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110-427: Sydney Metro Northwest was a rapid transit project that constructed the first section of the Metro North West & Bankstown Line through the north-western suburbs of Sydney , New South Wales , Australia . The project included the conversion of the existing Epping to Chatswood rail link to metro standards and connects the suburbs of Rouse Hill and Chatswood via Castle Hill and Epping . The project

220-614: A 270-metre (886 ft) cable-stayed bridge over Windsor Road at Rouse Hill. A third and final major contract - Operations and Train Systems (OTS) - to build the stations and rail systems provide the single deck trains, operate the rail link and maintain the system was announced at the end of 2014, awarded to the Northwest Rapid Transit joint venture between John Holland, Leighton Contractors, MTR Corporation, Plenary Group and UGL Rail. Thiess's civil engineering business

330-425: A body of water), which are potential congestion sites but also offer an opportunity for transfers between lines. Ring lines provide good coverage, connect between the radial lines and serve tangential trips that would otherwise need to cross the typically congested core of the network. A rough grid pattern can offer a wide variety of routes while still maintaining reasonable speed and frequency of service. A study of

440-454: A code for its stations. Unlike that of Singapore's MRT, it is mostly numbers. Based on the line number, for example Sinyongsan station, is coded as station 429. Being on Line 4, the first number of the station code is 4. The last two numbers are the station number on that line. Interchange stations can have multiple codes. Like City Hall station in Seoul which is served by Line 1 and Line 2. It has

550-651: A code of 132 and 201 respectively. The Line 2 is a circle line and the first stop is City Hall, therefore, City Hall has the station code of 201. For lines without a number like Bundang line it will have an alphanumeric code. Lines without a number that are operated by KORAIL will start with the letter 'K'. With widespread use of the Internet and cell phones globally, transit operators now use these technologies to present information to their users. In addition to online maps and timetables, some transit operators now offer real-time information which allows passengers to know when

660-583: A conventional track is often provided in case of flat tires and for switching . There are also some rubber-tired systems that use a central guide rail , such as the Sapporo Municipal Subway and the NeoVal system in Rennes , France. Advocates of this system note that it is much quieter than conventional steel-wheeled trains, and allows for greater inclines given the increased traction of

770-405: A dedicated right-of-way are typically used only outside dense areas, since they create a physical barrier in the urban fabric that hinders the flow of people and vehicles across their path and have a larger physical footprint. This method of construction is the cheapest as long as land values are low. It is often used for new systems in areas that are planned to fill up with buildings after the line

880-472: A four-lane, dual-carriageway road at McGraths Hill . It continues through Rouse Hill , before turning off at the intersection with Old Windsor Road at Kellyville and narrowing back to a single carriageway road at Baulkham Hills , crossing under M2 Hills Motorway a short distance later. It continues in a southerly direction to cross over James Ruse Drive in Northmead , before eventually terminating at

990-418: A large number of factors, including geographical barriers, existing or expected travel patterns, construction costs, politics, and historical constraints. A transit system is expected to serve an area of land with a set of lines , which consist of shapes summarized as "I", "L", "U", "S", and "O" shapes or loops. Geographical barriers may cause chokepoints where transit lines must converge (for example, to cross

1100-652: A large part of the network, for example, in outer suburbs, runs at ground level. In most of Britain , a subway is a pedestrian underpass . The terms Underground and Tube are used for the London Underground . The North East England Tyne and Wear Metro , mostly overground, is known as the Metro . In Scotland , the Glasgow Subway underground rapid transit system is known as the Subway . In Ireland ,

1210-452: A line is obtained by multiplying the car capacity, the train length, and the service frequency . Heavy rapid transit trains might have six to twelve cars, while lighter systems may use four or fewer. Cars have a capacity of 100 to 150 passengers, varying with the seated to standing ratio  – more standing gives higher capacity. The minimum time interval between trains is shorter for rapid transit than for mainline railways owing to

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1320-615: A metro. In Spain, such systems are present in Madrid , Barcelona , Bilbao and Valencia . In Portugal, Lisbon has a metro. The Italian cities of Catania , Genoa , Milan , Naples , Rome and Turin also have metro lines. In Germany and Austria they rapid transit is known as U-Bahn , which are often supported by S-Bahn systems. In Germany, U-Bahn systems exist in Berlin , Hamburg , Munich and Nuremberg , while in Austria such

1430-461: A proposed "North-South Link" serving the airport and continuing on to Macarthur. A new train stabling yard was constructed at Tallawong Road in Rouse Hill, with room for 16 train sets. 3,000 new parking spaces are provided across proposed carparks at Cherrybrook, Hills Showground and Kellyville stations. The entire line is electrified via overhead catenary at 1,500 V DC to power

1540-575: A rapid transit setting. Windsor Road (Sydney) Windsor Road is a notable road in the Hills District of Sydney, linking Windsor and North Parramatta in Sydney's west. It is a constituent part of route A2. Windsor Road commences at the intersection of Bridge and Macquarie Streets in Windsor and heads in a southeasterly direction as a two-lane, single carriageway road, widening to

