Preserved NSW Double-Deck Suburban
Air-Conditioned Chopper Cars

	The last C-set motor car, C 3608, has a number of claims to fame. Here NSW Labor Premier Barrie Unsworth proudly rides at the very front of it for the official opening of the East Hills to Glenfield Rail Link, on 21st December 1987. Image by ABC News.

Summary
These double-deck gleaming stainless-steel electric multiple-unit carriages were built by A. Goninan and Co. in N.S.W., using Mitsubishi electrical equipment from Japan, for the State Rail Authority of New South Wales. They were delivered between 19th July 1986 and 15th September 1987, and entered regular service from 25th July 1986. They had operational lives of up to 35 years, before final retirement in July 2021. 3 motor cars and 3 trailer cars have currently been preserved (or are currently retained).

The C sets were the final bright stainless-steel suburban carriages built for the Sydney system. Although examples of these Series 6 carriages were not officially regarded as worthy of preservation by Transport Heritage NSW, the impact of these 56 carriages was far greater that might be expected from their small fleet size. Aside from their original attractive and colourful front fibreglass ends, they introduced some notable interior design changes that were subsequently applied to every other stainless-steel suburban carriage in Sydney. They also introduced some new technology, much of which was incorporated into the next series of restyled Tangara suburban trains.

Background
The C-set suburban cars were designed and built in Australia using Mitsubishi Electrical equipment by A. Goninan and Co. at Broadmeadow in NSW.

At the time of the second order of these carriages in May 1986, there were still many red-set single deck suburban cars in everyday service, some of which had been in operation for 60 years.

What were later known as C-set cars were originally just two follow-on orders from the initial large May 1979 order of 160 K-set stainless-steel double-deck carriages. The follow on orders used thyristor (chopper) traction control in lieu of the camshaft motor control system used on the initial K-set order. (Much like interurban V-sets also changed over from camshaft to chopper traction control.) The first batch of 40 thyristor controlled carriages was ordered in June 1982 and the second batch of 16 carriages was ordered in May 1986.

The K-sets were known as Series 5 cars and the major difference between these and the previous Series 4, was the redistribution of previously motor-car equipment onto the adjacent or companion trailer-car. Other than the first K-set which was fitted with air conditioning as a trial, the first order of K sets was designed for air conditioning, but initially only fitted with forced ventilation equipment. To provide space for 4 rooftop air conditioning package units across each two car set, the pantograph and some line switches were moved to the roof of the trailer car. Additionally, a motor alternator set and associated controls were fitted to each trailer car, to supply the increased demand for electrical power needed to run the air conditioning in each motor-trailer car pair and enable regenerative braking.

Unlike the previous K-set order, every carriage of the two chopper control orders was delivered with full airconditioning installed, using the same redistribution of equipment onto the companion trailer cars. However the carriages of the follow on orders also included some new experimental features that were under consideration for the restyled Tangara suburban trains then being designed. These features included:-

• Electronic DC traction control using gate turn-off (GTO) thyristors commonly known as chopper control, in lieu of starting resistors and electro-mechanical camshaft switchgear.
• Regenerative (electric) braking (previously enabled on the first K set order)
• Directionally fixed seating
• Glass door-vestibule to end-saloon partitions (later retrofitted to the rest of the stainless steel double-deck car fleet)
• Passenger doors operated on demand by door mounted pushbuttons
• Passenger door light emitting diode (LED) indicators with electronic door chimes
• All carriages fully airconditioned from new, with no openable passenger windows
• Slightly higher upper deck windows than original K-set series
• A light, plain white coloured interior, including all laminated and fibreglass panels

Of these new features, only the passenger door "open on demand" pushbuttons and the flashing door visual indicators were not adopted for the new Tangara trains. The door operation electronic chime concept was used, but heavily modified.

Technical Details
Brief specifications of the N.S.W. C-set motor cars are as follows:-

• Voltage: 1500 D.C.
• Gauge: 4' 8½"
• Weight: 52 tonnes
• Length over couplers: 20.385 m
• Width over gutters: 3.036 m
• Height to roof: 4.368 m
• Continuous Horsepower: 620 kW
• Driven Axles: 4
• Maximum Speed: 115 km/h
• Wheel diameter: 940 mm (new)
• Gear Ratio: 86:15
• Control Voltage: 120 D.C.

