Opening day new Sydney Light Rail | CBD South East Light Rail: Circular Quay - Randwick | Cab ride

Experience the very first public tram ride of the Sydney Light Rail L2 Randwick Line on 14 December 2019 with an amazing panoramic cab ride including return trip. The L2 Randwick Line is also know as the CBD and South East Light Rail. View the line like the driver all the way from Circular Quay through the CBD to Randwick or just skip to the part you want:
00:18 - Circular Quay
03:43 - Bridge Street
06:49 - Wynyard
10:13 - QVB
11:54 - Town Hall
15:37 - Chinatown
19:39 - Haymarket
23:14 - Central Chalmers Street
28:14 - Surry Hills
34:50 - Moore Park
39:37 - Royal Randwick
46:02 - Wansey Road
50:06 - UNSW High Street
51:26 - Randwick
54:19 - UNSW High Street
58:18 - Wansey Road
01:02:45 - Royal Randwick
01:08:13 - Moore Park
01:14:30 - Surry Hills
01:18:02 - Central Chalmers Street
01:22:00 - Haymarket
01:27:44 - Chinatown
01:31:31 - Town Hall
01:34:33 - QVB
01:38:46 - Wynyard
01:41:25 - Bridge Street
01:45:04 - Circular Quay

[@railfanworld]

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

[@Fonziedaz1]

G-day

[@karlkowacz9430]

Ueo sea quest on board

[@MrPete1966]

As much as I like the 'third rail' power system in the heart of the CBD - and I think other tram/light rail systems in Australia should adopt that - I can't help but be bemused why there is no traffic priority system built in to the signalling for the trams.Surely that's a base level addition to any mass transit system that is an early adopted non-negotiable!

[@geoffreymartin2764]

The future takes this from the slowest tramway in the world to a tramway that actually works. The priority system is at this point yet to come.

[@Roadrunnerz45]

@@geoffreymartin2764 you get it at some intersections. it is a lot better than it used to be. i am not sure it can happen at every intersection because there is a lot of competing users being pedestrians and vehicles and unlike say canberra, the frequency is much higher, trams in the city come every couple of mins.

[@TransportBuff]

Great Video! Love the view. The guy that said 'That was a quick trip' at 0:08, cracked me up. LOL! :)

[@railfanworld]

Thanks mate!

[@angelswings7024]

Mate, you have one of the best rail transport videos on KZbin. This light rail cab ride video is beyond excellent. 5***** from me. Thanks so much for this video recording and upload.

[@railfanworld]

Thank you so much for that comment!

[@angelswings7024]

@@railfanworld you're welcome.

[@brentsummers7377]

Excellent video thanks! Plenty of extra staff around at the crossings - just what they should do when a system is brand new. Tourists are going to adore the new trams.

[@railfanworld]

Thanks mate!

[@marianalu9885]

O mu gosh this is the life I really love it’s so cool I couldn’t stop thinking it i hope the L3 line is filming on your channel thx dude

[@aussiejohn5835]

This is a great video. The test period is over and yet the driver is still being coached. A painfully slow trip down George st. A great view of all the ugly poles that the mayor didn't want. Poles and third rail but no wires. Should have been poles and wires the entire route. Good work with this video and you must be the first to post.

[@railfanworld]

Thank you so much for liking this video!

[@15sixmedia]

He’s not being coached, that’s one of the safety team.

[@aussiejohn5835]

@@15sixmedia Thanks for clearing that up. A second pair of eyes for the driver then.

[@tanithrosenbaum]

@@15sixmedia What does a safety team do? Or rather, whose safety to they check or provide? Driver? Passengers? Trams?

[@davidlang1125]

Tanith Rosenbaum is this a serious question?

[@traxxdutch6153]

Mooie video en mooie stad is Sydney en die trams van CAF zijn ook mooi

[@railfanworld]

Dank je wel!. Om helemaal correct te zijn, zijn dit trams van het type Alstom Citadis.

[@ikeyallen4357]

Love this mate! Must of been busy, I’m going there on Monday to test the Circular Quay to Chalmers Street route for myself, can’t wait!!

[@railfanworld]

That's great to hear!

[@Mattia_98]

Nice seeing Sydney getting a tram, but oh man is it slow. And the traffic light definitely need to be improved!

[@railfanworld]

Agreed!

[@youtubeviewer7030]

BREAKING NEWS: Sydney's $3billion light rail BREAKS DOWN on its long-delayed first day - while another tram accidentally goes down the wrong line

[@railfanworld]

Interesting! Thanks for sharing, mate.

