By far my favourite tram/light rail line in the world. Here in Sydney, we have three lines and this is how I characterise them. The L1: The speedy car. The L2 and L3: slower than a sloth. The G:Link is an example to all of Australia. When ever I go to the Gold Coast, I always take the tram. Love the video.
The L1 in Sydney is still slower than it should be, not helped by the total lack of traffic light priority on the street section. The L2 and L3 in April this year were running better than previously and in fact I rode one trip from Randwick which was completed in less than 32 minutes. It will go on TH-cam in due course. It is a miracle that those controlling traffic lights have given trams any priority anywhere, but improving it in half a dozen locations would certainly help a lot but with what looks like being nearly the entire length of George Street being pedestrianised, the 20 km/h speed limit unfortunately looks likely to stay. The Gold Coast line by chance is close enough to my house so normally I use nearly all of it once or twice each week. Its punctuality is very good, usually within a minute or two of the timetable. Canberra a is also very slick, faster in fact, but it is quite a boring ride by comparison. I have several other videos of the GC line and some may interest you. Gold Coast Trams/Light Rail th-cam.com/play/PLLtOIHp49XNChPr3pQV6NSGE67BlWJ3oL.html
@@tressteleg1 I'll have to agree with you. Early this year, around about January, I decided to take the tram and it was a lot faster except for a time at Royal Randwick where the tram just stopped. Probably because there was a delayed tram in front of us. I live in south-western Sydney so I don't get to see the trams often. Once this dreadful lockdown ends, I will try to get back onto the L1 and see how it fares.
Fine. Unfortunately when a tram breaks down, following trams are delayed, but this should not happen very often. I look forward to reading of your findings. One problem with all tramways, Sydney included, is that desk-bound Johnnies are deciding speed limits for every inch of the way, and often too slow. . When I drove in Melbourne, generally it was left to the drivers to vary speed in accordance with the current circumstances. Not any more.
Yes but unfortunately when they put the tram in. It brought the idiotic people that would otherwise be stuck at Logan. Unless they took stolen cars to surfers.
From what I read police are keeping a closer watch on who is arriving especially on Friday and Saturday nights. But as you say, if I social misfits really want to get somewhere, they will find a way of doing so. Not that all Gold Coast residents are little angels either. We also have our fair share of undisciplined little crims.
This driver really follows the speed limits! I was on a tram going to Helensvale and the driver sped up to 72 km/h during the downhill section next to Smith Street Motorway.
Aviation Channel Every speed limit change is shown on a sign on a conveniently placed overhead wire mast. With electronic monitoring etc these days, drivers can end up in trouble if there is an incident and they are shown to have been going even one or 2 km too fast at the time. I am experimenting with a Driver’s View run on twilight which will also show the speedometer all the way. That section beside Smith Street is close to my home and today I used the tram for necessary transport instead of driving. 😊
This is a great video - thanks for sharing, and editing in the schedule times! Many of the same system partners that built this system are currently finishing up work on a similar system in the region I live in (Waterloo, Ontario, Canada). It's great to see how traffic priority works in practice.
+Iain Hendry I am pleased you liked it. That video has proved to be, by far, my most popular video. McConnell Dowel built stage one here but another company is building the extension. See my recent video about some of that. As for the accent, those non-stop nanny-state announcements become quite tedious when riding and trying to chat to a friend.
Plenary Group and Keolis are two of the same system partners between GoldLinq (your system) and ion (the one here in Canada). Our other system partners in GrandLinq are Aecon, AECOM and Kiewit. So I guess it's just the two that are the same. But I think there are a lot of similarities in the systems. :) I had read somewhere that there were some problems with noise initially in the curves, is that true? I noticed there aren't any track lubricators... that's something they've built into every curve on our system with a radius less than 150 m. I had wondered if that might have been a "lesson learned" thing from Australia that they've brought here.
+Iain Hendry Yes, that is correct. Keolis is a multinational transport operator, for better or worse, often with other partners. They operate Melbourne as well. I don't think that GoldLinq has done their best to stop the squealing. Some of the trams have some wheel oiling apparatus which has not solved the problem. Some curves, including the sharpest, never make a sound while some do but not with every tram. Melbourne was similar when I drove there, at least with location. Some curves were always silent, others always screeched. My only guess is that the silent ones were banked to help trams around the curve, not always possible where road traffic went across the curve. The wonders of busways advocates, which Brisbane has adopted heavily, usually quoted Ottawa as their guiding light. With you converting to LR they have gone quiet but the city council now plans a metro of unknown technology at this stage - "Anything which is not a tram". Oh Dear!
Wow I did not recognise any of that area only a little bit of the Gold Coast, and the Nerang road I remember it as a small street, definetley no trams on it way back then. How it has grown so much! Thanks for sharing. Could do a little longer on the written stuff, I thank you for putting in all the stops and streets it is and was very helpful.
Sydney has tram/light rail. Melbourne has tram/light rail. Adelaide has tram/light rail. The Gold Coast has tram/light rail. Canberra has plans for tram/light rail. Newcastle has plans for tram/light rail. This is a bit of "I told you so" for getting rid of them back in the 50's.
+Tanki Divide In the case of especially Sydney but also Adelaide, that is true. But GC and Canberra never had trams before. Note that the 'engineering experts' in Sydney are adamant that they are building Light Rail and definitely NOT a tramway so have nothing to learn from Melbourne tracklaying expertise. So they thus can create massively over-engineered track at unnecessary cost to the people of NSW.
"Not tramway" my foot. What a joke. It doesn't matter what the name is, as much as it matters the function. Light rail that is fully segregated and does not follow roads is obsolete in my opinion. You might as well build a train line or a guided busway. The point of "one of these" is that they don't require a very long walk to access. You only need to walk into the centre of the road. Even Sydney is building a (supposed) "light rail" down a Main Street in the CBD. It doesn't matter if the trams are 7 or 10 sections long, or if it doesn't share the road, it is still a tram. My definition of light rail is that it is fully segregated and has proper railway like crossings (lights and boomgates) when ever a road crosses it. Every tramway/light rail in Australia does not follow this guideline and they all serve the purpose of a tram. (Ok, maybe the dulwich hill extension is a bit of a light railway, but the rest of it isn't) seems simple to me. Also Tram sounds better and is easier to say.
+Tanki Divide Everyone will more or less agree with you on most of the above but the aloof clowns building the Sydney tram lines are as deaf as a post on that subject. It's generally thought that the term light rail was created to take away the image of rattling old trams when a new tram I was to be built in a city which had trams once before. So even the experts can't agree on a precise definition of light rail versus tramway.
To Adnan, This was started at 9.30 in the morning, too late for workers and Uni students, too early for tourists. It will get busier later, and especially at weekends when you may have to hunt for a seat. Surfers Paradise (Cavill Ave area) is full of people at that time especially.
She said "I would recommend that you sit down, Sir" then "I just don't want you to fall" and "OK". She was just "doing her job" in today's world where people sue others for their own silly mistakes.
+DanTheFryingPan They certainly are. The braking design is good and the drivers are taught how to drive smoothly. I used to drive in Melbourne so look out for rough tram driving anywhere. It is hard to fault this line.
"the barrage of announcement can become tedious"? Not if you're blind, it isn't. Beautifully clean and well maintained. That is a rare thing. I did smile when the woman told you to sit down, for your own safety. Thanks for sharing.
Not at all! The vast majority of the announces tell people to do what any sane person would do anyway. Next stop announcements are essential these days but telling people to please hang on, welcome aboard, don’t forget to touch your ticket, cross the road safely etc etc at every stop is worse than tedious. You can barely chat to a friend along the way without the loudspeaker shouting at you.
Geoffrey Moore If you ever watch any of my Driver’s View videos of Melbourne you will see plenty of other examples of trams and other traffic stop for a minute or more at red traffic lights, a problem which has largely been avoided for the Gold Coast tram line.
@@tressteleg1 Hi mate Probably a Tangent man comment I was referring to road traffic signals not trams ok. I wonder if can put my Tangent Man Siggy on here? Thanks for your comment.
Geoffrey Moore In the past in Sydney I remember driving from Mona Vale to Balgowlah in the evening. Every single traffic light went red just when you got near it no matter how you tried to beat it. I daresay these lights were set for a better run out from the city for the evening peak but often the opposite direction gets an absolutely shit run. I have not driven in other cities for a long time so I will not comment but suspect that they have plenty of appalling traffic light sequences thanks to the clowns that program them.
The woman was only doing what no doubt she had been taught to do. At least she left me alone without making a great scene. I should have told her that I used to be a Melbourne tram conductor. I don't yet have any Brisbane cab video but there was a number of scenes done in Melbourne. If anyone is interested I will put them on TH-cam in due course. An extract of one is on my new 'Gardiner crossing then and now' video.
tressteleg1 My Sony HDR-PJ430VE is amazing for smooth video, see #SkagwayFlickrSpelio on TH-cam I enjoyed the ride here and look forward to a ride on CBRs.. Metro!
Unfortunately your Skagway link could not be found by the system. With that particular video I intentionally did not stabilise to show that the trams ride quite smoothly. Nowadays I Stabilise using iMovie which can be infinitely adjusted for the amount of the process. Usually around 10% works well. As for a better camera, while the present $200 JVC continues to function, it will remain in service. After that I may investigate a more sophisticated model. However a few times I have used the iPhone which was just as good but unlike the JVC it seems not to lose focus in low light. Thanks for your feedback.