1650-565: A specialized transit police may be established. These security measures are normally integrated with measures to protect revenue by checking that passengers are not travelling without paying. Some subway systems, such as the Beijing Subway , which is ranked by Worldwide Rapid Transit Data as the "World's Safest Rapid Transit Network" in 2015, incorporates airport-style security checkpoints at every station. Rapid transit systems have been subject to terrorism with many casualties, such as

1760-459: A specific question about the details of the proposed rail link. There was no mention of the rail link in the 2001 budget, released the week of 30 May. A 2002 NSW Treasury report mentioned the North West rail link, and that it was "under development or investigation", but no estimate of cost or start date were provided. On 10 March 2002, Transport Minister Carl Scully released a report detailing

1870-608: A system exists in Vienna . In addition, the small, car-free town of Serfaus in the Austrian state of Tyrol also features a short U-Bahn line. There are no U-Bahn systems in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, but the city of Lausanne has its own, small metro system. In Zurich, Switzerland's largest city, a project for a U-Bahn network was stopped by a referendum in the 1970s and instead its S-Bahn system

1980-801: Is a shortened reference to a metropolitan area . Rapid transit systems such as the Washington Metrorail , Los Angeles Metro Rail , the Miami Metrorail , and the Montreal Metro are generally called the Metro . In Philadelphia , the term "El" is used for the Market–Frankford Line which runs mostly on an elevated track, while the term "subway" applies to the Broad Street Line which is almost entirely underground. Chicago 's commuter rail system that serves

2090-608: Is a single corporate image for the entire transit authority, but the rapid transit uses its own logo that fits into the profile. A transit map is a topological map or schematic diagram used to show the routes and stations in a public transport system. The main components are color-coded lines to indicate each line or service, with named icons to indicate stations. Maps may show only rapid transit or also include other modes of public transport. Transit maps can be found in transit vehicles, on platforms , elsewhere in stations, and in printed timetables . Maps help users understand

2200-506: Is built. Most rapid transit trains are electric multiple units with lengths from three to over ten cars. Crew sizes have decreased throughout history, with some modern systems now running completely unstaffed trains. Other trains continue to have drivers, even if their only role in normal operation is to open and close the doors of the trains at stations. Power is commonly delivered by a third rail or by overhead wires . The whole London Underground network uses fourth rail and others use

2310-531: Is designed to operate at a maximum 4-minute headway (15 tph) with 6-car sets in peak on opening day, with design allowance for possible augmentation up to 2.4-minute (25 tph) with 8-car sets in the future. The line is equipped with Alstom Urbalis 400 moving block CBTC signalling system with ATC under ATO Grade of Automation 4 (UTO), and has subsystems of automatic train protection (ATP), Iconis automatic train supervision (ATS) and Smartlock computer-based interlocking (CBI). There are no physical signals on

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2420-416: Is necessary, rolling stock with a smaller loading gauge from one sub network may be transported along other lines that use larger trains. On some networks such operations are part of normal services. Most rapid transit systems use conventional standard gauge railway track . Since tracks in subway tunnels are not exposed to rain , snow , or other forms of precipitation , they are often fixed directly to

2530-555: Is referred to simply as "the subway", despite 40% of the system running above ground. The term "L" or "El" is not used for elevated lines in general as the lines in the system are already designated with letters and numbers. The "L" train or L (New York City Subway service) refers specifically to the 14th Street–Canarsie Local line, and not other elevated trains. Similarly, the Toronto Subway is referred to as "the subway", with some of its system also running above ground. These are

2640-412: Is serviced by at least one specific route with trains stopping at all or some of the line's stations. Most systems operate several routes, and distinguish them by colors, names, numbering, or a combination thereof. Some lines may share track with each other for a portion of their route or operate solely on their own right-of-way. Often a line running through the city center forks into two or more branches in

2750-748: Is the most commonly used term for underground rapid transit systems used by non-native English speakers. Rapid transit systems may be named after the medium by which passengers travel in busy central business districts ; the use of tunnels inspires names such as subway , underground , Untergrundbahn ( U-Bahn ) in German, or the Tunnelbana (T-bana) in Swedish. The use of viaducts inspires names such as elevated ( L or el ), skytrain , overhead , overground or Hochbahn in German. One of these terms may apply to an entire system, even if

2860-627: The Dublin Area Rapid Transit is despite the name considered a commuter rail due to usage of mainline railways. In France, large cities, such as Paris , Marseille and Lyon , feature a Métro . Also the smaller cities of Lille Rennes have a light metro. Furthermore, Brussels in Belgium, and Amsterdam and Rotterdam in the Netherlands have metro systems in place. Several Southern European contries also have

2970-752: The Hudson and Manhattan Railroad K-series cars from 1958, the New York City Subway R38 and R42 cars from the late-1960s, and the Nagoya Municipal Subway 3000 series , Osaka Municipal Subway 10 series and MTR M-Train EMUs from the 1970s, were generally only made possible largely due to the relatively generous loading gauges of these systems and also adequate open-air sections to dissipate hot air from these air conditioning units. Especially in some rapid transit systems such as

3080-429: The London Underground . In 1868, New York opened the elevated West Side and Yonkers Patent Railway , initially a cable-hauled line using stationary steam engines . As of 2021 , China has the largest number of rapid transit systems in the world  – 40 in number, running on over 4,500 km (2,800 mi) of track – and was responsible for most of the world's rapid-transit expansion in

