Sydney Metro

The new Sydney Metro train line opened at the weekend. It runs from Chatswood to Epping via the existing tunnel, and on out to the north-west via Cherrybrook and Castle Hill through a new tunnel. It's then up onto a viaduct beside the Windsor Road, terminating at Tallawong, just beyond Rouse Hill.



There were bumper crowds on the first day, with free rides, and a with few teething troubles too. The trains are driverless, and that's quite a big deal for many.

I waited a few days before venturing aboard myself. There were no crowds mid-morning on Tuesday. No problems with doors not opening, or trains missing their stopping spots at stations. And no mysterious breakdowns. It all went spiffingly! It was a fast, comfortable, thoroughly excellent experience.

One advantage of having no driver is that you can wander right up to the front, take up the 'driver's position' yourself, and get a terrific view out the front.

I got out at Rouse Hill, where the cathedral-like station has stained-glass windows. I had my morning coffee in the Town Centre there, and headed back.

For the time being the trains have staff members riding shotgun on them, like the chap on the left here. They do seem to be needed from time to time. Just after my inspection trip another train 'lost contact' with the control system and came to a halt. The human had to spring into action and move it on. Then on the news this morning we heard of a power outage affecting a long stretch of the line for a while.

It might be a some time yet before our state government fulfills its dream of ridding the transport system entirely of human operatives.

Waterloo's got towers and parks too

Big towers in fact. The 1960s era public housing high rises here have been referred to as 'suicide towers', for reasons one can well imagine. So maybe it's good news that they're going to be demolished soon.

The promised extension of the Sydney Metro system south of  the city will help bring about a redevelopment of the area in a few years time.

The state government is promising that there will continue to be the same amount of social housing in the shiny new Waterloo.

Watch this space.

On the trail of North West Rail (Part 2)

Your fearless correspondent continued his tour of inspection the other day of progress on the North West Rail link.

Here's where the marching column of  viaduct piers has got to so far, their progress guarded by a (friendly) security guard.

The Sydney Metro (otherwise known as the North West Rail Link) will burst out of its tunnels at Bella Vista, and become a 'skytrain',  running on a viaduct for the last few kilometres. The support piers are being churned out in front of our eyes, and there's a big gantry crane thing that puts the box girders in place on the piers.




I went out as far as Rouse Hill Town Centre, which will be served by the train one day. The Town Centre is an award-winning indoor-outdoor sort of shopping & community centre, which does have a fairly good feel to it.



 As good a place as any for my morning coffee.

On the trail of North West Rail (Part 1)

Sydney's new train arrives in Cherrybrook. It's even got passengers. There they are below!

Alas, the North West Rail Link is a few years away still, and the happy passengers aren't actually riding on their single-deck, driverless, Metro train. They're two dimensional ones on a poster at the station construction site.

At least there is finally something happening to extend the suburban train network. Tunnels are being bored right now between Epping and Bella Vista, and the line will then go to Rouse Hill and beyond on an overhead section.

There are contentious issues around it all though. Such as that it will be deliberately incompatible with the current double-decker train system, and that it will be given to a private company to run. The shiny new Epping to Chatswood line, recently built by us taxpayers and running beautifully, will be given to the private operator too. Passengers from the north west, who will have been coaxed away from their current fast direct express bus services, will have to change trains at Chatswood, and then probably stand for the rest of their trip into the city. Passengers from the stations between Hornsby and Epping, who currently get direct services to the city, will probably have to change trains TWICE once this thing is going.

I thought it was time to do my tour of inspection of progress to date. Most of us have a soft spot for trains after all. I headed first to the Cherrybrook site, where I was able to peer in on the opening to a big hole, around which was lots of activity, a conveyor bringing up a steady stream of pulverised Sydney sandstone, and curved concrete sections which were clearly to become the tunnel lining.

The photo of said concrete sections had to be taken through a tiny accidental gap in the surrounding wall. There were serious looking signs forbidding unauthorised entry to the site, and there were none of the usual viewing holes that you get at so many building sites. It was almost like they aren't very proud of what they're doing.



It was the same story at the other  station sites I checked out. The Bella Vista Berlin Wall is pictured on the right.


Here's the project's official website, with maps and things:  http://nwrail.transport.nsw.gov.au/  (It's rather good actually - there are simulated train rides and things so you can join the other happy passengers already!)