I usually chat to ticket inspectors on the trams. As a former Melbourne conductor I can ‘talk shop’ with them. Anyway a couple of weeks ago as the tram moved off they suggested I sit down for my safety. So I walked down the tram a bit, around a grab rail then up to the front without holding on as the tram took off. Our drivers here are smooth enough and I still have my roving conductor legs 😊. That showed them! Ha Ha.
Australia’s Covid target was always zero new cases and except for a second wave in Melbourne which was eliminated after 112 days of very strong lockdown, this has been achieved with just occasional extremely small breakouts from compulsory hotel quarantine of arrivals from overseas. The Gold Coast region has never required people to wear masks as there was no risk of catching it. There have been no Covid deaths in Australia since last December. And vaccines only start today.
While stop announcement are desirable, constant reminders about crossing the road safely and validating your ticket become tiresome, especially if you are trying to chat with somebody.
+Rudi Chinchilla It is on the Pacific coast of Australia, State of Queensland, about 70km southeast of Brisbane, State Capital. Southport and Surfers Paradise are major suburbs on this line which next year will extend to Helensvale where it will meet trains from Brisbane and further south. See recent video for that.
I could see but not access your speed request. Anyway 70km/h is the maximum permitted. The line is now longer. See ‘Drivers View Gold Coast Tram Helensvale to Hospital’.
Yep, all mine. I got my first movie film camera in 1965 and in 1984 advanced to video. Although the best quality does not compare well with today’s, it’s still better than nothing. Some rail fans were still taking black-and-white photographs at this time. So I guess you are somewhat younger, and thus will see a lot of new things after I am well and truly gone. 😊
+Tanki Divide The Gold Coast line was built from nothing so Island platforms could be put where they would fit. Melbourne is a traditional tramway so side platforms were simply added to existing double track.
Makes sense to me, but just the fact that they are both the complete opposite is funny. Also I find it strange how in Sydney they need to warn tram drivers not to open the wrong doors Lilyfield yet no train driver I have ever seen has opened the wrong doors on a railway line.
+Tanki Divide Driving trams up-and-down just one line forever would be deadly boring. With their minds on other things most of the time drivers need to be reminded that just one platform is on the wrong side. Even so, after a while they would no longer see the sign anyway. On Railways, the platforms vary from side to side. Also in Brisbane and Sydney, it is the guard who opens the doors. My Redcliffe video clearly shows that in just one scene.
Yeah well both Brisbane and Sydney are "preparing" to change that. (Not for at least 10 years though) there are some lines Melbourne that pretty much have all the platforms on the same side. But to me if you drive trams for a living I think you would quite quickly learn that lilyfield has the platform on the wrong side. I also think that drivers should be at least paying enough attention to notice the side the platform is on.
Look at the video called: "Behind our network - Train driver" (by Queensland Rail) it is actually the driver that controls the doors. Those bells are just for the all clear. But you are correct in that in Sydney the guard controls them.
+wwemario12345 The question is, why not? It is considered safe to use the maximum speed of these trams. However 'road experts' require trams to be limited to the road speed limit when running on the street in order to remove the temptation for motorist to speed where the tram limit may be faster than road traffic. A poor theory in my view but that is their reasoning, often overseas too.
tressteleg1 I would think it has more to do with traffic lights and pedestrian/motorist stupidity, which is how they decide speeds on most roads anyway, higher pedestrian traffic + high change of pedestrian stupidity and frequency of traffic lights number of lanes and chance of motorist stupidity, all of those would go into speed limits, while trams have a better view being in the middle of the road and less chance of motorist stupidity and no issue with lane numbers, pedestrian stupidity is still high with high volume and factor in needing more time to stop, but on the bridge, no traffic lights cars or pedestrians, because they would get stuck
Did this for the first time. Good way to avoid traffic. From Helensvale to Broadbeach. 2 minutes walk to Pacific Fair. Watched them nab a couple of fare evaders as well. That was cool. They really put the wind up a couple of young smart alec fellas, no messing around.
Im pleased your ride was enjoyable for a few reasons. As I type this, I am riding tram 11 home from a morning out. I could drive and get home faster, but I would not be typing this in the car!
paul murray It is an interesting enough location, the 'Glitter Strip' being popular with tourists. Fortunately I live well away from that in quiet suburbia but the extension now being built to Helensvale railway station is close enough to be of use when completed.
+wwemario12345 Just the one block. With the road at 2 levels here it was the only way to give road access to a few,shops. Very little road traffic uses it, but anyone may drive there. An earlier video shows it better.
+dan b The old line meandered all over the place. The 30 year gap allowed the new line to be laid straight with 130km/h the normal speed between stations until Beenleigh where the line connects to the old line. Loading all day are good. Following the old route would have been less successful.
+Dontay Brown Not usually. The presence of the tram is detected by GPS. At least some places have such a box but that is only for when GPS fails. In Melbourne the trams have a small radio transmitter called a transponder hanging under the front of the tram. A loop of wire in the road, the same as used to recognise cars at traffic lights, recognises only the tram's radio signals. The same equipment is used by the driver to change the points.
+Dontay Brown Unfortunately my days for overseas travel are over. I looked at your channel but could not see any videos which were clearly related to trains.
+dan b A developer wishes to build a casino and other accommodation along The Spit which also includes SeaWorld further north. The local council loves development. However the road is rather narrow and mentioning light-rail I see as no more than a carrot to try to get project approval. Many local residents see all this as destruction of The Spit.
tressteleg1 surely if the light rail is built correctly it would save more of the split, or is it the casino that is ruining the split, I'm not a local I'm north of Brisbane so I don't know much, I just hear "branch line for the light rail" and I think oh cool more stuff to ride on in the future
dan b A lot of people are opposed to the development of the Spit, much of which is in its natural state. A tram branch, if ever built, would only help the total destruction of this public land.
tressteleg1 the tram could prevent the requirement for wider/more roads, I'd say if the development happens, you'd want the tram to mean less busy roads and less need for more larger roads and less need for larger car parks. I'm gonna try to relate it to Brisbane with Southbank, the council want to improve Brisbane metro by using a guide track bus that is the size of 2 regular buses but with lots of parkland and buildings their only upgrade choice is to tunnel, if the tram was tunnelled at parts, it might save more space
dan b You have been fooled by that hopeless council. There is no doubt that the Brisbane so-called Metro will be no more than a double articulated motor omnibus with no features that any other bus does not have except for being a bit longer. If you don't believe me, wait and see. Of course I want to see tram expansion but only in sensible locations and limiting the risk of raping the environment with unbridled population expansion.
Almost $1 billion but as well as the tram bridge over the Nerang River, they had to pay for a substantial bike and foot bridge as well, line running Broadbeach South to GC Hospital. The 7km extension to the Helensvale station cost something like $300,000 I think. Total line 20km.
Much prefer the interior seating to what you find on the new Melbourne trams. In the case of the latter they are too elevated and seem to just melt into the background. The way they are contoured is very odd.
I guess you mean the E class because there is a variety of ‘new’ Melbourne trams from 3 different makers. If it is the Es you mean, I would have thought the seats in GC and E class would be the same as Bombardier built them both although Melbourne may have its own seat specs. Next February I will take note the day that I ride both of them.
+Barry Coleman That is why so many places around the world are putting trams back in - they do shift the crowds. With clowns like Brisbane has in council, trams have not hope there for now. That stupid so-called Metro is no more than a double articulated diesel bus. Nonsense! As second best I am working on a digital remake of my Brisbane trams video. I'm lucky - the nearest tram stop on the Gold Coast tram extension is 8 minutes away by bicycle.
+Barry Coleman Yes hopefully one day. Lack of money is the problem. The next stage they are doing planning for is to Burleigh. How it gets further south through a narrow deep cutting is the hurdle after that. But it will end at the airport before it goes further south. However all that will cost a lot of money and nobody knows where that will come from.
yeah i tend to go on holidays to Palm Beach and it would be very useful if the tram network went down that far. i tend to like to park the car and not drive when i am there
+Barry Coleman Trams did go to Narrabeen until 1939. The tram waiting shed is still there in the park, left side heading out of town. The tram depot at North Manly is still there but as a fruit market. But you had to walk across the Spit Bridge.
+iamthinking2202 _ Most Melbourne trams are the same. The brakes are spring applied and released by electric motors pumping hydraulic oil. The squeal is the 24v electric motor pumping the oil.
The worst part is trying to chat to a friend along the way, and constantly having to stop because of these almost incessant inane announcements. They really spoil a good trip.
No friends no problems. I think they are a bit overkill but I find it is better to learn to live with them rather than complain. I wish they would at least announce the next stop on buses, since if you have never been on the particular route before it is hard to known when to press the button.
If you mean the numbers I inserted, it is explained early in the video. They are the timetabled and actual times departing from each stop. From memory, arrival at the terminus was about 80 seconds late.
Is there any particular reason for the announcements saying "stopping at all stations"? I mean, is there any situation where the tram wouldn't stop at every station (other than maybe in the event of an emergency)?
Just more of the yap yapping that is a headache on this line. But you must remember that Melbourne Trams and buses everywhere only stop on request and if you don’t ring the next stop buzzer you may get a longer ride than required.
@@tressteleg1 He's waving at an older gentleman who stands in his front yard leaning on his fence. He is there pretty much every day but he only waves at a few drivers.
