N type carriage

N type carriage
N class locomotive hauling a five-car N type carriage set
Manufacturer	Victorian Railways
Built at	Newport Workshops
Constructed	1981 - 1984
Entered service	1981 -
Refurbishment	2007
Number built	57
Number in service	56
Formation	BG sets: ACN-BRN-BN, some sets have extra BZN and BTN cars. SG sets: ACN-BRN-BDN-BN-BN
Operator	V/Line
Line(s) served	All lines
Specifications
Doors	Manual swing, 2 per side
Articulated sections	Rubber corridor connectors
Maximum speed	115 km/h (71 mph)
Power supply	Underfloor generator or Head end power
Track gauge	1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) 3 sets to be converted to 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in) standard gauge in 2010

The N type carriages are an intercity passenger carriage used on the railways of Victoria, Australia. They were introduced between 1981 and 1984 as part of the 'New Deal' reforms of country passenger rail services. Today there are seen on both V/Line long distance InterCity services, as well as shorter InterUrban services.

The carriage sets have both first class 2+2 seating, and 2+3 economy seating. Snack bar facilities are also provided on board. Originally delivered as 3-car sets, some sets were extended in length with S and Z type carriages.

Today the carriages are normally hauled by N class diesel locomotives. The carriages can use an external head end power supply for lighting and air conditioning operation, or an internal generator set. Each carriage has two swing doors per side, which were originally manually opened by passengers, but have since been converted to powered operation by the conductor. Toilets, drinking fountains and luggage areas are provided throughout each carriage set.

History

The order for the N type carriages was placed in 1977 for 30 carriages (10 sets) for use on the Geelong line, with 6 cars added to the order in 1978 for the Ballarat line, due to a by-election in the city.^[1] Under the New Deal of 1981 the order was extended to 54 carriages, and then to 57 due to cost savings during construction.^[2] They were built between 1981 and 1984, based upon the structural design of the Victorian Z type carriages built between 1956 and 1960.^[3]

In 2007 V/Line commenced a refurbishment program for their existing H type carriages and Sprinter railcars,^[4] this program later being extended to the N type carriages. In October 2007 the first refurbished N type carriage was released into traffic with the new V/Line grey exterior livery, as well as updated interior curtains and seat fabrics.^[5] Since then various complete sets have been released from refurbishment (VN4, FN6, VN12, FN13, FN14, VN17). Work continues on the remainder of the fleet.

As part of the Albury-Wodonga line upgrade some N carriages will be converted to standard gauge to run this service. Two sets (consisting of 5 carriages and one power/luggage van) have already been formed (SN15, SN16). Carriages for a third set (SN1) are presently undergoing refurbishment at Newport Workshops.

Coding

N type carriages are individually numbered in the 1 to 57 series. Sets were issued to traffic with three types of carriage:

ACN first class with conductors van
BRN economy class with snack bar
BN economy class

From 1995 surplus Z type carriages were upgraded to N type interiors, with the following codes but with their original Z type numbers:

BZN economy class with disabled access and toilet
BTN economy class

In 2009 a new code was introduced in conjunction with the formation of 'pure' 5-car N sets for standard gauge use:

BDN economy class with disabled access and toilet (interior similar to a BZN carriage).^[6]

Carriage sets

The N cars appear in fixed sets not altered in ordinary service. The sets are numbered between 1 and 19. Initially issued to service as 3-car sets, from 1995 additional cars of the BCZ, ACZ, BS, BZN or BTN type were attached to give longer sets. Additional cars may also be temporarily attached or detached to a set without the set code being altered.

N: 3-car set ACN-BRN-BN
FN: 4-car set ACN-BRN-(mix of 2x N/Z cars); while Z cars out of service, 1x temporary 4N set ACN-BRN-BN-BN.
VN: 5-car set ACN-BRN-(mix of 3x N/Z cars); while Z cars out of service, 2x temporary 5N set ACN-BRN-ACN-BRN-BN.
SN: 5-car set ACN-BRN-BDN-BN-BN on standard gauge. Usually includes a PCJ power van, but this is not counted in the set definition.

Services

N sets are used on lines including:

the North-East line, to Seymour, Shepparton and Albury
the Gippsland line, to Traralgon and Bairnsdale
the Bendigo line, to Bendigo and Swan Hill
the Geelong line, to Geelong, South Geelong, Marshall and Warrnambool
the Ballarat line, to Bacchus Marsh

Image gallery

Interior of an unrefurbished BTN type economy carriage
Interior of an unrefurbished ACN first class carriage

References

↑ "Discussion on FSH21". Railpage Australia Forums. www.railpage.com.au. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
↑ Scott Martin and Chris Banger (October 2006). "'New Deal' for County Passengers - 25 years on". Newsrail (Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division)): page 319.
↑ "Level Crossing Collision V/Line Passenger Train 8042 and a Truck Near Kerang, Victoria 5 June 2007" (PDF). Chief Investigator, Transport and Marine Safety Investigations. Retrieved 2008-03-16.
↑ "Media Release: NEW LOOK V/LINE FLEET TAKES TO THE TRACKS". www.dpc.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 2008-03-16.
↑ "V/Line - New Livery @ Fotopic.Net". wongm.fotopic.net. Retrieved 2008-03-16.
↑ "Wongm's Rail Gallery - BDN carriages". wongm.railgeelong.com. Retrieved 2009-11-16.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to N type carriage.

