Trains of Sydney Trains

[@WhatIsThisPuzzle]

I was waiting for a video like this. I have just recently watched a similar video from Taitset for suburban trains in Melbourne.

[@CityConnectionsMedia]

This video was actually based on his funnily enough!

[@griffinrails]

HIP HIP HOORAY HE UPLOADED YIPPEEEE ok but genuinely though this video is amazing and you should be super proud of it, so glad that i was able to help out (I really really wish I could’ve sent over more info or footage) and I hope you found it useful.

[@CityConnectionsMedia]

Thanks, and dw, you were help enough :)

[@marksearle6222]

Great overview of Sydney's electric trains. I particularly liked your final graphic showing the overlaps of the various "sets". Looking forward to your future vlogs.

[@akswalia6588]

One of my favourite transit youtubers. What another amazing video.

[@CityConnectionsMedia]

Thanks Aks!

[@pwhnckexstflajizdryvombqug9042]

I am from Brisbane, our rail network is pretty simple and you can get most of the information from wikipedia. I used to have a bunch of power point presentations with a picture of every train in the network (stolen from the internet) but I lost the files. The most complicated parts are that the original EMUs were delivered out of number order for some reason, wikipedia lists all you need to know about it. The other confusing part is that wikipedia lists the suburban and interurban multiple units all under two respective articles, even though the trains really aren't that similar. The ICE trains were originally ordered as regional trains, then became part of the suburban (albiet interurban) network. 155 to 158 are 2 car units with a driver's cab at one end 151 to 154 are the same except they also have a third trailer car, still with no second cab. In service they would combine two units together to make a double ended train, which could either be done as 2 four car trains and 2 six car trains, or 4 five car trains, depending on the pairings. It would be better to describe the next series of trains (IMU100, IMU120, SMU200 and SMU220) as "Generation 2" trains, everything before this can be considered generation 1. The SMU200 is the most unique of the four types, having a seating layout and design much closer to the EMUs then the other Gen 2 trains. It has two air conditioner units per car, placed above the doors. It is also the only one to have a unique front design (slightly different to the other trains, but still awfully similar) and the cow catcher thing is a different shape. They are the only Gen 2 train to not have been delivered with driver's mirrors, and have a weird motor car layout (with the centre car having motors, and only one of the end cars). The rest are all more similar. The IMU100s were next, with different seats, luggage racks both on the walls and above the seats (going up into the curved roof space). But same 2 air conditioners, and higher top speed. SMU220s were next, taking the new seats from the IMU100s but shorter, and now with a single large air conditioner in the middle of the car. IMU120s were last, different high(er) backed seats than the IMU100s, but similar internal layout and some (though not as many because of the airconditioners) overhead luggage racks. From there it's pretty simple, just get it off wikipedia, and the NGRs have all been upgraded now.

[@tacitdionysus3220]

Excellent summary CC. Probably the most comprehensive and informative I've seen. It has always annoyed that many modern train nerds know almost nothing about anything prior to double deckers and sort of assume they are all the same. Speaking of rail nerds, the older ones would also be savvy about the coded lights at the ends of trains. You can see them quite clearly on many of the older sets operating in this clip. There are five sets of lights, positioned top centre, top port, top starboard, bottom port and bottom starboard. Each has a red and a white light. At the rear of the train, two red lights were alight in the top port and top starboard positions. However, the lights at the front used different patterns of the white lights to indicate their route. So the Parramatta/Penrith line was top port and top starboard lights on, while the Liverpool line had top centre and top port alight. My understanding is they were meant to inform signal boxes of their route, but I might be wrong about that. In any case, true nerds of the era would use them to determine the destination of a train, rather than trusting station indicator boards, or heavily accented PA announcements. I know some who are huge fans of Tangaras, but I've never liked them. Almost opaque windows and with a top heavy wallowing body sway. Roy and HG confirmed my suspicions when they referred to anything that was advertised as 'modern and new' as being "More in touch with tomorrow than a Tangara". To me the epitome of electric trains in Sydney and beyond were the intercity stainless steel U-Bolts. There was just something utterly classical about them.

