Inner West Light Rail observations

[boronia]

They wouldn't get 12 new trams in 18 months. I think there is a 2 year lead time on the extra cars they ordered.

[Swift]

JB Weld and some chewing gum will have them back on the tracks.

[Stu]

Is that a permanent arrangement from now on, or just for this weekend?

5 x weekends in a row from now.

[Stu]

STA Ryde, Waverley, Port Botany & Randwick will continue to operate weekday replacement services. STA are able to supply more buses more often due to its small amount of rail replacement contracts and those rail replacement services are not long routes (T4 ESR only, T8 Airport stations only and T7 Olympic Park - Lidcombe).

I wonder if there will be any changes to operators and which operators operate on certain days after the major rail shutdown for Sydney Metro construction (T3 & T4) over Christmas and New Year?

[Fleet Lists]

Transit Systems will be operating routes 498 & 499 this weekend. This will be a cheaper option for TfNSW instead of using STA.

They are not being tracked on Anytrip today.

Oops - I had to re-enter the routes to my filter and they are shown as being operated by Transit Systems.

Rather confusing as the routes are shown twice in the filter.

And so far only route 499 trips shown

[boronia]

Operator admits staff put light rail performance before safety of passengers

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/ope ... 59acs.html

[ScaniaGrenda]

And yet these operators, businesses, companies etc all chant that "Safety is our #1 Priority" yet we continuously hear of numerous cases of how concerns were taken to management / higher ups months if not years ago only for it to be ignored or dismissed.

Sure we can't make everything 100% Safe, That's not what I'm asking for nor pointing out, I'm pointing out here that when concerns are raised, they are met with ignorance. It should be about time we stop letting them get away with their nonsensical "We care about safety" and really holding them to account. Sadly it takes incidents (sometimes involving death(s) before any action is taken.

[tonyp]

Operator admits staff put light rail performance before safety of passengers

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/ope ... 59acs.html

When you read the actual Transdev memo which is linked in that article, it comes across in a completely different light from how the SMH portrays it. The memo indicates that Transdev is in fact highly concerned about safety and is reminding staff that it's everybody's responsibility to report any safety issues.

But of course the SMH, desperate to reverse its declining readership, tries to turn it into some sort of scandal, which is why I don't follow that piece of bin-liner unless there's something that they have, by some miracle, accurately reported on. The editors should make sure next time that documentary evidence is not linked in articles in case readers accidentally have access to the facts behind the "story".

[Swift]

I think the rot set in when they reduced the size to "tabloid".
Leave it to the experts at News Ltd.

[Linto63]

The SMH may not be what it once was, but at least it isn't just ignoring the shenanigans over the establishment of the Transport Asset Holding Entity like the other publisher appears to be. But yes, this is a fairly pointless article.

[tonyp]

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/busin ... 46a4d69f2d

[In Transit]

Operator admits staff put light rail performance before safety of passengers

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/ope ... 59acs.html

When you read the actual Transdev memo which is linked in that article, it comes across in a completely different light from how the SMH portrays it. The memo indicates that Transdev is in fact highly concerned about safety and is reminding staff that it's everybody's responsibility to report any safety issues.

But of course the SMH, desperate to reverse its declining readership, tries to turn it into some sort of scandal, which is why I don't follow that piece of bin-liner unless there's something that they have, by some miracle, accurately reported on. The editors should make sure next time that documentary evidence is not linked in articles in case readers accidentally have access to the facts behind the "story".

Absolutely agree. The real story would be if the operator wasn't communicating with its staff over safety issues like this, and being proactive in tracking trends and acting. This is a pretty stock standard industry approach. An article that only reflects on the poor state of "gotcha" journalism.

[moa999]

Same as the recent rail port that found no serious safety concerns but marked sections of power and bridges as poor and very poor.
Combined with the issues around TAHE.

It certainly seems that some sections of the media aren't giving the free pass that has often been doled out to the coalition.

[Linto63]

Perhaps with the line closed, someone will get around to repairing / replacing the points that have been subject to temporary speed restrictions almost since the Dulwich Hill extension opened.

[tonyp]

Also an opportunity to make the line and platform clearances compatible with CSELR. Do whatever is needed with trams one way or the other, at the same time.