[@youtubeviewer7030]

railfan_be cheers

[@robertryan7204]

Major criticism since has been the extremely slow pace of the Tram. It is supposed to be the slowest Tram currently in existence

[@Roadrunnerz45]

@@robertryan7204 not anymore

[@robertryan7204]

@@Roadrunnerz45 You mean their ones that are even slower?

[@antaryjczyk]

Those trams look really nice and sleek. However I'd assume they'd have a right of way over road traffic...they stop so many times making them so slow...

[@railfanworld]

Indeed they do, but maybe when cars and pedestrians get used to it, the speed is going to be increased?

[@Roadrunnerz45]

@@railfanworld but these trams do screech and creak on the curves unlike canberra which seemed much better although canberra is a much straighter track and uses a different model of trams

[@robertryan7204]

Last thing you want is a screeching tram

[@ozrail1]

A great video. Never seen this line before. Thank you.

[@railfanworld]

Thank you to you too!

[@Carlomunroxx]

Lol the start was the best part

[@RustyKeys72]

The driver's thumb has a lot of nervous energy. lol Great vid. Well done!

[@JB-mn2gu]

Yeah, what’s with the thumb spasms

[@DrivesDownUnder]

@@JB-mn2gu no idea, the two drivers on my two journeys including this guy were moving their thumb up and down that lever.

[@MatthewGeier]

It's vigilance or 'dead man' control. There is a sensor on the side of the handle. If it doesn't detect a 'change' for more than 30 seconds or so an alarm sounds and if that doesn't get a response, the power is cut and the brakes come on. There is also a pedal on the floor they can hold halfway down that cancels the thumb sensor. Personally, I think this 'thumb twitch' vigilance system is a bad idea and will result in RSI injuries.

[@legass420]

@@MatthewGeier Yeah... what happened to just using the dead man pedal? In my opinion if there is to be a hand held dead man system, it should be a button. Not some stupid touchpad.

[@MatthewGeier]

@@legass420 Waterfall. Poor Herman's legs turned out to be the right weight to balance the pedal, but it came out during the inquiry that other drivers were jamming the signal flags under the console to hold the pedal in the correct position.

[@DrivesDownUnder]

Hey I was on the tram with you to Randwick and back! Hope to see you when the Kingsford branch opens.

[@railfanworld]

Hey mate. Nice meeting you today!

[@jamesnicholaswest7036]

I left Sydney 35 years ago, traffic in the eastern suburbs was hectic then. Would love to see how this light rail system performs in peak periods.

[@Roadrunnerz45]

it is around 31 mins per timetable on a perfect day and 35 in peak periods. a vast improvement from opening

[@mmmail1969]

OK, so in a nutshell, 1) catch the train up to Central and then 2) get on the new light rail at Central! Cheers.... ;)

[@railfanworld]

Let me know how you enjoyed the ride!

[@anmolmehta7116]

A lovely tram ride through downtown Sydney. However, some of the stoppages were too long. It took forever to take off from some of the stops. Why was that? At one stop the driver was constantly chatting with his colleague despite the signal being green, a waste of five minutes delay. It was only on the next signal did he finally take off. I suppose due to technical glitches the tram was delayed a bit. Be it Metro or light rail, somehow there are bound to be some technical problems somewhere on the first day of their operations itself.

[@railfanworld]

You are right about the green signal, but they wanted to evenly space out the trams. So that is why they were sometimes waiting a bit. Like you mentioned, this is the very first public ride on opening day, so it's bound to have some glitches.

[@gumbootsone]

I like Light Rails I Went With My Dad To Circular Quay To NSW Trains To Mcdonaldtown

[@ctwentysevenj6531]

, Sydney has decided To bring back trams after 58 years. Realised they did the wrong thing back in 1961. Not including that light rail in 1997 as that goes over mainly old heavy rail lines. Lucky Melbourne kept its trams, as it is the largest tram system in the world.

[@davidlang1125]

Same in Los Angeles. It had a very extensive tram network until the early 1950’s when it was abandoned. Some of the old tracks were still visible until quite recently. The city sold off most of the right of ways in the 1980’s only to have a long drawn out public debate a few years later to bring it back by which time they had to find funds for new right of ways. But it now has a robust rail and light rail expansion plan in place. It has transformed the city in very important ways and has the promise of reducing car ownership as essential to living in LA. It will help it reach its climate change goals as well as make it a more livable city. Pretty radical for a city that was synonymous with car culture. But Sydney is way ahead of LA in terms of transit and livability.

