Inner West Light Rail observations

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Merc1107
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Re: Inner West Light Rail observations

Post by Merc1107 »

boronia wrote: Tue Oct 25, 2022 8:57 pm Seems Transdev is still not capable of getting meaningful information to passengers.
My first reaction is a *Facepalm*. The next is two questions - is it up to them to relay timetable changes to the information boards, or are those technically running on software that TfNSW should really be managing? And, are those displays not real-time?
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Re: Inner West Light Rail observations

Post by sunnyyan »

Not sure the light rail actually runs to a timetable. I think the displays at stops estimate based on the location of the next tram, as I've seen them stop ticking when the tram is dwelling at Central or Dulwich Hill.
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Re: Inner West Light Rail observations

Post by Randomness »

Was the same over the weekend, despite trams still running to Lilyfield, transport apps showed no services running at all.

Oh and I can speak of the joys of Transdev in my region but that’ll be off topic.
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Re: Inner West Light Rail observations

Post by Swift »

They're deeply disliked in the U.S bus scene.
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tonyp
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Re: Inner West Light Rail observations

Post by tonyp »

sunnyyan wrote: Tue Oct 25, 2022 11:27 pm Not sure the light rail actually runs to a timetable. I think the displays at stops estimate based on the location of the next tram, as I've seen them stop ticking when the tram is dwelling at Central or Dulwich Hill.
It runs to a timetable but TfNSW hasn't posted the new timetable yet.
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Re: Inner West Light Rail observations

Post by tonyp »

Just looking at outward departures this pm, The headways are 10 minutes clockface. The trip still takes a slow 39 minutes. Trying to preserve the trams and track no doubt.
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Re: Inner West Light Rail observations

Post by tonyp »

OTSI's initial report on the CAF failures. A further report is to come:

https://www.otsi.nsw.gov.au/sites/defau ... Report.pdf
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Re: Inner West Light Rail observations

Post by Swift »

48 pages for poorly chosen vehicles for the job. Gpod grief I hate this planetoid.
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matthewg
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Re: Inner West Light Rail observations

Post by matthewg »

Swift wrote: Fri Nov 04, 2022 6:08 am 48 pages for poorly chosen vehicles for the job.
The writer(s) are probably quite aware that both sides are going to quote this report as evidence when it comes to fighting out who pays for the repairs.
And this is just the interim report - the full version is to follow later.

And not just the repairs, months of hiring replacement buses, the hurried modifications to the infrastructure to allow the Citadis to run, and the payments to Alstom for taking 'spares' out of the L2/L3 operations pool to run the interim service, etc, etc.
And of course, the lawyers to fight these battles.

And TfNSW of course has its war with the RBTU at the same time.
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Re: Inner West Light Rail observations

Post by Transtopic »

I couldn't be bothered reading it. I think we all know what the problem is, as tonyp continually points out. It's bleedingly obvious.
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Re: Inner West Light Rail observations

Post by boronia »

"Signal failure" this afternoon had DH services terminating at Taverners Hill.

PIDs were showing this, but trams continued to display DULWICH HILL destos.

Still a mix of CAFs and Citadis on the line during busy periods. here 2112 and (22)52 pass in Hay St
DSC09949 (Small) (2).jpeg
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Re: Inner West Light Rail observations

Post by Swift »

Good shot showing both types. Citadis looks flasher. IWLR customers are going to feel short changed when the less amenable CAFs fully resume again.
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Re: Inner West Light Rail observations

Post by Jurassic_Joke »

Swift wrote: Sun Nov 06, 2022 7:25 pm Good shot showing both types. Citadis looks flasher. IWLR customers are going to feel short changed when the less amenable CAFs fully resume again.
They’re both the wrong type of trams for the line.

