SHOULD ADELAIDE HAVE ANOTHER OBAHN

[AtD]

But the corridor is wider than 6.2m, remembering the O-Bahn came before the linear Park.

[bdm]

But the corridor is wider than 6.2m, remembering the O-Bahn came before the linear Park.

The "corridor" is wider than 6.2m, but the O-Bahn will fit into a 6.2m space if so required.

That is true, but the whole point of the O-Bahn and the track was so that it could squeeze from Park Tce to the Linear Park in as small and unobtrusive a space as possible (originally there was going to be track for 3km, and busway for the remaining 9km, track was continued for safety reasons). The O-Bahn is also the only transport option that will squeeze in to the Noarlunga/Tonsley rail corridor if a southern one is to be built-a conventional busway will not fit.

[Tom]

The O-Bahn is also the only transport option that will squeeze in to the Noarlunga/Tonsley rail corridor if a southern one is to be built-a conventional busway will not fit.

My God that is the worse idea ive ever heard of, do you relise how many buses would be needed to replace the trains. It would clog Adelaides CBD streets even more then they are cloged with buses at the moment.

[littledyl16]

well wat about trying to ease congestion on south rd, anzac hwy and brighton rd and bus delays, caused by peak hour traffic would be reduced, and it would offer a fast efficient route down south.

[AtD]

That could be achieved by encouraging use of the existing rail network, which is greatly underutilized.

[littledyl16]

good point, though i wonder if they have thought of extending the tonsely line, maybe extend it down, have a stop at flinders uni&hospital, perhaps it would become widely utilized then

[Tom]

good point, though i wonder if they have thought of extending the tonsely line, maybe extend it down, have a stop at flinders uni&hospital, perhaps it would become widely utilized then

This would only be possible if the line was lightrail, there would not be the space for heavy rail to flinders from tonsley.

Buses in the south should feed to all the railway stations instead of going into the city, you would find you would have alot more efficent system doing that.

[AtD]

This would only be possible if the line was lightrail, there would not be the space for heavy rail to flinders from tonsley.

I must admit I have very poor knowledge of that area, but from what I can tell from the UBD and Google Earth, there's a lot of empty land around that area. I think an extension to the Medical Centre (just 500m or so away) could be done, although it may require the compulsory acquisition of a fair bit of land and demolition of some car parks and a house or two, depending on how tight a curve the railcars can make. Extending it to the University could be more difficult due to the slopes in the area.

Google Maps view: here

[bdm]

The O-Bahn is also the only transport option that will squeeze in to the Noarlunga/Tonsley rail corridor if a southern one is to be built-a conventional busway will not fit.

My God that is the worse idea ive ever heard of, do you relise how many buses would be needed to replace the trains. It would clog Adelaides CBD streets even more then they are cloged with buses at the moment.

Congratulations on your perfect grammar and over-the-top rantings!

It would only be a moderate increase in buses, and if a bus interchange was built in town, it would make boarding/leaving quicker and allow for complete cross-city routes. And I certainly don't see a problem with replacing cars with buses anywhere.

[littledyl16]

This would only be possible if the line was lightrail, there would not be the space for heavy rail to flinders from tonsley.

I must admit I have very poor knowledge of that area, but from what I can tell from the UBD and Google Earth, there's a lot of empty land around that area. I think an extension to the Medical Centre (just 500m or so away) could be done, although it may require the compulsory acquisition of a fair bit of land and demolition of some car parks and a house or two, depending on how tight a curve the railcars can make. Extending it to the University could be more difficult due to the slopes in the area.

Google Maps view: here

i didnt think about the terrain of the area, i like the light rail idea, i do hope they extend the tram to the port

[Aidan]

O-bahns are a specialist transport mode. They are good for connecting points of high demand to large tracts of sprawl, through sprawl. However, if there are any existing railways, it's usually best to go with rail instead. Competing with roads is more difficult - there either has to be a good reason not to build a freeway, or no good reason to build one.

The situation in Adelaide's NE suburbs turned out to be ideal for an O'bahn. As the decision to go with one was political, so it may have been a fluke, but it was the right decision.

Extending the existing O-bahn to the City would be good, but building a new one would not. Building one in an existing linear park would be unacceptably intrusive, and the W suburbs aren't really big enough to create enough demand - they are constrained by the sea, and the demand from the inner suburbs is lower because there is not the speed advantage that there is in the outer suburbs.

As for the Tonsley line, the best thing to do would be to extend it alongside the Southern Expressway (similar to what they did in Perth) to Reynella, than alongside the Reynella Bypass section of South Road (crossing South Road and the Field River at the same point) and taking over the route of the Willunga Line to Hackham and possibly Seaford.

Replacing the existing railway with an O-bahn is a really stupid idea. Contrary to what was previously claimed, the existing corridor is not wide enough for both, and considering the shape of the S suburbs, they are much better suited to rail.

Some time in the distant future, it might become economic to build a N-S tollway, and buses would be able to take advantage of that. But that won't happen for decades (it would require even more tunnelling than the one in Brisbane) and meanwhile it's better to invest in upgrading the rail system.

[bdm]

Replacing the existing railway with an O-bahn is a really stupid idea. Contrary to what was previously claimed, the existing corridor is not wide enough for both, and considering the shape of the S suburbs, they are much better suited to rail.

No. The information I have regarding a southern O-Bahn is from Hansard and government reports. It does and will fit.

[Ho Really]

[...]

As for the Tonsley line, the best thing to do would be to extend it alongside the Southern Expressway (similar to what they did in Perth) to Reynella, than alongside the Reynella Bypass section of South Road (crossing South Road and the Field River at the same point) and taking over the route of the Willunga Line to Hackham and possibly Seaford.

Would be nice, but I think the gradient along the initial part of the Southern Expressway will be a problem. Also not sure whether the land opposite the Tonsley station on the other side of Sturt Road has been built upon. There may be no corridor there.

A rail line to Seaford could easily be put in place. Lengthen the Noarlunga line over the Onkaparinga.

Replacing the existing railway with an O-bahn is a really stupid idea.

I agree.

Cheers

[bdm]

The only line to be replaced under a plan was the short Tonsley branch line. The O-Bahn was to parallel the Noarlunga line from the Tonsley branch to the city center.

[Tom]

The only line to be replaced under a plan was the short Tonsley branch line. The O-Bahn was to parallel the Noarlunga line from the Tonsley branch to the city center.

Well i can tell you that is NOT possible past Goodwood Railway Station into the City.

Dont always rely on the Hansard for information they freqently get things wrong.