New Sydney Light Rail | Trams in George Street with third rail (APS) | Circular Quay to Haymarket

The Sydney Light Rail L2 Randwick Line (also know as the CBD and South East Light Rail) opened on 14 December 2019. In this video, focus is given to George Street where the trams go through the CBD. At Town Hall, trams change from overhead line to third rail (APS) and vice versa. Enjoy the full video or just skip to the part you want:
00:03 - Circular Quay
00:50 - Bridge Street
02:22 - Wynyard
03:33 - QVB
04:32 - Town Hall
05:01 - Overhead line to third rail (APS)
05:06 - Third rail (APS) to overhead line
05:55 - Chinatown
06:54 - Intersection L1 and L2
08:57 - Haymarket

[@railfanworld]

For photos about the new Sydney light rail, please visit railfanworld.com/photos/australia/2019/sydney-light-rail-opening-cbd-south-east

[@michaelbeckett8196]

a tip: you can watch series at Flixzone. I've been using it for watching a lot of movies lately.

[@zanedexter990]

@Michael Beckett Definitely, I have been using flixzone for since december myself :D

[@HugoBrown]

Watching this 4 years later and can see how much on George Street ( Chinatown / Haymarket) area has changed now no cars at all and all the streetscape has changed, Great to come across video's like this make you appreciate all the work that has happened since. I walk through this part of town to walk to barangaroo and I guess I dont take real notice till I see videos like this. Light rail back in the city has been the best thing and hope they will expand in the future with new routes maybe to Bondi or to newtown and maybe further south or marrickville

[@AndrewG1989]

Those trams are so beautiful. Plus there is no overhead wires.

[@railfanworld]

Thanks for sharing!

[@saminyasarridom1813]

Then how does it work

[@blue9multimediagroup]

@@saminyasarridom1813 the third rail in the center

[@_JohnDoe]

It only uses Alstom APS (third rail) within the CBD and uses overhead lines everywhere else. The unsightly criss-cross of overhead lines can be seen at 6:52, for example.

[@jacobweir1795]

Amazing Job, thanks for all your time and effort

[@railfanworld]

Thanks mate!

[@traindude1949]

A really well made video, thanks for sharing

[@railfanworld]

Thanks mate!

[@spacyorspicy]

I love this video!

[@trainspottingdownunder]

Congrats on 1k!!! And congrats to me on 100!

[@railfanworld]

Thanks mate!

[@SirGregory]

Nicely constructed video. Thanks so much.

[@railfanworld]

Thanks mate!

[@rajbahadurverma6762]

Super Video

[@railfanworld]

Thanks mate!

[@InialiefYT]

Wow so nice

[@railfanworld]

Thanks mate!

[@carrahulley8484]

Thanks you good video

[@railfanworld]

So nice of you

[@lawrencebautista1]

Wish there'd be more metro and tram lines in Sydney as well as in Auckland. Commuting in those cities is a pain.

[@railfanworld]

Yeah, lots of metro planning going on here in Sydney.

[@aussiejohn5835]

I joined the light rail at Circular Quay yesterday at 3.05pm with the intention of travelling to Randwick. This was a painfully slow journey. 35 minutes to Chalmers street. I abandoned the tram at Chalmers street in frustration. We sat at the intersection of George and Liverpool st and had two T lights before the driver moved across the intersection to the Chinatown stop. There does not seem to be tram priority at any city intersection. I am a supporter of the Light Rail but it seems people are avoiding it in droves. I am not surprised when most people could walk this distance in less time. I can't comment on the journey from Chalmers street to Randwick but I hope it is faster otherwise it could be another Sydney white elephant.

[@railfanworld]

Thanks for that comment. The driver can request priority by the push of the button, so I guess it's like the pedestrian button on a crossing, you still have to wait a bit for your turn. In my eyes, it will never be true light rail priority here in Sydney, but maybe the future will prove me wrong.

[@vladimirr4171]

i was under the impression that you can just get on a tram whenever wherever lol. Here after watching the film Anyone but you

[@Olitrains]

Nice one

[@youtubeviewer7030]

brilliant

[@railfanworld]

Thanks mate!

[@ajmalshahtravelling7088]

pretty destination Sydney

[@railfanworld]

It sure is!

[@paulfrancis8836]

Wish they branched to the West instead.

[@eannamcnamara9338]

I don't get why people hate overhead so much. If done right the poles can be good looking and the wires barely noticable.

