Written By: Matthew Read
Photos By: Thomas McIntosh, Thomas Bulic and Matthew Read
Page Last Updated: 9/7/20
The Chopper C Set is a 4 carriage electric multiple unit that was manufactured by A Goninan & Co Limited between 1986 and 1987. These trains were built to trial the new chopper controlled equipment which gives the train smoother acceleration. Gate turn-off thyristors (GTO) were used to control power to the traction motors, hence allowing for smoother acceleration. Following the success of the implementation of chopper control, these features were later installed on the Tangara and later V set carriages. These carriages had many similar features to Tangara’s which consisted of fixed seating and push button doors.
C14 trails a Central service at Flemington. (9/7/19)
Photo By: Thomas McIntosh |
C7 with an Olympic Park service at Olympic Park. (10/1/20)
Photo By: Thomas McIntosh |
C sets are easily distinguished externally by a fibreglass molding mounted on the front of the power carriage. When first introduced, they had a white with orange and red candy livery stripes on the lower portion. C3596 was the only power car to have its Candy-liveried front repainted in CityRail blue and yellow prior to its Citydecker refurbishment in 1998. These trains are the heaviest in the fleet weighing 52 tonnes per carriage and can reach a top speed of 115 km/h. It has a total of 438 seats. Some carriages have been modified to allocate a space for wheelchairs.
C4 arrives into East Hills bound for Macarthur. (22/10/19)
Photo By: Thomas Bulic |
C3 passing Tempe bound for Campbelltown. (18/6/20)
Photo By: Matthew Read |
As of 1/7/2020, there are 48 C set carriages in service that make up 12 4 car sets. 2 4 car sets have already been withdrawn from revenue service.
The C sets operate on Sector 2 lines. They operate on the following lines:
T2 Inner West & Leppington
T3 Bankstown & Liverpool
T8 Airport & South Line
The C sets operate on Sector 2 lines. They operate on the following lines:
T2 Inner West & Leppington
T3 Bankstown & Liverpool
T8 Airport & South Line
C6 near Cabramatta with a City Circle service. (16/7/19)
Photo By: Thomas Bulic |
C9 at Wolli Creek with a City Circle service. (12/6/20)
Photo By: Matthew Read |
Unit Status
Road No.C3581
C3582 C3583 C3584 C3585 C3586 C3587 C3588 C3589 C3590 C3591 C3592 C3593 C3594 C3595 C3596 C3597 C3598 C3599 C3600 C3601 C3602 C3603 C3604 C3605 C3606 C3607 C3608 |
LiveryCityRail
CityRail CityRail CityRail CityRail CityRail CityRail CityRail CityRail CityRail CityRail CityRail CityRail CityRail CityRail CityRail CityRail CityRail CityRail CityRail CityRail CityRail CityRail CityRail CityRail CityRail CityRail CityRail |
OwnerSydney Trains
Sydney Trains Sydney Trains Sydney Trains Sydney Trains Sydney Trains Sydney Trains Sydney Trains Sydney Trains Sydney Trains Sydney Trains Sydney Trains Sydney Trains Sydney Trains Sydney Trains Sydney Trains Sydney Trains Sydney Trains Sydney Trains Sydney Trains Sydney Trains Sydney Trains Sydney Trains Sydney Trains Sydney Trains Sydney Trains Sydney Trains Sydney Trains |
Delivery DateDec 1986
Dec 1986 Jun 1986 Jul 1986 Aug 1986 Aug 1986 Sep 1986 Sep 1986 Oct 1986 Oct 1986 Oct 1986 Nov 1986 Nov 1986 Nov 1986 Dec 1986 Dec 1986 Feb 1987 Feb 1987 Feb 1987 Mar 1987 Mar 1987 May 1987 May 1987 Jun 1987 Jun 1987 Jul 1987 Aug 1987 Sep 1987 |
Current StateOperational
Operational Operational Operational Operational Operational Operational Operational Stored Operational Operational Operational Operational Stored Stored Operational Operational Operational Operational Operational Operational Operational Stored Operational Operational Operational Operational Operational |
Inside a C Set
C set bottom deck. (9/1/20)
Photo By: Thomas McIntosh 
Near the doors of a C set. (9/1/20)
Photo By: Thomas McIntosh |
C set top deck. (9/1/20)
Photo By: Thomas McIntosh 
Near the doors of a C set. (9/1/20)
Photo By: Thomas McIntosh |
All information sourced from Wikipedia, Unit status info courtesy of Mick McGinty