[@railfanworld]

Very interesting, thanks for sharing!

[@tamworthtrainnut285]

Guess who, it's me again LOL

[@andrewr886]

36:40 Mr Expert gets put in his place.... LOL "The bus road is still beside us.." "NO NO!! .... oh, yeah it is ......."

[@automandan3066]

Awesome video . Cheers mate

[@railfanworld]

Thanks mate!

[@sambrown5976]

The world's slowest tram! Well done NSW.

[@AnonyDave]

and by "how long until we hit someone" they probably meant "how long until a dingus taxi drives the wrong way up a one way street and into the side of a stopped tram?"

[@robertryan7204]

More like someone looking at their Mobile Phone

[@jacobweir1795]

I was wandering if after it’s all calmed down if you could to another run that way it would be quieter

[@railfanworld]

And it also took over 50min for a single trip, so hopefully travel times decrease in the future as well!

[@markleon411]

How is this so quiet? When I was on it, the clunking of the rails was so loud.

[@bribreid]

sidney is my prefer city , have all , good weather, tecnology, quality of life, etc

[@railfanworld]

Awesome!

[@allanchapman6250]

My father took me on the last day of the old tram’s .

[@davidlang1125]

I’ve watched a whole bunch of really interesting videos about the opening weekend but this is one of the best. Thanks so much. Hope your arms wasn’t too strained having to hold the camera up for the duration! BTW why were some of the stops so long? Didn’t look like they were planned.

[@railfanworld]

Thank you so much for that great comment, really appreciate it. They wanted to evenly space out the trams, so sometimes we had to wait a bit longer at some stops.

[@PeterArnold1969]

I'm pretty sure that the camera was secured to the inside of the cabin.

[@troykm]

I hear Gretel Killeen still doing the announcements 🤓

[@pureinzusupotta]

0:27 "Should we hit somebody?" cracked me up! XD

[@daciatravel.647]

Very good video!!!!

[@railfanworld]

Thanks mate!

[@giovannismet2924]

Dit zijn mooie beelden. Bedankt om ze te uploaden. Ik zag eerder beelden van testritten met deze tram en op een deel van traject wordt er geen gebruik gemaakt van bovenleidingen. Ik weet dat de meeste trams rijden op een spanning van 600 volt gelijkstroom. Ik veronderstel dat waar er geen bovenleiding is, het derde spoor in het midden zorgt voor de stroomtoevoer en zat me af te vragen onder welke spanning dit gebeurt en of het geen risico vormt voor voetgangers die op het spoor lopen. Ook zit ik me af te vragen of de stroomtoevoer via het extra spoor op de grond geen problemen zou kunnen opleveren in gebieden waar winterse omstandigheden, (sneeuw en ijs), mogelijk zijn. Iets waar ze natuurlijk in Sydney niet voor hoeven te vrezen. These are beautiful images. Thank you for uploading them. I previously saw images of test drives with this tram and overhead lines are not used on part of the route. I know that most trams run on a voltage of 600 volts DC. I suppose that where there is no overhead wire, the third track in the middle provides the power supply and I was wondering under what voltage this happens and whether it poses no risk to pedestrians walking on the track. I am also wondering whether the power supply via the extra track on the ground could not cause problems in areas where winter conditions (snow and ice) are possible. Something they obviously don't have to fear in Sydney.

[@legass420]

The only active part of the third rail is the specific section that has a tram on it. Everywhere else, the power is off.

[@railfanworld]

Het systeem van Alstom heet alimentation par le sol (APS) oftewel voeding via de grond. De derde rail bestaat uit een opeenvolging van stalen strips met een lengte van acht meter, gemonteerd in het wegdek. Via centrale sturing wordt tijdens het rijden uitsluitend het gedeelte onder de tram onder spanning gebracht. De spanning wordt opgevangen via een soort 'schaatsen', die over de derde rail onder de tram glijden.

[@paulkennedy8701]

I suppose you're right that they don't have to FEAR snow. However, it can snow in Sydney. There were some heavy winter falls in the 1830s. And there were some lighter ones in January and February in the 1940s.

