Poll: Should Adelaide have an underground railway

[Aidan]

My plan for a underground railway - see Adelaide CBD and Underground Railways in the Visions and Suggestions section - would conflict with the plans for a tower at 51 Pirie Stret. I was surprised by the number of people who seemed to regard one office tower as more important than an underground railway. So what does everyone think of the idea of a railway under Adelaide?

[AtD]

Read the state budget and ask us again.

[Aidan]

Read the state budget and ask us again.

That's why I included the second option.

[Norman]

While I do agree that we will eventually need an underground railway, I have a different view on how it should run:


It's part of a broader plan I will release soon.

[Ho Really]

While I do agree that we will eventually need an underground railway, I have a different view on how it should run...

[...]

...It's part of a broader plan I will release soon.

This is one of the many options I've thought of too. I like it because it uses the parklands for the corners and entry/exits at City Campus West and Mile End where there are embankments. Just need to know where to send my graphic for posting.

Cheers

[Norman]

While I do agree that we will eventually need an underground railway, I have a different view on how it should run...

[...]

...It's part of a broader plan I will release soon.

This is one of the many options I've thought of too. I like it because it uses the parklands for the corners and entry/exits at City Campus West and Mile End where there are embankments. Just need to know where to send my graphic for posting.

Cheers

There are many options out there, like Flickr, Windows Live Photos...

[Zills]

i voted yes (option 1) but i like your plan better norman!

[ozisnowman]

Yes and the planning should start now. Four lines should go through the station.
The main lines should be Gawler - Belair (Express stoping at only major stops), Gawler - Belair (All stations)
Outer Harbour - Norlunga(Express stoping at only major stops), Outer Harbour - Norlunga (All stations)
the Grange and Tonsley lines would share the Outer Harbour - Norlunga lines....

Victoria Square should be set up as a Grand Central Station (Underground) and the trains would thus be
through trains, no waiting as per the current Dead End Station at North Terrace.

[adam_stuckey]

I've thought this would be great for ages but its more of a Shelbyville idea hahaha. Are there any train lines to the easterly suburbs? I 'm not sure but if there is this would be a perfect way to connect them. Otherwise maybe make the circle line bigger to include Hackney, Norwood, and then down to Parkside but maybe a tramline might be an easier option for that

[Norman]

Yes and the planning should start now. Four lines should go through the station.
The main lines should be Gawler - Belair (Express stoping at only major stops), Gawler - Belair (All stations)
Outer Harbour - Norlunga(Express stoping at only major stops), Outer Harbour - Norlunga (All stations)
the Grange and Tonsley lines would share the Outer Harbour - Norlunga lines....

Victoria Square should be set up as a Grand Central Station (Underground) and the trains would thus be
through trains, no waiting as per the current Dead End Station at North Terrace.

Err, I don't think the Belair Line warrants as many trains as the Gawler line (let alone can the Belair Line handle them). If anything, it should be Noarlunga <-> Gawler and Belair <-> Outer Harbor.

[Ho Really]

This is one of the many options I've thought of too. I like it because it uses the parklands for the corners and entry/exits at City Campus West and Mile End where there are embankments. Just need to know where to send my graphic for posting.

Thanks Norman, I did a Google and found this place Shutterfly. I hope it serves the purpose.

Here's that graphic I did with the Adelaide Gaol curve. I didn't include the straight bits of line but you can visualise that. There are probably other options I didn't include here as I did this quickly yesterday afternoon after I took Aidan's suggestion of the 200 metre radius of the curves.



As you can see Norman I did this before I saw your option. We think alike.

I've got another graphic that includes options for a line to the Airport using the Keswick drain, but I seem to have missplaced it. When I'll find it I'll post in the relevant thread I started a while back (maybe two years now?) on the Airport link.

Cheers

[omada]

Well I voted "maybe in the future" as I am pretty ignorant of such matters.

I need someone explain to me the tangible benefits (apart from uber-coolness) of spending $1 billion plus on an underground railway.

[Wayno]

i like normans approach of following the main road arteries - presumably helps avoid clashes with deep building foundations...

[Aidan]

Yes and the planning should start now. Four lines should go through the station.

I'm not quite sure what you mean here, but there is no need to involve the Outer Harbour or Belair lines. They're better off as light rail, running along the existing line on North Terrace and King William Street with only minor alterations. An Angas Street branch is also a possibility. In combination with the tunnel, it would give the entire City a good rail service.

Well I voted "maybe in the future" as I am pretty ignorant of such matters.

I need someone explain to me the tangible benefits (apart from uber-coolness) of spending $1 billion plus on an underground railway.

The main benefit is that it would enable trains to directly serve much more of the City. This would result in a significant modal shift from cars to trains, freeing up space on Adelaide's roads. We have already seen how congestion can turn a small increase in the amount of traffic into a large increase in journey time. This would have the opposite effect. And as the trains would be electric, it would reduce pollution.

There would be significant user benefits from the reduction in journey time, particularly for southern suburbs residents who currently have to go round the City before being deposited on the edge of it.

It would encourage CBD development, as land that would otherwise be required for parking could be put to a more productive use.

And as it would join up the Gawler and Noarlunga lines, it would also make cross city commuting much easier.

Here's that graphic I did with the Adelaide Gaol curve. I didn't include the straight bits of line but you can visualise that. There are probably other options I didn't include here as I did this quickly yesterday afternoon after I took Aidan's suggestion of the 200 metre radius of the curves.

Maps typically exaggerate street widths, so it's best to use satellite view instead. This also gives you some indication of exactly what the tunnels would be going under.

[Norman]

i like normans approach of following the main road arteries - presumably helps avoid clashes with deep building foundations...

Precisely. It would also be easy and cheap to implement, as cut-and-cover could be used. North Terrace, Wakefield Street and Grote Street are all wide boulevards that would make implementing an underground easy. The westerly exit also provides an oppertunity to create a city loop, making best use of limited railcar resources. Adelaide Station can also be returned to serve interstate trains and diesel services, while Underground lines use a station located next to the railway station just underneath the current tram stop. More on that later.