However, will miss the X05’s when they soon disappear from IWLR for good, for one main reason - the six sets of double doors on the tram. The CAFs are absolute horse sh*t in comparison (two double doors and then two single doors)
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Re: Inner West Light Rail observations

Post by tonyp »

Jurassic_Joke wrote: Sun Nov 06, 2022 10:04 pm
However, will miss the X05’s when they soon disappear from IWLR for good, for one main reason - the six sets of double doors on the tram. The CAFs are absolute horse sh*t in comparison (two double doors and then two single doors)
That's not CAF's fault, they build these trams normally with six doors. That's TfNSW deleting doors from the spec, having no apparent understanding about passenger exchange and circulation and dwell times, like with their buses and double deck trains.
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Re: Inner West Light Rail observations

Post by matthewg »

tonyp wrote: Sun Nov 06, 2022 10:11 pm
That's not CAF's fault, they build these trams normally with six doors. That's TfNSW deleting doors from the spec, having no apparent understanding about passenger exchange and circulation and dwell times, like with their buses and double deck trains.
If we had purchased the 6 door side version, we would be complaining here about the significantly reduced number of seats compared to the Variotrams they replaced.
Modern LRV design is a large collection of compromises from the wheels up.
You could argue that TfNSW doesn't have any understanding of said compromises, but that's a different argument.
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Re: Inner West Light Rail observations

Post by tonyp »

matthewg wrote: Mon Nov 07, 2022 6:48 am
If we had purchased the 6 door side version, we would be complaining here about the significantly reduced number of seats compared to the Variotrams they replaced.
Modern LRV design is a large collection of compromises from the wheels up.
You could argue that TfNSW doesn't have any understanding of said compromises, but that's a different argument.
By buying CAF they already lost 4 seats over the power bogies because of that suspension design that resulted in you-know-what. For an inner city service, seating isn't a major issue. Didn't the seating capacity get reduced in the second tranche anyway because they changed to longitudinal seating when they found they had problems handling the standee crowds?
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Re: Inner West Light Rail observations

Post by Linto63 »

Road traffic coming down the ramp from Central to Hay Street now can only turn right into Hay Street, rather than into Pitt Street. May not be light rail related, but to avoid heavy vehicles getting stuck when attempting 180 degree turns.
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Re: Inner West Light Rail observations

Post by Linto63 »

The damaged trackwork on both curves to and from Central on Hay Street was lifted today as part of a six day shutdown of the Central to Convention section.
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Re: Inner West Light Rail observations

Post by boronia »

The down ramp tracks are surrounded with curtains, although I did manage to get a quick shot during a gust of wind. The old rails have been removed from the channels, but no new rails have been installed.
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New rails were being put into place for the up ramp.
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Old rails were loaded onto a semi trailer for removal.
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Edit 18:50 hrs, description of first photo altered.
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Re: Inner West Light Rail observations

Post by Swift »

Good Lord how many thousands are being funneled toward contractors an hour? The Ka-chings are deafening.
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Re: Inner West Light Rail observations

Post by Randomness »

I can't tell, but it looks as if they're giving a more generous curve compared to before. Great to see maintenance done on this section regardless, though can't imagine how short it'll be before its due up for repair again.
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Re: Inner West Light Rail observations

Post by Aurora »

With the six day shutdown, would be great if they were facilitating a less tight turn there.
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Re: Inner West Light Rail observations

Post by tonyp »

Aurora wrote: Mon Nov 21, 2022 10:44 am With the six day shutdown, would be great if they were facilitating a less tight turn there.
That can't happen, there's not the space for it. They could, however, sell all the trams and buy the correct specification trams for the system.

Or just accept that they'll have to re-lay those tracks every few years.
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Re: Inner West Light Rail observations

Post by Swift »

tonyp wrote: Mon Nov 21, 2022 11:49 am
Aurora wrote: Mon Nov 21, 2022 10:44 am With the six day shutdown, would be great if they were facilitating a less tight turn there.
That can't happen, there's not the space for it. They could, however, sell all the trams and buy the correct specification trams for the system.

Or just accept that they'll have to re-lay those tracks every few years.
You can guess which course the university of mediocrity will take.
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Re: Inner West Light Rail observations

Post by Linto63 »

Relaying of track at the two corners to and from Central station on Hay Street has been completed. New rails are within the existing channels. Recent change sending vehicular traffic coming down the ramp from Central right into Hay Street remains.
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