14 December 2017

Canberra’s first light rail vehicle arrives under police escort

| Glynis Quinlan
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Canberra’s first light rail vehicle arrives in Australia by ship. All photos (video stills) supplied.

Canberra’s first light rail vehicle arrived in the city under police escort early yesterday morning after a seven-week trip by road and ship from the factory in Spain.

The vehicle will be able to carry up to 207 passengers on Stage 1 of Canberra’s light rail network, with seating for 66 people, two spaces for wheelchairs and two bike areas which can hold a total of four bikes.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr inspected the vehicle during a visit to Spain in October prior to it being transported by road to the Port in Santander and then on the HOEGH BERLIN ship for its journey to Canberra.

“It is exciting to see Canberra Metro deliver the first of 14 vehicles for the project. It’s a nice Christmas present for the city,” said ACT Transport Minister Meegan Fitzharris.

“This is another milestone for the project, and I hope Canberrans are starting to get excited about how light rail will deliver better public transport in this city.

“I would like to thank Canberra Metro and all those involved in the transportation of the vehicle, including NSW and ACT police, who ensured the transportation was done in a safe and secure manner.”

The light rail vehicle has a maximum service speed of 70 kilometres an hour and has a pedestrian protection system to help remove the risk of a pedestrian passing under the wheels.

Passenger features include:

  • Saloon and cab air conditioning designed specifically for Canberra’s climate
  • Passenger Audio and Visual Information Systems including a Public Address System, exterior and interior LED displays and hearing loops (specialised transmitters) for the hearing impaired
  • Closed circuit TV surveillance
  • WIFI system for passenger use

Below is a video of the light rail vehicle’s arrival in Australia.

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Capital Retro1:24 pm 17 Dec 17

JC said :

Capital Retro said :

The line between “mural”, “graffiti” and “vandalism” is very fuzzy in the ACT.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/police-investigate-removal-of-art-mural-20070418-8am.html

There is also a very lengthy thread on the old RiotACT about this incident.

Really? Would have thought the meaning of the word vandalise was quite clear and the article you linked to doesn’t change that meaning in any way shape or form.

Graffiti however is a form of art, not to my liking btw. However like all forms of art there is a right and a wrong place to do it. Do it on public or private property for example it is vandalism. By the same token if Picasso painted an artwork on the side of a tram without permission that too would be vandalism. Same with cleaning up graffiti that was authorised and paid for by a sporting club.

If you read the report at this link http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-05/canberra-embraces-graffiti-with-street-art-coordinator/7142848 you will note there is reference made to “TAMS supervising 23 LEGAL graffiti locations in Canberra”. Graffiti is a very subjective thing as you indeed allude to. From the brief reports that are now coming in about the “vandalising” of “el tram sagrado” indicates whatever was inscribed on it was small in size and it was removed rapidly so there is really no problem. There are plenty of other places around Canberra where graffiti (including tags) has been for years and the government has made no attempt to remove it. The same government has recently painted multi-coloured rings at a roundabout in Braddon – that’s public property and I don’t recall ratepayers being asked permission for that so is that vandalism? Bit of a double standard here perhaps?

I don’t know why you channelled Picasso – there was another famous Spanish artisan who would be better suited to mentioning with trams and that was Gaudi who was actually run over and killed by one outside his still unfinished Cathedral in Barcelona.

The listed places where it is legal is where any joe blogs can go and fill their boots. That’s not to say others cannot have or allow graffiti on their premises.

Capital Retro8:56 am 20 Dec 17

I guess I am a part owner of the tram even though I will never be in a position to use it. Accordingly, I don’t care if it gets covered in graffiti.

Capital Retro said :

The line between “mural”, “graffiti” and “vandalism” is very fuzzy in the ACT.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/police-investigate-removal-of-art-mural-20070418-8am.html

There is also a very lengthy thread on the old RiotACT about this incident.

Really? Would have thought the meaning of the word vandalise was quite clear and the article you linked to doesn’t change that meaning in any way shape or form.

Graffiti however is a form of art, not to my liking btw. However like all forms of art there is a right and a wrong place to do it. Do it on public or private property for example it is vandalism. By the same token if Picasso painted an artwork on the side of a tram without permission that too would be vandalism. Same with cleaning up graffiti that was authorised and paid for by a sporting club.

Capital Retro7:54 pm 16 Dec 17

The line between “mural”, “graffiti” and “vandalism” is very fuzzy in the ACT.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/police-investigate-removal-of-art-mural-20070418-8am.html

There is also a very lengthy thread on the old RiotACT about this incident.

Capital Retro said :

Heavs said :

It’s pretty funny that it’s already been tagged. Someone must have been just waiting for it to arrive to be the first to get their tag on it. Respect.

Was it tagged or vandalised?

WTF?? “Tagging” *is* vandalising, there is no differentiation. It is not art no matter how the pseuds and pointy heads might dress it up with things like “Banksy” et al, and we should just get over this residual attitude that there is somehow something noble and culturally significant about this antisocial and destructive behaviour.

Capital Retro8:03 am 15 Dec 17

Heavs said :

It’s pretty funny that it’s already been tagged. Someone must have been just waiting for it to arrive to be the first to get their tag on it. Respect.

Was it tagged or vandalised?
The Canberra Times front page article states it was targeted by “graffiti vandals” which is a contradiction in terms when one considers the soft and sometimes encouraging attitude this government gives to Canberra’s “graffiti artists”.

What needs to be investigated is the apparent lack of security to protect the ratepayers’ investments; I have deliberately refrained from using the word “assets”.

Capital Retro6:50 pm 14 Dec 17

I can remember Christmas 1951 when my Hornby clockwork (that’s a renewable energy source btw) toy train arrived via Santa Claus. I was thrilled, for a few days.

My mother and my older brothers were annoyed because it got in the way of established methods of commuting from room to room in our house.

I wrote to Santa and thanked him because I didn’t have any money to pay for it.

I see today a lot of parallels in Canberra.

It’s pretty funny that it’s already been tagged. Someone must have been just waiting for it to arrive to be the first to get their tag on it. Respect.

And already vandalised. Dungers was that you?

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