The Mitsubishi electrical equipment per motor and trailer car set includes; four MB-3303A traction motors and one MG-143-S motor alternator. There is one Airmate pantograph.

Four week old C 3584 on set K 40 sits on platform 14 at Central on 23rd August 1986. Photograph: Andrew Hayne

C 3584 and its (unfortunately scrapped) companion trailer T 4250 were delivered early for mainline testing of the new traction control system. The back and forth testing of the two new cars between Pendle Hill and Westmead for a few days gained TV media coverage.

Prior to entering service, C 3584 appeared without the usual Chopper-style fiberglass front, and was externally nearly identical in appearance to a candy coloured K-set, complete with stainless steel gangway flaps.

When the car was ready to enter service, the gangway flaps were removed and a now familiar Chopper set fibreglass front was fitted. This car was part of the first Chopper set to enter service in July 1986.

When delivered for service, C 3584 carried a large rectangular sign on each side which had “New Electronically Controlled Train” written on it. This was attached by pop rivets between the upper and lower deck windows. The initial cars were formally delivered in their completed appearance from A Goninan & Co on 19th July 1986 and entered service as set K40 on 25th July 1986.

Compared to previous suburban carriages, the new C-sets had quite a distinctive appearance in service, with their white and candy striped fibreglass fronts, LED door indicators, fixed seating and plain white interiors (eg compared to the previous bright yellow interiored K-sets).

This car also represents the first order of 40 Chopper C-set cars which had a different style of vinyl floor coverings to the second order of 16 cars.

The first order of C-set cars were also the last cars to delivered with the original typeface used for the external car numbers, which had been applied to all double-deck cars that had previously been built by A Goninan & Co, from 1978 up until C 3600 and T 4266 were delivered in March 1987.

This carriage, like all of the Chopper cars were first based at Punchbowl Maintenance Centre. It was here that the target prefix changed from K to C in early 1989, but retaining set numbers 39 - 52. In early 1991 they were transferred to Hornsby Maintenance Centre and set numbers were changed to sets C 1 - 9. They returned to Flemington Maintenance Centre in 1994 and were then based there until the end of their operational lives in 2021.

In preparation for the Sydney Olympic Games, this car and its trailer were sent to A. Goninan & Co at Broadmeadow for their CityDecker refurbishment on 23rd November 1998 and were outshopped on 18th December 1998, returning to service on set C9. Various safety modifications were also installed on this car and all of the C-set fleet in stages in 2000, 2004 and 2007.

C 3584 was later part of set C5 which last operated in revenue service with Sydney Trains on run number 9 on 15th April 2021. This car was also a part of the eight car Chopper set that was used on the SETS Farewell Tour for the C-sets, the "Chopper To The Summit Tour", held on 6th March 2021.

T 4266 was the original companion trailer for Chopper motor car C 3600 (the last motor car of the first order). However this trailer was swapped to C 3584 and then spent most of its service life coupled to this motor car instead. This trailer is an example of the initial order for 40 Chopper cars, which was an extension to the order of K sets and was the last trailer car built in that order.

It was delivered to Flemington Maintenance Centre with C 3600 on 20th March 1987 and entered service on set K48 on 8th April 1987.

The first order of Chopper cars featured more stylised candy L7 logos and external car numbers that followed on from the K set carriage order which was completed in 1985.

Again in the lead up to the 2000 Olympics, T 4266 was given a CityDecker refurbishment at A Goninan & Co, arriving there on 23rd November 1998 and was outshopped on 18th December 1998.

This car was lastly part of set C5, attached to C 3584 as noted, which is also to be preserved by SETS. Thus this car was also on the Sydney Electric Train Society’s Farewell tour for the C-sets held on 6th March 2021.

Both T 4266 and C 3584 last operated (as a standby train) in revenue service on 16th April 2021 on run number 98, with T 4262 and C 3596, on set C5 (attached to set C1).

