Sydney Monorail Closing

[@tannawannavannabittannawan7138]

So glad I got to ride on this monorail several times in the 1990s when I went on a few trips to Australia. It was a great system to get around the Central City of Sydney, especially for tourist!! The system was very sleek & attractive and not ugly by any means, always seem to be packed with riders, had great views of the city and bustling streets of Sydney, was one of the fastest ways to get around the city center, felt extremely safe, was so easy to use, was a tourist attraction in itself really (especially with the views, as riders hovered over/ through the bustling streets. I can't believe in this day and age when cities across the globe are trying to bring back different forms of public transportation, that they would go and decide to dismantle this amazing and very efficient system. What a huge mistake, which they will probably realize down the road like most cities did after they dismantled their systems in the past. Big Mistake Sydney!!! 😒

[@echonomad94]

They said it had “low patronage” despite whenever I rode the monorail it was jam packed. Especially on Thursdays, all the carriages would be full and most times I had to stand. Everyone left at either Galleries Victoria, City Centre, or Darling Park. Even on any other day the monorail would be packed. Especially at Darling Park station. Even I used it.

[@hh8638]

R.I.P Sydney Monorail In Memories 1988-2013

[@samyenney]

I used to work there, just lost my job a few days ago due to the closure, I enjoyed ur video a lot coz it bring out good memory.. Thank u so much!! I missed driving them already..

[@BadWebDiver]

What were they like to drive? Similar to a train, with reverser and power handle? How long did it take you to certify for it?

[@mikewalz5738]

If I remember correctly, this monorail was at Expo 86 in Vancouver, I rode that monorail, while at Expo 86. I'm sure they added more beamway and trainsets, when they brought it to Sydney.

[@hoangobien7991]

I felt very sad when i knew SYDNEY didn't have monorail. Thank you very much because of your video. I was known more a public transport of Sydney in the past :( :(

[@ffroghnourm7990]

I loved the monorail when I was little, it was a common thing me and my dad would do in the city, I didnt even know it was taken down until I returned to Sydney in 2015.

[@lundsweden]

I always liked the monorail, but practically it had a small passenger capacity, and was very slow. This slowness was great though in terms of the view, the city looked great from up there. Best part was going across the old bridge near Darling Harbour IMO!

[@anneeq008]

All urban public transport is slow since it's going through densely built/populated areas. Particularly large units like trams, light rail etc

[@dementos7806]

This looked so cool. A real shame it's gone, welp... thats one tourist thing to cross of the list of not doing. They should of kept it.

[@jaitheminecraftgamer5046]

They’ve to extend L1 Light Rail to Dulwich Hill

[@anneeq008]

Aesthetically it looks really good and integrates well with the urban landscape it's a shame it didn't work out for whatever reason

[@malayrojak]

Thanks for making and sharing the footage Luke. Hopefully at least this would be preserved!

[@Matthew_M11]

This was one mode of public transport that had so much character. There was nothing more cooler then sitting up there going around the city, now it is all gone.

[@afropenguin]

Matthew M well it's gone to a better place, to Hobart ,so that will be good when they announce the route it will take so the lesson of this story is that the bigger city's don't appreciate what they have until its gone

[@treypohe4593]

@@afropenguin wait, it went to Hobart? I thought the cars got scrapped! Same with the track!

[@treypohe4593]

11:40 I remember seeing Pyrmont Bridge open and the monorail track moved as well... It was a sight I will never forget...

[@treypohe4593]

I've been on this quite a few times and seeing that it's gone makes me feel like something got taken or stolen from me... So sad to see that it's gone. I miss the monorail... 😭

[@nicolaiitchenko7610]

The ONLY piece of modern technology that Sydney could take pride in. We have the Opera House - coming on to 50 years old and a wonderful but static building, the Harbor Bridge, an iconic piece of brilliant engineering and the harbor itself...nature at its best. The Monorail gave us an entry into the 21st Century with the added bonus of a visually appealing, non environmentally impacting, sensible transit system. It should rather have been expanded than removed...

[@waynebrown9646]

Sydney is so bland. The monorail was one of the things that made it more fun and exiting

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

I wouldn't necessarily call Sydney bland, but now that the monorail is gone, I probably won't be visiting there again for a very long time. They have lost my tourist dollar.

