Everything gets dirty from being out in the open, even trains. But thanks to their size, washing them isn’t exactly easy – so a number of dedicated train washes exist across the rail network.
Metro Trains Melbourne
Metro Trains Melbourne has a drive through for suburban trains beside their stabling facility at Melbourne Yard.
And another at the Epping Workshops.
At the Craigieburn Train Maintenance Facility the train wash is a little different – it’s a six carriage long shed, and the wash unit moves along the length of the stopped train.
While the Pakenham East depot has a train wash dedicated to the fleet of High Capacity Metro Trains that operate out of the site.
V/Line
Meanwhile V/Line has a train wash at the Carriage Maintenance Depot on Dudley Street.
But these days it is mostly used to stable rolling stock that doesn’t fit into the constrained yard.
Leaving their train wash at Geelong their main washing facility.
The train wash receiving recycled water tanks in 2008, after being taken out of service during the millennium drought due to water restrictions.
Biowash sheds
A standard train wash can only clean the grime from the sides of a train – they won’t get rid of the blood and guts from an animal strike.
So bio-wash facilities are required so that staff can get under the train and blast them clean. The facility at South Dynon was the first.
Biowash shed outside the back of
And in 2021 a second one opened at Bendigo at a cost of $7.9 million.
And the old fashioned way
You’ll also sometimes find staff washing down suburban trains by hand.
Diesel locomotives.
And carriage windows.
It’s also how railway heritage groups keep their trains looking shiny and clean.
My mates busy with the soap and buckets, while I was distracted by my camera.
What is the protocol regarding bio-washing? Is the set taken out of service as soon as possible, or would it depend on the severity/nature of the strike?
Depends on the nature of contamination. They strike millions of insects that don’t have to be treated until next scheduled wash. Human remains would have to be cleaned on the spot, although I don’t know the equipment required.
$7.9m to build a couple of sheds in Bendigo? No wonder the airport rail link has been paused. I expect they were built to wash the trains that would take all the spectators to the Commonwealth Games events in rural districts. “Victoria – The Penury State”
I believe MTM can do a bio wash at Craigieburn and Epping, and when Kananook is expanded they will be able to too.
That sounds about right – I believe it’s the reason Siemens train have occasionally turned up at Epping, and X’Trapolis trains at Craigieburn.
So Marcus, do your mates comment on how often you need to take photos just when the soap and buckets come out?
Lol – it was a one off in this case!
The first picture is the VLine wash station near the Geelong train station
Spot on!
[…] And in a bizarre touch for something being retired – they sent it through the train wash! […]