3190-695: The Metro North West Line running along the entire length of the link. New stations built for the link are as follows: The remaining stations were originally built for the Epping to Chatswood rail link and converted to Metro operation: Tallawong and Cherrybrook stations were built as stations in a cutting, open to the sky, but below ground level while Castle Hill, Hills Showground and Norwest stations are underground, whereas Kellyville and Rouse Hill are above ground. The twin tunnels between Epping and Kellyville, at 15.5 km (9.6 mi) long, are

3300-740: The Metropolitan Railway opened publicly in London in 1863. High capacity monorails with larger and longer trains can be classified as rapid transit systems. Such monorail systems recently started operating in Chongqing and São Paulo . Light metro is a subclass of rapid transit that has the speed and grade separation of a "full metro" but is designed for smaller passenger numbers. It often has smaller loading gauges, lighter train cars and smaller consists of typically two to four cars. Light metros are typically used as feeder lines into

3410-578: The Montreal Metro (opened 1966) and Sapporo Municipal Subway (opened 1971), their entirely enclosed nature due to their use of rubber-tyred technology to cope with heavy snowfall experienced by both cities in winter precludes any air-conditioning retrofits of rolling stock due to the risk of heating the tunnels to temperatures that would be too hot for passengers and for train operations. In many cities, metro networks consist of lines operating different sizes and types of vehicles. Although these sub-networks may not often be connected by track, in cases when it

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3520-658: The North West Metro as part of the Metro Link, and expanded the line to run all the way to the Sydney CBD via the suburbs of Ryde , Gladesville , Drummoyne and Pyrmont . The inability of Iemma to privatise the state-owned electricity sector to fund the metro project culminated in his resignation as NSW premier in September 2008, and the appointment of Nathan Rees as his successor. On 23 October 2008,

3630-589: The Prague Metro . The London Underground and Paris Métro are densely built systems with a matrix of crisscrossing lines throughout the cities. The Chicago 'L' has most of its lines converging on The Loop , the main business, financial, and cultural area. Some systems have a circular line around the city center connecting to radially arranged outward lines, such as the Moscow Metro 's Koltsevaya Line and Beijing Subway 's Line 10 . The capacity of

3740-685: The Singapore MRT , Changi Airport MRT station has the alphanumeric code CG2, indicating its position as the 2nd station on the Changi Airport branch of the East West Line. Interchange stations have at least two codes, for example, Raffles Place MRT station has two codes, NS26 and EW14, the 26th station on the North South Line and the 14th station on the East West Line. The Seoul Metro is another example that utilizes

3850-450: The deep tube lines . Historically, rapid transit trains used ceiling fans and openable windows to provide fresh air and piston-effect wind cooling to riders. From the 1950s to the 1990s (and in most of Europe until the 2000s), many rapid transit trains from that era were also fitted with forced-air ventilation systems in carriage ceiling units for passenger comfort. Early rapid transit rolling stock fitted with air conditioning , such as

3960-409: The linear motor for propulsion. Some urban rail lines are built to a loading gauge as large as that of main-line railways ; others are built to a smaller one and have tunnels that restrict the size and sometimes the shape of the train compartments. One example is most of the London Underground , which has acquired the informal term "tube train" due to the cylindrical shape of the trains used on

4070-432: The 15 world largest subway systems suggested a universal shape composed of a dense core with branches radiating from it. Rapid transit operators have often built up strong brands , often focused on easy recognition – to allow quick identification even in the vast array of signage found in large cities – combined with the desire to communicate speed, safety, and authority. In many cities, there

4180-489: The 1990s. There were differing plans as to how the line would integrate into the rest of Sydney's transport system. The following proposals were endorsed at one time or another by the government: By May 2015, media releases from Transport for NSW used the name "North West Rail Link" to address the whole section between Rouse Hill and Chatswood and not just the unbuilt part. On 4 June 2015, Premier Mike Baird and Minister for Transport & Infrastructure Andrew Constance announced

4290-488: The 1995 Tokyo subway sarin gas attack and the 2005 " 7/7 " terrorist bombings on the London Underground. Some rapid transport trains have extra features such as wall sockets, cellular reception, typically using a leaky feeder in tunnels and DAS antennas in stations, as well as Wi-Fi connectivity. The first metro system in the world to enable full mobile phone reception in underground stations and tunnels

4400-621: The 2010s. The world's longest single-operator rapid transit system by route length is the Shanghai Metro . The world's largest single rapid transit service provider by number of stations (472 stations in total) is the New York City Subway . The busiest rapid transit systems in the world by annual ridership are the Shanghai Metro, Tokyo subway system , Seoul Metro and the Moscow Metro . The term Metro

4510-623: The 21-day response limit, leading to accusations that the Government was trying to hide something. The State Government formally rejected the Freedom of Information request on 9 January 2001, despite acknowledging that release of the report would be in the public interest. As a result, the NSW Ombudsman began an investigation into NSW Transport's refusal to release the report. News reports from March 2001 suggested that cost estimates for