[@bassiri3902]

take a ferry from any point after parramatta to circular quay

[@treypohe4593]

10:03 That's one reason as to why the monorail was so effective...

[@tmc_beast562]

Agreed

[@jaa.mes_1190]

Miss going on these during school excursions, now we have to wait for it to be built again

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

I wish it had not been torn down. I hope Sydney will build a new monorail line through the city, but I doubt it will happen.

[@utiwutiw4048]

So sad.... It looks so beautiful. Thanks for your video. 🚟🚟🚟🚟🚟🚟🚟🚟

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

Thank you!

[@jamesfrench7299]

So glad I decided to go for an impromptu ride in 2013 from World Square station only months before it's closure. I had only ridden it twice before, the first when it was new!

[@passiton3801]

I was in Sydney for 6 weeks in 1990, I remember the monorail..

[@queen.of.rebellia6277]

I remember riding on it when I was little. The city is just so different now.

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

+December Falls I'm glad I had the chance to ride this twice before it closed. I feel like this video is capturing a piece of history. I have less desire to visit Sydney again now that the monorail is gone.

[@queen.of.rebellia6277]

+Luke Starkenburg i live here and it just feels like something has been stolen from me. The monorail was my favorite part of Sydney.

[@treypohe4593]

@@queen.of.rebellia6277 I live in Sydney too! The monorail was a landmark and seeing that it's gone just breaks my heart...

[@MrGregHiller]

What an appallingly shortsighted and blatantly ignorant thing to do. I can't believe it.

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

Greg Hiller this was such I neat monorail system! It's such a shame!

[@deanbombaderi1137]

That's OZ in a nutshell

[@MrGeocidal]

@ThomasG10mtn Not if they made it actually go somewhere.

[@susancorgi]

Sad. But luckily i got to ride it twice in the 90s while i was there for 6 months. Sad sad to see it gone.

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

I was happy to be there to film it in the last few months of operation.

[@afropenguin]

If it had held on most likely it would have been the transportation mode chosen to go between central and circular quay instead of the lights rail cause then the street would not had to have been ripped up

[@treypohe4593]

Every time I travelled on the monorail, I always found it strange how it never stopped at Chinatown and how it stops inside a building... Lol.

[@KuraIthys]

Such a dumb decision. Yes, I know the whole system was only intended to be there for about a year for the bicentennial celebrations, but come on. In spite of it's design intentions it had been there for over 20 years. Why remove it after all that time? So shortsighted...

[@Bev7787]

I believe the monorail was due for an overhaul as well- it was only built for a 25 year life span and by that time the monorail manufacturer was defunct or no longer produced the parts

[@ax2bxc]

I can't believe that a result of hardwork will just end up into nothing!

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hi Luke, I enjoyed your video, it's very well made. It does seen a pity Sydney is to loose the Monorail, but at least I took the chance to ride it on my last visit. Tim.

[@Greenman5582]

I miss the monorail already it made Sydney seem like a more vibrant city. I personally think if it was connected to central it would still be there. at least the light rail has a bright future.

[@MattPat427]

Well light rail is the stupidest thing of transport that anyone could make, because it was made to help congested traffic, but instead it seriously goes right smack in the middle of it, worsening it.

[@RaymondHng]

Matthew Helgeson San Francisco's light rail system runs underground, on right-of-way tracks, and on transit-only lanes.

[@afropenguin]

Matthew Helgeson not the L1 in Sydney it's all on only railways except for a 3 private roads and a small road leading through central but everything else is separate from the road a good amount of light rails don't run on the road for all the trip

[@treypohe4593]

@@afropenguin now we got more light rails...and they actually go on the road unfortunately. Damn. More traffic for Sydney. 😭

[@treypohe4593]

12:33 I remember when I was little and I always saw monorails in that area and I always wondered how they move the monorails on and off the track... I used to think they either break up the monorail, lift it up and move it or the flew it there... I always doubted that they flew it there. Lol.

[@waterskippers]

Since the trains aren't running, do you think they'd let me walk a lap on the track?

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

I wish, but sadly they removed the track. Too bad Sydney is no longer a city I want to re-visit.

[@SamSitar]

wowser! it has so many direction changes.

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

??

[@SamSitar]

it has so many curves. how would you stay on it?

