As part of the new system, I don't think very much at all, since the two technologies are fundamentally different; CBTC is trains talking directly to each other, and cab/wayside signalling is the tracks telling the trains what to do.
That being said, it's pretty common in retrofits for the older system to still be around as a fallback if the CBTC fails.
The Melbourne Metro is just a new tunnel on existing lines, so I would guess they are going to have to support some kind of interoperation between CBTC and non-CBTC? I mean, the ability to run CBTC trains on non-CBTC track or vice versa?
This is different from Sydney, where the Metro lines are physically disconnected from the traditional rail lines. (Apparently there is still some track linking the Northwest metro line to the Main Northern line underneath Epping station, legacy of the old Epping-Chatswood Rail Link, but it is blocked with off with stops; there is no plan for any rail connection between the new Metro West line and the traditional rail network, despite the fact that remnants of the old Carlingford line are directly adjacent to the site of the new Metro West maintenance facility, meaning they could create such a connection if they wanted to.)
The tunnel is signalled only for CBTC. The outer ends of the line have only the old fixed-block signalling. The section from Westall in the south east to (eventually) Sunshine in the north has both. There is a dedicated model of train, the HCMT, which is fitted with the CBTC and is the only type that can run through the tunnel during normal operation. When an HCMT passes Westall heading towards the tunnel, the lamps on the fixed block signalling ahead of it go out. When a diesel regional train has HCMTs ahead of it on the next fixed block, it will see the lamps lit for Stop.
Trains runnin have been running this way in normal passenger service for months now, though I think it’s only in the last few weeks they’ve been testing it with HCMTs entering the tunnel at Hawksburn with diesels behind them instead going to South Yarra. (Currently, the trains with actual passengers take the South Yarra route at that junction.)
The HCMTs run only on this line, from Sunbury to East Pakenham/Cranbourne. They have their own new depot at East Pakenham so they don’t have to go elsewhere for stabling and maintenance. And they probably can’t; just for them to go through the City Loop as is temporarily required that tunnel had to be resignalled (the old location wasn’t visible from the cab.)
They did run an old Comeng train through the Metro Tunnel, without any signalling, to test clearance for a track maintenance train.
At least in other systems the way this works is that any train using CBTC going onto a non-CBTC section will just operate using non-CBTC. Which is fine for lower frequency branches or emergency diversions. All you need for non-CBTC operation is a driver who can see.
It is also, where provisions have been made, possible to put CBTC equipment on old trains. That is what NYC is doing, for example.
I'm not sure that they are going to run non-CBTC trains through the new tunnel.
I have heard it said that the level crossing removal program is associated with a goal of moving to driverless trains network-wide. Presumably there is a network-wide CBTC migration plan.
As part of the new system, I don't think very much at all, since the two technologies are fundamentally different; CBTC is trains talking directly to each other, and cab/wayside signalling is the tracks telling the trains what to do.
That being said, it's pretty common in retrofits for the older system to still be around as a fallback if the CBTC fails.
The Melbourne Metro is just a new tunnel on existing lines, so I would guess they are going to have to support some kind of interoperation between CBTC and non-CBTC? I mean, the ability to run CBTC trains on non-CBTC track or vice versa?
This is different from Sydney, where the Metro lines are physically disconnected from the traditional rail lines. (Apparently there is still some track linking the Northwest metro line to the Main Northern line underneath Epping station, legacy of the old Epping-Chatswood Rail Link, but it is blocked with off with stops; there is no plan for any rail connection between the new Metro West line and the traditional rail network, despite the fact that remnants of the old Carlingford line are directly adjacent to the site of the new Metro West maintenance facility, meaning they could create such a connection if they wanted to.)
The tunnel is signalled only for CBTC. The outer ends of the line have only the old fixed-block signalling. The section from Westall in the south east to (eventually) Sunshine in the north has both. There is a dedicated model of train, the HCMT, which is fitted with the CBTC and is the only type that can run through the tunnel during normal operation. When an HCMT passes Westall heading towards the tunnel, the lamps on the fixed block signalling ahead of it go out. When a diesel regional train has HCMTs ahead of it on the next fixed block, it will see the lamps lit for Stop.
Trains runnin have been running this way in normal passenger service for months now, though I think it’s only in the last few weeks they’ve been testing it with HCMTs entering the tunnel at Hawksburn with diesels behind them instead going to South Yarra. (Currently, the trains with actual passengers take the South Yarra route at that junction.)
The HCMTs run only on this line, from Sunbury to East Pakenham/Cranbourne. They have their own new depot at East Pakenham so they don’t have to go elsewhere for stabling and maintenance. And they probably can’t; just for them to go through the City Loop as is temporarily required that tunnel had to be resignalled (the old location wasn’t visible from the cab.)
They did run an old Comeng train through the Metro Tunnel, without any signalling, to test clearance for a track maintenance train.
At least in other systems the way this works is that any train using CBTC going onto a non-CBTC section will just operate using non-CBTC. Which is fine for lower frequency branches or emergency diversions. All you need for non-CBTC operation is a driver who can see.
It is also, where provisions have been made, possible to put CBTC equipment on old trains. That is what NYC is doing, for example.
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I'm not sure that they are going to run non-CBTC trains through the new tunnel.
I have heard it said that the level crossing removal program is associated with a goal of moving to driverless trains network-wide. Presumably there is a network-wide CBTC migration plan.
1 reply →