Sydney Metro Northwest - Misplaced Pages Continue

4620-532: The 21st century, most new expansions and systems are located in Asia, with China becoming the world's leader in metro expansion, operating some of the largest and busiest systems while possessing almost 60 cities that are operating, constructing or planning a rapid transit system . Rapid transit is used for local transport in cities , agglomerations , and metropolitan areas to transport large numbers of people often short distances at high frequency . The extent of

4730-511: The Action for Transport 2010 plan had blown out so much that the scope of the plan was now reduced to an Epping to Chatswood rail link due for completion in 2008. The completion date for the Parramatta to Epping section of the original Parramatta to Chatswood link was unspecified, which meant that the North West rail link proposal was effectively deferred indefinitely—it would not be built until

4840-491: The Castle Towers shopping centre at Castle Hill, where one of the underground stations will be built. At least 150 boreholes with a diameter of up to 15 centimetres (5.9 in) will be drilled up to 75 metres (246 ft) deep along the proposed alignment between Epping and Rouse Hill in order to develop an understanding of the geological profile. The drilling is anticipated to take about 9 weeks to complete. Dirt from

4950-684: The Epping-Chatswood Line. Six new stations were proposed along the North West Rail Link: The line was scheduled to open in two stages: the first stage from Epping to Hills Centre Station was scheduled for completion by 2015 (originally 2017), and the second stage from Hills Centre to Rouse Hill Station was scheduled for completion by 2017. Construction was scheduled to begin in 2010. The original proposal called for off-peak rail service of four trains per hour, with six to eight trains per hour in peak periods. The route

5060-697: The NSW Government announced that the North West Metro would be indefinitely deferred due to budgetary cuts. On 21 February 2010, two and a half months after Kristina Keneally had become Premier, the NSW Government revealed the cancellation of the Sydney Metro project in its Metropolitan Transport Plan and returned to the North West Rail Link proposal. At the time, construction was anticipated to begin in 2017. In August 2010

5170-772: The North West Rail Link beyond Rouse Hill to meet the Richmond line at Schofields, Riverstone, or beyond. A scoping study into rail investment to service Western Sydney and the proposed Western Sydney Airport was announced by the New South Wales and Australian governments in November 2015. The study's final report was released in March 2018 and included a proposal to extend the Sydney Metro Northwest from Tallawong to Schofields, where it would connect with

5280-578: The North West rail link. In response, the State Government threatened to remove the council's planning powers for the Rouse Hill Development Area if planning approval was not granted. Member for the then- State electorate of The Hills , Michael Richardson , submitted a Freedom of Information request for the draft report on 3 November 2000. The State Government had not responded to the request by 13 December 2000, well beyond

5390-558: The Parramatta to Chatswood link was completed. The Action for Transport 2010 cost blowout was seen as the reason for the State Government's refusal to release the draft report into the North West rail link route. According to Member for The Hills, Michael Richardson, the Premier Bob Carr effectively confirmed that the Epping to Castle Hill rail link was dead during a session of Parliament on 27 March 2001 when he refused to answer

5500-616: The Rouse Hill, Samantha Riley Drive and Cudgegong Road sites. The geotechnical information is required to determine the best method of tunnelling through the Hawkesbury sandstone that underlies much of the Sydney basin. Rapid transit Modern services on rapid transit systems are provided on designated lines between stations typically using electric multiple units on railway tracks . Some systems use guided rubber tires , magnetic levitation ( maglev ), or monorail . The stations typically have high platforms, without steps inside

5610-509: The State Government applied to Infrastructure Australia for funding to accelerate the delivery of the project, but no funding was granted. Following his victory in the NSW state election on 26 March 2011, newly elected Premier Barry O'Farrell announced that his first order of business would be to start construction on the North West Rail Link. On 6 April 2011, Premier O'Farrell and newly installed Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian announced

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5720-729: The State government through the Main Roads Board (later Transport for NSW ). Main Road No. 184 was declared along this road on 8 August 1928, from the intersection with Pennant Hills Road just north of Parramatta to Windsor (and continuing westwards via Richmond, Bilpin and Bell to the intersection with Great Western Highway at Mount Victoria ); with the passing of the Main Roads (Amendment) Act of 1929 to provide for additional declarations of State Highways and Trunk Roads, this

5830-713: The Sydney CBD and that the North West rail link could form an extension to this route. On 9 June 2005, the State Government announced the Metropolitan Rail Expansion Program (MREP), an $ 8 billion plan to add three new railway lines to the CityRail network over the following 15 years. The MREP included the South West Rail Link , North West Rail Link and the CBD Rail Link and was intended to augment transport links between

5940-478: The beginning of rapid transit. Initial experiences with steam engines, despite ventilation, were unpleasant. Experiments with pneumatic railways failed in their extended adoption by cities. In 1890, the City & South London Railway was the first electric-traction rapid transit railway, which was also fully underground. Prior to opening, the line was to be called the "City and South London Subway", thus introducing

6050-456: The city. The route proposal put forward in May 2011 by the State Government was a 23-kilometre (14 mi) rail route with six new stations, and the possibility of two more to be built at some point in the future. The proposed stations were: On 15 May 2011, Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian announced that a tender had been called for engineering, rail systems and architecture services. A tender

