Good job Tony.
Tony P
On Wednesday, 17 November 2021 at 10:49:04 UTC+11a...@... wrote:
> Yesterday I was interviewed by Benedict Brook of News.
>
> There’ been a bit of interest in my views since my radio interview
>
> Here’s the article, with my comments :
>
>
>
> https://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/design/city-with-same-trams-as-sydney-also-shuts-down-its-light-rail-network-due-to-cracks/news-story/7be63aa44a9318e63f153928b3f09c4d
>
> City with same trams as Sydney also shuts down its light rail network due
> to cracks
> https://www.news.com.au/the-team/benedict-brookBenedict Brook
> https://www.news.com.au/the-team/benedict-brook
>
> Sydney's Inner West light rail – a key part of Sydney's transport network
> used daily by thousands of passengers – has been shut down for up to 18
> months. Cracks have been identified in every tram of the Inner West light
> rail, forcing the entire fleet off the tracks just as people begin
> returning to the office. Between 15,000 and…
>
> Sydney’s light rail nightmare, which has seen services suspended for up to
> 18 months, appears to have gone global with another tram system abruptly
> shutting down for repairs this week.
>
> Transport bosses in the British city of Birmingham have announced the
> suspension of all tram services “until further notice” after similar cracks
> to those found in Sydney were discovered on its carriages.
>
> Sydney and Birmingham use the same Spanish made trams from manufacturer
> CAF. Similar vehicles also run on the Canberra and Newcastle tram systems.
>
> It’s emerged that Birmingham and Sydney are two of four cities that have
> now had issues with the same tram fleets. That poses a problem for Sydney
> because it could mean there are not just its units to fix, but hundreds
> globally.
>
> A public transport watcher said the CAF Urbos 3 trams used on the networks
> suffered from a “particularly poor design”.
> [image: A CAF Urbos 3 tram on Sydney’s L1 inner west light rail of the
> type that has now been taken out of service. Picture: AAP Image/Joel
> Carrett.]
> A CAF Urbos 3 tram on Sydney’s L1 inner west light rail of the type that
> has now been taken out of service. Picture: AAP Image/Joel Carrett.
>
> Earlier this month, Transport for NSW (TfNSW) said services would be
> suspended on the L1 Inner West light rail line after “serious cracks”
> https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-advice/sydneys-inner-west-light-rail-shut-down-for-repairs-for-18-months-after-cracking-detected/news-story/9a1fec945527fa0928333c717209be26were
> found in the wheel arches of all 12 tram sets that ply the route from
> Sydney’s Central station to Dulwich Hill.
>
> Services on Sydney’s L2 Randwick and L3 Kingsford lines, which use
> different rolling stock, are not affected and are running as usual.
>
> There had been speculation about the cause of the cracks and whether it
> was shoddily built carriages or an issue unique to Sydney.
>
> Indeed CAF is reported to have told TfNSW that an “external problem” was
> probably the cause rather than its design.
>
> But NSW transport minister Rob Stokes said it was likely a broader
> intrinsic problem with the CAF Urbos 3 vehicles used on the L1 line.
>
> “We believe it is a design flaw – the problem we’ve identified could be
> broader in scope than just in old Sydney town. It’s likely to be a global
> concern.”
> [image: Sydney commuters who took the L1 tram may need to catch a bus
> instead for up to 18 months. Picture: Richard Dobson]
> Sydney commuters who took the L1 tram may need to catch a bus instead for
> up to 18 months. Picture: Richard Dobson
>
> *Birmingham trams shut down just like Sydney*
>
> Mr Stokes may be proved right with the West Midlands Metro ceasing
> services this week. The shutdown is initially for a month due to damage on
> its Urbos 3 trams which entered service in 2014.
>
> Birmingham’s trams were initially taken out of service in June this year
> for a few days after “minor cracks” were found on some carriages. They were
> returned to service after repairs.
>
> However, on the weekend services were suspended again after more cracks
> were found, website Birmingham Live
> https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/black-country/west-midlands-metro-tram-services-22151694
> reported.