Drivers follow speed limits precisely, so I don’t know if they can go faster or are governed. The only place to talk to a driver is at either terminus but I will ask next time I get a chance but probably they won’t know anyway. GPS watches their movements. Melbourne trams have been governed to 65km/h since early 1990s. Before that I once got a B class up to 80.
too many - as in "way too many" - announcements on the Auto PA System! Kind of kills the enjoyment factor of just taking a ride! It's a tram ride, not a shuttle to Mars!
I live near this line and catch the tram if I wish to go somewhere where it will take me. It is very reliable, nearly always is exactly on time, and runs eight times per hour on weekdays daytime. And every 10 minutes on weekends.
I made similar format videos for Dulwich Hill (Sydney), Glenelg (Adelaide) and Route 96 (Melbourne). All show big delays at traffic lights, unlike Gold Coast.
The best way to learn English is to make friends with Australians and talk with them. Some will try to help you. Spend all your time with people from your own country and you will learn no English.
@@ConnorSmith-sx1zn Funny thing, it takes 9 minutes Central to Victoria Cross, but years ago the old Red Sets got from Central to North Sydney in just 10 minutes. A lot of expense to save a minute.
@ 24.23 I didn't understand what that woman said...something like "you're breaking my neck Sir" or something else my english understood... But next time Adelaide, Glenelg tram then Gold Coas Tram...Aussie, I come from one of the most beautiful (and most abandoned) cities in the world, Rome, but since my last journey I've never stopped thinking of you...I'llcome back....
Yes I believe it was doors closing further back in the tram. Passengers must press the button for the doors to open at each tram stop, and so many seconds after they step out, the doors close, often one by one here and there along the tram. They don’t all shut at the same time. It also means that at the terminus, except when somebody is getting on or off, the doors will remain shut keeping the heat out and inside the tram cool.
Oh, I just noticed you are asking about Gold Coast. The last reply was for Sydney. Gold Coast you must touch on your GoCard on the tram stop or buy a paper ticket from the platform machine.
+Alistair G The GC platforms are only slightly longer than the trams so they stop near the end. There are no difficulties if a driver stops slightly in the wrong place, provided all doors are at the level entrance platform.
+Alistair G Good Luck with your application. I live quite close to the extension so maybe one day you will take me home. If you get the job, let me know!
Thanks i will do :) I just have to pass the medical at this stage so hopefully i'm in the top 10 of the applicants after that, there's only 10 positions being offered.
Australian trams don’t have conductors. So I suppose you mean a tram driver. As for the Gold Coast, I understand that from time to time they call for new drivers. I suggest you google ‘g:link employment’ regarding employment. I’m only guessing, but it may be some time before they want anyone new. Before the Commonwealth games, they hired a number of extra temporary drivers so I suppose as vacancies come up in the future, they will ask these former temporary drivers first would they like a job as these people would not need training from the beginning any more. There would be much more chance of getting a driving job in Melbourne if that’s what you want to do.
As tressteleg1 pointed out, there are no conductors. To become a driver, it varies from place to place. I have now been driving on the Sydney light rail for about 7 months and officially the training course for Transdev (the operators) is officially five weeks, however it can be done quicker if you manage to get your training hours up quicker. After all the in class stuff, you’ll do some rudimentary driving with the trainers, before then doing logbook hours on revenue service overseen by a mentor driver, after which you’ll do a certification test and then begin driving yourself. We had to do 76 hours driving with a mentor before going to certification. Overall, the process doesn’t take too much time at all.
True. Brisbane and Sydney have had airport trains for years and Perth is busily building theirs at present. With recent talk about this in Melbourne there is a risk it will end up being a ‘Cooks Tour’ roundabout ride.
Va Sr That has always been the plan but the cost is the problem. Never less work will start soon on extending the line about 7 km further to Burleigh. Nobody has any idea when it will reach the airport and of course some people do not want it going through their town.
@@tressteleg1 I live in Melbourne ,,, tooo many bullshit talks FOR YEARS about train going to airport , oh the direct train line which be the pakenham line I live close to Noble Park ,,709 bus Keyborough from my place to train station !!
@@woodypeckerspec4265 I think the biggest hindrance for decades has been Skybus. I dare say they have ways of keeping their business healthy 😉 There has been a recent proposal for a train to the airport but casual examination was that it meandered around a bit which would make it a slow ride and uncompetitive
Yes, it is a very good run. I used it for transport last Friday, and expect to do so tomorrow (if there isn’t pouring rain) although I could have used my car.
johfc Often the traffic is quite heavy. The point is, heavy traffic or light, in most situations the traffic lights let the trams pass without delay. Canberra is the only other Tramway in Australia to do that, although Newcastle almost does. Melbourne and Adelaide are hopeless.
Who know when that will be but I think you need to pray that there is no change in government here in October. The last time LNP was in power they did absolutely nothing to connect to Helensvale.
Coffs Aviation HD It is the sound of the small electric motor pumping the hydraulic oil which releases the brakes which are applied by springs. You will hear this sound on many types of modern trams as they start off.
Well it would be nice but I suppose you heard Federal MP Karen Andrews suddenly say she wants Federal money for Stage 4 stopped, while State MP Michael Hart said on radio that Stage 4 will not happen. If the Qld LNP gains power next election, forget it 😡
Unfortunately this line is the exception rather than the rule, especially in the state of Queensland. The Gold Coast region never had trams before. It is ‘too new’. State capital Brisbane did have trams until 1969 but there has rarely been any desire for their return. Now they are about to start building a ‘Metro’ which is largely only going to replace the ordinary street buses on existing busways with double articulated diesel buses. At least this GC line is only a 10 minute bicycle ride from my home so I use it once or twice a week.
A wise choice 😄. All you have to do is come here and ride ‘Big Brother’ 👍. You will see that they can do 70km/h rather than just dawdle along the Promenade.
Unless they have blocked the view into the driver’s cab, you should easily be able to see the tram speed in large numbers in the main video screen of the driver’s console. The GC tram does run slow most of the way between Surfers Paradise North and Northcliffe for fear that some drunk MAY wander off the footpath into the path of a tram. I daresay same as your Promenade. I have been to Blackpool a few times between 1975 and 1992.
The matter of grassed tracks was considered but decided against because the region is subject to droughts with sometimes no rain for months. They did not want dead grass and dust. Whether their fears would have often occurred is unknown.
@Va Sr Not so! Many Cities and towns have used the tram tracks for greening main roads - not just in parks etc. (Of course this only applies where the tracks are separate from the car lanes. Ample evidence can be seen on the web. Just google "green tram tracks" and you will see that they exist far away from parks etc.
The best way, especially if staying in Southeast Queensland for a few days is to buy a GoCard. It includes all public transport for over 100km around Brisbane. They can be bought from nearly all railway stations, 7/Elevan stores and petrol stations, and ticket machines at tram stops. If only staying on the Gold Coast for a day or two, there is an all day ticket. It probably is available from 7/Eleven but only useful on the Gold Coast.
Between the incessant nagging announcements and the lady asking you not to stand (on a tram?! That's what you do on a tram!), it really seems like they're treating the riders like toddlers. It would drive me nuts if I lived there. I'm suddenly grateful that in Toronto the only announcements on the streetcar are for the upcoming stop, and that subway/streetcar/bus surfing is practically an official sport.
The announcements are enough to give anyone the S...s, especially while chatting to a friend. Insane. That woman was only doing what she had been told her to do. At least she did not make me sit. I did not think to tell her that i had been a roving tram conductor so certainly would not fall!! Vehicle surfing is unknown, and not much of a problem on Brisbane suburban trains with its 25,000 volts AC in the overhead! The odd one who tried did not last long :-)
When I said vehicle surfing, I meant inside the vehicle, where you stand perpendicular to the movement and stay upright by leaning into the curves rather than hanging onto the poles. Of course standing on the outside of the vehicle is incredibly stupid and illegal (and basically impossible anyway due to overhead wires and tunnels). I would never condone that.
reaperexpress the thing is if the ticket person doesn't tell you, and you do fall someone's gonna complain, and if they dont have the information, someone's gonna complain too. I'd imagine someone could sue or something if they fall (probably won't win but it would be a hassle, having that in place would allow the case to be thrown out, if you think it's not possible just picture McDonald's and hot coffee) and they want to make it tourist friendly to get more users, can't please everyone
Not while all the countries overseas are full of this virus. Apart from Melbourne, the rest of Australia is more or less virus free and restrictions are being gradually wound back. At this stage it is thought that nobody from overseas will be allowed to visit for the next 12 months at least. Pity.
It's not bad but seems to be too much unnecessary speed variation including a lot of slow points. The driver really has little discretion. Not as bad as L2/L3 in Sydney although it has at least improved since it opened.
All the modern tramways here, and increasingly so in Melbourne as well, are having a speeds set apparently by bureaucrats who don’t necessarily know a thing about tram driving. Every inch of the way is controlled by speed limits which the driver must not exceed. All three of the Sydney lines unfortunately have limited stretches of long straight track where high speeds can be achieved, one exception being Anzac Parade, but the idiots who set road speed limits, as you may have noticed, decided that Anzac Parade should have a 50 km/h limit for all traffic, so trams are not allowed to go any faster. Sydney‘s main problems are the traffic light delays. Those who control the light settings are gradually being dragged kicking and screaming into giving trams much better priority.
