Categories
transport

W-class trams

I love W-class trams. They truly are an icon of the city. In my youth I fondly remember watching the road ahead from the seat just behind (and to the left) of the driver, as we rolled up and down the hills on Balaclava Road. Or hot summers in the seat next to the (open)  ... [More]

Categories
transport

My Myki card: the latest chapter in the saga

Herald Sun: Melbourne commuters take free ride with myki card fault About 30 myki users have been affected by a particular fault that has allowed them free travel. Public Transport Users Association president Daniel Bowen has been travelling free for at least a week. Kamco became aware of the problem only when Mr Bowen reported  ... [More]

Categories
transport

The C word still lingers

They haven’t changed the seat design with the hidden word “Connex” in it — it’s not very obvious and probably a hassle to do. But even some of the electronic signs stubbornly revert to the former train operator’s name occasionally. These two were snapped in the last month or two, both on X’Trapolis trains. Perhaps  ... [More]

Categories
music transport

Music on the train

Fantastic: Atomic Tom performing Take me out, live on a NYC subway train using just iPhones. NB. Please don’t try this unless you are actually talented. According to the New York Daily News, the intro text about their instruments being stolen is fictitious. (via Eva Blanda)

Categories
Politics and activism transport

Spinning faster

Graph: The number of transport-related govt press releases is steadily increasing each week

Categories
transport

Who to vote for in Transport?

Please note that as always, the views expressed on my blog are my own, and are not necessarily a PTUA position. The state election’s about six weeks away. The Opposition has been criticised for not having a transport policy, but it’s important to note that Labor hasn’t said much about what they’d do, either. Sure,  ... [More]

Categories
Geek transport

Myki short term tickets set off shop alarms

Occasional commenter Peter from Murrumbeena has sent me this video of Myki short term tickets setting off a shop alarm. Apparently it relates to the RFID technology used in the tickets. When a number are placed in close proximity, they look to the shop alarm like the tag attached to protected goods, setting off the  ... [More]

Categories
transport

Major event at MCG: Sorry, no PT

It’s pretty pathetic when the organisers of a major event at the MCG have to tell thousands of participants that there’s no public transport. With start times of 7.00am, 8.00am and 7.30am respectively, public transport is not an option for Marathon, Half Marathon and 10km competitors. Why? Well despite the MCG being served by Jolimont  ... [More]

Categories
transport

Freeways, freeways, everywhere

Via Google’s archive of The Age, I found this, the 1969 freeway plan for Melbourne, with 1974 modifications (including a number of cuts). It’s a little bit stylised, but according to the article, the plan was deliberately vague about which inner-suburban areas were to be demolished. A monstrous plan, you might think. Freeways everywhere! But  ... [More]

Categories
transport

On the road

What do you think of this double-sized tram shelter? Top of William Street, near the market. Pretty good hey? Particularly for a spot which isn’t actually a tram stop. No trams are regularly scheduled to stop there. Occasionally some will get diverted off Swanston Street onto William, and terminate in the shunt here, but otherwise,  ... [More]

Categories
transport

A parting gift

Metro Trains CEO Andrew Lezala addressed the Melbourne Press Club today. I was amused to see they presented him with a framed print of a cartoon from the Herald Sun. Video of the event should be online later. Disclosure — I attended the lunch as a guest of Metro, to lobby on behalf of PTUA  ... [More]

Categories
transport

Truck rollover at Flinders/Spencer. Again.

I was curious to see how many times in the last year that trucks have missed the “Low clearance 4.0” (metres) height warning and crashed into the guard rail for the rail bridge at Spencer and Flinders Streets, before rolling-over and blocking the intersection. (Or look on: Google Streetview) Answer via Google News archive search:  ... [More]