Victorian Railways power vans
Encyclopedia
The Victorian Railways
of Australia
and successors have utilised a number of different types of railway carriages and wagons
for the supply of head end power
to passenger trains on the Victorian railway network
.
When passengers in trains around the world began to enjoy comforts such as heating and cooling, lights and other features, the Victorian Railways began to experiment, with axle mounted generators, eventually settling on head end power (HEP) as a source for this equipment. In more recent times, vans have been specially built for the purpose of supplying HEP, or special generators are fitted to locomotives (the N and P classes)
By the mid-1980s, passenger trains within Victoria almost always required head-end power (HEP), as the wooden cars were phased out. While a number of trains had self-contained generator supplies, the majority required HEP from outside sources. The N and P class locomotives were fitted with HEP generators, but if another locomotive were to haul the train, there would be no power supply to the train.
To this end, three freight vans were fitted with generator sets and suitable cables in 1984. The corrugated roofs were replaced with sheet metal. The vans were coded PH and numbered 451, 452 and 453. They were converted from VLPY freight wagons 139, 140 and 142 respectively, and appeared in a grey livery. These vans are all in service on the broad gauge today, in a plain blue livery. In late 2009/early 2010, PH 454 was created from DN 404, and it appears in a grey livery.
While not HEP vans, these wagons are worthy of mention. The D vans were conversion from VBPY, VBAX & VBAY vans in 1983. D Vans were commonly seen on locomotive hauled V/Line services when extra luggage space was required.
When HEP cabling between a loco and carriage set was introduced, the D vans were modified, with cabling that could link a locomotive and a carriage set, so as to allow the locomotive's HEP unit to power the carriage set without requiring removal of the van. The D vans, once modified, were reclassed as DT.
The DN Vans are exactly the same as D Vans, except that when they were released after conversion from VBPY vans in 1984, they were already fitted with through cabling. Because of this, they do not have a "T" on their number boards.
V/Line have three DN vans. DN 401 and 402 have not been seen in a long time, but there is no indication that they have been scrapped. DN 403 IS stored at Newport Workshops
, and it has been there for so long that it still wears the original "V/LINE" orange livery, implying it has not been repainted, or used, since 1995. Until recently DN 403 was kept near DN 404, but that van was recently converted to PH454.
The remainder of the DT vans are in service in a plain red livery or in the former West Coast Railway
livery.
, and three for the Spirit of Progress
. The former three were numbered PHN 2361 - PHN 2363, while the latter three were PHN 2369 - PHN 2371.
PHN 2370 was destroyed in the Violet Town collision in 1969
. This van was replaced by PHN 2381, which was built in 1970. In 1981, PHN 2362 and 2363 were renumbered to 2862 and 2863 respectively.
By the mid-60s, The Overland, which ran between Melbourne and Adelaide, required HEP for heating and lighting, because the train was no longer hauled by steam engines which could supply these two features.
As a result, the two railways between them built four PCO vans, numbered 1 - 4. They were Joint Stock vehicles owned and maintained by the VR and South Australian Railways
, and their later incarnations of VicRail and V/Line (VR), and Australian National (SAR).
In addition to a guards compartment and baggage area, these vans were fitted with diesel generators. During 1995, V/line took over control of PCO 1 and 3. These vans became PCJ 491 and 492 respectively. PCO 2 was purchased by West Coast Railway
in the 1990s and on their withdrawal was acquired by V/Line in 2004, in 2009 it was refurbished and renumbered to PCJ493. PCO 4 was refurbished and re-entered service with Great Southern Railway
in 2007.
PCO 4 is in plain grey, PCO 2 is in a variant of the current V/Line grey and red passenger stock livery, and the two original PCJ vans are in a plain grey V/Line livery with old style logos. By late 2009 all four vehicles will be on the Standard Gauge; the three vans with V/Line will be used on their Melbourne-Albury services.
Victorian Railways
The Victorian Railways operated railways in the Australian state of Victoria from 1859 to 1983. The first railways in Victoria were private companies, but when these companies failed or defaulted, the Victorian Railways was established to take over their operations...
of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and successors have utilised a number of different types of railway carriages and wagons
Railroad car
A railroad car or railway vehicle , also known as a bogie in Indian English, is a vehicle on a rail transport system that is used for the carrying of cargo or passengers. Cars can be coupled together into a train and hauled by one or more locomotives...
for the supply of head end power
Head end power
Head end power or electric train supply is a rail transport term for the electrical power distribution system on a passenger train. The power source, usually a locomotive at the front or “head” of a train or a generator car, generates all the electricity used for lighting, electrical and other...
to passenger trains on the Victorian railway network
Rail transport in Victoria
Rail transport in Victoria, Australia, is provided by a number of railway operators who operate over the government-owned railway lines. Victorian lines use broad gauge, with the exception of a number of standard gauge freight and interstate lines, a few experimental narrow gauge lines, and...
.
