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IanL
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« on: August 31, 2009, 11:07:46 » |
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Hi everyone, been away for a few weeks and as part of my time I spent a week or so in Sydney, NSW. All the newspapers and TV▸ news forever hammering the poor state of the trains but as an outsider I couldnt help but make the followig observations.
NSW trains consist of a city and suburban network which merges fairly seamlessly into the country and interstate network.
1. Trains departing on time to the second over most of the suburban network.
2. typical fares to the suburbs of A$6 return (^3) for a 30min/30km journey, uncrowded off peak, crowded during the 5-6pm peak, all trains AC▸ seemed to work. Whilst trains not particually fast much faster then driving.
3, Some fantastic sunday walkup fares, A$2.50 per person for a family fun day ticket to include al buses, ferries and trains in the network....we did a bus/ferry and 2 hour train up into the Blue mountains for a day trip. Regular trains well into the evening despite being a sunday.
4. In the inner city part of the nework trains every 10min or better, in the suburbs every 30min or better offpeak, every 15min or better during peak.
5. Simple highly visible fare structure which works well with very efficient ticket machines.
6. All electric and very quiet. Additional lines stil being opened.
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Btline
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« Reply #1 on: August 31, 2009, 18:42:09 » |
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7. Much lower population.  |
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moonrakerz
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« Reply #2 on: August 31, 2009, 22:28:53 » |
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8. MUCH higher subsidies |
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eightf48544
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« Reply #3 on: February 22, 2016, 20:58:57 » |
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Just caught on morning NZ news a 2.5 m high single decker hit a "notorious" 2 m high rail overbridge. Fortunately appears to be only minor injuries.
Interesting no mention of disruption to train services.
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LiskeardRich
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« Reply #4 on: February 22, 2016, 22:41:22 » |
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That is a very low bridge. I have a roof box on my car at the moment, standard car plus roofbox I measured it at 2m02.
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All posts are my own personal believes, opinions and understandings!
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chrisr_75
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« Reply #5 on: February 22, 2016, 23:35:08 » |
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A lot of larger 4x4's (and most vans) would struggle to get under that, so quite what possessed a bus driver to try it I do not know!
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stuving
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« Reply #7 on: February 23, 2016, 00:16:37 » |
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It does have that big collision protection beam, obviously not bent at all, so the customary checks of the bridge's condition could probably have been done in the same phone call that reported the accident.
PS: In any case that particular span only carries some sidings inside a depot.
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« Last Edit: February 23, 2016, 00:38:21 by stuving »
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grahame
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« Reply #8 on: May 26, 2016, 05:30:21 » |
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The Ghan - from Adeaide via Alice Springs to Darwin - is a train of extremes. How does it sit in each of these? * Least frequent (realistic) commercial passenger service ? * Longest journey ? * and, it would seem, longest train - see The Telegraph |
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Coffee Shop Admin, Chair of Melksham Transport User Group, West Wiltshire Rail User Group Committee and TravelWatch SouthWest Board Member
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Oxonhutch
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« Reply #9 on: May 26, 2016, 05:54:34 » |
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Also highly recommended. Did Alice Springs - Darwin in Gold Class in 2013. Very memorable.
The trains coaches used up most letters of the alphabet but my main problem was that they were not in alphabetical order!
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bobm
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« Reply #10 on: May 26, 2016, 06:37:17 » |
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I am not a huge fan of overseas travel, but that *is* one train I would like to experience.
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jdw.wor
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« Reply #11 on: May 26, 2016, 17:47:47 » |
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According to Wikipedia (the font of all knowledge!) The Ghan does not make it into the top 40 longest direct train journeys. The Trans Siberian being the longest at over 10000 km
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PhilWakely
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« Reply #12 on: May 26, 2016, 19:11:04 » |
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Also highly recommended. Did Alice Springs - Darwin in Gold Class in 2013. Very memorable.
The trains coaches used up most letters of the alphabet but my main problem was that they were not in alphabetical order!
I am not a huge fan of overseas travel, but that *is* one train I would like to experience.
I was lucky enough to spend some of my redundancy payment back in November 2009 on Gold Class trips on both the Ghan and Indian Pacific trains. Operated by the same company, the on-train experience on both is pretty much the same, but naturally the geography of each trip is very different. Either trip definitely comes very highly recommended, but if I had to choose one over the other, I would go for the Indian Pacific rather than the Ghan. |
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JayMac
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« Reply #13 on: May 26, 2016, 19:24:32 » |
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On my bucket list too, when I win the lottery.
Getting there would be the main problem for me. Not a fan of such a long flight. Perhaps over land as far as possible.
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Dalmeny Caterham Shiplake Tonbridge Theale Carlisle Petts Wood
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eightf48544
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« Reply #14 on: June 07, 2016, 15:02:54 » |
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Bnm try container ships.
One way would be.
Ship UK▸ to USA East Coast: train to West Coast: ship Japan/China: ship Australia Darwin the start of the Ghan.
You may even get one direct to Australia from UK.
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