[@giovannismet2924]

@@paulkennedy8701 Thank you for the information, Paul. I know that snow does occur more often in the highlands west of Sydney, but in Sydney it seems to be very exceptional I also suspect that the snow that fell then did not last long. Living in Europe, where a lot of trams run in the cities, I was thinking about that. Especially in European cities more to the east, where the winters can be very cold and long. I myself have a fairground attraction with trolleys that are powered by DC and also have to take their electricity from a track, the same as the tram, but on a smaller scale and I know from experience that during winter weather ice and snow can cause serious problems. In the worst case, even no contact at all. Hence my train of thought. By the way, the tram tracks in Sydney remind me a bit of the tracks of the cable cars in San Fransisco, where of course there is a cable running in the central track that is driven by a motor in a central station. I had the chance when I was in California in '96, I think, to visit those installations, 19th century technonology. Still fascinating to see how inventive they were then.

[@giovannismet2924]

@@railfanworld Bedankt voor de informatie. Wel, geloof het of niet, maar ik dacht wel dat het zoiets moest zijn. Want met zeer lage (ongevaarlijke) spanningen werken bij zulke grote vermogens is vrijwel ondoenbaar. TNX, weer wat bijgeleerd.

[@stephenthompson5260]

What's going on with the driver's left thumb? I've seen all drivers doing that. Some sort of dead man safety thing? I can see carpel tunnel syndrome for these drivers.

[@railfanworld]

Indeed a deadman system

[@troykm]

It’s the vigilance system, although he is going a bit overboard.

[@vicwhiteley5185]

Great system and video , but......too many long stoppages at traffic lights. Lights need to be phased to give prioity to trams. This trip should take half as long as it does

[@railfanworld]

Thanks for your comment. I do agree with you on the priority at the traffic lights!

[@rajbahadurverma6762]

Super Video

[@railfanworld]

Thank you so much!

[@rickthelian2215]

I can hear my voice at the front, I’m from Fairfield

[@Nat-Reeley-a-Bus-Driver]

This driving stick (however it's called) will be warn off after approximately a couple of weeks of this guy's rubbing his thumb on it constantly. What's the deal with that? It's already shiny.

[@railfanworld]

See @Phox comment: it's a dead man security system on the edge of the handle

[@rickthelian2215]

I was on this trip😀😀😀

[@railfanworld]

Thanks for sharing!

[@nicolasblume1046]

Oh God, that part in the CBD is painfully slow! The trams need signal priority!

[@railfanworld]

Agreed!

[@Fonziedaz1]

G-day nice trams in Sydney Australia Aspsley with covid-19 😷

[@emeQve]

the speed limits are so conservative... 30 km/h inside the tunnels... really???

[@railfanworld]

I have no idea why, maybe because of the bend in that tunnel?

[@bnrailfannz8262]

A real shame certain people here in NZ dont like Light Rail😐🤨

[@spacyorspicy]

This is the best video ever! You can now put this in your popular videos! Hope you have a merry Christmas Tim! It has been the best in 2019 right?:D I hope you get to 1K Subscribe!!! 💕 But why do you speak different languages?

[@railfanworld]

Thanks mate and a merry Christmas to you too. Different languages are fun!

[@spacyorspicy]

@@railfanworldThere is my tram!! YUPPY!!! Sydney Is the best but still bushfires...):

[@Yitao_Su]

Did the tram reverse back to Circular Quay without driver?

[@rileygatt2224]

That deadman switch/pedal must be so annoying for drivers I’d hate it if I was a driver

[@Scott-fi6ml]

Great video but did not show it pulling into Randwick station

[@markjoecool5974]

Nice

[@railfanworld]

Thanks!

[@MrCJHamill]

Thanks for the excellent video. What time did this first ever passenger service depart Circular Quay please?

[@DrivesDownUnder]

It was about 10:10-10:15am in the morning. I was on it and I think we boarded at 10:10

[@railfanworld]

Indeed, the first public ride was originally scheduled at 11am, but they've changed it to around 10am.

[@MrCJHamill]

@@DrivesDownUnder Thanks a lot for confirming this info.

[@MrCJHamill]

@@railfanworld Thanks for confirming the info and again for the video. I caught a later one departing CQ at around 10:40am.

[@DrivesDownUnder]

@@MrCJHamill no worries

[@skozzy1968]

Very disturbing seeing the driver moving his thumb non stop.

[@railfanworld]

See @Phox comment: it's a dead man security system on the edge of the handle

[@KGB95140]

@@railfanworld At the end it will be a dead thumb device... hope it's just him making way to much movement, because that's ridiculous.

[@ethannewfuse1143]

Riding too close to another tram? Come to Melbourne and learn how a real Tram operates.

