Z type carriage
Encyclopedia
The Z type carriages are an air conditioned steel passenger carriage used on the railways of Victoria
, Australia
. The carriages were constructed by the Victorian Railways
from 1957 for use on intrastate services.
Two major types of carriage were constructed - thirteen AZ first class cars with a closely spaced but small windows, and twelve BZ second class cars with wider spaced but larger windows (the thirteenth BZ entered service on Standard Gauge). Carriages were provided with a saloon layout, with 2+2 reversible seating provided, with each row lining up with the windows. First class was provided with more legroom than second. An internal partition existed between the two ends of the saloon, but was removed in later years. A single twinette
sleeping car was also built in a Z type body shell, entering service in 1963; it had 20 berths.
A number of carriages were placed onto standard gauge
bogies from 1962 for use on interstate trains such as the Spirit of Progress
. With the end of these trains in the 1980s they were placed back onto the broad gauge. During this time a number of AZ type carriages were provided with conductor compartments and recoded to ACZ.
The cars were made redundant by the early 1990s with the introduction of the Sprinter
railcars, and a number were sold to West Coast Railway
. After the demise of WCR some cars were acquired by V/Line, with the remainder passed to preservation groups such as R707 Operations.
The cars still with V/Line
were refurbished from 1995, being provided with 2+3 seating in the N type carriage
style, with some carriages also receiving wider doors and toilets with wheelchair access. Today only a handful of Z type carriages remain in unaltered form.
Conversions:
Standard gauge:
' reforms of passenger rail operations and the introduction of the N type carriage
s. Before this time Z cars could appear on various intrastate trains with other S type
steel carriages, as well as older wooden bodied stock.
From the 1980s most of the Z cars was placed into sets made up of an ACZ carriage, BRS snack car carriage
, and other BS and BZ carriages. This remained until the early 1990s when the Sprinter
railcars arrived, when many of the sets were broken up, with only two remaining: VZ1 and VZ2. From the mid 1990s they also added as additional cars in the N type sets
, with the last Z set being broken up in 2006. A number of loose ACZ / BCZ carriages remain, that can be attached to N type sets.
In December 2008, a N carriage (ACN21) was withdrawn from service to be converted to SG to run on the upgraded Albury-Wodonga line. Previously before withdrawal this carriage was in N set SN7
, along with the BS cars. Because of ACN21's withdrawal, a Z carriage was introduced into the set permanently. The 5 BS cars and the Z car (BCZ257) were joined into a set coded Z57, as a replacement for SN7.
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...
, 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...
. The carriages were constructed by the Victorian Railways
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...
from 1957 for use on intrastate services.
Two major types of carriage were constructed - thirteen AZ first class cars with a closely spaced but small windows, and twelve BZ second class cars with wider spaced but larger windows (the thirteenth BZ entered service on Standard Gauge). Carriages were provided with a saloon layout, with 2+2 reversible seating provided, with each row lining up with the windows. First class was provided with more legroom than second. An internal partition existed between the two ends of the saloon, but was removed in later years. A single twinette
Twinette
A twinette is a sleeping-berth compartment for two persons in a train. The term "twinette" is in common use only in Australia and New Zealand ; thus the double-berth compartments described here are those found in trains in Australia or New Zealand.The width of each twinette compartment is...
sleeping car was also built in a Z type body shell, entering service in 1963; it had 20 berths.
A number of carriages were placed onto standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
bogies from 1962 for use on interstate trains such as 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:...
. With the end of these trains in the 1980s they were placed back onto the broad gauge. During this time a number of AZ type carriages were provided with conductor compartments and recoded to ACZ.
The cars were made redundant by the early 1990s with the introduction of the Sprinter
Sprinter (Victorian train)
The Sprinter is a high speed diesel railcar train manufactured by Goninan for use on interurban and semi-regional rail services in Victoria, Australia...
railcars, and a number were sold to 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:...
. After the demise of WCR some cars were acquired by V/Line, with the remainder passed to preservation groups such as R707 Operations.
The cars still with V/Line
V/Line
V/Line is a not for profit regional passenger train and coach service in Victoria, Australia. It was created after the split-up of VicRail in 1983. V/Line is owned by the V/Line Corporation which is a Victorian State Government statutory authority...
were refurbished from 1995, being provided with 2+3 seating in the N type carriage
N type carriage
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...
style, with some carriages also receiving wider doors and toilets with wheelchair access. Today only a handful of Z type carriages remain in unaltered form.
Coding
- AZ: First class sitter
- ACZ: First class sitter with conductors area
- BCZ: ACZ signed for economy class
- BZ: Economy class sitter
- BZS: BZ with internal partition remaining
- SZ: sleeping car
Conversions:
- BTN: Economy class
- BZN: Economy class with disabled access and toilet
Standard gauge:
- VBK: First class sitter (1-5 converted from AZ 8-13)
- VFK: Second class sitter (1-4 converted from BZ 8-12, 13 built new)
- VAM: Composite sleeper and sitter (built new, only 1 of)
Carriage sets
Operation of fixed carriage sets was not introduced until 1981, with the 'New DealNew Deal (railway)
The New Deal' for Country Passengers was a timetable introduced on 4 October 1981 in Victoria, Australia that revolutionised the provision of country passenger railway services. 35 little-used passenger stations were closed, rolling stock utilisation improved, and new rolling stock introduced...
' reforms of passenger rail operations and the introduction of the N type carriage
N type carriage
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...
s. Before this time Z cars could appear on various intrastate trains with other S type
S type carriage
The S type carriages are a compartment layout passenger carriage used on the railways of Victoria, Australia. The carriages were constructed by the Victorian Railways in 1937 for use on the Spirit of Progress, with additional carriages built until the 1950s for other trains.Two major types of...
steel carriages, as well as older wooden bodied stock.
From the 1980s most of the Z cars was placed into sets made up of an ACZ carriage, BRS snack car carriage
S type carriage
The S type carriages are a compartment layout passenger carriage used on the railways of Victoria, Australia. The carriages were constructed by the Victorian Railways in 1937 for use on the Spirit of Progress, with additional carriages built until the 1950s for other trains.Two major types of...
, and other BS and BZ carriages. This remained until the early 1990s when the Sprinter
Sprinter (Victorian train)
The Sprinter is a high speed diesel railcar train manufactured by Goninan for use on interurban and semi-regional rail services in Victoria, Australia...
railcars arrived, when many of the sets were broken up, with only two remaining: VZ1 and VZ2. From the mid 1990s they also added as additional cars in the N type sets
N type carriage
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...
, with the last Z set being broken up in 2006. A number of loose ACZ / BCZ carriages remain, that can be attached to N type sets.
In December 2008, a N carriage (ACN21) was withdrawn from service to be converted to SG to run on the upgraded Albury-Wodonga line. Previously before withdrawal this carriage was in N set SN7
N type carriage
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...
, along with the BS cars. Because of ACN21's withdrawal, a Z carriage was introduced into the set permanently. The 5 BS cars and the Z car (BCZ257) were joined into a set coded Z57, as a replacement for SN7.