[@CityConnectionsMedia]

Tbh, I probably should have mentioned those marker lights, I just forgot. I've got a copy of "first stop central" and it lists all the codes so I could have easily done it. When I re-make the rattler video I'll have to include it. But yh, if I had to guess why most people my age aren't too keen on the older single deckers is that they were out of service before we were born. The last of them was retired almost a decade before I was born. So when we just never exposed to them. It also doesn't help that at first glance they're all broadly similar, even I can't tell the difference between them at a distance, so that's also why people assume they're the same. I think I probably have a different perspective, since I tend to view the Tangaras as classic. They have their issues, but in my opinion they still look modern today, and that's a testament to their good design. Although I do agree with you on the U-boats being good looking. I still need to do my video on them. I have a script written and everything that I was hoping to get done this year, but I haven't been able to get access to a U-set car as planned. Hopefully next year I can get it made.

[@tacitdionysus3220]

@@CityConnectionsMedia That takes me back. I had a teacher in grade 6 who was a Sydney train fan. He regarded 'First Stop Central' almost as a required school text. Lost mine years ago. I recall the way the lights are described in it is a bit ambiguous, as (IRRC) one of them is used on more than one line and it tries to indicate that by using numbers 1 and 2, but in a confusing way. (Hell, the crazy things I remember!) PS - Don't call them 'rattlers'. It can precipitate a health event in us older folk.

[@pwhnckexstflajizdryvombqug9042]

There is a U set car at one of the museums isn't there?

[@CityConnectionsMedia]

@tacitdionysus3220 tbh, having read first stop central I don't blame him. It's such a good book that if I were to ever write one myself, it'd probably be an updated version of it. I'm so happy I found a copy in the ARHS bookshop. I'll have to check how the lights are described when I'm back home next week. I thought it was pretty straightforward, although I did find it had some errors when describing the target plates, so I'll have to double deck.

[@CityConnectionsMedia]

@pwhnckexstflajizdryvombqug9042 There's a few, I just need to get permissions to film

[@justinmatthews7603]

I've just come across ur videos now & found them very informative. I remember the Red Rattlers & the Silver ghosts (interurban). I also remember when the Red Rattlers where coupled with the double deck (yes I'm old 😅). I got the pleasure of riding on a Tangara when it was brand new. We travelled on the newly opened East Hills to Glenfield line. She got up to 112km per hr

[@jack2453]

Watching this footage reminded me hiw the lights on the front of the train indicated the line. That would make a good video.

[@ZekeThompson26]

Nice Vid

[@fishingcat_]

Great video on the history of electric trains in Sydney! I actually learnt many things from this video that I never knew before!

[@Thatonestrangefella]

In 1957 the blue mountains line was electrified to Bowenfels. 1960 the central coast line was electrified to Gosford 1982 The central coast line was electrified to wyong 1984 the Newcastle line was electrified 1986 the south coast line was electrified to port Kembla 1993 the south coast line was electrified to dapto 2000 the south coast line was electrified to kiama

[@whophd]

Of course you had to be there - but the second series of K sets had magnificent yellow painted interiors, and special glossy brown vinyl on the seats - crazy stripes and patterns. During the “CityDecker” conversions (or maybe the earlier refresh whose name escapes me), the seats were swirxhed to plain old navy, and the walls painted “Tangara Grey”, the new official it-colour.

[@itechcircle9410]

Thoroughly enjoyed this! In my opinion, the K sets were too conservative electrically. I understand you can't always have the latest tech, but they should have had chopper control from the start. It would have been fairly expensive, but it was already the worldwide standard by then. Same thing with the S sets and air conditioning and the DKM V sets and the proposed Comeng Tangara based design. The K sets could not have used the GTO 4 quadrant chopper aka high-frequency split rolling armature chopper as it hadn't been invented until 1983. This technology uses a magnetic field chopper and an armature chopper connected in parallel (or something to that effect) and is actually pretty rare as GTO-VVVF quickly succeeded it, but unfortunately never made it's way to Australia. The K sets would have probably used armature chopper control found in the Melbourne Z class tram.

[@danieleyre8913]

The metro isn’t actually run by Sydney trains. It’s run by a different branch of transport for new south wales.

