News & Discussion: Adelaide Metro Trains

[SRW]

Ah, little SHCMS children.

[Omicron]

Ah, little SHCMS children.

Not surprising, really.

[Somebody]

As for that shot at Ascot Park on Railpage, that would be my photo somebody_in_the_www.

Why are you calling me that? My username on this site is 'Somebody', which is all one word, just like my former SkyscraperCity username 'BroadGauge'. On Railpage I am 'Somebody in the WWW', which has spaces between the words, not underscores, and the first letter 'S' as well as the trailing 'WWW' are in capital lettters.

Lol @ the picture - kidlet looks about 12.

[Will409]

The tender for the resleepering of the system was secured back in May, details from TendersSA. I am making a guess only that this would be for the Noarlunga and Belair lines only.

http://www.tenders.sa.gov.au/tenders/co ... do?id=3836

Reference # DTEI015148
Associated with Tender The Supply and Delivery of Concrete Sleepers for Resleepering Projects on the Adelaide Metropolitan Rail Network (DTEI015148)
Name of Public Authority Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure #1
Agency Unit Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure
Title The Supply and Delivery of Concrete Sleepers for Resleepering Projects on the Adelaide Metropolitan Rail Network

Good or Services Acquired As Above
Procurement Process Public tender
Total Value of the Contract $18,336,774
Execution Date 22 May, 2008
Starting Date 22 May, 2008
Completion Date 14 Aug, 2009

CONTRACTORS:

Austrak Pty Ltd
973 Fairfield Road, Moorooka, QLD, Australia, 4105

[Norman]

I'd say so.

Good find Will. Lets hope this gets underway ASAP.

[Norman]

Details about the Belailr line resleepering are availabel in the current New Connections Newsletter:
http://203.147.248.196/alt-host/assets/ ... Aug_08.pdf

Also a new section on the DTEI website has been established:
http://dtei.sa.gov.au/infrastructure/RR ... talisation

[Norman]

Numerous positions at the DTEI are now available for application.

Details here: http://dtei.sa.gov.au/infrastructure/ca ... astructure

[Archer]

Why is the Belair line mentioned in Isolation in that issue of "New Connections", what about the Noarlunga line which is supposed to be resleepered as well? I hope they haven't bundled the Resleepering of the Noarlunga line into the Electrification project, that would mean we could still be 12 months from work beginning on the Noarlunga line!

[Will409]

Looks like the Belair line may be the first one to see resleepering work since a couple of portions of it have already been done. The entire rail system will be resleepered from end to end and all with the exception of the Belair line electrified. Given the lead time for sleeper delivery from the announcement of the project to delivery is around 2 years AT LEAST, I would expect the Noarlunga line work to start in 2009 at the soonest although 2010 is a better bet. The Belair line will be done next year according to the latest "New Connections" booklet.

[Archer]

I seem to remember the first announcement of the resleepering for the Noarlunga line being 2006 if not earlier and a schedule to begin work in mid 2008, of Course I can't find any reference to those announcements now. So it could just be a combination of poor memory, my impatiences at not seeing any track improvements and my frustration that the track is so bad that the trains cannot run to the schedule, they're always 6-10 minutes late. It might not seem like much, but when catching buses at either end it can make things painful.

[Norman]

Re-sleepering of the Noarlunga and Belair lines were announced last year, in the 07/08 budget. Since then, planning has commenced on the Belair line, but I haven't heard a lot about the Noarlunga line.

[AtD]

Re-sleepering of the Noarlunga and Belair lines were announced last year, in the 07/08 budget.

If I remember correctly, I thought it was just routine maintenance with political spin to make it look like something was actually being done.

[Will409]

Routine maintenance generally consists of things like small scale sleeper replacement (generally with the same material ie timber sleepers replacing timber sleepers) or ballast tamping/spreading. These are generally localised to a certain area or in some larger cases, between 2 or three stations. They recently did some trackwork of this sort at Keswick on the UP Belair line with all services using the Noarlunga line track through the area. The tramline this Sunday will be closed between South Terrace and City West from early morning until midday because of a broken rail at South Terrace.