@@tressteleg1 average speeds and all that as previously touched upon. The micromanagement.still bugs me though, but that's good news to hear the traffic lights are being forcibly changed to further improve running time. That will make the uptight speed limit zones less painful as well.
Well in most things it is better than most other places but it is not quite perfect. If you are referring to just the trams, our other cities with trams do not enjoy the same street priority that the Gold Coast line enjoys. Don’t miss my 2 videos of the line’s extension.
the conductor lady should of assisted you sit down for your own safety if she was doing her job correctly she could of lost her job for not demanding you sit down if you fell and got hurt or hospitalized love the video's though
Only Monday I was chatting to ticket checkers (who you have about 50% chance of encountering on any trip) and upon moving off advised I sit ‘for my safety’ but I told them I still have my ‘conductor’s legs’ from when I did that job. Gold Coast trams are driven so smoothly that I safely can stand, sit, or walk about the moving tram without holding on.
Yeah nosy Parker wants you to sit down looks good tram service don't you use your go card on tram only stations good run pity there are no cab views on Brisbane trains they may start now the trams have let this on go I like cab views as good as having a holiday
trams shall have priority, bicors the gos about 50 yo 100 privat cars pr tram whit 100 passengers, so natuarli if tram shall forfil it mening, green leight orl the way. they hav don it in HELSINGI, look at "the Taffu" her at youtupe. her in denmark wi had trams ontil 1972, but than a politisian mens that the trams ver in the wey for the many cars, so we get bus in sted, argh. ;) my english in reiding
The tram gets right of way and congests more cars then there are tram passengers. This is the design falling of GCLR,,, Should have been tunnels and flyovers ,,,, just look at the lost productivity to drivers on Olsen Ave and Hooker Blvd waiting for Trams to cross. Rubbish outcome for all the billions spent.
I just watched another video of trials of an automated Chinese tram that has rubber tyres and utilises "virtual tracks" which are simply white lines painted on the bitumen. Once again the Gold Coast City Council has blundered in spending our money building expensive tracks that are also costly to maintain and create a severe hazard for cyclists. All we needed was some of those Chinese trams and some painted lines on the road and off we go. What a loser that Tom Tate is. Loser of OUR MONEY that is!
I’ve seen that video. Essentially it is no more than a guided bus. And will ride rough like a bus. That idea is not new and has been tried in a number of places around the world. The main problem is that it tends to lose its way and wander off. It will appeal to cities who want ‘anything modern provided that it is not a tram’. Caen and Nancy in France adopted a single-rail guided bus. Guess what? They Caen is busily digging it up right now and building a real tramway. Nancy, I believe, will follow in a few years. The main problem with buying some gadget made by just one company is that you are stuck with them for spare parts and fleet additions, but if they quit the idea because it is largely unwanted, you are stuck with a lemon. The Sydney and Broadbeach monorails were victims of that, as are Caen and Nancy.
tressteleg1 Yes, I really do think the tram is generally a winner for the Gold Coast but was critical when the initial roll-out neglected the airport and Brisbane rail line. That's all taken care of now but it would be nice if the GCCC would make themselves aware of state-of-the-art technology before committing our lot. For instance, the Chinese now have a fleet of autonomous electric buses that work like normal buses and safely navigate traffic. I'm not in favor of losing bus drivers but there could be instances (airport or hospital transfers) where these new buses would be preferred. It could also be that the Gold Coast could benefit from autonomous arterial transfers to and from the tram stations. It's the biggest geographical council in this big country so there's a lot of ground to cover. Similarly, when it comes to full-size trains, let's see what Elon Musk has to offer with his Tesla Train before we go scurrying around building anything else. We buy his technology and build our own lines and trains from scratch rather than import because of the so-called "cheaper" ticket price. What's the total cost of ownership including maintenance and future upgrades and what do we sacrifice in terms of job losses including lack of follow on to related businesses?
While we should remain conversant with modern transport developments, as the good people of Caen discovered, it is foolish to rush into some technology that is little more than experimental. Whatever their perceived shortcomings, electric trams have been around for nearly 150 years and you are certainly not locked into a single manufacturer if setting up a line or with future purchasers. The fact that the majority of the new intermediate capacity transport systems around the world are trams rather than monorails, Guided buses or other gadgets speaks for itself. As for Elon Musk’s plan, that idea was tried somewhere around 1900 and they could not get it to work then. It is something that needs to be proven over a long period of time before jumping into. I just hope that Musk does not drag his car manufacturing company under while pursuing other schemes. His car production levels are much below promised levels.
By far my favourite tram/light rail line in the world. Here in Sydney, we have three lines and this is how I characterise them. The L1: The speedy car. The L2 and L3: slower than a sloth. The G:Link is an example to all of Australia. When ever I go to the Gold Coast, I always take the tram. Love the video.
The L1 in Sydney is still slower than it should be, not helped by the total lack of traffic light priority on the street section.
The L2 and L3 in April this year were running better than previously and in fact I rode one trip from Randwick which was completed in less than 32 minutes. It will go on TH-cam in due course. It is a miracle that those controlling traffic lights have given trams any priority anywhere, but improving it in half a dozen locations would certainly help a lot but with what looks like being nearly the entire length of George Street being pedestrianised, the 20 km/h speed limit unfortunately looks likely to stay.
The Gold Coast line by chance is close enough to my house so normally I use nearly all of it once or twice each week. Its punctuality is very good, usually within a minute or two of the timetable. Canberra a is also very slick, faster in fact, but it is quite a boring ride by comparison.
I have several other videos of the GC line and some may interest you.
Gold Coast Trams/Light Rail
th-cam.com/play/PLLtOIHp49XNChPr3pQV6NSGE67BlWJ3oL.html
@@tressteleg1 I'll have to agree with you. Early this year, around about January, I decided to take the tram and it was a lot faster except for a time at Royal Randwick where the tram just stopped. Probably because there was a delayed tram in front of us. I live in south-western Sydney so I don't get to see the trams often. Once this dreadful lockdown ends, I will try to get back onto the L1 and see how it fares.
Fine. Unfortunately when a tram breaks down, following trams are delayed, but this should not happen very often.
I look forward to reading of your findings. One problem with all tramways, Sydney included, is that desk-bound Johnnies are deciding speed limits for every inch of the way, and often too slow. . When I drove in Melbourne, generally it was left to the drivers to vary speed in accordance with the current circumstances. Not any more.
Yes but unfortunately when they put the tram in. It brought the idiotic people that would otherwise be stuck at Logan. Unless they took stolen cars to surfers.
From what I read police are keeping a closer watch on who is arriving especially on Friday and Saturday nights. But as you say, if I social misfits really want to get somewhere, they will find a way of doing so. Not that all Gold Coast residents are little angels either. We also have our fair share of undisciplined little crims.
The traffic priority feature really inspires me. :)
This driver really follows the speed limits! I was on a tram going to Helensvale and the driver sped up to 72 km/h during the downhill section next to Smith Street Motorway.
Aviation Channel Every speed limit change is shown on a sign on a conveniently placed overhead wire mast. With electronic monitoring etc these days, drivers can end up in trouble if there is an incident and they are shown to have been going even one or 2 km too fast at the time.
I am experimenting with a Driver’s View run on twilight which will also show the speedometer all the way. That section beside Smith Street is close to my home and today I used the tram for necessary transport instead of driving. 😊
@@tressteleg1 The 72 km/h speed lasted only for about 2 seconds before the track flattened out and the tram reduced its speed.
This is a great video - thanks for sharing, and editing in the schedule times! Many of the same system partners that built this system are currently finishing up work on a similar system in the region I live in (Waterloo, Ontario, Canada). It's great to see how traffic priority works in practice.
+Iain Hendry
I am pleased you liked it. That video has proved to be, by far, my most popular video. McConnell Dowel built stage one here but another company is building the extension. See my recent video about some of that.
As for the accent, those non-stop nanny-state announcements become quite tedious when riding and trying to chat to a friend.
Plenary Group and Keolis are two of the same system partners between GoldLinq (your system) and ion (the one here in Canada). Our other system partners in GrandLinq are Aecon, AECOM and Kiewit. So I guess it's just the two that are the same. But I think there are a lot of similarities in the systems. :)
I had read somewhere that there were some problems with noise initially in the curves, is that true? I noticed there aren't any track lubricators... that's something they've built into every curve on our system with a radius less than 150 m. I had wondered if that might have been a "lesson learned" thing from Australia that they've brought here.
+Iain Hendry
Yes, that is correct. Keolis is a multinational transport operator, for better or worse, often with other partners. They operate Melbourne as well.
I don't think that GoldLinq has done their best to stop the squealing. Some of the trams have some wheel oiling apparatus which has not solved the problem. Some curves, including the sharpest, never make a sound while some do but not with every tram. Melbourne was similar when I drove there, at least with location. Some curves were always silent, others always screeched. My only guess is that the silent ones were banked to help trams around the curve, not always possible where road traffic went across the curve.
The wonders of busways advocates, which Brisbane has adopted heavily, usually quoted Ottawa as their guiding light. With you converting to LR they have gone quiet but the city council now plans a metro of unknown technology at this stage - "Anything which is not a tram". Oh Dear!
lol
Wow I did not recognise any of that area only a little bit of the Gold Coast, and the Nerang road I remember it as a small street, definetley no trams on it way back then. How it has grown so much! Thanks for sharing. Could do a little longer on the written stuff, I thank you for putting in all the stops and streets it is and was very helpful.