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

It was basically a big circle running around some very iconic, touristy, and business parts of town. Yes, the track had lots of curves which added to the appeal of the monorail!

[@treypohe4593]

Apparently, they used parts of the monorail track to build a bridge/overpass for the cars to go on during construction of the new Sydney Metro coming out this year...

[@lennyhendricks4628]

plenty of rail lines have been abandoned over the years, now the monorail buffs know how it feels, you're not immune!!

[@AsloAso]

Sad sad day for a wonder magical use of transport

[@hazelchief-rabbit5903]

I was just in Sydney a few weeks ago and had no idea they once had a monorail. So, why did they scrap it?

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

The Sydney monorail used to be a icon of the city used in all their brochures and tourist advertising. It's a shame they took it down. The city redeveloped the Chinatown area and instead of moving the track, they decided to tear it down completely.

[@glenatkinson4066]

Apparently a deal was made to scrap it when they opened the new tram line. City governments all over the world can be INCREDIBLY short sighted.

[@mishap00]

Government kickbacks from light rail

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

Thanks, I am sad it closed. Sydney won't be the same city without it. I am sorry about your job loss. Are they giving you employment at the Metro Light Rail?

[@davidmu2443]

Sydney's situation is very similar to Toronto, Canada's situation.

[@Denis.-1]

I enjoyed going on the monorail in Sydney

[@mabito2]

Excelente, en Argentina falta uno asi

[@davidlp3019]

Ive been on the monorail a fair bit, but I always noticed that the stations were packed. So I do think that they were getting the business. I just don't see why it closed.

[@aussiesorcerer791]

Ecorigon IV In the governments eyes, it wasn’t “packed enough”. Plus I believe it was expensive to operate, and the route it was serving just wasn’t justice enough.

[@davidlp3019]

@@aussiesorcerer791 yeah that is true. It didn't go anywhere but it's kind of cool for tourists I guess. It did get business.

[@anthonybanovic3658]

Because it is so cheap to construct, power and administer, any advancement in its wonderful use of space, technology and up out of the way infrastructure would not make the $$$ for the bullshit handshakes that occur in Macquarie Street. mates helping mates, making better men better and so mote it be if you get my drift V /\. But we need Barangaroo, a rebuilt SFS, a rebuilt casino, and a 19th century light rail system fucking up every street in the CBD in its construction. The arrogance of these ... "people" ... disgusts me. But what can you expect from a world where Tesla is shunned and Edison takes honour, we saw the last Bush election results fudged and now we see Mickey Mouse has elected Donald Trump as president. The only technological advancement we get is in amusements and distractions like television, PC's mobile phones..electric can openers and exercise equipment. What a fucking joke.

[@transportvlogs2841]

Great time lapse video! Sad they pulled it down! Instead they want to build the slow LRT in the city.The monorail is the best thing for a city like Sydney, they jus need to expand the network to cover more area. Many city oversea has monorail, sky train serving shopping mails, and suburbs. Check out my video of KL Monorail in Kuala Lumpur.

[@trespire]

In Turin the local municipality built a subway line just in time for the 2006 winter Olympics. I don't see them ripping it out after 18 years. The Olympics are suppose to bring investments to the city's infrastructure. How short sighted of the officials in Sydney, makes one question whose interest are they serving.

[@MPIEMDRailfan4]

Nooo! How could they close it?!

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

I know! I can't believe they actually tore it down!

[@patrickhundley1203]

So sad

[@treypohe4593]

@@patrickhundley1203 ikr

[@OllieWasHere]

I was lucky enough to ride it 2 times

[@robertfrankitaliano1894]

So, did Sydney replace the Monorail system with a Tram, or Metro!

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

The Sydney monorail was torn down because they wanted to redevelop part of the city, build new condos, and the monorail was in the way. The city is dramatically expanding the streetcar network but it isn’t replacing the route that the monorail took. Many locals rode the monorail but it was mainly a tourist attractions. I saw many local school groups arrive on buses to ride the monorail! It was also a bit hit with the tourists!

[@rajpawar9343]

Monorails are underrated transport systems. Because of their low speed, low capacity and low power. People rarely prefer them and always compare them to their closest counterpart, Metros which has High capacity, more speed and more power, people like that also prefer them.

[@loganbaileysfunwithtrains606]

Metro is also very extensive where as monorails are cheaper and less impacting on the environment and surroundings.