>
> The trams travel 22 kilometres from Birmingham’s CBD through the city’s
> north west to Wolverhampton. Around 8 million people use the West Midlands
> Metro compared to 10 million for the L1 Inner West light rail.
>
> Regional mayor of England’s West Midlands Andy Street said it was
> “incredibly disappointing and frustrating” than the area’s trams had been
> shut down.
>
> “I am seeking urgent answers from (West Midlands Metro) and the
> manufacturer as to what has gone so wrong.”
> [image: A West Midlands Metro CAF Urbos 3 tram in Birmingham, UK, which
> has also been taken out of service. Picture: Tony Hisgett via Wikimedia
> Commons.]
> A West Midlands Metro CAF Urbos 3 tram in Birmingham, UK, which has also
> been taken out of service. Picture: Tony Hisgett via Wikimedia Commons.
>
> *Four cities have now had issues with cracks on trams*
>
> There have also been reports of issues with the CAF Urbos 3 trams in
> operation in Belgrade, Serbia, and in the French city of Besancon.
>
> In July, CAF agreed with authorities in Besancon to fix, at its own cost,
> 19 trams after cracks
> https://www.railjournal.com/fleet/caf-agrees-to-remedial-work-on-besancon-lrvs/
> were found on the bodies of the carriages in 2017.
> [image: An Urbos 3 tram in Besancon, France. Maunfacturwer CAF has now
> agreed to pay for repairs to all these trams. Picture: Florian Fèvre via
> Wikimedia Commons.]
> An Urbos 3 tram in Besancon, France. Maunfacturwer CAF has now agreed to
> pay for repairs to all these trams. Picture: Florian Fèvre via Wikimedia
> Commons.
>
> *Trams of a ‘particularly poor design’*
>
> Tony Galloway of sustainable transport advocacy group Eco Transit Sydney
> slammed the Urbos 3 vehicles.
>
> “It’s a particularly poor design. They can be fixed but you’re starting
> from a poor point,” he told news.com.au.
>
> Compromises were made with the designs of the vehicle, Mr Galloway said,
> so the trams could be made with flat floors and so be fully accessible.
>
> A lower floor meant the wheel sets, called bogies, were housed in boxes
> with a restricted space that didn’t leave room for them to swivel. In turn,
> that may have led to more stress on the wheels which was increased when the
> trams travelled around several tight corners on the L1 line.
>
> That’s unlike Melbourne’s more modern – and more expensive – E-class trams
> based on a design from Canadian manufacturer Bombardier. Built in
> Melbourne, these trams have four sets of wheels per unit, not three as on
> the Urbos carriages, and they can swivel leading to less stress on the
> body.
> [image: Transport for NSW Chief Operations Officer Howard Collins has said
> if CAF are at fault, the Spanish firm must pay. Picture: NCA
> NewsWire/Flavio Brancaleone]
> Transport for NSW Chief Operations Officer Howard Collins has said if CAF
> are at fault, the Spanish firm must pay. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Flavio
> Brancaleone
>
> A TfNSW spokesman told news.com.au it was working with operators ALTRAC
> and Transdev as well as CAF and the rail safety regulator to “assess all
> vehicles and infrastructure, detect what caused the cracking, and fix the
> issues identified.”
>
> It would provide an update when the investigations were complete.
>
> “We are exploring ways to complete the repairs to the light rail vehicles
> as quickly as possible, and independent engineering investigations are
> ongoing.”
>
> Rail replacement buses are replacing Sydney’s inner west light rail until
> the trams are fixed or replaced. Passengers will only have to pay half
> fares.
>
> TfNSW chief operating officer Howard Collins told *The Daily Telegraph
> https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/beaten-track-new-theory-over-inner-wests-tram-calamity/news-story/699ceef529330afbf17e4e91e61d40a4*commuters
> should not have to pick up the tab if the issue is with the tram vehicle’s
> design.
>
> “Someone’s got to pay but it’s not going to be the taxpayer of NSW,” he
> said.
>
> CAF has been contacted for comment.
> Read related topics:Sydney http:///topics/sydney
>
>