Topic: Public Transport
While waiting for a train, I finally had time to look around the recently-opened new concourse at Epping Station, which is which is currently being upgraded.
It’s nice, spacious and very modern-looking, using plenty of glass of course. For a template mass-produced station design, I think you can do worse than what the is being rolled out across the CityRail network.
I took some photos of the next train indicators on the concourse, including one which is currently unused. I imagine it will will eventually show trains running via the Epping to Chatswood Rail Line.
Also have a look at the close-up of the stopping pattern diagram for “City via Strathfield” services. Notice where it says trains continue to after travelling past North Sydney? Under the taped-over bit is “& Macquarie Park”.
That’s consistent with speculation that once the Epping to Chatswood Rail Line opens, at least some Northern Line trains will travel to/from City via either the ECRL or Strathfield and then continue back to Hornsby via the other path in a loop.
1 year, 7 months ago
On Tuesday this week, a specially-modified trainset on the French TGV service set staggering new 574.8 km/h world speed record on conventional rail. Yes, on two steel rails with steel wheels turning — none of this maglev nonsense! 
That’s pretty fucking cool… can you imagine travelling just under 160 m every second? This smashes the previous record of 515.3 km/h set by an earlier TGV set in 1990, and they even came somewhat close to the ultimate rail speed record of 581 km/h set by the Japanese experimental MLX01 maglev train. Maglev is very cool technology too, but I still think conventional rail wins out on sheer excitement factor when you’re thinking about hurtling along at those speeds that close to the ground hoping you don’t come off the rails!
Be sure to watch the video of the record breaking trip (link at the end)!
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1 year, 8 months ago
Ever see vehicles driving around the city carrying nothing but billboards? If you have, I bet you’ve thought that these pieces of moving spam are but a total waste of space and energy, since all they accomplish is act as an eyesore.
Well the MTR metro in Hong Kong is going to take it one step further. In between timetabled passenger train services they’re going to be running advertising trains through the network! 
Artist’s impression of a ‘Spectacular Mobile Showcase’ (source: MTR)
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3 years, 1 month ago
I discovered first-hand today that Hillsbus are now accepting the university/TAFE concession cards for half-fare travel. These are student cards issued by universities and TAFEs bearing the government rail/bus concession emblem on it, technically known as a Form 204 concession card).
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3 years, 1 month ago
Today is the last day State Transit’s Sydney Buses will be providing bus services in Cherrybrook and Dural. From tomorrow onwards, Hillsbus will be taking over routes 620, 625, 626, 627, and 630 once again. (Sydney Buses will permanently take over routes 623, 624, 628 and 629 though.)
It’s kind of the end of an era… for as long as I’ve lived in Cherrybrook, I’ve wished Sydney Buses would run the buses in my area — and for seven months this dream came true. But don’t they say, all good things must come to an end? It really hit home on Monday night, when I was on the way home on a 620 bus from the City. While waiting to turn onto Pennant Hills Rd exiting the M2, our very friendly driver Paul decided to give a little speech thanking us passengers, saying he would miss us. 
The 620 heads down Shephards Dr for the very last time
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3 years, 2 months ago