6160-414: The display of the transit network. Often this has the effect of compressing the distance between stations in the outer area of the system, and expanding distances between those close to the center. Some systems assign unique alphanumeric codes to each of their stations to help commuters identify them, which briefly encodes information about the line it is on, and its position on the line. For example, on

6270-531: The earliest version of the original proposal had the route alignment connect with the existing Northern Line north of Cheltenham. The direct route proposed using the stub tunnels originally built for the deferred Parramatta Rail Link between Parramatta and Epping . New stub tunnels for the Parramatta Rail Link were to be constructed so that if the Epping to Parramatta line were completed, trains from Parramatta would have also been able to link into

6380-611: The entire metropolitan area is called Metra (short for Met ropolitan Ra il), while its rapid transit system that serves the city is called the "L" . Boston's subway system is known locally as "The T". In Atlanta , the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority goes by the acronym "MARTA." In the San Francisco Bay Area , residents refer to Bay Area Rapid Transit by its acronym "BART". The New York City Subway

6490-477: The first six of twelve tenders closed the week of 8 July 2011 with 44 proposals having been received from a range of Australian and international companies. The first six tenders were for financial services, geotechnical investigations, integrated transport and land use studies, scheduling and program support, legal services, and master planning and urban design. As part of the tender process, applicants were asked to demonstrate how they would design station precincts at

6600-516: The floor rather than resting on ballast , such as normal railway tracks. An alternate technology, using rubber tires on narrow concrete or steel roll ways , was pioneered on certain lines of the Paris Métro and Mexico City Metro , and the first completely new system to use it was in Montreal , Canada. On most of these networks, additional horizontal wheels are required for guidance, and

6710-467: The increased current draw of the new rolling stock. There are crossovers at several stations on the line to terminate trains. These are located at Tallawong, Bella Vista, Castle Hill and Chatswood. All crossovers on the ECRL (Lady Game Maintenance Facility and Macquarie Park) were kept, as well as the connection to the surface at Epping. This was kept in case access was required for trackwork vehicles to enter

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6820-439: The interconnections between different parts of the system; for example, they show the interchange stations where passengers can transfer between lines. Unlike conventional maps, transit maps are usually not geographically accurate, but emphasize the topological connections among the different stations. The graphic presentation may use straight lines and fixed angles, and often a fixed minimum distance between stations, to simplify

6930-591: The intersection of North Rocks Road and Church Street in North Parramatta . The North West T-way runs next to and parallel to Windsor Road from Kellyville to Rouse Hill. The original Windsor Road opened in 1794, between Windsor and Northmead. A newer alignment of Windsor Road, branching off the original alignment at Kellyville and ending in North Parramatta, opened in 1812; the original alignment of Windsor Road between Kellyville and Northmead

7040-418: The line, but it has not been used yet. The link to the surface is unwired and there are obstructions placed on the rails. The line is also equipped with the latest technology for boosting cellular/4G signals. Users of the line have reported extremely stable and fast 4G connections while travelling on this line. Several news channels have also done live crosses via 4G to reporters riding on the line. The system

7150-496: The line, four to six trains per hour would connect Rouse Hill station with Chatswood station via Epping. Of these, only as few as 2 trains per hour would be able to continue from Chatswood to the CBD due to capacity constraints on the North Shore line . The design was changed to a driverless rapid transit line, featuring more frequent, lower capacity single deck trains. All trains would terminate at Chatswood, with passengers required to change to North Shore line trains to continue to

7260-437: The lines of the Lyon Metro includes a section of rack (cog) railway , while the Carmelit , in Haifa, is an underground funicular . For elevated lines, another alternative is the monorail , which can be built either as straddle-beam monorails or as a suspended monorail . While monorails have never gained wide acceptance outside Japan, there are some such as Chongqing Rail Transit 's monorail lines which are widely used in

7370-400: The location of the alignments were never finalised and further investigation and studies would have been required. State Government documents, dated 13 May 2011, suggested an intention to eventually extend the line to meet the Richmond line near Schofields , two stations south of Vineyard. A Transport Department report dated 9 June 2011 shed more light on such plans, suggesting an extension of

7480-421: The longer term rail options. It's got to work as a single network, the whole network, but we are looking at private sector involvement in those as well. And we've got an open mind. In June 2012, it was announced that the line would use single deck "Metro" style trains, rather than the double deck trains more commonly used in Sydney. In May 2013, it was announced that two consortia had been shortlisted to construct

7590-401: The longest rail tunnels in Sydney. They are also the deepest tunnels in Sydney: 67 m (220 ft) below ground at the deepest point below the intersection of Pennant Hills Road and Castle Hill Road—deeper than the floor of Sydney Harbour (about 50 m (164 ft)), and much deeper than the deepest point of the City Circle tunnels at St James (about 11 m (36 ft)). Most of

7700-439: The main rapid transit system. For instance, the Wenhu Line of the Taipei Metro serves many relatively sparse neighbourhoods and feeds into and complements the high capacity metro lines. Some systems have been built from scratch, others are reclaimed from former commuter rail or suburban tramway systems that have been upgraded, and often supplemented with an underground or elevated downtown section. Ground-level alignments with