The place is growing all the time, too much so in the eyes of many people. Glad you liked it.
Sydney has tram/light rail. Melbourne has tram/light rail. Adelaide has tram/light rail. The Gold Coast has tram/light rail. Canberra has plans for tram/light rail. Newcastle has plans for tram/light rail. This is a bit of "I told you so" for getting rid of them back in the 50's.
+Tanki Divide
In the case of especially Sydney but also Adelaide, that is true. But GC and Canberra never had trams before. Note that the 'engineering experts' in Sydney are adamant that they are building Light Rail and definitely NOT a tramway so have nothing to learn from Melbourne tracklaying expertise. So they thus can create massively over-engineered track at unnecessary cost to the people of NSW.
"Not tramway" my foot. What a joke. It doesn't matter what the name is, as much as it matters the function. Light rail that is fully segregated and does not follow roads is obsolete in my opinion. You might as well build a train line or a guided busway. The point of "one of these" is that they don't require a very long walk to access. You only need to walk into the centre of the road. Even Sydney is building a (supposed) "light rail" down a Main Street in the CBD. It doesn't matter if the trams are 7 or 10 sections long, or if it doesn't share the road, it is still a tram. My definition of light rail is that it is fully segregated and has proper railway like crossings (lights and boomgates) when ever a road crosses it. Every tramway/light rail in Australia does not follow this guideline and they all serve the purpose of a tram. (Ok, maybe the dulwich hill extension is a bit of a light railway, but the rest of it isn't) seems simple to me. Also Tram sounds better and is easier to say.
+Tanki Divide
Everyone will more or less agree with you on most of the above but the aloof clowns building the Sydney tram lines are as deaf as a post on that subject.
It's generally thought that the term light rail was created to take away the image of rattling old trams when a new tram I was to be built in a city which had trams once before. So even the experts can't agree on a precise definition of light rail versus tramway.
And they never learn, do they? Had Sydney not dumped its trams, the cost to restore them would be but a fraction of what it is today.
Aren't you being just a wee bit pedantic, Tanki?
To Adnan,
This was started at 9.30 in the morning, too late for workers and Uni students, too early for tourists. It will get busier later, and especially at weekends when you may have to hunt for a seat. Surfers Paradise (Cavill Ave area) is full of people at that time especially.
She said "I would recommend that you sit down, Sir" then "I just don't want you to fall" and "OK".
She was just "doing her job" in today's world where people sue others for their own silly mistakes.
hm, may you not stand up in a tram, you doo it in a train and bus,, so what is her problem ;)
@@leifstrandbech769 I stand up on public transport when all seats are taken. Whats the problem with standing?
Try and even get a seat on a Melbourne tram... I wish...! 😉
Outside the peak hour, no problem 😊
@@tressteleg1 True.
These trams seem so smooth, wow.
+DanTheFryingPan
They certainly are. The braking design is good and the drivers are taught how to drive smoothly. I used to drive in Melbourne so look out for rough tram driving anywhere. It is hard to fault this line.
"the barrage of announcement can become tedious"? Not if you're blind, it isn't. Beautifully clean and well maintained. That is a rare thing. I did smile when the woman told you to sit down, for your own safety. Thanks for sharing.
It’s even worse now. I’ll do a video on the Yap Yap Blah Blah tramway. It’s on the platforms too 😡
@@tressteleg1 I take it from that, that you're intolerant of blind people. How sad. Have a nice day.
Not at all! The Mo
Not at all! The vast majority of the announces tell people to do what any sane person would do anyway. Next stop announcements are essential these days but telling people to please hang on, welcome aboard, don’t forget to touch your ticket, cross the road safely etc etc at every stop is worse than tedious. You can barely chat to a friend along the way without the loudspeaker shouting at you.
Thanks for the interesting tram ride. As far as I can remember Brisbane has the worst red lights in Australia! I am subscribed for more thanks.
Geoffrey Moore If you ever watch any of my Driver’s View videos of Melbourne you will see plenty of other examples of trams and other traffic stop for a minute or more at red traffic lights, a problem which has largely been avoided for the Gold Coast tram line.
@@tressteleg1 Hi mate Probably a Tangent man comment I was referring to road traffic signals not trams ok. I wonder if can put my Tangent Man Siggy on here? Thanks for your comment.
Geoffrey Moore In the past in Sydney I remember driving from Mona Vale to Balgowlah in the evening. Every single traffic light went red just when you got near it no matter how you tried to beat it. I daresay these lights were set for a better run out from the city for the evening peak but often the opposite direction gets an absolutely shit run. I have not driven in other cities for a long time so I will not comment but suspect that they have plenty of appalling traffic light sequences thanks to the clowns that program them.
I get to photograph the advertising on these trams so it`s great to see my work area from a different prospective
The woman was only doing what no doubt she had been taught to do. At least she left me alone without making a great scene. I should have told her that I used to be a Melbourne tram conductor.
I don't yet have any Brisbane cab video but there was a number of scenes done in Melbourne. If anyone is interested I will put them on TH-cam in due course. An extract of one is on my new 'Gardiner crossing then and now' video.
tressteleg1 you're a idiot
I’m waiting for you to show me any signs of superior intellect. There is nothing in your comment to indicate that you have any brains at all :-)
tressteleg1 My Sony HDR-PJ430VE is amazing for smooth video, see #SkagwayFlickrSpelio on TH-cam I enjoyed the ride here and look forward to a ride on CBRs.. Metro!
Unfortunately your Skagway link could not be found by the system.
With that particular video I intentionally did not stabilise to show that the trams ride quite smoothly. Nowadays I Stabilise using iMovie which can be infinitely adjusted for the amount of the process. Usually around 10% works well.
As for a better camera, while the present $200 JVC continues to function, it will remain in service. After that I may investigate a more sophisticated model. However a few times I have used the iPhone which was just as good but unlike the JVC it seems not to lose focus in low light. Thanks for your feedback.
funnily enough i see her talking about you to the other ticket inspector
To Ian,
In this region with many tourists, these are to allow police quick access to any incident on the nearby beach
“I recommend you sit down sir”! Lol! Nice video mate!
I usually chat to ticket inspectors on the trams. As a former Melbourne conductor I can ‘talk shop’ with them. Anyway a couple of weeks ago as the tram moved off they suggested I sit down for my safety. So I walked down the tram a bit, around a grab rail then up to the front without holding on as the tram took off. Our drivers here are smooth enough and I still have my roving conductor legs 😊. That showed them! Ha Ha.
Is it too early in the morning or is this place turning into a ghost city, I wonder.
Gold coast only has a population of 500,000 people.
Yes, and this was well before covid hysteria. Watching from Louisiana, mates!
Australia’s Covid target was always zero new cases and except for a second wave in Melbourne which was eliminated after 112 days of very strong lockdown, this has been achieved with just occasional extremely small breakouts from compulsory hotel quarantine of arrivals from overseas. The Gold Coast region has never required people to wear masks as there was no risk of catching it. There have been no Covid deaths in Australia since last December. And vaccines only start today.
Montreal identifying all of its dozens of traffic priority signals at corresponding intersections upon its network bus map mystifies me.
Good speed due to almost exclusive prw. Announcements do seem excessive but prevent people missing their stop.
Thanks for sharing😀😀
While stop announcement are desirable, constant reminders about crossing the road safely and validating your ticket become tiresome, especially if you are trying to chat with somebody.
@@tressteleg1 My thoughts exactly
"This is for TH-cam, don't worry about me" Yep!
Joseph Christianson 😄
Where the hell is that "Gold Coast":Florida,Australia or England?
+Rudi Chinchilla
It is on the Pacific coast of Australia, State of Queensland, about 70km southeast of Brisbane, State Capital. Southport and Surfers Paradise are major suburbs on this line which next year will extend to Helensvale where it will meet trains from Brisbane and further south. See recent video for that.
Rudi Chinchilla the Gold Coast of course that first team stop was in southport
I could see but not access your speed request. Anyway 70km/h is the maximum permitted. The line is now longer. See ‘Drivers View Gold Coast Tram Helensvale to Hospital’.
Rudi Chinchilla England
Damn, you got footage of Brisbane trains in the 80s (unless that was your dad). You’ve been doing this for a long time
Yep, all mine. I got my first movie film camera in 1965 and in 1984 advanced to video. Although the best quality does not compare well with today’s, it’s still better than nothing. Some rail fans were still taking black-and-white photographs at this time. So I guess you are somewhat younger, and thus will see a lot of new things after I am well and truly gone. 😊
The thing I find funny is that almost all the stops on this are island platforms. Yet in Melbourne almost all the stops aren't.
+Tanki Divide
The Gold Coast line was built from nothing so Island platforms could be put where they would fit. Melbourne is a traditional tramway so side platforms were simply added to existing double track.
Makes sense to me, but just the fact that they are both the complete opposite is funny. Also I find it strange how in Sydney they need to warn tram drivers not to open the wrong doors Lilyfield yet no train driver I have ever seen has opened the wrong doors on a railway line.
+Tanki Divide
Driving trams up-and-down just one line forever would be deadly boring. With their minds on other things most of the time drivers need to be reminded that just one platform is on the wrong side. Even so, after a while they would no longer see the sign anyway. On Railways, the platforms vary from side to side. Also in Brisbane and Sydney, it is the guard who opens the doors. My Redcliffe video clearly shows that in just one scene.