[@TomHommus]

Yeah it shouldn't have been in the video

[@SydneyTransportFan]

Nice in depth explanation of Sydney's rolling stock, tho did the sputniks have powered doors or manual? Bc the footage at 5:44 shows a red rattler departing, presumably sputnik, with open doors

[@CityConnectionsMedia]

they had power operated doors, I probably should have mentioned that in the video :(

[@Pizzas_rail_adventures]

Sputniks had powered doors, but no interlocking

[@williamadams7865]

I am happy to help with reference materials. Besides the full five volumes of Comeng, I also have a 1964 version of First Stop Central and a book on the Leeds Forge cars. Hopefully they are of some assistance or interest to you? Also, don’t forget about the Bradfield and Standard “Parcel Vans” ;)

[@CityConnectionsMedia]

I'd be tempted to take a look at that book on the leeds forge cars, although it won't be for a while before I go back and re-do my original single deckers video. I already have a copy of First stop central though, I managed to snag the last one the ARHS bookshop had for sale >:). I was considering doing the parcel vans in the single deckers video originally, but I decided to save them for their own video. I'll have to loop back around and do them at some point because they're really interesting.

[@williamadams7865]

@@CityConnectionsMedia - All good! If there is anything else though, I would be more than happy to assist where possible. The parcels vans are one of those fascinating side shows from the main task of moving passengers and are always an interesting topic on their own.

[@CityConnectionsMedia]

Yeah! it's why I really need to look into them. I went camping and got a pretty good look at C3770 and that set off the parcal van special interest for me. If anything, one of the main things that stops me from doing a video on them is the lack of footage, but I'm sure I can take care of that eventually.

[@williamadams7865]

@@CityConnectionsMedia - Some 1992 Parcel Van goodness for you: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iIrKZHiJeM17nZIsi=yo1mWjkQ5sQg-ONa

[@harrisonallen651]

I’ve been on the Comeng express train and the Tangara trains in Sydney. I’m yet to travel on the Sydney metro train…

[@anindrapratama]

i find the lack of headlights and the usage of headcode lamps pretty British

[@jdouble-l19978]

What do you think about the Sydney Metro through the CBD and the Bankstown to Sydenham conversion?

[@CityConnectionsMedia]

I think it's a good project, but it could have been better thought through. It's one of those topics where I have a lot of opinions, but I've not done enough research to properly critique it. I do wanna do a video on my issues with Sydney Metro tho.

[@Soccera0]

though I'd argue the X'Trap is more fun to ride as it has character, unlike the airbag trains! It's not just a smooth boring ride. It's interesting. It's a bit bouncy (which is why it's more interesting) but it feels less samey than other trains I've ridden on across Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide. It's not everyone's favourite, but I like it. From r/melbournetrains though, I know that this is unpopular even with gunzels.

[@levitationofflames]

Sometimes when stopping at a platform, some doors on Millennuim trains don't open like they're supposed to.

[@pwhnckexstflajizdryvombqug9042]

Does anyone know why the K sets (besides the 2 car K1-4) started at K60? It just doesn't seem to make much sense

[@TheAustralian123]

Where are the H set Oscars btw they run on the South Coast Line

[@CityConnectionsMedia]

They'll be in a follow up video on interurban trains :)

[@Gary-vv5gt]

I like to see a tangara 2.0 (bit like Melbourne variant of xtrap 2.0).

[@OscardadoMusic]

Where are the downloads for your openttd ports? Would love to use them in game

[@CityConnectionsMedia]

They're on the ingame content downloader. just search for "GOPS" (Australian/NZ EMUS, DMUs and Passenger cars, it's being reworked atm so not everything is in the version thats up there), "CNALP" (My US loco pack, still WIP) and "CNAPS" (US DMUs/EMUs, also WIP)

[@OscardadoMusic]

Thanks! I would also like to know how you port the trains into the game as I have many concept train ideas that I want to add to the game but can’t find any tutorials on how to do it.