7810-420: The major new growth and employment areas of the Sydney metropolitan region. In 2005, the schedule was revised and a new completion date of 2017 was set. In 2006 the construction schedule was revised with a new completion date of 2017. In April 2006, the NSW Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation released the North West Rail Link Project Application and Preliminary Environmental Assessment in support of

7920-463: The metro trains. The viaduct and ground level section between Tallawong and Bella Vista uses standard overhead wires to supply power. For the underground section between Bella Vista and Epping, a rigid overhead conductor system is used instead of wires. For the rest of the line (formerly part of the Epping to Chatswood rail link [ECRL]), the existing sagged catenary overhead wires were retained, with an additional copper cable added in some sections due to

8030-516: The month-old Rees government announced the CBD Metro , a shortened version of the North West Metro which would run from Rozelle to Central station , and the project was submitted to Infrastructure Australia for funding. It was announced that North West Metro may be extended to link from Rozelle to Epping and Macquarie Park in the future if the CBD Metro was built. Then, on 31 October 2008,

8140-428: The name had been extended to cover the route of the original NWRL and the existing Epping to Chatswood railway line . In June 2015, it was announced that the entire project would be renamed the Sydney Metro Northwest. Planning for the original North West Rail Link which later became known as Sydney Metro Northwest was a long and complex affair. The line was announced, cancelled and re-announced several times beginning in

8250-418: The network map "readable" by illiterate people, this system has since become an "icon" of the system. Compared to other modes of transport, rapid transit has a good safety record, with few accidents. Rail transport is subject to strict safety regulations , with requirements for procedure and maintenance to minimize risk. Head-on collisions are rare due to use of double track, and low operating speeds reduce

8360-515: The newly converted railway line towards Bankstown . The extension project commenced construction in 2017, with the Chatswood to Sydenham section opening on 19 August 2024 and the Sydenham to Bankstown conversion opening in late 2025. Previously, there were long-term plans to extend the proposed heavy-rail North West Rail Link to meet the existing Richmond railway line near Vineyard . However,

8470-529: The next train, along with other information for self-driving, is directly sent to the train through a 5 GHz communications system. The Metro North West Line stations all have platform screen doors installed to ensure safety. The PSDs themselves were supplied by Faiveley Transport , and the glass on the PSDs was supplied by Qingdao Jinjing Glass Co., Ltd. The North West Rail Link was originally announced on 23 November 1998 by Transport Minister Carl Scully , and

8580-402: The next vehicle will arrive, and expected travel times. The standardized GTFS data format for transit information allows many third-party software developers to produce web and smartphone app programs which give passengers customized updates regarding specific transit lines and stations of interest. Mexico City Metro uses a unique pictogram for each station. Originally intended to help make

8690-902: The occurrence and severity of rear-end collisions and derailments . Fire is more of a danger underground, such as the King's Cross fire in London in November 1987, which killed 31 people. Systems are generally built to allow evacuation of trains at many places throughout the system. High platforms , usually over 1 meter / 3 feet, are a safety risk, as people falling onto the tracks have trouble climbing back. Platform screen doors are used on some systems to eliminate this danger. Rapid transit facilities are public spaces and may suffer from security problems: petty crimes , such as pickpocketing and baggage theft, and more serious violent crimes , as well as sexual assaults on tightly packed trains and platforms. Security measures include video surveillance , security guards , and conductors . In some countries

8800-603: The only two North American systems that are primarily called "subways". In most of Southeast Asia and in Taiwan , rapid transit systems are primarily known by the acronym MRT . The meaning varies from one country to another. In Indonesia , the acronym stands for Moda Raya Terpadu or Integrated Mass [Transit] Mode in English. In the Philippines , it stands for Metro Rail Transit . Two underground lines use

8910-587: The outset. Budapest , Chicago , Glasgow , Boston and New York City all converted or purpose-designed and built electric rail services. Advancements in technology have allowed new automated services. Hybrid solutions have also evolved, such as tram-train and premetro , which incorporate some of the features of rapid transit systems. In response to cost, engineering considerations and topological challenges some cities have opted to construct tram systems, particularly those in Australia, where density in cities

9020-426: The planning approval process. On 20 November 2006, the government announced a staged plan for the North West Rail Link with train services to Castle Hill and Hills Centre in 2015, two years ahead of the original completion date of 2017. The original North West Rail Link route proposal was planned to be 22 km (14 mi) in length, consisting of a 16 km (9.9 mi) tunnel (underground) section from Epping to

9130-431: The preferred route alignment. The 19 km (12 mi) route was proposed to run from Epping to Mungerie Park at Rouse Hill via Castle Hill. The cost of construction was estimated at $ 1.4 billion. Public consultation on the proposal was conducted over eight weeks from 10 March to 3 May 2002. The consultation received 118 written submissions, 73% of which were in favour of the project proceeding, and only 5% strongly opposed

9240-591: The project team that would be responsible for construction and delivery of the North West Rail Link. It was expected that initial planning and geotechnical investigation of the route corridor would begin by the end of 2011, with construction beginning before the 2015 state election. When the O'Farrell Government took office, it proposed that the line would form part of the mainline network and would be served by double deck rolling stock, like other rail lines in Sydney. A report released in July 2011 indicated that upon opening of

