Rail Observations 2023

[boronia]

Looking closer, you are right. If you look at a wider view, there are 3 carriages visible at the western end of the platform.

I think it might be an 8 car set, but the area in-between was taken at a different time. These views are often multiple small photos stitched together. Look closely at the up refuge refuge track beside the carriage, you can see where the rails don't quite match up. There are a few other detectable "joins".

[Randomness]

Typical mapping border. Two images were likely taken on different days and spliced together. You can tell by the tracks and platform being misaligned where the V set cuts off and the odd looking shadow.

Edit: Apologies for answering the question twice, didn't notice the forum went to another page.

[matthewg]

Opps on the Sydney Metro work site at Sydenham. Shot out the window of a passing T3 Tangara.

[lunchbox]

CENTRAL STATION - PROPOSED RESTORATION
The Department of Planning and Environment has received an application from Transport for NSW for the restoration, refurbishment and redevelopment of the Sydney Terminal Building, including the Eddy Avenue Colonnade, Eddy Avenue Plaza, Western Forecourt and loading dock, and the adjacent Central Electric Building.
Proposed works include "re-alignment of the light rail track" on the Eddy Avenue upper level Port Cochere. (EIS Summary, p.2)
Public comment is invited, with a closing date of 8 March 2023.
(Ref. - SMH - 8.2.23)
3279

[boronia]

https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projec ... al-program

Also a good overview of the siting project here:
https://www.woodsbagot.com/projects/syd ... l-station/

[Randomness]

https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-ne ... 021172eba1

The New South Wales government has announced an $11 million commitment to transform the North Sydney Oval into a new public space boasting views of Sydney Harbour.
The Lavender Bay Highline will be situated along a disused rail corridor by the Milsons Point foreshore.
The Highline will include a 3.3-kilometre walking trail and a linear park linking public spaces around Northern Sydney.

I can't believe a disused rail line still has wires up and operational! Media fact checking...

I'm not sure of how useful Lavender Bay is and whether we'd be better off having it turned into a walking track. Personally, i'm in favour of it being kept as a supplementary stabling point close to the city. I'd appreciate if someone would enlighten me of its importance.

[Glen]

I can't believe a disused rail line still has wires up and operational! Media fact checking...

I'm not sure of how useful Lavender Bay is and whether we'd be better off having it turned into a walking track. Personally, i'm in favour of it being kept as a supplementary stabling point close to the city. I'd appreciate if someone would enlighten me of its importance.

I imagine it would reduce dead running for trains otherwise going empty to Hornsby Car Sidings during the off-peak.

I'm not sure how efficient it is for crewing, i.e. crews having to reposition to & from North Sydney.

Once lost, it's gone.

[gascoyne]

The pic in SMH seems to show the existing (2023) single track still in use. There is plenty of room for peds on the unused half of the formation, including the tunnel, but separated from the track by a fence. However, the bridge over Woolcott St is now too narrow to carry a path beside the track.

[Transtopic]

This proposal isn't anything new. It's been around for a while. The rail line isn't disused as claimed as it is still used for stabling at Lavender Bay and I'm not aware of any proposal to close that facility. It was originally double tracked as part of the original North Shore Line, which terminated at Milsons Point where Lunar Park is now located, before the building of the Harbour Bridge. It performs a similar role to the Macdonaldtown stabling yard on the south side. I don't know what North Sydney Oval has got to do with it as it's nowhere near Lavender Bay. Poor reporting IMO.

[Aurora]

Still used for peak stabling, and there is a depot located there. The pictures indicate the line would still be there, so potentially looking at using some space for the “high line” (whatever that is, a walking track?), with the line remaining operational. Lavender Bay is a prime piece of real estate mind you.

[lunchbox]

The term "High Line" is borrowed from New York, where a very large freight rail network was converted to parkland / walking tracks many years ago.

[Scott4570]

Just further to Aurora's post.

North Sydney Car Sidings (Lavender Bay) was used extensively in the old Red Set days and through the years of the Silver Sets (S & K) until the early 2000s when many of the Services to the West and to Hornsby (via Strathfield) had an increase in frequency during the Weekday Off-Peak period (one every 15 minutes).

This meant that a lot of the Sets, that would otherwise Stable, between the Morning and Afternoon Peaks, were kept in Service during this period. Hence, Daytime Stabling at North Sydney Car Sidings was significantly reduced.

Today, as from the last Timetable "update" November 21, 2022, 3 x 8car Waratah Sets run down to Lavender Bay between the Weekday Peaks mainly for Crew Training.

Heritage Groups running Train Tours on Weekends occasionally visit Lavender Bay as part of the Trip.

[Transtopic]

Just further to Aurora's post.

North Sydney Car Sidings (Lavender Bay) was used extensively in the old Red Set days and through the years of the Silver Sets (S & K) until the early 2000s when many of the Services to the West and to Hornsby (via Strathfield) had an increase in frequency during the Weekday Off-Peak period (one every 15 minutes).

This meant that a lot of the Sets, that would otherwise Stable, between the Morning and Afternoon Peaks, were kept in Service during this period. Hence, Daytime Stabling at North Sydney Car Sidings was significantly reduced.

