This two-stage multi geocache is part of the SideTracked series that is popular in the UK and throughout the world. SideTracked caches are designed to be a relatively quick cache find around train stations for travellers however this one is slightly more involved.
There's a pencil included but it's always good to bring your own writing implement to sign the log.
To learn more about the series, visit the website at the following link...
SideTracked Series
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Here are 5 interesting facts about the Sydney Metro:
They are driverless – Sydney Metro trains are fully automated, using sophisticated computer-controlled systems to operate without a driver. This makes Sydney Metro Australia’s first fully automated metro rail system.
The platform doors are automated too – At Metro stations, glass platform screen doors open only when the train is correctly positioned. They improve safety and help trains move in and out of stations efficiently.
You don't really need a timetable – Metro services are designed as a “turn-up-and-go” system. During peak periods, trains can operate about every four minutes.
Sydney Metro goes underneath the harbour – The City & Southwest project created twin rail tunnels beneath Sydney Harbour, connecting the North Shore with the CBD and Sydney's south-west.
It is a very different type of train from Sydney Trains – Metro trains use longitudinal seating (passengers face towards the aisle) to maximise standing and passenger capacity, rather than the more traditional rows of seats found on many Sydney Trains services.
Bonus Fact: When a Metro train slows down, its electric motors can act like generators, converting some of the train's kinetic energy back into electrical energy rather than simply wasting it as heat through conventional braking.
Here are 5 fascinating facts about the building of Sydney Metro's tunnels:
Huge tunnel boring machines did most of the digging.
The Sydney Metro City & Southwest tunnels were excavated using massive tunnel boring machines (TBMs). Some were around 1,000 tonnes and more than 100 metres long.
The machines didn't just dig—they built the tunnel behind themselves.
As a TBM advanced, workers installed precast concrete segments around the tunnel walls. These segments formed the permanent tunnel lining.
Sydney's geology made tunnelling challenging.
The TBMs had to cut through different types of ground, including sandstone and softer material, while tunnelling beneath densely populated areas and existing infrastructure.
The cost of a TBM.
A useful ballpark figure is around A$20–30 million per machine, although the exact cost depends on its size, design, and the equipment included.
The tunnels are surprisingly close together.
The two running tunnels are generally only separated by a relatively small amount of rock, allowing trains travelling in opposite directions to operate independently while fitting within the available underground space.
Bonus fact: The spoil removed from the tunnels wasn't simply thrown away. Millions of tonnes of excavated material were transported away from construction sites and reused or disposed of at approved locations.
To Find This Cache:
1. Go to the station entrance and travel down to the concourse area using the escalator or either of the two lifts. No need to enter the paid area.
2. At the posted coordinates, locate the two Opal Card Top-Up machines, one thinner and one slightly wider.
3. In the bottom left corner of each machine note the letter and a 3-digit number separated by a hyphen.
4. Put the two letters into alphabetical order. This will be XX.
5. Add the two 3-digit numbers, as written, together. (Don't add the individual digits). This will be YYY.
6. Click on the Certitude icon below and enter the code XX-YYY, (don't forget the hyphen), to receive the GZ coordinates and hint.
You can validate your puzzle solution with
certitude.
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FTF Honours
ozbuckeye
A Super Speedy SideTracker
Did you know that NSW has a geocaching association? Geocaching NSW aims to enhance and improve the activity of geocaching and holds regular events where geocachers meet to enjoy their common interests. Visit the association website here.