9350-515: The project. On 3 October 2002, the Minister announced a feasibility study for an extension of the proposed route beyond Rouse Hill to meet the existing Richmond Line . Various studies in support of the Epping to Castle Hill link were made during 2003; most of this work related to the proposed alignment of the route. It was revealed on 12 August 2003 that Railcorp was considering a new $ 6 billion rail link that would connect Hornsby with Campbelltown via

9460-518: The proposed Burns Road Station, followed by a 4 km (2.5 mi) section above ground from Burns Road Station (now Kellyville Station) to Rouse Hill. A train stabling facility was proposed to the north west of Rouse Hill Town Centre . The latest version of the original proposal proposed to connect the North West Rail Link alignment to the Epping to Chatswood Rail Link via a tunnel between Epping and Franklin Road (now Cherrybrook ) stations, whereas

9570-908: The rapid transit system varies greatly between cities, with several transport strategies. Some systems may extend only to the limits of the inner city, or to its inner ring of suburbs with trains making frequent station stops. The outer suburbs may then be reached by a separate commuter rail network where more widely spaced stations allow higher speeds. In some cases the differences between urban rapid transit and suburban systems are not clear. Rapid transit systems may be supplemented by other systems such as trolleybuses , regular buses , trams , or commuter rail. This combination of transit modes serves to offset certain limitations of rapid transit such as limited stops and long walking distances between outside access points. Bus or tram feeder systems transport people to rapid transit stops. Each rapid transit system consists of one or more lines , or circuits. Each line

9680-497: The rebranding of the Sydney Rapid Transit to the Sydney Metro. In conjunction with the rebranding, the North West Rail Link was renamed Sydney Metro Northwest. In December 2011, the State Government suggested that they have not ruled out the possibility of contracting the operation, rolling stock and signalling on the North West Rail Link to private operators as part of a public-private partnership. We are focused on

9790-542: The rubber tires. However, they have higher maintenance costs and are less energy efficient. They also lose traction when weather conditions are wet or icy, preventing above-ground use of the Montréal Metro and limiting it on the Sapporo Municipal Subway, but not rubber-tired systems in other cities. Some cities with steep hills incorporate mountain railway technologies in their metros. One of

9900-663: The suburbs, allowing a higher service frequency in the center. This arrangement is used by many systems, such as the Copenhagen Metro , the Milan Metro , the Oslo Metro , the Istanbul Metro and the New York City Subway . Alternatively, there may be a single central terminal (often shared with the central railway station), or multiple interchange stations between lines in the city center, for instance in

10010-714: The term subway . In Thailand , it stands for Metropolitan Rapid Transit , previously using the Mass Rapid Transit name. Outside of Southeast Asia, Kaohsiung and Taoyuan, Taiwan , have their own MRT systems which stands for Mass Rapid Transit , as with Singapore and Malaysia . In general rapid transit is a synonym for "metro" type transit, though sometimes rapid transit is defined to include "metro", commuter trains and grade separated light rail . Also high-capacity bus-based transit systems can have features similar to "metro" systems. The opening of London's steam-hauled Metropolitan Railway in 1863 marked

10120-530: The term Subway into railway terminology. Both railways, alongside others, were eventually merged into London Underground . The 1893 Liverpool Overhead Railway was designed to use electric traction from the outset. The technology quickly spread to other cities in Europe , the United States, Argentina, and Canada, with some railways being converted from steam and others being designed to be electric from

10230-405: The track connected to this system. The only physical signals on the track display the status of nearby points, showing a white line pointing towards the direction the points are set, or a red horizontal line to indicate stop. As the signals are merely points indicators, they do not know the position of the next train and will still show a white line even when there is a train up ahead. The location of

10340-459: The trains and systems, as well as operate the line: On 24 June 2014, the Northwest Rapid Transit consortium was selected as the preferred operator to deliver the North West Rail Link operations contract. Coffey Geotechnics supported by AECOM were awarded the tender for geotechnical drilling services in August 2011, and drilling began on 7 September 2011. A drilling rig was set up in a park opposite

10450-650: The trains until the stations finished upgrading and reopened in May 2019. In addition Sydney Trains introduced new timetables with extra train services on the North Shore Line to and from the Northern and Western lines with the Central to Epping via Strathfield section extended to Hornsby. On 14 January 2019, the first driverless Metro train completed the full journey between Tallawong and Chatswood. The rail link opened for passenger service on 26 May 2019, with

10560-511: The trains, requiring custom-made trains in order to minimize gaps between train and platform. They are typically integrated with other public transport and often operated by the same public transport authorities . Some rapid transit systems have at-grade intersections between a rapid transit line and a road or between two rapid transit lines. The world's first rapid transit system was the partially underground Metropolitan Railway which opened in 1863 using steam locomotives , and now forms part of

10670-571: The tunnel was bored, although the section at Kellyville was constructed using cut-and-cover techniques. Major tunnelling began in 2014. The Sydney Metro City & Southwest project extended the Metro North West Line to the Sydney central business district and on to Bankstown through a tunnel from just south of Chatswood station via North Sydney and under the Sydney Harbour towards Central and Sydenham , before joining

