Sydney and Melbourne have similar population numbers, but within the Sydney city itself and its inner areas, the streets felt far more busy and more alive. Maybe it's that Sydney has warmer weather? I don't know. At times it felt crowded. Curious.
Sydney's Metro train is amazing. There is a train every five minutes in the middle of the day. I think it becomes every three minutes in peak times. It is driverless, incredibly fast and passenger numbers have exceeded expectations. I loved it, except...
The seats are all sideways and the train's acceleration away from stations gives very strong G forces. The feeling is quite unpleasant. I'd rather face forward or backward than sideways. Just like London's DLR driverless trains, it feels odd as it speeds up at times, and then brakes, whereas if the driver in control, there would be coasting.
The seats are hard, and while the tracks are all new, the weirdest thing happened between Crows Nest Station and Chatswood Station. The train may have travelling at 100/60 and in my carriage, it was bouncing about every half second, you could say rapidly jiggling along. And, even though I have little interest in women's breasts, I could not fail to notice the women within my view had breasts jiggling up and down in tune with the train jiggling. It felt so unpleasant, and I thought at the time, unsafe. Are we about to derail? This is on new tracks, and in a new train!
The new and yet to be finished Sydney Metro is great, but the trains used are not. They are horrible, and to add, the air conditioning blows air straight down onto your head.
So after my visit to Chatswood I did not catch the Metro back to the city, but a stopping overground train. It was slower, but I was a tourist with time to spare. The seats were so comfortable, the train, smooth, quiet and no air blowing on me.
A former Prime Minister, John Howard, lived in the suburb Wollstonecraft, and what a delightful station was that as they train paused. I was slow with the camera, but I did capture one view of the city from the train.
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I am unable to make comments here because I very rarely take a train, a bus or a tram. We are only happy if they arrive in time, which is a miracle when it happens. That's why so many families need a car. Public transport is a catastrophe.
ReplyDeleteInteresting observations on side-facing seats. I hadn't thought about them before, but they are less comfortable than forward/backward facing seats.
ReplyDeleteThe majority of our tube trains are side facing but they don't tend to travel at great speed.
ReplyDeleteI suppose they can possibly fit more passengers on side facing seats ?
ReplyDeleteSounds like an eye opening journey anyway.
Yes, more passengers.
DeleteSydney’s energy and contrast are palpable
ReplyDeleteMelbourne's streets were carefully planned from the very beginning, starting with the centre of the city. Then main, wide roads were built out from the city into the suburbs, with trams in the centre and cars on the outside lanes.
ReplyDeleteSydney's roads were always a bit chaotic.
Side facing seats seem a rather odd choice. Do they fit more in? Can people stand? My heart will always belong to Melbourne but I do love the views you get in Sydney.
ReplyDeleteI hope that warning signs were displayed on the new, driverless train: "BEWARE OF JIGGLING BREASTS". Such a sight could cause mental disturbance to unwary onlookers.
ReplyDeleteOh Andrew. Gotta say I thought for sure I was going to read about a bird. You never fail to surprise me. I got a good giggle out of this.
ReplyDeleteI know very a little about trams such.
ReplyDeleteI also dislike (hate) sitting sideways, especially when the bus driver is behind time and speeds a bit then has to brake hard for lights or traffic. None of this is kind to aging bodies and many times I have woken the next morning with back or neck pain because of it. I don't remember if our tram has sideways seats, though I know the trains do, and I always make sure to travel during off peak times since I don't have to get to work anymore. As for the jiggling travel, I think you should write and complain, maybe there was gravel on the tracks and they need to get that cleaned off or something.
ReplyDeleteI have moved seats on the metro in attempts to dodge the intense and chilly downdraft directed to my follically-challenged head. And yes, the ride is surprisingly rough at times.
ReplyDeleteSaw on the news last evening the new refurbish trains in Sydney, looked good.
ReplyDeleteSome days, sitting under the frigid downdraft is wonderful. Just think is you were standing, what would be jiggling up and down to the rhythm of the rails.
ReplyDeleteWomen need to wear a sports bra to ride that train, Andrew.
ReplyDeleteJiggling boobs might encourage young men to ride the train more often:) An advertising scheme perhaps.
ReplyDeleteI guess I'm used to sideways-facing seats. The NYC subways and most London tube trains have a similar configuration, with some exceptions.
ReplyDeleteYes, I've experienced both and neither were nice.
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