Electric multiple unit (Queensland Rail)
The Electric multiple unit is a class of electric multiple units manufactured by Walkers, Maryborough for Queensland Rail between 1979 and 1986. They were the first EMUs in Queensland and some remain in service on the Queensland Rail City network.
History
To provide rolling stock for the electrification of the Ferny Grove and Darra section of the Brisbane rail network, in 1976 Queensland Rail issued a tender for 13 three-carriage electric multiple units. Bids were received from Clyde Engineering, Comeng, General Electric, Goninans and Walkers, with the latter awarded the contract with electrical equipment to be supplied by ASEA. The first was delivered in May 1979, entering service on 17 November 1979 with all in service by October 1980.Before the first had been delivered, a further 11 sets were ordered for the electrification of the Shorncliffe to Kingston section. The first was delivered in November 1980. These differed from the first order by having longitudinal ribs in the panels above the windows.
In February 1981, a further 36 three-carriage sets were ordered to provide rolling stock for electrification of services to Petrie and Lota. The last 20 were built with one cab, requiring them to operate as six-carriage sets. The fibreglass cab moulds were still fitted at the non-driving end, but not fitted out. These had only six powered axles, versus eight when two of the dual cab sets operated in six-car formation.
Further orders for 16, eight and four sets were made in 1983, 1984 and 1985, bringing the total ordered to 88 with the last delivered in December 1986.
In September 1986, sets 84, 85, 86 and 88 were hauled to Gladstone to operate a VIP train to Rockhampton in connection with the completion of an electrification project, before operating some special services to Bajool and Mount Larcom.
Sets 81–88 were fitted with VHF radios to allow them to operate Sunshine Coast line services from Caboolture to Nambour from 29 April 1988, pending the delivery of the InterCity Express fleet. Others did appear on Sunshine Coast services with hand held radios, while 84 and 68 ran through to Gympie North in August 1990. After the InterCity Express sets entered service in September 1988, EMUs operated in multiple with them for a period.
In 1996, some appeared on Gold Coast line services, although they were only used sparingly, not being geared to operate at the 140km/h line speed.
Following the introduction of the New Generation Rollingstock fleet in 2017, withdrawals began in 2018 with EMU06 the first taken to North Ipswich Railway Workshops for stripping. By January 2019, 30 were in store. Originally it was envisaged all would be withdrawn once all of the NGRs had been delivered, however as these will be undergoing a modification program, a small fleet of EMUs will remain in service until 2022.
In August 2019, Queensland Rail operated a farewell tour with sets 01 and 04 over two days covering all Brisbane suburban lines including a reenactment of the first electric train service in Brisbane from Ferny Grove to Darra. Upon being retired, EMU01 is to be preserved.
Accidents
On 23 March 1985, two EMUs collided head-on near Trinder Park. A train driver and passenger were killed, and 31 others were injured. The units involved, EMU11 and EMU27, were both were repaired by Walkers and returned to service in December 1985.On 14 March 1996, EMU28 derailed after hitting a freight train near the former Mayne Junction station. EMU28 was later repaired and returned to service.
On 21 September 2001, a freight train hauled by 3906 derailed near Petrie and collided with two empty EMUs, EMU05 and EMU60. Two carriages from EMU05 and one carriage from EMU60 were not repairable, and were withdrawn from service. The remaining three carriages were combined and returned to service as EMU60, making EMU 05 the first number to be removed from service.
Fleet details
| Year ordered | Number built | Fleet numbers | Notes |
| 1977 | 13 | 01-13 | |
| 1979 | 11 | 14-24 | |
| 1980 | 16 | 25-40 | |
| 1980 | 20 | 60-79 | single cab units, 60 originally numbered 80 |
| 1983 | 16 | 41-56 | |
| 1984 | 8 | 81-88 | |
| 1985 | 4 | 57-59, 80 |