[@brianmorris8045]

I was lucky to have ridden on that years ago in the 80's. (Closed because two entities could not agree who was responsible for certain jobs...totally pathetic on BOTH parties sides!!) In those days it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. Sad, yes, Luke, because it was closed. At least the trams..er...light rail came back. I remember at Dulwich Hill in the 50's the tram going up Marrickville Rd to the terminus. Great days then...the old green rattlers. But they were fun to ride on. Ta for the vids, Luke.

[@Bobrogers99]

If the problem was lack of ridership, some planner screwed up. But even then, it could have been promoted more actively with the tourists. Possibly extending the routes to places where there is more demand for access to transportation would have helped. But it's too late now. :-(

[@BadWebDiver]

Yeah, heading sout thowards the central station and onward, or west towards the suburbs, or north over the river to Luna Park or northern suburbs would have been great!

[@tefllife2024]

You know what was good about Sydney monorail? You could ride in circles many times around for the one price.

[@blueryan12346]

Where does the monorail end

[@marcopolo3001]

This has to be the most short sighted move in Sydney's history. A total bureaucratic cluster fuck of poor decisions. In another 20 years it would of been like removing the iconic Opera house because it was too pointy or losing its functionality. I will officially never understand the aussie mindset since the day the monorail closed. Total tomfuckery. The monorail in many peoples eyes was a part of Sydney's character already.

[@captainharris8980]

Why was it shut down?

[@sallicelerysecurityates1013]

Why this monorail was shutdown??

[@HDWRIGHT409]

why on earth are they closing it?

[@aussiesorcerer791]

david wright It closed years ago - And simply put, they closed it because it wasn’t making enough money. It was really only used by tourists, which wasn’t its intended purpose. It was created to offer Sydney another method of public transport, but instead it just became an “amusement attraction”. The route didn’t go to many ‘key areas’ that would of attracted many members of the public (e.g. Town Hall and Central), and whilst the government did consider changing the route, it was cheaper to go with the light rail and tear down the monorail in the long run. The monorail was simply not sustainable, and so it was removed. Don’t get me wrong, I want it back and I miss it heaps, but the government had to do what they had to do.

[@psychamore]

Maybe metro construction

[@hughnorris1699]

A monorail is far cheaper than a subway system and a so -called light rail system can add to the congestion even though some have secluded tracks. Comments are welcome.

[@treypohe4593]

I question why it never stopped at Chinatown...

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

The Chinatown station was only used on weekday rush hour times. It was open, but only during certain hours.

[@treypohe4593]

@@Luke_Starkenburg ohh that makes a lot more sense now... Lol. Thanks! 😊

[@treypohe4593]

@@Luke_Starkenburg woops! I just re-watched the video and saw the little piece of info about it... Lol.

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

Trey Pohe no worries. I wish they hadn’t torn the system down! It’s such a shame!

[@treypohe4593]

@@Luke_Starkenburg same. And it's such a shame indeed...

[@ethancampbell6076]

Is the monorail sets scraped or sold at Sydney?

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

Ethan Campbell I think at least 2 monorail trains were saved and sold.

[@HX56Music]

@@Luke_Starkenburg None got scrapped, Most were bought and sent to Thailand, 1 was preserved at the Powerhouse Museum, and the rest were sold as individual carriages to people in Australia.

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

@@HX56Music That's interesting! I didn't know most were sent to Thailand.

[@HX56Music]

@@Luke_Starkenburg Yep! An Australian in Thailand bought them actually.

[@mtiger62]

It takes an Aussie to build a transport system that goes nowhere and one way!

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

Stephen Yap it was a silly route. It was always full of tourists and some locals though. I wish it had not been torn down. Maybe Sydney will build a similar, but better elevated monorail system in the future!

[@Brian_rock_railfan]

bacause sydney has light rail ?

[@latios5376]

why did they even close it?

[@aussiesorcerer791]

John Doe It’s because it wasn’t actually making money. It was intended to be a use of public transport, but it wasn’t. Instead, it was merely a tourist attraction, and even then, it wasn’t making enough money to sustain its operations. They did consider changing the route, but in the long run, it was cheaper to get rid of it and bring in the light rail. Don’t get me wrong, I miss the bloody thing, but it sadly had to go. Hopefully we may see a monorail again in the future, but for now, the government is currently focusing on improving the light rail network + the Sydney Metro.

