

While this link has been the subject of studies and plans since at least 2008[7] and appeared in the PTA 2010[8] report it has disappeared entirely from the 2011 report.[9]

A link to Ellenbrook had been promised by Premier Alan Carpenter and Opposition Leader Colin Barnett prior to the 2008 elections however this had evaporated by 2011.[10]

Former Premier Alan Carpenter had announced a study on the feasibility of a high-speed rail service running from Perth to the south city of Bunbury as a replacement of the current Australind train service. The study stated a new line could be built just after Cockburn Central station on the Mandurah line, then following the Kwinana Freeway south to the new Perth-Bunbury Highway and following the highway until it reaches Bunbury.

In 2011, the Public Transport Authority announced that the Joondalup line would be extended to Butler. Butler opened on 21 September 2014.[11]

In August 2014, the government announced the Forrestfield-Airport Link would be constructed providing a service to Perth Airport and Forrestfield.[12][13] Construction commenced officially in November in 2016, with the line due to open in 2020.[14]

Current system

Route

Transperth runs five train lines with one spur line. These lines are:

All of the above services except the Prospector and AvonLink run on 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) narrow-gauge tracks. The Prospector and AvonLink run on 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 12 in) standard gauge tracks and takes the same route as the Midland line services. Consequently, the track between East Perth and Midland is dual gauge.

Stations

Transperth serves the following railway stations:

Armadale/Thornlie Line Fremantle Line Joondalup Line Mandurah Line Midland Line
20 stations 17 stations 13 stations 11 stations 15 stations
Perth Bus transfer Transwa
McIver
Claisebrook
Swan River
Stadium
formerly Belmont Park
Special event station
Burswood
Victoria Park
Carlisle
Oats Street Bus transfer CircleRoute
Welshpool
Queens Park
Cannington Bus transfer
Beckenham
Canning River
Thornlie Bus transfer
Kenwick
Maddington Bus transfer
Canning River
Gosnells Bus transfer
Seaforth
Kelmscott Bus transfer
Challis
Sherwood
Armadale Bus transfer Transwa
Perth Bus transfer Transwa
City West
West Leederville
Subiaco Bus transfer
Daglish
Shenton Park Bus transfer CircleRoute
Karrakatta
Loch Street
Showgrounds
Special events only
Special event station
Claremont Bus transfer
Swanbourne
Grant Street
Cottesloe Bus transfer
Mosman Park
Victoria Street
North Fremantle
Swan River
Fremantle Bus transfer CircleRoute
Yanchep
Eglinton
Alkimos
Brighton
Butler Bus transfer
Clarkson Bus transfer
Currambine
Joondalup Bus transfer
Edgewater
Whitfords Bus transfer
Greenwood
Warwick Bus transfer
Stirling Bus transfer CircleRoute
Glendalough Bus transfer

Leederville
Perth Bus transfer Transwa
Elizabeth Quay Bus transfer
Perth Bus transfer Transwa
Elizabeth Quay Bus transfer
Swan River
South Perth
(proposed)
Canning Bridge Bus transfer
Canning River
Bull Creek Bus transfer
Murdoch Bus transfer CircleRoute
Cockburn Central Bus transfer
Aubin Grove
Mandogalup
Kwinana Bus transfer
Wellard Bus transfer
Rockingham Bus transfer
Warnbro Bus transfer
Karnup
Lakelands
Mandurah Bus transfer
Midland Bus transfer Transwa Indian Pacific
Woodbridge
East Guildford
Guildford
Swan River
Success Hill
Bassendean Bus transfer
Ashfield

Forrestfield
Consolidated Airport Perth Airport
Airport West
Swan River

Bayswater Bus transfer CircleRoute
Meltham
Maylands
Mount Lawley
East Perth Transwa Indian Pacific
Claisebrook
McIver
Perth Bus transfer Transwa
Stations in italics are under planning or under construction. They are not included in the total number of stations as specified in this table.

Bus transfer – station has a connecting bus service
Special event station – special event station
– Free Transit Zone

CircleRoute – station has a CircleRoute connection
Transwa – station has a Transwa connection
Indian Pacific – station has an Indian Pacific connection

Patronage

Transperth Trains patronage
YearPatronage±%
2003–04 31,114,975    
2004–05 32,652,117+4.9%
2005–06 34,132,593+4.5%
2006–07 35,757,833+4.8%
2007–08 42,636,075+19.2%
2008–09 54,749,770+28.4%
2009–10 56,408,742+3.0%
2010–11 58,867,780+4.4%
2011–12 63,029,878+7.1%
2012–13 65,689,337+4.2%
2013–14 63,491,683−3.3%
2014–15 64,224,895+1.2%
Source: The Public Transport Authority of Western Australia