[@CityConnectionsMedia]

There is the tutorial on NML on the wiki, but that's about it. www.tt-wiki.net/wiki/NMLTutorial/Installation If you join the Openttd discord, and ask around there, they'd be able to help you out. I'm not too code savvy so even I had to have someone help me learn it.

[@OscardadoMusic]

Thanks!

[@sleepythespian1455]

9:03 The X’Trampoline

[@TomHommus]

Technically Alstom metropolis isn't a rolling stock of Sydney trains (it's not even on the Sydney trains network) and shouldn't be in the video but otherwise it's ok

[@danielbroadbridge886]

Why B for Punchbowl?

[@CityConnectionsMedia]

Because it's close to Bankstown. Although idk why they just didn't do "P"

[@fadsworkshop]

TRAINWAYS MENTIONED!!!!!!!

[@tasmaniantaswegian]

amazing vid, but why is the metro on the thumbnail if the vid is about sydney trains?

[@CityConnectionsMedia]

Because I go over the metro too, and the Trains of Sydney trains and Sydney Metro was too long a title :(

[@reubenab6005]

@@CityConnectionsMediaI think ‘Trains of Sydney’ will be better & ‘Trains of country / regional NSW’

[@CityConnectionsMedia]

@@reubenab6005 well thats what the follow up video should be

[@danieleyre8913]

Basically Sydney’s mainline urban rail network has had rubbish rolling stock since the Tulloch double-deckers of the early 1960s….

[@mahaghali1685]

Green plates are real it’s on W3

[@CityConnectionsMedia]

are they? I didn't see them at the heritage expo?

[@dulcinealee3933]

Does anyone else think that the Tangaras are the best looking futuristic trains designwise ? Is it true that their exteriors were held together with strong double sided tape? Does anyone else think that the millennium trains were just meh in comparison?

[@nathandunnn]

I wouldn't call S10 "successful". It's service life was short due to most of the cars having major problems and thus often ran with single deck cars thrown in as replacements. What was successful was simply the idea of a double deck train as a more officient way to move more people.

[@CityConnectionsMedia]

Yeah, agreed. I could have made that more clear.

[@steelfabric]

Two things. The name Goninan is pronounced with a little more stress placed on the NIN part. Try saying Ninan - the stress would be on the beginning of the word. Now put a "G" sound (as in Good, Gate, Great) in front of Ninan. The second thing is some constructive criticism. Slow down. You seem to be in a race against time to spit each word out as fast as possible. Your videos are you presenting information for public consumption, so you should speak in a manner where each word is clearly enunciated. There are lots of videos on YT that discuss this and offer ways to help slow yourself down. Try searching for, say: speaking too fast when presenting. I'm not suggesting you change your natural cadence when speaking with friends, but I am suggesting you put a presenters cap on when doing these video.

[@whophd]

Haha yeah it’s like Kramer entering the room We only criticise because we love this channel so much Ironically!

[@CityConnectionsMedia]

I'll have to keep that in mind for future. It's something I need to strike the balance with :/

[@sancheeez]

hey m90 I like your content but you do ramble in the tiny details a bit, and it's hard to follow when you leave big gaps in your phrasing. I'm not trying to be mean, you're doing good and you dont have to take anything I say to heart lol. I like your pixelart train illustrations, they have a lot of character. I'm just jelly because canberra has no suburban rail ey

[@CityConnectionsMedia]

Bugger, at what points is that an issue? because I probably bunged the audio when cutting out lip smacks :(

[@sancheeez]

@@CityConnectionsMedia your speaking cadence has pauses mid-sentence, I'm guessing while you're remembering your script? It's not a huge deal, I realise it's pretty hypocritical of me to call stuff out when I've never done a VO myself so uh yeah lol

[@CityConnectionsMedia]

@@sancheeez Oh you're feedback is very much welcome. My videos are ultimatley made for everyone. But yeah, I think the issue is that I didn't adjust the gaps between takes, which is why there'll suddenly be a gap that's a bit awkward. It's just annoying that I didn't pick it up in editing >:/

[@sancheeez]

@@CityConnectionsMedia ah, hairy muff then. Speaking of trains, link in channel description! 👀 (I meant to make a video about it, but never got to starting bc of mental health reasons)