[@simonrarasea9725]

Does anyone know why there’s no thoroughfare for cars going southbound on George St from Town Hall to the Chinatown tram stop? I’ve noticed that it’s still blocked off to vehicles.

[@Adelaide_Transit]

I know that it’s called a light rail in Sydney, but by some extremely vague definition it’s actually a tramway.

[@itechcircle9410]

There is no line between a tramway and a light rail, a light rail is often just a fancy tram.

[@Adelaide_Transit]

@@itechcircle9410 again definitions variates, LRT and Trams are two different systems in the UK and USA

[@itechcircle9410]

@@Adelaide_Transit interesting

[@Adelaide_Transit]

@@itechcircle9410 light rail was a legal loophole in 19th century London so that rail magnates didn't have to get certain permits

[@itechcircle9410]

@@Adelaide_Transit I didn't know that

[@angusrobertson5746]

They actually look like they go quite fast here

[@geoffreymartin2764]

When they first went into service it was the slowest tram network in the world. Fortunately, it has improved in time for T3 to Juniors Kingsford to come online.

[@CARambolagen]

Wow, is that induction power?

[@tittletattletoys]

Thanks for the vid. Do you know the light rail speed km/hr vs tram in Melbourne?

[@railfanworld]

The max speed on the line is 70 km/h, but that's obviously not on George Street.

[@blueviperacr398]

Yes, if it does use full speed on George street, all hell will break loose

[@booksquotes948]

India needs this

[@jacobweir1795]

Can you please do a meet and greet soon

[@InialiefYT]

Yea we were going to the same train but I ate ice cream for a long time our train left so we have to Taranga train

[@PatrickLechevallier]

The speed seems to have improved a bit...We can see a connection between the 2 lines but I don't see what for because the 2 systems are totally different...

[@railfanworld]

I have no idea. Just guessing here: maybe in the future, they want to upgrade the trams on L1 so they will be able to go on both L1 and L2. You would then be able to go from e.g. The Star directly to Circular Quay.

[@timaayg]

It's so the L2 and L3 vehicles can go for service at the Lilyfield depot ☺️

[@abouaymane1216]

Is it safe to step on this third rail or even touch it?

[@planet9711]

I went on to that tram a couple of months ago, I was standing looking for a seat, but the tram starting moving that I fell over. Tell me if that happened to you 😂

[@T.W.I.T.]

how does the 3rd rail work?? you need 2 electrical contact to supply power?? is one of the other rails a contact?? can it shock you? I don't get it?

[@alexjenkins1079]

It shouldn't shock you, it's designed to only be powered up when it senses that a tram is over the section

[@railfanworld]

APS uses a third rail placed between the running rails, divided electrically into ten-metre rail segments with three-metre neutral sections between. Each tram has two power collection shoes, next to which are antennas that send radio signals to energise the power rail segments as the tram passes over them.

[@T.W.I.T.]

@@railfanworld Thanks for your reply, so if by some silly reason someone was touching the 3rd rail and the other conductor when the tram enters the 10 metre section would they receive a shock?

[@T.W.I.T.]

@@alexjenkins1079 Thanks for your reply.

[@T.W.I.T.]

@@railfanworld sorry ignore my 2nd question.. I read your comment again.. I understand now.

[@nickhiscock8948]

I never understood why they didn't just install overhead wires over the whole route thus avoiding the complexity of "3rd rail" and the change over further towards central. It has caused issues in the past

[@timaayg]

Clover Moore didn't want the wires going past town Hall to circular quay so they had to go for aesthetic power.

[@BcroG11]

Because overhead wires are ugly.

[@nickhiscock8948]

Melbourne has got such overhead wires just about everywhere its not that bad just part of the streetscape. the modern systems only have one wire on poles for each track. the old systems like Melbourne are a web of wires holding everything else up

[@denisovanhybrid9610]

@@nickhiscock8948it’s ugly as hell. So clean 🧼 without ..

[@nathyatta]

George St is definitely better for it. Spent a few days in the city recently, and the tram is a fantastic way to get around. I rode it when it first opened, and wasn’t impressed with how slow it was, but they seem to have made it way more efficient since.

[@railfanworld]

Thanks for sharing!

[@markleon411]

Do you know why there are overhead lines in some parts and a third rail in others?

[@tacitdionysus3220]

AFAIK just to avoid unpleasant looking overhead wiring in the inner city areas.