Locomotives and rolling stock of the Victorian Railways, predecessors and successors

Melbourne & Hobsons Bay Railway Company	First Engine (1854) 2-4-0WT (1854) 0-4-0WT (1857) 2-4-0WT (1858), later N Class

Geelong & Melbourne Railway Company	2-2-2WT (1855) 2-4-0T (1855) 0-6-0WT (1855) 0-6-0T Ariel (1855)

Melbourne & Suburban Railway Company	2-4-0T (1860)

Melbourne Railway Company	2-4-0T (1863)

Melbourne & Essendon Railway Company	2-4-0T (1858)

Melbourne & Hobson's Bay United Railway Company	2-4-0T (1866) 4-4-0WT (1871), later C Class 0-4-0WT Pier Donkey (1876)

Victorian Railways steam locomotives, F.C. Christy period (1858-1870)	No.1 2-2-2 'Old' V class (1859) 0-6-0 P class 0-6-0 J class 2-2-2, later 2-4-0 L class 2-4-0ST B class 2-4-0 O class 0-6-0

Victorian Railways steam locomotives, W. Meikle period (1871-1877)	C Class 4-4-0WT No.100 2-4-0 Q class 0-6-0 U class 0-6-0 T class 0-6-0 F class 2-4-0, later 2-4-2T K class 2-4-0 Pier locomotives 0-4-0WT G class 4-4-0 H class 4-4-0 No.162 & No.164 4-4-0

Victorian Railways steam locomotives, S. Mirls period (1878-1890)	W & S class 4-6-0) G&MRC engines 19, 21, 34-44 evens only N class 2-4-0WT M class 4-4-0T, later ME class 4-4-2T 'Old' R class 0-6-0 'Belgian' R class 0-6-0 'Old' A class 4-4-0 X class 0-6-0 Motor Cars - Rowan 0-4-0T, Z 0-6-0T, C 4-4-0WT, H/J/N/Z 2-4-0T, F 2-4-2T Crane locomotives D class 4-4-0 Y class 0-6-0 'New' A class 4-4-0 'New' R class 0-6-0 E class 2-4-2T, later E^E 0-6-2T

Victorian Railways steam locomotives, T.H. Woodroffe period (1893-1912)	A^A class 4-4-0 V class 2-8-0 Dd class 4-6-0, Dde 4-6-2 A2 class 4-6-0

Victorian Railways steam locomotives, W.M. Shannon period (1912-1919)	C class 2-8-0

Victorian Railways steam locomotives, A.E. Smith period (1919-1928)	K class 2-8-0 N class 2-8-2 S class 4-6-2

Victorian Railways steam locomotives, N.C. Harris period (1928-1933)	X class 2-8-2

Victorian Railways steam locomotives, A.C. Ahlston period (1933-1955)	H class 4-8-4 R class 4-6-4 J class 2-8-0

Diesel-Electric	A Class B class C class F class G class H class N class P class S class T class V class X class XR class XRB class Y class

Diesel-Hydraulic	M class V class W class

Rail Tractor	RT class

Electric	E class L class

Railmotors	Rowan McKeen Kerr Stuart AEC Leyland DERM 102hp Walker 153hp Walker 280hp Walker DRC railcar Sprinter DMU VLocity DMU Trailer cars

Road Transferrable Locomotives	RTL class

Suburban electric	Swing Door Tait Harris Hitachi Comeng 4D double deck X'Trapolis 100 Siemens Nexas

Passenger carriages	Fixed wheel carriages 44ft American Saloon cars Victorian Railways 45ft wooden bogie carriages Victorian Railways 50ft 2in wooden bogie carriages ABCL cars E type carriages H type carriages K type carriages L type carriages N type carriages O type carriages P type carriages PL type carriages R type carriages S type carriages V type carriages W type carriages Z type carriages Royal Trains Dining & Buffet cars Sleeping cars Joint and shared stock (SAR) Joint and shared stock (NSWGR)

Freight vehicles by type	Box vans Flat Wagons Hopper wagons Iced vans Louvre vans Open wagons Tank wagons

Freight vehicles by traffic	Ballast, Sleepers and Spoil Black Coal, Brown Coal & Briquettes Cement Powder Coiled & Slab Steel Corpses Dolomite Explosives Fertiliser Flour, Grain & Rice Gypsum Refrigerated Goods Lime Livestock Mail vans Bitumen, Oil & Petroleum Quarry products Perishables Sand Soda Ash Timber Vehicles & Vehicle Parts Water

Vans	Fixed-Wheel (D, Z vans) Power vans Bogie guards vans Mail vans

2 ft 6 in (762 mm) Narrow Gauge	G class NA class Passenger carriages Freight vehicles Guards vans Other

Other	Rail tractors Cranes Miscellaneous Special loads Way and Works stock Staff Accommodation

Named/Significant Trains	Albury Express Ambulance Train Better Farming Train The Boat Train Display train Funeral Trains Fruit Flyer Geelong Flyer The Gippslander The Great Northern Limited The Intercapital Daylight The Jubilee Train Train of Knowledge The Melbourne Express The Mildura Sunlight The Northerner The Overland R.A.A.F. Recruiting Train Reso Train Southern Aurora Spirit of Progress The Sydney Express The Vinelander The Vintage Train The WestCoaster

Rail transport in Victoria Railways in Melbourne Narrow gauge lines of the Victorian Railways Victorian Railways V/Line Metro Trains Melbourne