10780-601: The tunnelling process was recycled and distributed across Sydney. There were three major contracts for the construction of the North West Rail Link. In June 2013, the Tunnels and Station Caverns (TSC) contract was awarded to a joint venture involving Thiess and John Holland , and Dragados . In December 2013, the Surface and Viaduct Civils (SVC) construction contract was awarded to a joint venture between Italian firms Impregilo and Salini . The $ 340 million contract includes

10890-601: The use of communications-based train control : the minimum headway can reach 90 seconds, but many systems typically use 120 seconds to allow for recovery from delays. Typical capacity lines allow 1,200 people per train, giving 36,000 passengers per hour per direction . However, much higher capacities are attained in East Asia with ranges of 75,000 to 85,000 people per hour achieved by MTR Corporation 's urban lines in Hong Kong. Rapid transit topologies are determined by

11000-568: The viability of the proposed route. This led to a deadlock between the State Government and Baulkham Hills Shire Council regarding construction of the $ 200 million Mungerie Park industrial and residential development at Kellyville . On 5 June 2000 the Council voted to defer planning approval for the Mungerie Park development until the State Government demonstrated a commitment to improve local transport infrastructure, which included building

11110-559: Was Singapore's Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system, which launched its first underground mobile phone network using AMPS in 1989. Many metro systems, such as the Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway (MTR) and the Berlin U-Bahn, provide mobile data connections in their tunnels for various network operators. The technology used for public, mass rapid transit has undergone significant changes in the years since

11220-579: Was amended to Main Road 184 on 8 April 1929. The passing of the Roads Act of 1993 updated road classifications and the way they could be declared within New South Wales. Under this act, Windsor Road retains its declaration as part of Main Road 184. Windsor Road was allocated State Route 40 in 1974. Metroad 2 was also allocated along it in 1993 between Windsor and Showgrounds Road in Castle Hill, until M2 Hills Motorway opened in 1997 and Metroad 2

11330-470: Was called on 6 June 2011 for a financial and commercial services specialist. The tender documents indicate the Government's desire to appoint a financial adviser to examine the possibility of securing funding from private sources. Tenders were called on 10 June 2011 for a range of services including geotechnical work, master planning and urban design, scheduling and planning support, integrated transport and land use services, and legal services. Applications for

11440-899: Was developed further. Other Central European countries also have metro lines, for example in the cities of Budapest (Hungary), Prague (Czech Republic) and Warsaw (Poland). In Eastern Europe , metro systems are in operation in Minsk (Belarus), Kyiv (Ukraine), Riga (Latvia), Vilnius (Lithuania) and Moscow (Russia). In Southeastern European countries, there are metro systems in Athens and Thessaloniki (Greece), Belgrade (Serbia), Sofia (Bulgaria) and Istanbul (Turkey). In Northern Europe , rapid transit systems exist in Copenhagen (Denmark), Oslo (Norway), Stockholm (Sweden) and Helsinki (Finland). Various terms are used for rapid transit systems around North America . The term metro

11550-480: Was expected to carry six to eight million passengers per year. The concept plan was approved in May 2008. However, the North West Rail Link proposal was replaced by the North West Metro two months earlier in March 2008 by the Iemma Government as part of the development of a metro-style rapid transit system called Metro Link . In March 2008, the Government changed the project to a metro line dubbed

11660-702: Was low and suburbs tended to spread out . Since the 1970s, the viability of underground train systems in Australian cities, particularly Sydney and Melbourne , has been reconsidered and proposed as a solution to over-capacity. Melbourne had tunnels and stations developed in the 1970s and opened in 1980. The first line of the Sydney Metro was opened in 2019. Since the 1960s, many new systems have been introduced in Europe , Asia and Latin America . In

11770-531: Was managed by Transport for NSW . The line is part of the Sydney Metro system. The completed Metro North West line opened on 26 May 2019, and was later extended to Sydenham via the CBD , which opened on 19 August 2024. Prior to June 2015, the project was known as the North West Rail Link (NWRL). Originally, "North West Rail Link" referred to the section between Epping and Rouse Hill. By June 2015,

11880-469: Was part of an $ 2.6 billion package of eight major rail projects due for construction by 2010 dubbed the Action for Transport 2010. At the time, the proposal was for a $ 360 million heavy rail connection from Epping to Castle Hill, with potential extension to Mungerie Park and Rouse Hill after 2010. Delays in 2000 by the Carr Government in releasing a draft report on the proposal led to concern about

11990-663: Was renamed to Old Windsor Road and formed a T-junction where it met with Windsor Road. This remained until 2002 when the Old Windsor Road regained importance and the junction was reconstructed to allow through traffic along the original Windsor Road alignment. The passing of the Main Roads Act of 1924 through the Parliament of New South Wales provided for the declaration of Main Roads, roads partially funded by

12100-655: Was transferred to CPB Contractors in 2016. The Epping to Chatswood railway line opened in 2009 as a heavy rail line, initially as a shuttle service between Chatswood and Epping. The line was later integrated into the Northern Line . During O'Farrell's time as premier, the government announced that the line was to be closed and converted to rapid transit standards. The Epping to Chatswood rail link closed from 30 September 2018 for around seven months for conversion to rapid transit standards. A temporary bus service known as Station Link operated with over 100 buses to replace

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