[@markleon411]

@@tacitdionysus3220 but why not do the same for the entire route?

[@tacitdionysus3220]

@@markleon411 I suspect the it costs more, and I've heard it's more easily affected by heavy flooding rain.

[@railfanworld]

And another questions would be: why are there still poles on George Street even though there is a third rail?

[@tacitdionysus3220]

@@railfanworld Good question. I'll have a close look next time I'm in the city, but from the clip they look more like street lights.

[@M1lkyway]

guys i'm Vietnam they've been building tram tracks for almost 20 years and it's still not done, it took more than 5 billion dollars 💀😂

[@railfanworld]

Thanks for sharing!

[@Yitao_Su]

Before the pandemic the doors had to be opened by the passengers themselves, now it's under the control of the driver instead

[@jukio02]

How do they make sure that you paid for your ride? It seems like security is non existence.

[@kismetau]

There are inspectors that will randomly check and fine you if you haven’t paid.

[@followengland_ballsonig2938]

good

[@missyanaten]

0:33 for a second i thought that someone was calling me on discord-

[@bigentertainment71]

Are they air conditioned!

[@railfanworld]

Yes they are!

[@CreatorPolar]

How is this even a question

[@youtubeviewer7030]

the tram stops look similar to the gold coast

[@railfanworld]

I don't think so, have a look at my picture here railfan.be/photos/australia/2017/gold-coast-light-rail

[@saifudinidrus687]

Kapan indonesia...bikin tranfortasi light rail....bagus utk ibu negara baru..kalimantan timur...pasti kren

[@echonomad94]

Metro light rail

[@peterbuttge7434]

Why does Sydney run those ridiculously long double sets. They don't in Melbourne.

[@DuckTrains]

They intend for a larger capacity, although it really isn’t needed until rush hour and peak times.

[@paulhammond1705]

P. K. H. SYDNEY'S BRAND NEW "LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM TRAMWAY". P. K. H. "ELECTRIC RAIL TRAM'S".

[@paulhammond1705]

P. K. H. SYDNEY'S BRAND NEW "LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM TRAMWAY". P. K. H. "ELECTRIC RAIL TRAM'S".

[@Wanimac]

Metro

[@railfanworld]

Please see kzbin.info/www/bejne/fHzQdmd3osahsKc for metro

[@iwanbonnen]

Was he scratching his butt hole there at 5:27 ? :-)

[@ianpennack]

The New World Order gave us a few trams back, but only because the construction cost was very high.

[@darrenedmonds8928]

she has a leaking nuclear power plant

[@shaunmckenzie5509]

Its a horribly slow and inefficient route and system

[@paulfrancis8836]

30's technology with cameras attached. Not impressed. Could have been done with batteries, and eliminate the overhead wiring. Simply charge overnight. Skynet is still a few generations away.

[@Sylvere21]

Ah yes you're right, because in the 30's they had low floored trams, could carry 230 people in one tram, had multiple units, screens inside, power efficient engines with permanent magnet, electric brake with reinjection, priority at crossing, could go up to 80 km/h, air conditioning, enjoyable rides, LEDs lights, the APS...... Oh and btw, you can't power a tram for an entire day with one charge overnight, battery are not that efficient, and they cost a lot. Think a little bit before typing

[@paulfrancis8836]

@@Sylvere21 idiot. the reason the old trams were a certain height was because, if they ran over a person, that person had a chance to live. Get run over by one of these things, and you have Zero chance to live. Things weren't done for nothing.

[@Sylvere21]

@@paulfrancis8836 if the driver hit the emergency brake, a body push guard will get down under the driver seat, and prevent you for going further under the tram and under the bogie. So no it's safe. In France we have almost only this model of tram and it has prevent a lot of death. French engineering, we are good 😄

[@mz7316]

First off old trams were so high because having the floor be above the wheels was a necessity back then. Nowadays with modern compact equipment the floor can be low even between the wheels. And if you get hit by a modern tram you are pushed up and to the side, which is a lot safer than getting stuck under and potentially crushed by the wheels. That is one reason why the front has the shape it does, the other being having a crumple zone to protect the driver and the passenger in a collision, as well as vital equipment (and the structure itself!) inside the tram.

[@blue9multimediagroup]

Such a pessimist and an unnecessary purist. You want better, you pay for it out of pocket. Until then, let the folk who enjoy it live their life. No one likes a miserable lot.