Yeah well both Brisbane and Sydney are "preparing" to change that. (Not for at least 10 years though) there are some lines Melbourne that pretty much have all the platforms on the same side. But to me if you drive trams for a living I think you would quite quickly learn that lilyfield has the platform on the wrong side. I also think that drivers should be at least paying enough attention to notice the side the platform is on.
Look at the video called: "Behind our network - Train driver" (by Queensland Rail) it is actually the driver that controls the doors. Those bells are just for the all clear. But you are correct in that in Sydney the guard controls them.
Just something that flew past my mind, is there any reason why they go so fast on bridges?
+wwemario12345
The question is, why not? It is considered safe to use the maximum speed of these trams. However 'road experts' require trams to be limited to the road speed limit when running on the street in order to remove the temptation for motorist to speed where the tram limit may be faster than road traffic. A poor theory in my view but that is their reasoning, often overseas too.
Ok, typical road 'experts' trying to be 'safety experts'
tressteleg1 I would think it has more to do with traffic lights and pedestrian/motorist stupidity, which is how they decide speeds on most roads anyway, higher pedestrian traffic + high change of pedestrian stupidity and frequency of traffic lights number of lanes and chance of motorist stupidity, all of those would go into speed limits, while trams have a better view being in the middle of the road and less chance of motorist stupidity and no issue with lane numbers, pedestrian stupidity is still high with high volume and factor in needing more time to stop, but on the bridge, no traffic lights cars or pedestrians, because they would get stuck
I just letting you know the Sydney metro has been extended to Sydenham
@@ConnorSmith-sx1zn Yes thanks, I heard about this new date some time ago and it was even on SBS news tonight.
Twin Cities' trams (Minnesota) speed around corners and other bends.
trainrover those are really light rail trains.
But every just calls it ‘the tram’. 😊. It is my local line.
Did this for the first time. Good way to avoid traffic. From Helensvale to Broadbeach. 2 minutes walk to Pacific Fair. Watched them nab a couple of fare evaders as well. That was cool. They really put the wind up a couple of young smart alec fellas, no messing around.
Im pleased your ride was enjoyable for a few reasons. As I type this, I am riding tram 11 home from a morning out. I could drive and get home faster, but I would not be typing this in the car!
awesome vid i realy enjoyed watching this what a beutiful city golden coast is
paul murray
It is an interesting enough location, the 'Glitter Strip' being popular with tourists. Fortunately I live well away from that in quiet suburbia but the extension now being built to Helensvale railway station is close enough to be of use when completed.
In the very last 5 seconds watch the crazy bird attack the bus.
I didn't know a section of it was shared.
+wwemario12345
Just the one block. With the road at 2 levels here it was the only way to give road access to a few,shops. Very little road traffic uses it, but anyone may drive there. An earlier video shows it better.
Awesome video. I left Oz after Uni at 2011 so never get a chance to ride it. Second Ave to Griffith Uni everyday back then.
Sounds like a perfect reason to come back for a holiday. I rode most of it today 😊
tressteleg1 Last summer I was in GC for holiday but I did car rental. Next time probly😄
Oh! Car rental! Shame!!
tressteleg1 Haha More convenient travel with kids
☹️
Thanks 👍
I wonder how different the Gold Coast would be if the original southport train line was never removed
+dan b
The old line meandered all over the place. The 30 year gap allowed the new line to be laid straight with 130km/h the normal speed between stations until Beenleigh where the line connects to the old line. Loading all day are good. Following the old route would have been less successful.
the t sign are activated when the tram runs over a box on the rails
+Dontay Brown
Not usually. The presence of the tram is detected by GPS. At least some places have such a box but that is only for when GPS fails.
In Melbourne the trams have a small radio transmitter called a transponder hanging under the front of the tram. A loop of wire in the road, the same as used to recognise cars at traffic lights, recognises only the tram's radio signals. The same equipment is used by the driver to change the points.
tressteleg1 you should come ride Houston's rail check out some of my train videos
+Dontay Brown
Unfortunately my days for overseas travel are over. I looked at your channel but could not see any videos which were clearly related to trains.
tressteleg1 i have 3 video about light rail
+Dontay Brown kindly put the links or names here as I still could not find them.
Apparently there is a plan for a spur line from main beach to SeaWorld
+dan b
A developer wishes to build a casino and other accommodation along The Spit which also includes SeaWorld further north. The local council loves development. However the road is rather narrow and mentioning light-rail I see as no more than a carrot to try to get project approval. Many local residents see all this as destruction of The Spit.
tressteleg1 surely if the light rail is built correctly it would save more of the split, or is it the casino that is ruining the split, I'm not a local I'm north of Brisbane so I don't know much, I just hear "branch line for the light rail" and I think oh cool more stuff to ride on in the future
dan b
A lot of people are opposed to the development of the Spit, much of which is in its natural state. A tram branch, if ever built, would only help the total destruction of this public land.
tressteleg1 the tram could prevent the requirement for wider/more roads, I'd say if the development happens, you'd want the tram to mean less busy roads and less need for more larger roads and less need for larger car parks. I'm gonna try to relate it to Brisbane with Southbank, the council want to improve Brisbane metro by using a guide track bus that is the size of 2 regular buses but with lots of parkland and buildings their only upgrade choice is to tunnel, if the tram was tunnelled at parts, it might save more space
dan b
You have been fooled by that hopeless council. There is no doubt that the Brisbane so-called Metro will be no more than a double articulated motor omnibus with no features that any other bus does not have except for being a bit longer. If you don't believe me, wait and see. Of course I want to see tram expansion but only in sensible locations and limiting the risk of raping the environment with unbridled population expansion.
How much did it cost to build this
Almost $1 billion but as well as the tram bridge over the Nerang River, they had to pay for a substantial bike and foot bridge as well, line running Broadbeach South to GC Hospital. The 7km extension to the Helensvale station cost something like $300,000 I think. Total line 20km.
Much prefer the interior seating to what you find on the new Melbourne trams. In the case of the latter they are too elevated and seem to just melt into the background. The way they are contoured is very odd.
I guess you mean the E class because there is a variety of ‘new’ Melbourne trams from 3 different makers. If it is the Es you mean, I would have thought the seats in GC and E class would be the same as Bombardier built them both although Melbourne may have its own seat specs. Next February I will take note the day that I ride both of them.
i wish we had trams in Brisbane. they seem to reduce traffic
+Barry Coleman
That is why so many places around the world are putting trams back in - they do shift the crowds. With clowns like Brisbane has in council, trams have not hope there for now. That stupid so-called Metro is no more than a double articulated diesel bus. Nonsense! As second best I am working on a digital remake of my Brisbane trams video.
I'm lucky - the nearest tram stop on the Gold Coast tram extension is 8 minutes away by bicycle.
are there plans to extend it to Coolangatta?
+Barry Coleman
Yes hopefully one day. Lack of money is the problem. The next stage they are doing planning for is to Burleigh. How it gets further south through a narrow deep cutting is the hurdle after that. But it will end at the airport before it goes further south. However all that will cost a lot of money and nobody knows where that will come from.
yeah i tend to go on holidays to Palm Beach and it would be very useful if the tram network went down that far. i tend to like to park the car and not drive when i am there
+Barry Coleman
Trams did go to Narrabeen until 1939. The tram waiting shed is still there in the park, left side heading out of town. The tram depot at North Manly is still there but as a fruit market. But you had to walk across the Spit Bridge.
Great video!
5:50 we're on time
The trams sound like a squeaky balloon/fart when they release their brakes and start moving? The tram priority works but I always noticed that...
+iamthinking2202 _
Most Melbourne trams are the same. The brakes are spring applied and released by electric motors pumping hydraulic oil. The squeal is the 24v electric motor pumping the oil.
The worst part is trying to chat to a friend along the way, and constantly having to stop because of these almost incessant inane announcements. They really spoil a good trip.
nah brah, its cool
No friends no problems. I think they are a bit overkill but I find it is better to learn to live with them rather than complain. I wish they would at least announce the next stop on buses, since if you have never been on the particular route before it is hard to known when to press the button.
I did not know there was a Gold Coast in London
You must be thinking of the Cold Coast near London.
What do all those numbers in the bottom left mean in green and red?
If you mean the numbers I inserted, it is explained early in the video. They are the timetabled and actual times departing from each stop. From memory, arrival at the terminus was about 80 seconds late.
tressteleg1 thanks for the info, just visited surfers paradise for a couple of days and it was beautiful
I hope you had some good tram rides as well 😄
love this tram as it stops near our Hotel !
The Cecil? I will be riding it to get to a seniors’ activity tomorrow, as a matter of fact.
beautiful place to explore
Is there any particular reason for the announcements saying "stopping at all stations"? I mean, is there any situation where the tram wouldn't stop at every station (other than maybe in the event of an emergency)?
Just more of the yap yapping that is a headache on this line. But you must remember that Melbourne Trams and buses everywhere only stop on request and if you don’t ring the next stop buzzer you may get a longer ride than required.
@@tressteleg1 Oh, okay.
@@joeygardner88 Perhaps because there's plans to run them express? QR does it too, but they run express quite a bit.
Cool video! Gotta love friendly drivers😁👍
Aspect1 😊👍
7:13 who is he waving to
I don’t have the slightest idea but he is still driving.