[@davidlang1125]

It was opening day so scheduling (and spacing) was more slack. But it’s to be expected during initial operations to see glitches. Eventually head ways will be more consistent when operators have experience with varying conditions throughout the day. These are routine issues when introducing new light rail services. It will also depend on the public learning to live with the new light rail in their community especially with safety concerns. It will eventually develop the symbiotic relationship of a mature system like Melbourne.

[@treypohe4593]

Ethan NewFuse lol it’s opening day what do you expect? You guys had trams / light rails running ing for how long?

[@androandrejevic3002]

Great Video. will they eventually give priority to the Light Railway over traffic at the lights to keep the flow

[@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.

[@robertryan7204]

Still very slow even with priority, you would have thought it would be included from day one

[@andgate2000]

Tram A broke the moment i got on.....then went to other platform to catch other tram B. Only to witness tham A pull out.

[@railfanworld]

Sorry to hear that, maybe your next experience will be better!

[@robertryan7204]

After two trips my next experience will be by Bus

[@hilldoggydogg635]

Wow can this thing go any slower?

[@petertrevena804]

Melbourne is still the best!

[@choo_choo_stew]

Surprised that the trams get stopped at almost EVEY red light. Sydney trying to be better than Melbourne and once again failing.

[@railfanworld]

Yeah, there is certainly room for improvement!

[@nickfarhanipour1035]

I can hear myself

[@harrygoldun5779]

24 minutes from Circular Quay to Central, I’d say that is a good outcome.......yeah right, what a joke!!!!

[@trizvanov]

Not as quick as by a bicycle but sure as hell beats walking.

[@MrMKH2010]

What is his thumb doing on the controls?

[@TheOwenMajor]

So how is this better than a bus?

[@Sylvere21]

Capacity, reliability, confort, sustainability, security

[@jade5615]

It’s good for elderly people, very accessible for them. No stairs to climb, less risk of falling over, etc. I’ve noticed many seniors using the trams.

[@TheOwenMajor]

@@jade5615 Have you been on a modern low floor bus? They kneel so you don't even have to step into them.

[@blueberrysavers3547]

Is there ac inside?

[@railfanworld]

There is, although on the opening day it was not that cool, but they said they've lowered the temperature of the AC.

[@Roadrunnerz45]

not the best design for the pedestrian crossing/platform space at unsw high st at 55:28 - you can see the man having to move out of the way. moving the cars back and removing some of the fence would free up space

[@robertryan7204]

Agreed

[@Roadrunnerz45]

@@robertryan7204 there's quite a few design fails like this. another is at 1:04:33 on the left - pedestrians have used the shortest route to go from each crossing leading to wear and tear on the grass. it is just poor design and planning, getting to fancy.

[@robertryan7204]

​@@Roadrunnerz45 agreed

[@anupamc70]

why so slow driving in reserved bed(Own Right of Way).

[@railfanworld]

Very good question!

[@Matthew_M11]

First day, lots of idiots.

[@simonpotter7969]

why are they so slow

[@giovannismet2924]

They drive partly through a pedestrian zone where the speed is limited to 20 km / h.

[@guinessbeer]

What a useless system. You can walk faster than that!

[@simonpotter7969]

the light rail is very disappointing

[@LeNguyen-ci3yf]

Sean

[@jacksuperclyde]

Yarra Trams disliked this video

[@LeNguyen-ci3yf]

sean

[@gingersbirthday2952]

thomas and friends help me

[@jacobweir1795]

What happened between High St and Randwick

[@railfanworld]

We had to wait at High Street, because all platforms at Randwick were occupied by trams, so we could not go in.

[@jacobweir1795]

railfan_be ok, cool. Awesome video I have shared it to all my friends. Keep up the good work

[@railfanworld]

@@jacobweir1795 Thank you much for that comment, cheers!

[@jacobweir1795]

railfan_be I have a request can up you do Circular Quay-Randwick and return with the speedometer as those are my favourite type of videos. also you are my favourite KZbinr. Keep up the amazing work!

[@railfanworld]

@@jacobweir1795 Thank you so much for that, I will keep that in mind!

[@GamingG1236]

1:03:24

[@railfanworld]

A change of driver, yes, or what do you mean?

[@75dt21]

What a waste of money

[@kingofapex9493]

A waste of time and money...

[@sirindag2222]

Токосъёмник под днищем

[@richysee]

Snail rail.

[@robertryan7204]

Very much so