Below is the annual patronage of each railway line as of the 2014/15 financial year. Figures are provided as total boardings, which includes all fare-paying boardings and free travel on stations within the free transit zones as well as transfers between stations. The figures for rail replacement and special events services are included in the total but not allocated to any railway line.[15]

Transperth Trains annual patronage (2014–2015)
Railway line/services Patronage %
Mandurah 20,699,900 32% 32
 
Joondalup 17,105,797 27% 27
 
Armadale/Thornlie 9,066,797 14% 14
 
Fremantle 8,228,255 13% 13
 
Midland 6,661,434 10% 10
 
Rail replacement/special services 2,462,712 4% 4
 
Total annual patronage 100% 64,224,895

Fleet

Current fleet

A-series EMU

A-series at Claisebrook in September 2006
B and A-series trains at Claisebrook Depot in July 2005

The A-series electric multiple-unit sets are two-car trains with a driver’s cab at each end. They were built by ABB and Walkers in Maryborough, Queensland.

The A-series sets were built for the electrification of Perth’s suburban railway system in the early 1990s and the Joondalup line, which was being constructed in the same period. The first was delivered on 1 September 1990. The original order for 43 first-generation trains were followed by an additional order for 5 second-generation trains due to the Joondalup line exceeding passenger estimates. Delivered in 1998, the second-generation trains differ in having LED screens and other upgrades to security and accessibility. A-series sets can be coupled to form four or six carriage sets.

B-series EMU

Introduced in October 2004, the B-series are the newest electric trains to operate in Perth. They were built by Bombardier Transportation and Downer Rail in Maryborough, Queensland, and operate on the Joondalup and Mandurah lines.

Each sets consists of three carriages. The powered 'A' and 'B' cars each have a driver’s cab, while the central 'T' car is entirely devoted to passengers, and supplies power from overhead lines to the powered cars. The B-series trains operate as three, six and nine carriage sets. They have a top speed of 130 km/h.

On 19 September 2006 Premier Alan Carpenter, announced that the Public Transport Authority would purchase another 15 new 3-car sets from the EDI Rail-Bombardier Transportation joint venture. The first three B-series railcar sets were introduced on 28 June 2009 and have allowed some of the A-series trains to be transferred to the Midland-Fremantle line. As more sets become available, they will allow the remaining two-car A-series trains currently being used on the Perth-Butler line to increase total capacity for the Armadale-Perth and Midland-Fremantle services, with an overall increase of 3,900 passengers, or more than 30%. By January 2016 66 sets will be in service.

Diesel locomotive

Transperth purchased a GE U20C, originally from Kereta Api Indonesia, from Greentrains in 2014 for use as a shunter at Claisebrook depot.

Future fleet

50 new six carriage trains are planned to enter service between 2018 and 2028.

Past fleet

Transperth operated diesel multiple units prior to the introduction of electric trains in 1992.

Two sets of SX carriages were leased from Queensland Rail in 1986. They were originally intennded for use during the 1987 America's Cup but remained in Perth until 1991.

Following the separation from Westrail, Transperth retained an MA class diesel-hydraulic locomotive for shunting at Claisebrook depot. It was withdrawn in 2014.

Depots

Transperth trains run from two main depots and one minor depot:

See also

References

  1. Mees, Paul (2009). Transport for Surburbia: Beyond the Automobile Age. Routledge. ISBN 978 1844077403.
  2. Transport 2000 – A Perth Study, Northern Suburbs Rapid Transit Study (File 8722/1). Perth, Western Australia: Department of Transport, Government of Western Australia. 1987. Accessed at State Records Office of Western Australia, Perth
  3. "PTA History at a Glance, 1976 to 2000".
  4. "PTA History at a Glance, 2001 to Present".
  5. "1500 people take the first Perth to Mandurah train journey". Archived from the original on 24 December 2007. Retrieved 23 December 2007.
  6. "2009-10 State Budget: Transport initiatives designed to keep Western Australia moving". Public Transport Authority. 18 May 2009. Archived from the original on 22 May 2009. Retrieved 14 June 2009.
  7. Judge airport rail link fairly: Labor
  8. Infrastructure Planning and Land Services
  9. Infrastructure Planning and Land Services
  10. When is a promise, a broken promise?
  11. "Butler train station and extension project". Retrieved 19 November 2013.
  12. 8km Forrestfield-Airport Link tunnel revealed Government of Western Australia 9 August 2014
  13. Perth rail link approved Railway Gazette International 13 August 2014
  14. Forrestfield-Airport Link Public Transport Authority August 2014
  15. Annual Report for year ended 30 June 2015 Public Transport Authority
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