The Belair and Noarlunga lines are full scale upgrades since the entire line from end to end will have the steel and timber sleepers replaced with gauge convertable concrete, extra ballast poured on and tamped and some rail replacement and grinding undertaken. Some earthworks are likely to occur also to aid track drainage. Unlike the smaller type of repairs mentioned above, upgrades of this sort generally need a complete shut down to faciliate an increased rate of work as well as worker safety.

[AtD]

My post was:
07/08 budget: Routine maintenance
08/09 budget: Major upgrade.

[Port Adelaide Fan]

KIM WHEATLEY, CHIEF REPORTER
October 02, 2008 12:30am

TRANSADELAIDE'S new chief has apologised to commuters enduring the city's overcrowded train system and told them to expect at least another two years without relief.
In his first interview as the corporation's chief executive officer, Bob Stobbe says worldwide demand for new trains means it will take "two to three years" before the 50 new electric trains announced as part of the $2 billion transport package in the June Budget are delivered.

But late yesterday, the Transport Department revealed it was still developing the specifications for the new trains and tenders would not be called until the process was complete.

"Until we get new rolling stock, we're going to have to manage through that (overcrowding) process," Mr Stobbe said. "We apologise to the customers in relation to that but the reality is until the new rolling stock is there, it's going to be difficult."

Adelaide's trains and trams have been plagued by overcrowding issues for months, with the problem escalating as more commuters turn to public transport because of high petrol prices.

TransAdelaide now plans to re-examine its timetables in a bid to ease the congestion for the 14 million train passenger trips taken each year.

Mr Stobbe said the move would ensure the existing 99 trains were used more efficiently on Adelaide's six lines.

"We're looking at other opportunities as well as we're looking at scheduling on the various lines to see if we can improve in that particular area," he said.

But the reality is it's not unusual in Victoria, Sydney or overseas – there is an element where, unfortunately, people do have to stand."

Some relief is also expected when the first trams start running in late 2010 to a newly created Park and Ride station at the Entertainment Centre.

The Government has signalled electric trains will be running on the busiest line, Noarlunga, by 2012.

All new trains are due to be in service by 2018. Mr Stobbe also said yesterday:

THERE was a need to improve reliability and punctuality "but there are a lot of areas outside our control".

MONITORED CCTV would be introduced to all stations to increase passenger security.

TRANSADELAIDE would install public address systems at all stations to inform commuters about late services and investigate the possibility of using text messages to notify commuters about delays.

"In terms of running TransAdelaide, my two key areas are going to be in customer service and safety to employees and the public," Mr Stobbe said.

He said he had not been handed a poisoned chalice after his TransAdelaide predecessor Bill Watson resigned following a series of embarrassments, including overcrowding, derailments, buckled lines and doors opening on Adelaide's ageing trains.

The new $30 million tram service also had its share of problems, ranging from derailments, people fainting due to stuffy airconditioning, and overcrowding.

Mr Stobbe said while the infrastructure program should have been implemented "10 years ago", the Government's $2 billion program would eventually lead to weekday rail services every 15 minutes and 10-minute services to key stops during peak hours.

The former head of Spark Infrastructure, which has a 49 per cent stake in ETSA Utilities, also said he had a personal understanding of transport issues because he travelled on the Belair line four times a week from his Adelaide Hills home.

"No, public confidence hasn't gone . . . yes, there are issues, but I still believe people consider it (public transport) an appropriate way to travel in SA," Mr Stobbe said.

"There are areas that we need to improve, of course I'm not happy.

"But there's a lot of things that are being done that are very positive.

"There's no doubt public transport will continue to expand in this state and it will become one of the predominate modes of transport as we move forward."

Mr Stobbe will meet police today to examine other measures to improve safety on public transport.

He also plans to visit Perth – which is regarded as an model of excellence in public transport – in the next few months.


http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/stor ... 01,00.html