Today, as from the last Timetable "update" November 21, 2022, 3 x 8car Waratah Sets run down to Lavender Bay between the Weekday Peaks mainly for Crew Training.

Heritage Groups running Train Tours on Weekends occasionally visit Lavender Bay as part of the Trip.

If that's the case, with only 3 x 8 car Waratah sets stabling at Lavender Bay between the peaks, then that opens up the potential to close that facility and the connecting line from Waverton and construct a smaller stabling facility north of St Leonards Station, where there would be room in the former goods sidings. It would also make sense to extend those T1 and T9 (if any) services currently terminating at North Sydney in the peak to continue to St Leonards, which is a major employment centre on the North Shore.

[Fleet Lists]

https://transportnsw.info/news/2023/ser ... l-thirroul

Service changes for essential repairs on South Coast Line between Waterfall and Thirroul
Sunday 12 February 2023

From Monday 13 until Thursday 16 February, service changes will be in place on the South Coast Line between Waterfall and Thirroul to allow for urgent storm damage repairs.

Service changes:
Monday 13 February Services will run to an enhanced weekend timetable.
Tuesday 14 to Thursday 16 February From 8am to 4pm, buses replace trains between Waterfall and Thirroul.

All other services will run as normal between Thirroul and Port Kembla and Kiama.

A normal weekday timetable will resume on Friday 17 February.

The trip finder does not appar to have any alternate trips available,

[Linto63]

While the online timetable still shows the early Wednesday Bathurst Bullet as departing at 1557 with the 1505 path it uses on other days taken by the Indian Pacific, today it departed at 1505 as confirmed by my own peepers and Trip Planner.

For the past couple of months, the Indian Pacific has been operating via Melbourne and being turned around at Goulburn while the Broken Hill line was rebuilt after flooding. But it has now resumed operating through to Sydney. Because it was an extra long set requiring the use of 3 platforms at Central, it was split and then rejoined at Clyde.

[Fleet Lists]

So what time would the Indian Pacific have left today?

[Fleet Lists]

The trip finder does not appear to have any alternate trips available,

Timetable and trip finder were available by the time the replacement service started as route 54SC

[Linto63]

So what time would the Indian Pacific have left today?

Left Central before 1500, was still at Clyde at 1600. May have operated to the same 1557 ex Central path as usually used by the Wednesday Bullet.

[Stonesourscotty]

T2/4 on the T2 just arriving at Homebush Now good to see T4 on the T2

[Scott4570]

Another 8T set should be on T2 & T8 again today, Sunday, February 26, between the hours of 0900 and 2000 hours (approx.), running Homebush, City Circle, Macarthur (via Airport), and then returning the same way.
Homebush departures 1051, 1436 and 1821 hours.

[Linto63]

There is (or least there was within the last couple of years) a Tangara operated diagram on Sundays on the T2 and T8. To retain traction knowledge perhaps?

Depending on how the H sets are deployed after being replaced by the D sets, Tangara workings could become more common on the line after the K sets are retired..

[alleve]

I thought the idea was that the Tangaras would be limited to the T4 only, and H Sets would replace the K Sets, and allow more Waratahs to run the T1/T9

[BAMBAM]

There is (or least there was within the last couple of years) a Tangara operated diagram on Sundays on the T2 and T8. To retain traction knowledge perhaps?

Retaining road knowledge qualifications, As Monday to Friday each depots operates within its own sector, So Sector 1 Crew (Mortdale, Cronulla and Waterfall) would do ESR to Waterfall and Cronulla all day, won't venture elsewhere unless on standby or any other odd situations like Set Exchange. When weekend comes around, they tend to drive the Tangara rostered on Weekends on sector 2 and Sector 3 to give them a fair chance of retaining road knowledge and vice versa where sector 2 and 3 crews may do sector 1 running.

Also with industrial actions within the last 2 years, No 4GT running meant Tangaraa had to be used on T3 Bankstown line as K Sets were already used on other lines too.

I thought the idea was that the Tangaras would be limited to the T4 only, and H Sets would replace the K Sets, and allow more Waratahs to run the T1/T9

Until Oscars are released to Sydney Trains operations, Chinese whispers will always go around. There's one plan was to move all Tangara to Sector 1, All Oscars will be on Sector 3 and spare Waratahs will replace k Sets. Since Sector 1 will be Tangara Only, All Oscars will be on Sector 3 as Blacktown and Hornsby crew are already qualified for Oscars, only needing to train Penrith Crew and possibly North Sydney and Richmond. The amount of OScars being placed onto Sector 3 would eliminate Tangaras and free up some Waratahs to operate Sector 2 only with Mills and Waratah for sector 2. Again, all rumors until Oscars can be officially released from NSW Trainlink and D Sets can run on their own merit.

[Linto63]

Presumably shutdowns are frequent enough for T1 based crews to retain City Circle and T1 to North Sydney knowledge?

[BAMBAM]

Presumably shutdowns are frequent enough for T1 based crews to retain City Circle and T1 to North Sydney knowledge?

Not necessarily, as crew do get rostered days to requalify themselves or with a trainer.