The Australasian Railway Association demonstrates eloquently why railway
people should be not allowed anywhere near trams nowadays.

Tony P

On Friday, 15 February 2019 10:27:09 UTC+11, Roderick Smith wrote:
>

> ----- Forwarded Message -----

> *From:* Roderick Smith rnve...@... <javascript:>>

> *To:* Tdu Transportdownunder transport...@... <javascript:>>

> *Sent:* Friday, 15 February 2019, 10:20

> *Subject:* Daily digest Mon.4.2.19

>

> If it's not a tram, why are there T-lights at Canberra's intersections? 4

> February 2019. 32 comments.

> It's the question that has reddit users scratching their collective heads.

> If it's a light rail system and not a tram that's under construction from

> Gungahlin to Civic, why are there now 'T' traffic lights at our

> intersections?

> Why do these lights say 'T' and not 'L'? Credit:Karleen Minney

> Is it because it's a light trail system, where the 'T' is silent, as one

> meme suggests?

> Will it be called the tube, or the trolley, as it is in other places

> around the world?

> Intrigued as we are with all things light rail, The Canberra Times did a

> quick ring-around to figure out why - and the answer sadly didn't involve

> any silent letters.

> "I had to look into this actually. It's specified in the Australian road

> rules, whether it's a tram or light rail, the [traffic light] symbol is a

> 'T'," the Australasian Railway Association's general manager of passenger

> and corporate

> services Emma Woods said.

> Unfortunately, the 'T' is not silent. Credit: Reddit

> 'T'-lights are also used on the Melbourne and Gold Coast light rail

> systems, she said, and are similar to the B-lights we see in dedicated

> bus-ways, like that on Barry Drive.

> ACT government sources also said 'T' had been used as it's the universally

> recognised symbol of rail systems, whether light or heavy.

> But what is the difference between a tram and light rail system?

> "Tram is your historic or more traditional version, the difference being

> they run on the road along with traffic. That's your Melbourne system for

> example," Ms Woods said.

> "Melbourne has the largest tramway in the world at 250 kilometres, but

> also the slowest because it's stuck in traffic like everyone else on the

> road.

> "Light rail is the modern version and it has a dedicated corridor. It

> doesn't get stuck in any road congestion, it has higher travel speeds. Some

> people use the terms interchangeably but realistically Canberra is getting

> light rail."

> The Gold Coast system also has its own dedicated corridor, although the

> Newcastle system also under construction shares the road with cars in one

> stretch.

> Ms Woods said having a dedicated corridor for light rail, like in

> Canberra, made the network more efficient.

> "Melbourne has a really substantial investment program under way to

> transition from a tram way to a light rail system, meaning they're sifting

> to a dedicated corridor which increases the speed and the number of people

> it can move," she said.

> Light rail is expected to start running from April 27, with testing under

> way on the Northbourne end of the line.

> Drivers have also been undergoing training on the Northbourne corridor,

> with signs warning of changed traffic light sequences due to testing.

> <

> www.canberratimes.com.au/politics/act/if-it-s-not-a-tram-why-are-there-t-lights-at-canberra-s-intersections-20190131-p50uu2.html

> >

>