tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6259450140022648201.post7197387877442149621..comments2023-12-09T20:20:20.187+10:00Comments on BrizCommuter: Brisbane Metro - Why Bus is BestBrizCommuterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06579844974945172195noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6259450140022648201.post-26332266512367894182017-03-17T14:16:08.128+10:002017-03-17T14:16:08.128+10:00The actual plan, with actual vehicle specification...The actual plan, with actual vehicle specifications should be presented to the public for review. If that type of approach is taken design flaws are likely to be reduced, avoiding incidents like the famous train that wouldn't fit through the tunnel, or the fleet of trains where driver's can't see where to stop and wheelchairs can't get to the wheelchair enabled toilet.<br /><br />Personally I think it is unreasonable for democratically elected officials at any level not to (or refuse to) answer a question as basic as "is it a bus?"<br /><br />That's about as basic a yes/no question as they could be asked. To start a reply with "some people might call it..." the journalist isn't asking some people. Even phrases such as "used in other major cities" encompasses everything from tuk-tuks to mag-lev high speed trains.<br /><br />I agree with you - buses just make sense on many levels and is a sensible solution. Fingers crossed but if I could take out a bet, I'd put my money on a wheeled tram.Philip Leitchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10575105615763301952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6259450140022648201.post-61427237319589656592017-03-16T20:37:09.258+10:002017-03-16T20:37:09.258+10:00Pretty sure the Brisbane Metro not-a-bus will be b...Pretty sure the Brisbane Metro not-a-bus will be buses, which is a sensible thing. BCC are just having to ride out the political circus. BrizCommuterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06579844974945172195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6259450140022648201.post-34975032043069720742017-03-16T11:28:05.179+10:002017-03-16T11:28:05.179+10:00I mentioned previously that they aren't callin...I mentioned previously that they aren't calling it a Bus. <br /><br />I've haven't been able to confirm what the vehicles will be. The Mayor made it very clear that are NOT multi-articulated busses; they are "a fleet of trackless, rubber-tyred Metro vehicles". That makes me worry... why aren't they calling it what it is... unless it ISN'T a bus.<br /><br />What Mayor Quirk described was basically a multi-articulated bus... rubber wheels, three sections, will drive along existing bus infrastructure. <br /><br />Article on failure to confirm bus:<br />http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/brisbane-metro-if-it-walks-like-a-bus-and-moves-like-a-bus-it-is-a-bus-20170305-gurcr0.html<br /><br /><br />But surely given their description, they are busses right? No. <br /><br />"These will be purpose-designed Metro vehicles." - Cr Schrinner from the above article.<br /><br />They haven't described busses, and refused to call them busses, and just like the above article "if it walk like a bus and it looks like a bus" we jumped to the logical conclusion that it is a bus. But I searched through everything said and the more I read the more it is pointing towards exactly what they are calling it, a three carriage "rubber-tyred metro vehicle". That is a vehicle that can use a mix of road and rail infrastructure. So the same vehicle they originally planned, but without the rail infrastructure.<br /><br />If you look at the Wikipedia article (link below) "rubber-tyred Metro" - nicely describes it as "trams on tyres". Think I'm kidding or "off the track" - look at their fact sheet released this month and look at the image of their new metro vehicle. It looks like a train/tram to me, and matches the supplied image. This is their metro vehicle! It doesn't look like a bus to me. It may be used like a bus initially, but it is most definitely a tram with no tracks.<br /><br />Image:<br />http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-04/brisbane-metro-vehicle/8324950<br />Metro fact sheet:<br />https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/sites/default/files/20170309-brisbane-metro-fact-sheet-march-2017.pdf<br />Wikipedia article:<br />https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber-tyred_metro<br /><br /><br />Why is this a problem? Most locations in the world had rail tracks laid at roughly the same width as was standard for horse and buggy cartridges (just under 1.5m). This means that the rail width is appropriate for road vehicle width. But QLD is known for having one of the thinnest gauges of rail in the world (roughly 1 metre wide). I would question whether that width is appropriate for a road vehicle, or compatible with current busway. Therefore, assuming they will use the standard train gauge, it means a "tram" like vehicle that can run on tracks but with no tracks to run on... meaning phase 2 (and on) would be adding tram style tracks. In other words: implement their original plan once funding comes along. <br /><br />Also, they made it clear that it is a bespoke vehicle for QLD NGR . <br /><br />Note - G Link trams/light rail uses the world's pseudo-standard of 1.4m (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in). That means there is to ability for "light rail" to ever use/integrate with standard rail infrastructure.Philip Leitchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10575105615763301952noreply@blogger.com