When passengers in trains around the world began to enjoy comforts such as heating and cooling, lights and other features, the Victorian Railways began to experiment, with axle mounted generators, eventually settling on head end power (HEP) as a source for this equipment. In more recent times, vans have been specially built for the purpose of supplying HEP, or special generators are fitted to locomotives (the N and P classes)
PH Vans
To this end, three freight vans were fitted with generator sets and suitable cables in 1984. The corrugated roofs were replaced with sheet metal. The vans were coded PH and numbered 451, 452 and 453. They were converted from VLPY freight wagons 139, 140 and 142 respectively, and appeared in a grey livery. These vans are all in service on the broad gauge today, in a plain blue livery. In late 2009/early 2010, PH 454 was created from DN 404, and it appears in a grey livery.
D, DT & DN Vans
When HEP cabling between a loco and carriage set was introduced, the D vans were modified, with cabling that could link a locomotive and a carriage set, so as to allow the locomotive's HEP unit to power the carriage set without requiring removal of the van. The D vans, once modified, were reclassed as DT.
The DN Vans are exactly the same as D Vans, except that when they were released after conversion from VBPY vans in 1984, they were already fitted with through cabling. Because of this, they do not have a "T" on their number boards.
V/Line have three DN vans. DN 401 and 402 have not been seen in a long time, but there is no indication that they have been scrapped. DN 403 IS stored at Newport Workshops
Newport Railway Workshops
The Newport Railway Workshops is a facility in the Melbourne suburb of Newport, Victoria, Australia, that builds, maintains and refurbishes railway rollingstock. It is located between the Williamstown and Werribee railway lines.-History:...
, and it has been there for so long that it still wears the original "V/LINE" orange livery, implying it has not been repainted, or used, since 1995. Until recently DN 403 was kept near DN 404, but that van was recently converted to PH454.
The remainder of the DT vans are in service in a plain red livery or in the former West Coast Railway
West Coast Railway (Victoria)
West Coast Railway was the trading name of The Victorian Railway Company Pty Ltd, a railway company operating in Victoria, Australia. The company operated passenger services between Melbourne and Warrnambool from 1993 to 2004.-History:...
livery.
PHN vans
The PHN class were Standard Gauge Joint Stock owned by New South Wales and Victoria. They were steel fluted sided vans, and ran between Sydney and Melbourne, on trains such as the Southern Aurora. Six were built from 1961, three for the Southern AuroraSouthern Aurora
The Southern Aurora was a named express passenger train that operated between the cities of Melbourne, Victoria, and Sydney, New South Wales, in Australia. First-class throughout, including the dining facilities, the Southern Aurora featured all-sleeper accommodation...
, and three for the Spirit of Progress
Spirit of Progress
The Spirit of Progress was the premier express train passenger service on the Victorian Railways in Australia, running from Melbourne to the Victorian border, and later through to Sydney.-Route:...
. The former three were numbered PHN 2361 - PHN 2363, while the latter three were PHN 2369 - PHN 2371.
PHN 2370 was destroyed in the Violet Town collision in 1969
Violet Town railway disaster
The Violet Town rail accident, also known as the Southern Aurora disaster, was a railway accident that occurred on 7 February 1969 near the McDiarmids Road crossing, approximately 1 km south of Violet Town, Victoria, Australia.-Overview:...
. This van was replaced by PHN 2381, which was built in 1970. In 1981, PHN 2362 and 2363 were renumbered to 2862 and 2863 respectively.
PCO & PCJ vans
As a result, the two railways between them built four PCO vans, numbered 1 - 4. They were Joint Stock vehicles owned and maintained by the VR and South Australian Railways
South Australian Railways
South Australian Railways built and operated railways in South Australia from 1854 to the incorporation of its non-urban railways into the Australian National Railways Commission in 1975, together with the former Commonwealth Railways and the former Tasmanian Government Railways...
, and their later incarnations of VicRail and V/Line (VR), and Australian National (SAR).
In addition to a guards compartment and baggage area, these vans were fitted with diesel generators. During 1995, V/line took over control of PCO 1 and 3. These vans became PCJ 491 and 492 respectively. PCO 2 was purchased by West Coast Railway
West Coast Railway (Victoria)
West Coast Railway was the trading name of The Victorian Railway Company Pty Ltd, a railway company operating in Victoria, Australia. The company operated passenger services between Melbourne and Warrnambool from 1993 to 2004.-History:...
in the 1990s and on their withdrawal was acquired by V/Line in 2004, in 2009 it was refurbished and renumbered to PCJ493. PCO 4 was refurbished and re-entered service with Great Southern Railway
Great Southern Railway (Australia)
Great Southern Railway , owned by Serco Asia Pacific, is a tourism business and rail transport operator in Australia.GSR operates interstate passenger trains aimed at the tourist market:* The Indian Pacific...
in 2007.
PCO 4 is in plain grey, PCO 2 is in a variant of the current V/Line grey and red passenger stock livery, and the two original PCJ vans are in a plain grey V/Line livery with old style logos. By late 2009 all four vehicles will be on the Standard Gauge; the three vans with V/Line will be used on their Melbourne-Albury services.