What I meant is that it's not viable to run trams from IWLR to SE without reversing mid journey because there are no turnouts facing that way. The only viable operation between IWLR and CSELR is from Dulwich Hill to Circular Quay and this would require APS-equipped trams running as a single 30 metre car. It wouldn't be a bad idea in peaks at least and it had been the intention to take IWLR to Circular Quay for many years. There would certainly be a demand and justification for it as much of the employment is further north in the CBD, not at Hay St area.

Could it be done, assuming the tram incompatibilities were ironed out? Well, there's an extra platform at Circular Quay so that wouldn't be a problem. The services would have to fit in between the CSELR services along George St, thus creating full or partly two-minute headways - again not a problem in theory. How well that would work depends on what they thrash out with RMS on traffic light priority at cross streets. If this isn't worked out they'll have bunching and platforms that can't accept two trams at a time and thus a timetable that falls apart.

The second likely hitch is that they'd be inserting trams into an IWLR timetable that's already up against its limits in peak because of the single track terminus at Dulwich Hill. So the timetable would be very likely to fall apart along there too - unless of course they cancel some Central services to make room for Circular Quay services running in between. A bit of clever work to do for a timetabler there, together with the result of an under-worked CAF fleet and an overworked Citadis fleet.

At five years since my last visit, Prague (with its sometimes 30 second headways) is fading to a distant memory now. Every day that passes, buses seem to be a simpler option! Oh that they would just design everything properly in the first place rather than learning on the job and reinventing the wheel badly.

Tony P
---InTramsDownUnder@..., <matthew@...> wrote :

On 26/07/17 18:13, prescottt@... mailto:prescottt@... [TramsDownUnder] wrote:

>
>
> All of Greg's points are true, but the greatest obstacle to easy
> interoperability is that any CSELR tram purloined for inner west
> service will have to shed half its consist as the inner west platforms
> are only long enough for 30 metre trams. It's quite feasible but
> requires a bit of uncoupling work at Randwick depot before the trams
> are despatched.
They ordered double-enders. It it takes more than 5 minutes to uncouple,
the shunter should be fired.
They have to couple to Urbos - so that means they will have Sharfenbergs
which were specified to couple to the Variotrams. Unlock two handles
and remove the jumper cable. Even with the 'standard' Citadis couplers
it should take less than 5 minutes.


> And then if the tram is suddenly needed back in the city on heavy
> duty, it has to find its other half.
>
> The other problem is that there's only one turnout in one direction at
> Hay and George - in the Circular Quay direction, requiring an
> APS-equipped tram and certainly no direct route to the SE. I think it
> would be all too hard for the poor dears.
No - the transition to APS is at Town Hall. There is a scissors
crossover going in south of the George Street stop - presumably to allow
the easy turn back of trams with damaged APS gear. Still a change-of-end
is required to run from Lilyfield to Randwick due to the lack of south
facing curves down at Hay St, but APS is not required.

Baring platform clearance issues, there is no reason why an Urbos 3
couldn't go to Moore Park or Randwick. It's possible the Urbos 3 entry
sills will foul CESLR platforms. (The IWLR hybrid profile wheels should
cope with the CESLR street track - if the flanges are not too large for
the groove, I'll have to go back and check the so called 'standards')




> Best to keep it simple and separate in NSW.

Have to leave something for the buses to do - like special event
services from the Inner west to Moore Park or Randwick Racecourse.


But this sillyness leaves no option to reallocate rolling stock as needs
change or to cater for special events.

Would you build buses that could only run on a special sort of road that
exists only in their regular service area - or would to build to the
Australian Design Rules so it can gave general registration and run
anywhere required ?