News & Discussion: Adelaide Metro Trains

[SBD]

Bring in request stops

"Back in the day", in the last years of the Bridgewater service, evening trains were request stops past Blackwood. The conductor (!) would come through and ask passengers which stops we intended to get off at, and it would only stop at those stations. I have no idea if that was official practice, or just helped the crew to get a longer break or an earlier knock-off.

[ChillyPhilly]

Before the state election: contracts for Gawler line electrification signed. 'Works to begin within weeks.'

March: letter circulated to nearby dwellings regarding upcoming works.

Late May: no sign of any early works.

[SBD]

Before the state election: contracts for Gawler line electrification signed. 'Works to begin within weeks.'

March: letter circulated to nearby dwellings regarding upcoming works.

Late May: no sign of any early works.

So... If there was political interference, was it in March (Labor) or April-May (Liberal)? It's also possible that "their" interpretation of early works looks different than "our" interpretation.

[PD2/20]

Before the state election: contracts for Gawler line electrification signed. 'Works to begin within weeks.'

March: letter circulated to nearby dwellings regarding upcoming works.

Late May: no sign of any early works.

So... If there was political interference, was it in March (Labor) or April-May (Liberal)? It's also possible that "their" interpretation of early works looks different than "our" interpretation.

See https://www.australiantenders.com.au/te ... 947&page=1.
Remember this is a design and construct project with a significant emphasis on subcontracting to local companies. The time scale is design work commenced early this year and construction work in 3Q 2018. Another factor is that the Torrens Rail Junction works are still not complete . Major site cleanup has occurred in the last month but the pedestrian crossings and some ARTC signalling at North Adelaide have yet to be commissioned. I would reckon that the recent Torrens Bri - Nairne Jn trackwork with the new connection into the north sidings has been done in anticipation of the electrification. It don't know whether this was part of the TRJ project or as a separate package.

https://info.australiantenders.com.au/n ... egins-615m dated 14 Feb has essentially the same information but also includes the following:

Works will commence in the coming weeks, starting with the relocation of power, water, gas, telecommunications and stormwater services along the corridor.

A trip on the Gawler line this week revealed no obvious signs of work.

[ChillyPhilly]

Before the state election: contracts for Gawler line electrification signed. 'Works to begin within weeks.'

March: letter circulated to nearby dwellings regarding upcoming works.

Late May: no sign of any early works.

So... If there was political interference, was it in March (Labor) or April-May (Liberal)? It's also possible that "their" interpretation of early works looks different than "our" interpretation.

See https://www.australiantenders.com.au/te ... 947&page=1.
Remember this is a design and construct project with a significant emphasis on subcontracting to local companies. The time scale is design work commenced early this year and construction work in 3Q 2018. Another factor is that the Torrens Rail Junction works are still not complete . Major site cleanup has occurred in the last month but the pedestrian crossings and some ARTC signalling at North Adelaide have yet to be commissioned. I would reckon that the recent Torrens Bri - Nairne Jn trackwork with the new connection into the north sidings has been done in anticipation of the electrification. It don't know whether this was part of the TRJ project or as a separate package.

https://info.australiantenders.com.au/n ... egins-615m dated 14 Feb has essentially the same information but also includes the following:

Works will commence in the coming weeks, starting with the relocation of power, water, gas, telecommunications and stormwater services along the corridor.

A trip on the Gawler line this week revealed no obvious signs of work.

Exactly. I travel to town and back on the Gawler line at least five days a week and there's been absolutely no action. Perhaps the only thing that's occurred is some invasive foliage and scrub clearing on both outer sides of the track just immediately south of Salisbury station.

[Norman]

I believe North Hub is being expanded to be the base site for the electrification works. They might also be in negotiation for the Salisbury to Gawler section, to get it all done in one piece.

[Eurostar]

Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth all have electric trains. There are no current diesel railcars that are built in Australia anymore. Adelaide's diesel railcars are aging. Buying new diesel railcars will be costly and hard. Electric railcars are good value for money, cleaner and encourage patronage.

Electrification on both Gawler, Outer Harbour, Grange lines will take at least 6 months to complete then you got testing to do.

The South Australian State Government needs to get the funding and get the electrification done NOW!

[EBG]

I am still waiting for some sign of work starting on the train to Flinders Medical Centre. This is a project from last year.

[Tonsley213]

I am still waiting for some sign of work starting on the train to Flinders Medical Centre. This is a project from last year.

Work has started. Just not very much of it.

[claybro]

Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth all have electric trains. There are no current diesel railcars that are built in Australia anymore. Adelaide's diesel railcars are aging. Buying new diesel railcars will be costly and hard. Electric railcars are good value for money, cleaner and encourage patronage.

Electrification on both Gawler, Outer Harbour, Grange lines will take at least 6 months to complete then you got testing to do.

The South Australian State Government needs to get the funding and get the electrification done NOW!

Whilst I agree with the need for electrification, there are in fact still diesel electric rail cars being manufactured by Bombardier in Dandenong. They are used on Victorian regional lines as the VLocity trains, are capable of up to 160km/h.. although generally operate at 130 km/h. They are almost identical in appearance and bodywork to Adelaides series 4000 EMU, and Perth series B trains.. which are also manufactured by Bombardier.

[flaneur]

The Adelaide 4000 class is the metro version of the VLine Velocity trains. Diesel trains will eventually be phased out by EMU or Allstrom's hydrogen powered trains now operating in Germany and a new contract has been signed for use in the UK. The DPTI stipulates that all track replacement of sleepers will be concrete dual gauge. Trans Adelaide had dual gauge sleepers in the event that Port Stanvac could become a intermodal freight hub, of course it didn't eventuate. The other thought by DPTI that Adelaide trains could be standard gauge or a mix of bg or sg rolling stock as sg could be bought off the shelf compared to bg units. In the future there may be developments with the Belair Line. The Colonial Governments of SA, Vic, NSW all agreed to have broad gauge rail but as soon as SA and Victoria started to build railways NSW did their usual trick of changing their mind to use standard gauge. The NSW government not content with using a different gauge chose to build railway lines close to the border of SA and Victoria but not joining, this happened years later

[Goodsy]

video from the DPTI about the diesel trains

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chEjWDL6s10

[timtam20292]

video from the DPTI about the diesel trains

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chEjWDL6s10

[Joelmark]

The 3000 class- yes they are diesel trains but they are good trains. The majority were built in the 1990s- they were released progressively from 1987 to 1996. I remember as a kid waiting for the train at Munno Para and hoping we'd get either a "New Train" (the 3000 class) or "Jumbo" instead of a "Red Hen". London Underground still has trains operating from 1973 (!)
With this mechanical refurb and fresh coat of paint, they can continue to serve Adelaide well into the foreseeable future.
I support electrification big-time but safe and modern stations and clean and regular services are just as important in attracting and retaining passengers.

[Brucetiki]

Is it just me or do the red trains sound like jumbos when they're taking off