[@chrisjohnson6876]

Great and well produced and edited video of a lost Icon. What a waste

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

Thanks for the kind words, this is one of my first big videos. I am very sad this was removed also, such a shame. It was so iconic to Sydney!

[@treypohe4593]

To be honest, it kind of sounds like the engines of a 777...

[@hughnorris1699]

We invented the magnetic hover track system in England and we scrapped it! How dumb is that? Comments welcome.

[@jcuskixyz]

excellent stuff!!!

[@psychamore]

BOOOOOO

[@psychamore]

I AM SAD IT CLOSED

[@opicatchu2164]

oh no !!! it was amazing !! too bad for sydney !!! incredible and what a lost of money.....

[@boboutelama5748]

Mark my words, they will re-build the monorail in the future. Especially when cars will become a thing of the past.

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

I hope it will be a higher capacity, bi-directional monorail that will be more useful to locals going to and from work.

[@ivorholtskog5506]

Cities like noise and things that take years too build.

[@durf2753]

It is a disgrace to Sydney(now lousy transit mired in legal wrangling). They should have expanded the monorail. It's sure not the world class city.

[@ajmalshahtravelling7088]

special train enjoy

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

It was a special train. I miss it!

[@nosuchthingasshould4175]

What was the excuse for shutting it down?

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

Re-developent around the Chinatown area. Instead of re-routing the monorail track they simply tore the whole thing down. Very stupid in my opinion!

[@hh8638]

Luke Starkenburg Yup it is Very Stupid

[@ROCKSTAR3291]

I heard that it didn't make money because only tourists rode it. Such a shame, I work in the city and i loved the sight of the monorail. They should have extended it, made it useful for local people.

[@NSWSteamFan]

Luke Starkenburg agreed.

[@treypohe4593]

@@ROCKSTAR3291 I rode it and I wasn't a tourist! This is outrageous that they got rid of it... I loved travelling on it. 😭

[@benmak917]

One way only, good mostly for tourists. Monorail is inefficient and expensive, this is why was closed.

[@pearlyhumbucker9065]

Thats not an excuse. If a transportation system has its riders, then it is not inefficient. And being only good for tourists doesnt make a good excuse either. There are thousands of rides all over the world only for tourists, some of them in the wildest corners of the country - and they run and run and run....

[@benmak917]

Pearly Humbucker : That's BS, city transportation needs overview. Decision on 1988 monorail had flaws. To short, to expensive compared to streetcars. Also blocked future development of downtown.

[@aussiesorcerer791]

Pearly Humbucker Even then, there wasn’t merely enough tourists to keep it operating efficiently

[@hughnorris1699]

We had one in a city near Birmingham, England and they were going to extend it but what did they do? They scrapped it and put on dirty diesel buses so if it's any consolation you are not the only ones who are dumb; so are many people here too. It was up above the traffic congestion and it was electric and clean. What more could anyone ask for? I welcome any replies and comments .

[@sneadh1]

Monorail is only suited for tourist amusement rides.

[@bobchen1499]

i was live in syd for 7 years....never try mono train...when i realise it, it already gone....so sad...

[@robertfrankitaliano1894]

Reminds me of when we used to have the electric trolley buses in Toronto! I used to watch them going through uptown and downtown ALL THE TIME, but I missed the opportunity to RIDE them because they got rid of them in 1993!

[@michaelkeshi7359]

Is like Rivers State Monorail

[@blueryan12346]

Don’t go backwards

[@vitothepizzaguy7475]

O.O I didn't know this was a thing!!!! I thought it was a future plan!THIS EXISTED!? WHY THE FUCK ARE THEY CLOSING IT? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[@marcussurleyadventures1928]

Either money saved we can build a new road

[@aturchomicz821]

this is quite deppresing

[@alamak4947]

sad

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

I know! Its all history now.

[@acemicro8944]

more of a shelbyville idea

[@josephglaser875]

I don't see where it's so bad for the public. It doesn't create the noise, it is easier to repair, doesn't block anywhere the sun and....(coins jingling) is profitable. So why was it built in the first place? I know! POLITICS.

[@staydaycraft]

So slow, I think, bicycle was faster.

[@giveaway999]

Why monorail very slow