@@tressteleg1 He's waving at an older gentleman who stands in his front yard leaning on his fence. He is there pretty much every day but he only waves at a few drivers.
😊
How fast can the trams physically go without the speed limits? 70km/h can’t be it surely
Drivers follow speed limits precisely, so I don’t know if they can go faster or are governed. The only place to talk to a driver is at either terminus but I will ask next time I get a chance but probably they won’t know anyway. GPS watches their movements. Melbourne trams have been governed to 65km/h since early 1990s. Before that I once got a B class up to 80.
Thanks I would love to know
too many - as in "way too many" - announcements on the Auto PA System! Kind of kills the enjoyment factor of just taking a ride! It's a tram ride, not a shuttle to Mars!
Excelente paseó lo disfruté muchísimo. Muy buen vídeo 👍👍
Grazie!! 👍
Na Hallo. Das ist 🔥. 👍❤️. Allzeit gute Fahrt.
Watching this first time i like this sort of transport in city area
I live near this line and catch the tram if I wish to go somewhere where it will take me. It is very reliable, nearly always is exactly on time, and runs eight times per hour on weekdays daytime. And every 10 minutes on weekends.
Very good filming
I made similar format videos for Dulwich Hill (Sydney), Glenelg (Adelaide) and Route 96 (Melbourne). All show big delays at traffic lights, unlike Gold Coast.
This is the tram for school. I am trying to learn English. I don’t know anything about the radio. I am very upset.
The best way to learn English is to make friends with Australians and talk with them. Some will try to help you. Spend all your time with people from your own country and you will learn no English.
With 8 new stations is now open crows nest Victoria cross Barangaroo Martin Place metro Gadigal Central metro Waterloo and Sydenham Metro
@@ConnorSmith-sx1zn Funny thing, it takes 9 minutes Central to Victoria Cross, but years ago the old Red Sets got from Central to North Sydney in just 10 minutes. A lot of expense to save a minute.
sick ride!
@ 24.23 I didn't understand what that woman said...something like "you're breaking my neck Sir" or something else my english understood... But next time Adelaide, Glenelg tram then Gold Coas Tram...Aussie, I come from one of the most beautiful (and most abandoned) cities in the world, Rome, but since my last journey I've never stopped thinking of you...I'llcome back....
Tramvinicyus I would recommend that you sit down sir
at the 27.40 mark what was that noise, was it the door closing or something else?
Yes I believe it was doors closing further back in the tram. Passengers must press the button for the doors to open at each tram stop, and so many seconds after they step out, the doors close, often one by one here and there along the tram. They don’t all shut at the same time. It also means that at the terminus, except when somebody is getting on or off, the doors will remain shut keeping the heat out and inside the tram cool.
Muito legal! Gostaria que tivesse esse tipo de tram no Brasil! Abraços.
😊 Maybe Brazil will get one, one day 👍
Is the service free of charge? If not how do they pay for it?
Not free. Touch on your transport Opal Card or credit card to pay. Inspectors can check your phone.
Oh, I just noticed you are asking about Gold Coast. The last reply was for Sydney.
Gold Coast you must touch on your GoCard on the tram stop or buy a paper ticket from the platform machine.
How does the driver know where to stop on the platform? I can't see specific markings?
+Alistair G
The GC platforms are only slightly longer than the trams so they stop near the end. There are no difficulties if a driver stops slightly in the wrong place, provided all doors are at the level entrance platform.
Thanks :) I recently have been having interviews and testing for this job on the
Gold Coast for the commonwealth games intake :)
+Alistair G
Good Luck with your application. I live quite close to the extension so maybe one day you will take me home. If you get the job, let me know!
Thanks i will do :) I just have to pass the medical at this stage so hopefully i'm in the top 10 of the applicants after that, there's only 10 positions being offered.
Alistair G Hope you went well mate! Did you get in? I just got accepted for one of 8 positions for the Sydney Light Rail.
To become a tram conductor, how long do you need to study/train in order to be qualified?
Australian trams don’t have conductors. So I suppose you mean a tram driver. As for the Gold Coast, I understand that from time to time they call for new drivers. I suggest you google ‘g:link employment’ regarding employment. I’m only guessing, but it may be some time before they want anyone new. Before the Commonwealth games, they hired a number of extra temporary drivers so I suppose as vacancies come up in the future, they will ask these former temporary drivers first would they like a job as these people would not need training from the beginning any more. There would be much more chance of getting a driving job in Melbourne if that’s what you want to do.
As tressteleg1 pointed out, there are no conductors. To become a driver, it varies from place to place. I have now been driving on the Sydney light rail for about 7 months and officially the training course for Transdev (the operators) is officially five weeks, however it can be done quicker if you manage to get your training hours up quicker. After all the in class stuff, you’ll do some rudimentary driving with the trainers, before then doing logbook hours on revenue service overseen by a mentor driver, after which you’ll do a certification test and then begin driving yourself. We had to do 76 hours driving with a mentor before going to certification. Overall, the process doesn’t take too much time at all.
They don't give much credit for common sense with all of those warnings throughout the trip. This would drive me crazy.
They have to its actually reassuring
You never know with how many dumb people around these days... better to remind them
Great service needs to be extended down to the airport
True. Brisbane and Sydney have had airport trains for years and Perth is busily building theirs at present. With recent talk about this in Melbourne there is a risk it will end up being a ‘Cooks Tour’ roundabout ride.
Va Sr That has always been the plan but the cost is the problem. Never less work will start soon on extending the line about 7 km further to Burleigh. Nobody has any idea when it will reach the airport and of course some people do not want it going through their town.
@@tressteleg1 I live in Melbourne ,,, tooo many bullshit talks FOR YEARS about train going to airport , oh the direct train line which be the pakenham line I live close to Noble Park ,,709 bus Keyborough from my place to train station !!
@@woodypeckerspec4265 I think the biggest hindrance for decades has been Skybus. I dare say they have ways of keeping their business healthy 😉
There has been a recent proposal for a train to the airport but casual examination was that it meandered around a bit which would make it a slow ride and uncompetitive
@@tressteleg1 sydney airport trains we use and yes it does take to our hotel near paddies ,and or takes us to chatwood then bus ride to Dee Why !!
Is this a staedler variobahn
No, Bombardier Flexity. A 7 section version of the Blackpool new trams.
i have been on this run very good
Yes, it is a very good run. I used it for transport last Friday, and expect to do so tomorrow (if there isn’t pouring rain) although I could have used my car.
It's not hard to have priority over traffic when there isn't any traffic or there is very little...
johfc Often the traffic is quite heavy. The point is, heavy traffic or light, in most situations the traffic lights let the trams pass without delay. Canberra is the only other Tramway in Australia to do that, although Newcastle almost does. Melbourne and Adelaide are hopeless.
love this vid - thanks!
ddd sss 😊👍
cant wait till it goes to airport !!!!!! As moment get the 777 double decker to an from Airport to start of tram line (Draculas)
Who know when that will be but I think you need to pray that there is no change in government here in October. The last time LNP was in power they did absolutely nothing to connect to Helensvale.
0:50 What is that squeaky sound
Coffs Aviation HD
It is the sound of the small electric motor pumping the hydraulic oil which releases the brakes which are applied by springs. You will hear this sound on many types of modern trams as they start off.
Okay Thank you so much I thought it would've been one of the controls inside the cabin.
cant wait till it goes to Airport !!!
Well it would be nice but I suppose you heard Federal MP Karen Andrews suddenly say she wants Federal money for Stage 4 stopped, while State MP Michael Hart said on radio that Stage 4 will not happen. If the Qld LNP gains power next election, forget it 😡
Go Aussie go!
How privileged the public are in OZ in my neck of the woods you'll have Mini Busses on the tracks like you never seen before.
Unfortunately this line is the exception rather than the rule, especially in the state of Queensland. The Gold Coast region never had trams before. It is ‘too new’. State capital Brisbane did have trams until 1969 but there has rarely been any desire for their return. Now they are about to start building a ‘Metro’ which is largely only going to replace the ordinary street buses on existing busways with double articulated diesel buses.
At least this GC line is only a 10 minute bicycle ride from my home so I use it once or twice a week.
Thank you for pointing out
great video really good tram has own r.o.w.
True, and I am riding its tram 12 right now as I type this reply!😄
I enjoyed the ride on the tram
And I enjoy it for real, using nearly all of it last Monday and Friday 😊
Sounds like the blackpool tram
Exactly! You have the 5 section version, we have the 7 section of the same design. We can now argue as to which is in the nicer colours :-)
@@tressteleg1 I love them equally 😋
A wise choice 😄. All you have to do is come here and ride ‘Big Brother’ 👍. You will see that they can do 70km/h rather than just dawdle along the Promenade.
@@tressteleg1 I went on the trams yesterday and they do go quite fast 😃 but they are very slow trams in some areas 😐
Unless they have blocked the view into the driver’s cab, you should easily be able to see the tram speed in large numbers in the main video screen of the driver’s console. The GC tram does run slow most of the way between Surfers Paradise North and Northcliffe for fear that some drunk MAY wander off the footpath into the path of a tram. I daresay same as your Promenade. I have been to Blackpool a few times between 1975 and 1992.
Cool
Pew! Ugly concrete tracks. In Europe the tracks are more and more converted to lawn/grass instead of concrete
The matter of grassed tracks was considered but decided against because the region is subject to droughts with sometimes no rain for months. They did not want dead grass and dust. Whether their fears would have often occurred is unknown.