T 4274 at Lidcombe on set C9 on 28th September 2020. Photograph: Michael McGinty

T 4274 is preserved as the last Double Deck Suburban Trailer Car to be built with fluted stainless steel for the State Rail Authority of NSW. It was delivered with the last fluted Stainless Steel Power Car, C 3608, to Flemington Maintenance Centre on 15th September 1987 and entered service on 23rd September 1987 on set K44.

T 4274 made history very early into its operating life when on 21st December 1987, it formed part of set K52 as the carriage behind C 3608 along with T 4273 and C 3607 on the official train to open the extension of the East Hills line through to Glenfield as well as the new East Hills Station. The Official Opening Ceremony was conducted by The Honourable Barrie Unsworth, NSW Premier.

T 4274 is an example of Chopper cars that form the second order of 16 cars of this small fleet. Differences between the first and order are minor but includes a change of styling of the candy L7 logos, a change of typeface for the external car numbers and a different pattern and colour on the vinyl floor.

For the 2000 Olympics this carriage, along with C 3608, were given a CityDecker refurbishment at A Goninan & Co, arriving on 16th June 1998 and being outshopped on 15th July 1998.

T 4274 was retired from service as part of set C9 in February 2021 and the whole set was forwarded to Maintrain for storage the following month. The set was returned to Flemington Maintenance Centre on the 5th July 2021.

C 3608 leads set C9 at Yagoona on 1st December 2020. Photograph: Michael McGinty

C 3608 is preserved as the last Double Deck Suburban Power Car to be built with fluted stainless steel for the State Rail Authority of NSW. It was delivered with its Trailer Car, T 4274 to Flemington Maintenance Centre on 15th September 1987 and entered service onto set K44 on 23rd September 1987.

C 3608 is an example of Chopper cars that form the second order of 16 cars in this small fleet. Differences between the first and second order are minor, but includes a change of styling of the candy L7 logos, a change of typeface for the external car numbers and a different pattern and colour on the vinyl floor.

Like T 4274, this car also made history very early into its operating life when on 21st December 1987, it lead four car set targeted as K52, with T 4274, T 4273 and C 3607 on the official train to open the extension of the East Hills line through to Glenfield, as well as the new East Hills Station. The Official Opening Ceremony was conducted by The Honourable Barrie Unsworth, NSW Premier, who rode at the very front of this car, as the train set off detonators and cut through the the opening banner. The opening, featuring this carriage, gained TV media coverage.

Below is the East Hills to Glenfield Railway opening event newspaper advertisement (thanks Fabian Amuso), and video coverage from ABC TV News on 21st December 1987. (Note this event was promoted in the press by including a picture of a Candy-fronted C set (then K 42) at the old East Hills station.)

Again in the lead up to the 2000 Olympics, this carriage was given a major CityDecker refurbishment at A Goninan & Co at Broadmeadow, arriving on 16th June 1998 and being outshopped on 15th July 1998.

C 3608 was retired from service as part of set C9 in February 2021, and the whole set was forwarded to Maintrain for storage the following month.

On Tuesday 6th July 2021, set C9 containing C 3608 was transferred back to Flemington Maintenance Centre. On the following day, Wednesday 7th July 2021, C 3608 and T 4274 were remarshalled to form a four car set with cars T 4266 and C 3584 off set C5, to become the only four Chopper Suburban cars to be officially retained for heritage purposes. The amalgamated preserved C-set is currently at Auburn Heavy Maintenance Centre (formerly Maintrain).

C 3581 and T 4272 as delivered to Fire and Rescue NSW at Orchard Hills and then shown installed in the track at their facility, in May 2021. Photographs: Australian Train Movers

In addition to the 4 preserved cars, two other C-set carriages have currently been retained complete. These are C 3581 and T 4272 which were sent to Fire and Rescue NSW's Orchard Hills Facility (near St Marys), by road transport on 6th and 7th May 2021. They are to be used for training purposes.

The general history of the C-set cars was also outlined within the SETS Chopper to the Summit tour notes.