[Linto63]

Which presumably would then mean the CAFs could not operate. Maybe put a note in the file for when the fleet is up for renewal.

[tonyp]

Which presumably would then mean the CAFs could not operate. Maybe put a note in the file for when the fleet is up for renewal.

It is possible to modify the CAFs, if they're to resume service.

[sunnyyan]

One of the problems is that the Citadis are actually narrower than the Urbos 3. It's not a massive gap, but enough that wheelchairs would not be able to board without a ramp. They could install gap fillers (the moving type), but it'd likely be very expensive.

[Jurassic_Joke]

One of the problems is that the Citadis are actually narrower than the Urbos 3. It's not a massive gap, but enough that wheelchairs would not be able to board without a ramp. They could install gap fillers (the moving type), but it'd likely be very expensive.

And the height is the bigger issue as well. I saw one night a Citadis doing an (empty) depot run from Lilyfield, it had stopped at Paddy’s Markets awaiting a signal, and it really stuck out how much of a vertical gap there was between the platform and the bottom of the doors. The Citadis already have filler plates, I wonder if they can be extended a bit more, but there’s still the vertical gap issue. As you say - there’s no way wheelchairs would be able to board and alight without a ramp. Maybe fine for everyday passengers to board as hey, they do it everyday in Melbourne where their tram stops (some of them) are literally in the middle of the street

Still though, I think the current bus service shouldn’t be the answer for 18 months. They should look at either speeding up repairs with CAF and/or seriously consider using Citadis (doing any necessary work beforehand) without any of the snarky “rob Peter to pay Paul” or whatever it was Howard said, I’m not buying it

Perhaps with the line closed, someone will get around to repairing / replacing the points that have been subject to temporary speed restrictions almost since the Dulwich Hill extension opened.

Line not fully closed per se - to passengers yes, but apparently the CAFs are still being used intermittently running very slowly among sections of track to keep the trams from slowly rusting up as they otherwise sit all day in the depots at Pyrmont and Lilyfield not connected to the overhead wire. The track between Lilyfield and Haymarket is otherwise still regularly used by empty Citadis trams doing depot runs to or from Lilyfield

[tonyp]

What is likely to be uncovered in years to come as fleet renewal approaches is that structure gauge clearances (hence DDA compliance) on CSELR are compatible with the Citadis but no other tram model. Together with the proprietary ACS ground power system, this is a clever move by the manufacturer to ensure that only their trams can be purchased for the system in the future. This wool couldn't be pulled over the eyes of an experienced legacy operator, but with naive virgins like TfNSW it's easy pickings for the manufacturer. I think we're seeing only the tip of an incompatibility iceberg at this stage. TfNSW's bungling in failing to set standards in advance and requiring compliance with them in tenders will come back to haunt future governments.

[Swift]

They can always concrete over the rails once the GEC Alsthom trams are ready to throw out. Just run trolleys in their place, preferably from a non western Europe manufacturer.

[moa999]

I can't imagine Alstom built our fleet especially narrow, so wouldn't the same issues be true the world over.

And I wouldn't think a shoe 3rd rail connector is particularly difficult - after all there has been 3rd rail on London trains since the early 1900s.
There does appear to be some proprietary tech in turning off and on various sections as the tram passes over but that part would presumably remain in place. All down to the patents and expiry dates I guess.

CAFs capacitor technology in Newcastle might be more difficult for others to replicate, but think half battery/ half wired in Canberra and Parramatta would be easy for any manufacturer.

And operators the world over are choosing wire free solutions for aesthetic reasons.

[boronia]

Some of the IW stops appear to have short "humps" on the platforms that line up with wheelchair spaces. Perhaps this could be extended to suit the Citadis?

One annoying feature I've noticed on the CSE is wheelchairs and large prams entering the end doors of the sets. Mostly they can't get down the aisles and effectively block the vestibules.

[boronia]

NSW Transport staff to travel to UK to inspect cracked tram fleet

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/nsw ... 59bu9.html

[Linto63]

Appears that we have yet another lame duck opposition transport spokeswoman who can only parrot the wouldn't be a problem if they build here line rather than offer a constructive solution. Where did your party order the Waratah trains from?