CBD & South East Light Rail

[tonyp]

Are we going to see a repeat of this ?

OK we all know by now that Adelaide was the only city that made any sort of gesture towards offering a purpose-designed tram-replacement bus rather than just pretending like other cities. That thing still didn't have the capacity though and that was the bigger issue than passenger processing efficiency. Anyway, we're now in the era of the bus-replacement tram!

[J_Busworth]

On a different note. They are running a full service today including L3 services showing L3 Juniors Kingsford on trams and next service boards. Announcements and information on screens stating that L3 services actually terminate at Moore Park. So essentially the line is all but open now.

[tonyp]

On a different note. They are running a full service today including L3 services showing L3 Juniors Kingsford on trams and next service boards. Announcements and information on screens stating that L3 services actually terminate at Moore Park. So essentially the line is all but open now.

Well by today was the date indicated by Constance but it sounds like they're almost ready. No timetable yet posted on Transport Info.

[Fleet Lists]

I think he has has since said the first week in April which I took as being the beginning of next week.

[Fleet Lists]

And in this https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/pre ... 5491x.html dated 11 March which states
"Mr Constance also indicated the second stage of the light rail from Moore Park to Kingsford may not be open this month as planned, but he's "pretty confident" it will be operational by May.

He said his government had generated so much work in NSW that it had created a “suppliers market,” which he acknowledged posed concerns for the $55 billion transport infrastructure pipeline."

[J_Busworth]

If they are able to run a full service like they are today, surely passengers won't be more than a few weeks off. I'd say COVID-19 is helping them get away with doing it all slowly.

I'm still waiting for the announcement...

[Aurora]

If they are able to run a full service like they are today, surely passengers won't be more than a few weeks off. I'd say COVID-19 is helping them get away with doing it all slowly.

I'm still waiting for the announcement...

I’d say the Government is waiting for the next opportunity to open it up, but with covid, they might hold it up for a few months.

[boronia]

At Kensington today, all the barrier tape and signs have been removed from around the platforms.

I spoke to driver waiting there and his only comments was "very soon, but we haven't been told yet".

[Stu]

I would expect the L3 to open after mid April.

[matthewg]

I would expect the L3 to open after mid April.

I would not be surprised if it's quietly opened today or in the next few days. If passengers are around they will be allowed to board. No announcement or fanfare.

If they did announce it, there would be a significant contingent of tram and transport enthusiasts who would break quarantine just to be able to get a 'first-day' ride. I think they will remove the temptation and just open without notice.

The infrastructure appears to have been ready for many weeks now, it's just some administrative 'switch' that has to be thrown.

[tonyp]

A clue would be the appearance of a timetable on Transport Info. A page template has been loaded but no attempt has been made to fill it in and link it yet:

https://transportnsw.info/routes/detail ... l/l3/780L3

[Fleet Lists]

The new stations also still need to be added to the trip finder.

[boronia]

Opal readers and top up machines alive, but still closed.

"Next service" displays blank, although I have seen mention that they were working a few days ago. Some services have L3 destos, other NIS.

[Fleet Lists]

New L2 timetable up as from today. Have not done any comparisons. https://transportnsw.info/documents/tim ... 200402.pdf
Still nothing on L3.

[Aurora]

New L2 timetable up as from today. Have not done any comparisons. https://transportnsw.info/documents/tim ... 200402.pdf
Still nothing on L3.

The map makes no mention of the Kingsford Line opening soon. Must be not far away at all.

[Fleet Lists]

The only difference I can find is that it has deleted the comment that the L3 will open early 2020 from the timetable map which would make one think if looking at that, that the L3 is now open.

But the comment is still there in https://transportnsw.info/sydney-lightrail-network-map

[tonyp]

New L2 timetable up as from today. Have not done any comparisons. https://transportnsw.info/documents/tim ... 200402.pdf
Still nothing on L3.

Every 10-15 minutes. It would be a temporary timetable that responds to the loss of patronage during the pandemic. They should take the opportunity to practice 30 minute trips. The L3 page is still not filled out.

[Fleet Lists]

The 10 to 15 minutes seem to be the same as in the previous timetable https://web.archive.org/web/20200225043 ... 200210.pdf

[boronia]

Driver changeover for the L3 line is now occurring at the Kensington stop. Lately, there often seems to be at least two drivers waiting there at any time.

Not sure how it was done previously.

[boeing]

According to Channel 7 Sydney, soft launch tomorrow from 10am!

[moa999]

https://twitter.com/7NewsSydney/status/ ... 27593?s=19

[gascoyne]

Just out of curiosity, I tried
https://transportnsw.info/documents/tim ... 200402.pdf

Eureka!

[tonyp]

As expected, the soporific 40 minute journey time. It will be interesting to see whether the buses will switch to running through the terminus and along the tramway as planned.

[boeing]

Eventually only the X buses, 40kph outside of a station, 20kph at a station. Not sure if that starts tomorrow

[boronia]

Currently inbound X buses have one or two pick up stops in Kensington. They wouldn't be able to do this from the tram lines.