@Va Sr Not so! Many Cities and towns have used the tram tracks for greening main roads - not just in parks etc. (Of course this only applies where the tracks are separate from the car lanes. Ample evidence can be seen on the web. Just google "green tram tracks" and you will see that they exist far away from parks etc.
where do you buy a ticket?
The best way, especially if staying in Southeast Queensland for a few days is to buy a GoCard. It includes all public transport for over 100km around Brisbane. They can be bought from nearly all railway stations, 7/Elevan stores and petrol stations, and ticket machines at tram stops.
If only staying on the Gold Coast for a day or two, there is an all day ticket. It probably is available from 7/Eleven but only useful on the Gold Coast.
Between the incessant nagging announcements and the lady asking you not to stand (on a tram?! That's what you do on a tram!), it really seems like they're treating the riders like toddlers. It would drive me nuts if I lived there. I'm suddenly grateful that in Toronto the only announcements on the streetcar are for the upcoming stop, and that subway/streetcar/bus surfing is practically an official sport.
The announcements are enough to give anyone the S...s, especially while chatting to a friend. Insane. That woman was only doing what she had been told her to do. At least she did not make me sit. I did not think to tell her that i had been a roving tram conductor so certainly would not fall!! Vehicle surfing is unknown, and not much of a problem on Brisbane suburban trains with its 25,000 volts AC in the overhead! The odd one who tried did not last long :-)
When I said vehicle surfing, I meant inside the vehicle, where you stand perpendicular to the movement and stay upright by leaning into the curves rather than hanging onto the poles.
Of course standing on the outside of the vehicle is incredibly stupid and illegal (and basically impossible anyway due to overhead wires and tunnels). I would never condone that.
And I wasn't blaming the fare inspector in particular, I was blaming the organization that set out such condescending policies.
That's how the Australian government works. We are all kids and they are BIG BAD GROWN-UPS
reaperexpress the thing is if the ticket person doesn't tell you, and you do fall someone's gonna complain, and if they dont have the information, someone's gonna complain too. I'd imagine someone could sue or something if they fall (probably won't win but it would be a hassle, having that in place would allow the case to be thrown out, if you think it's not possible just picture McDonald's and hot coffee) and they want to make it tourist friendly to get more users, can't please everyone
we have gcards and Myki cards and Opal cards !!
You are not Robinson Crusoe there 😊😊
@@tressteleg1 lol
@@tressteleg1 Ill ask my insider !
Sehr gut, eine schöne Straßenbahn!!
Ja, und nicht weit von mein Haus!
@@tressteleg1 Eine wunderschöne Stadt. Moderne und saubere.
Ja, moderne Stadt. Faust nichts erbaut vor 1950.
Gute Wetter - Winter hier aber von 13° bis 23° heute, und Pacific Meer um 21°. OK für Mich 😄
@@tressteleg1 wou ..we will visit you soon !!!! jajajajja
Not while all the countries overseas are full of this virus. Apart from Melbourne, the rest of Australia is more or less virus free and restrictions are being gradually wound back. At this stage it is thought that nobody from overseas will be allowed to visit for the next 12 months at least. Pity.
at stop :26:08 is our Hotel !!!!!
Too many hotels to know which one there.
It's not bad but seems to be too much unnecessary speed variation including a lot of slow points. The driver really has little discretion.
Not as bad as L2/L3 in Sydney although it has at least improved since it opened.
All the modern tramways here, and increasingly so in Melbourne as well, are having a speeds set apparently by bureaucrats who don’t necessarily know a thing about tram driving. Every inch of the way is controlled by speed limits which the driver must not exceed. All three of the Sydney lines unfortunately have limited stretches of long straight track where high speeds can be achieved, one exception being Anzac Parade, but the idiots who set road speed limits, as you may have noticed, decided that Anzac Parade should have a 50 km/h limit for all traffic, so trams are not allowed to go any faster. Sydney‘s main problems are the traffic light delays. Those who control the light settings are gradually being dragged kicking and screaming into giving trams much better priority.
@@tressteleg1 average speeds and all that as previously touched upon.
The micromanagement.still bugs me though, but that's good news to hear the traffic lights are being forcibly changed to further improve running time. That will make the uptight speed limit zones less painful as well.
nice video !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Australis its to perfect that it hurts.
Well in most things it is better than most other places but it is not quite perfect.
If you are referring to just the trams, our other cities with trams do not enjoy the same street priority that the Gold Coast line enjoys.
Don’t miss my 2 videos of the line’s extension.
20:35 Forza Horizon 3
Doing a good job video are cool 😎
😊👍 I have yet to do the GC line northbound…..
the conductor lady should of assisted you sit down for your own safety if she was doing her job correctly she could of lost her job for not demanding you sit down if you fell and got hurt or hospitalized love the video's though
Only Monday I was chatting to ticket checkers (who you have about 50% chance of encountering on any trip) and upon moving off advised I sit ‘for my safety’ but I told them I still have my ‘conductor’s legs’ from when I did that job. Gold Coast trams are driven so smoothly that I safely can stand, sit, or walk about the moving tram without holding on.
It should just stay on the HWY & not be on the same road as cars
mysteryman111100 that would defeat the purpose of the tram, the mainline train however stays near the highway
cool
Yeah nosy Parker wants you to sit down looks good tram service don't you use your go card on tram only stations good run pity there are no cab views on Brisbane trains they may start now the trams have let this on go I like cab views as good as having a holiday
Mit Fliegenantrieb.
👍
trams shall have priority, bicors the gos about 50 yo 100 privat cars pr tram whit 100 passengers, so natuarli if tram shall forfil it mening, green leight orl the way.
they hav don it in HELSINGI, look at "the Taffu" her at youtupe.
her in denmark wi had trams ontil 1972, but than a politisian mens that the trams ver in the wey for the many cars, so we get bus in sted, argh.
;) my english in reiding
these announcements are very irritating!
I love them. I could listen to that accent all day!
Iain Hendry it is not the accent that's irritating, it is that there is too much of it, unnecessary crap
You'll hate Japan, then. The announcements here are no more chatty than those of other systems.
I've suffered the Osaka subway announcements and this is 10 times worse.
are you kidding?
☆☆☆ L I K E ☆☆☆
The tram gets right of way and congests more cars then there are tram passengers.
This is the design falling of GCLR,,, Should have been tunnels and flyovers ,,,, just look at the lost productivity to drivers on Olsen Ave and Hooker Blvd waiting for Trams to cross. Rubbish outcome for all the billions spent.
You just stick to driving your car on the many roads that don’t have trams, and I will continue to use the convenient tram like I did today.
I just watched another video of trials of an automated Chinese tram that has rubber tyres and utilises "virtual tracks" which are simply white lines painted on the bitumen. Once again the Gold Coast City Council has blundered in spending our money building expensive tracks that are also costly to maintain and create a severe hazard for cyclists. All we needed was some of those Chinese trams and some painted lines on the road and off we go. What a loser that Tom Tate is. Loser of OUR MONEY that is!
I’ve seen that video. Essentially it is no more than a guided bus. And will ride rough like a bus. That idea is not new and has been tried in a number of places around the world. The main problem is that it tends to lose its way and wander off. It will appeal to cities who want ‘anything modern provided that it is not a tram’. Caen and Nancy in France adopted a single-rail guided bus. Guess what? They Caen is busily digging it up right now and building a real tramway. Nancy, I believe, will follow in a few years. The main problem with buying some gadget made by just one company is that you are stuck with them for spare parts and fleet additions, but if they quit the idea because it is largely unwanted, you are stuck with a lemon. The Sydney and Broadbeach monorails were victims of that, as are Caen and Nancy.
tressteleg1 Yes, I really do think the tram is generally a winner for the Gold Coast but was critical when the initial roll-out neglected the airport and Brisbane rail line. That's all taken care of now but it would be nice if the GCCC would make themselves aware of state-of-the-art technology before committing our lot. For instance, the Chinese now have a fleet of autonomous electric buses that work like normal buses and safely navigate traffic. I'm not in favor of losing bus drivers but there could be instances (airport or hospital transfers) where these new buses would be preferred. It could also be that the Gold Coast could benefit from autonomous arterial transfers to and from the tram stations. It's the biggest geographical council in this big country so there's a lot of ground to cover. Similarly, when it comes to full-size trains, let's see what Elon Musk has to offer with his Tesla Train before we go scurrying around building anything else. We buy his technology and build our own lines and trains from scratch rather than import because of the so-called "cheaper" ticket price. What's the total cost of ownership including maintenance and future upgrades and what do we sacrifice in terms of job losses including lack of follow on to related businesses?
While we should remain conversant with modern transport developments, as the good people of Caen discovered, it is foolish to rush into some technology that is little more than experimental. Whatever their perceived shortcomings, electric trams have been around for nearly 150 years and you are certainly not locked into a single manufacturer if setting up a line or with future purchasers. The fact that the majority of the new intermediate capacity transport systems around the world are trams rather than monorails, Guided buses or other gadgets speaks for itself. As for Elon Musk’s plan, that idea was tried somewhere around 1900 and they could not get it to work then. It is something that needs to be proven over a long period of time before jumping into. I just hope that Musk does not drag his car manufacturing company under while pursuing other schemes. His car production levels are much below promised levels.