So I rode on the Gautrain today

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WiK1d
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So I rode on the Gautrain today

Post by WiK1d »

Yes, that's right :P

Image

Image

Some of the station models

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f64/W ... 009021.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f64/W ... 009022.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f64/W ... 009023.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f64/W ... 009024.jpg

And a video:



(The lack of sound is to us talking too much crap and I'd prefer to leave it offline :P)

(If it's in the wrong section, my bad)
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Tribble
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Re: So I rode on the Gautrain today

Post by Tribble »

What did you do to get a ride on it?
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Stuart
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Re: So I rode on the Gautrain today

Post by Stuart »

Was anyone thrown off while it was moving?
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Re: So I rode on the Gautrain today

Post by Tribble »

Looks awesome!
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WiK1d
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Re: So I rode on the Gautrain today

Post by WiK1d »

Tribble wrote:What did you do to get a ride on it?
The company I work for covered the photos for the day and we all got to ride along. The 0-160 run was pretty intense, you can really feel it accelerating at quite a pace
Stuart wrote:Was anyone thrown off while it was moving?
I wanted to throw you out, but you were not there :(
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Stuart
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Re: So I rode on the Gautrain today

Post by Stuart »

WiK1d wrote:
Stuart wrote:Was anyone thrown off while it was moving?
I wanted to throw you out, but you were not there :(
Sorry, took longer at the hospital than I expected. I'll be there next time.
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WiK1d
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Re: So I rode on the Gautrain today

Post by WiK1d »

Stuart wrote:Sorry, took longer at the hospital than I expected. I'll be there next time.
I'll be waiting..
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Re: So I rode on the Gautrain today

Post by Tel »

Awesome stuff Wikid.
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WiK1d
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Re: So I rode on the Gautrain today

Post by WiK1d »

Kay, I rode on it again today, with only the driver/pilot/captain (whatever), the course director and my colleagues. This time I bring much more photos and footage. Here goes:

The Train

On Track
Outside
On display

Inside

Layout
Storage Racks
Seats I
Aisles
Doors I
Seats II
Seats III
Emergency door release
Emergency communications
Spy stuff, oh noes


Cockpit

Driver's View
Controls
Knobs
Comms and knobs
Instruments and Info
Cockpit panorama fail

Randoms

End of Test Track
Train Stats
Depot Panorama

Centurion Station

Parking
Station
Overview

Sandton Station

Overview
Underground
Escalators
Parking entrance

Marlboro Station

Station
Parking

Park Station

Location
Station Underground Entrance

OR Thambo International Airport Station

Viaduct
Connection at International Flights

Hatfield Station

Parking
Overview
Tracks and Channel
Track Lines

Rosebank Station

Overview I
Overview II

Midrand Station

Parking
Station

Videos

Cruising at 160kph (And a bit more)

0-160kph

"Look at the little arrow on the speedo, that indicates the maximum speed allowed in the section and the train will automatically slow down if the speed is severely broken.

Discussion in Afrikaans is about the stopping speed of the emergency stop. The train (4 cars) will come to a complete stop, loaded with 50 ton sand bags, on a wet track in 500m. "


Controls and Rainstorm

Some Info

- Trains will run every 10 minutes (6 trains an hour in every direction) during the day, from 5am to 10/11pm.
- Two sets will be interlinked during peak times to carry almost 700 passengers per trip
- Trip time between Hatfield and Park Stations (two furthest points) will take a mere 42 minutes including stops
- Trip between Sandton and the airport will take 12 minutes
- No official info regarding fares are currently available
- 190 buses will be spread out across Gauteng to carry passengers from the stations to their final destinations
- A Gautrain TV aid will start airing sometime next week
- They are planning on having the Sandton-Airport link running by the end of November
- (If I remember more stuff I will add it to the list)
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Re: So I rode on the Gautrain today

Post by feo »

Best.thread.ever

This train cannot come quick enough! N1 sucks bottom..
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WiK1d
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Re: So I rode on the Gautrain today

Post by WiK1d »

Haha! Glad you enjoyed it feo. But yes, I can NOT wait for it to be fully operational.
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Re: So I rode on the Gautrain today

Post by Stuart »

/resurrect

Finally did the Gautrain thing today with a group of seniors from the church. It was fun, although I was really disappointed with their disabled service.

We went to Sandton from Rhodesfield. On the way back we asked the guys where we should get on with the wheelchair. They told us there was only one disabled car, so we wheeled the guy on there. Then when we stopped it turns out that that car doesn't open at Rhodesfield. So without letting the wheelchair out they took off again to the airport and we had to wait half an hour for them to get back and then convince them to open that cart so the wheelchair could get out.
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Re: So I rode on the Gautrain today

Post by Tribble »

That is really stupid. How could they not open that cart when that is where the person got on?
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Re: So I rode on the Gautrain today

Post by Stuart »

They told us that those cars never open at Rhodesfield because they are reserved for people going to the airport. However, that is where they told us to get the wheelchair on. There was not even a hint of an apology when we went to management.

What is almost worse is that the family whose son is in the wheelchair initially didn't want to come with because they say they always have negative experiences at these places. We worked hard to convince them to come with us, and eventually they relented. If anything, this will only serve to further add to their hesitance to take him out again to this kind of thing.

We've sent a complaint through the Gautrain website. Let's see if anything comes of it.
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Re: So I rode on the Gautrain today

Post by Stuart »

And when they finally got off they told us that they tried pressing the emergency stop button, but the button did not work. :?
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Re: So I rode on the Gautrain today

Post by Tribble »

Now that really is not cool. We saw a fire alongside the tracks last night. Imagine the emergency break did not work on that train!
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Re: So I rode on the Gautrain today

Post by THE_STIG »

This is why I am not a fan of public transport :P
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