The O-Bahn

[monotonehell]

What large housing estate can't the buses easily penetrate?

I was told this by a few colleagues at work as I mentioned. I didn't completely believe it, so I had one find her house on Google Maps. And sure enough the only bus that comes close was about a quarter hour's walk away. I tried to find it on Google Maps for you, but can't remember where it was. Somewhere NW of Tea Tree Plaza I think. It was a huge square of sprawl, with those tiny cul de sucks and blocked roads that real estate people seem to love. If I remember I'll ask her again.

[AtD]

Sounds like Wynn Vale or Golden Grove.

[RayRichards]

I dont see why not, that the houses in question of being in the way of a future extension to Golden Grove Village shops or beyond to One tree hill couldnt be knocked down. They are soulless heaps of junk, unlike the problems we will have on South Road between Port Road and Torrens Road. Their are some very nice places along that stretch. And of course there would be more opposition of demolition. And being a heritage nut, I agree totally.

Ray.

[The Scooter Guy]

Those new Scanias will soon appear one by one!

[The Scooter Guy]

Remember when those MAN bendibuses ran on the O-Bahn?

They were first fitted with guidewheels during the 1990s and then again in 2005.

[AG]

From East Torrens Messenger.

Push for O-Bahn stop in St Peters
02 Jun 10 @ 06:30am by Chloe Kennedy
Push for O-Bahn stop in St Peters

NEXT STOP: Walkerville Council wants an O-Bahn interchange in St Peters.

WALKERVILLE Council will ask neighbour Norwood, Payneham & St Peters to back its push for a new O-Bahn interchange in St Peters.

The council has voted to lobby the State Government for an O-Bahn stop near the Transport SA building carpark on Victoria Tce, to cater for an expected boost in residents and tourists.

NP&SP;Mayor Robert Bria recently told the East Torrens Messenger he was yet to hear from Walkerville Council but was keen to discuss the idea.

“(We) would be open to any discussions with Walkerville Council regarding the possibility of another interchange between Klemzig and the city,” Mr Bria said.

He said the demand for public transport and a projected population increase of 37,700 across the eastern region over the next 30 years would need to be taken into account when looking at the proposal.

“I’m expecting it will probably be required in the future, but how soon will depend on the rate of population increase.” Mr Bria said.

Walkerville Cr Rex Adams said after the meeting that the council needed Norwood, Payneham & St Peters to support the idea because the O-Bahn track ran across the River Torrens through St Peters.

“I think there could be a very good opportunity for another stop to be put in,” he said.

The move comes in response to Asian Pacific Building Corporation’s (APBC) plan to turn the Transport SA building into a hotel and apartment complex.

APBC owner Daniel Deague supported the idea at the council’s May 3 meeting.

“We cannot believe there was not a stop outside the (former) Highways Department, we would love it (the O-Bahn) to stop outside the building,” Mr Deague said.

“We will do anything we can to get a fixed route bus to stop at our stop.”

Melbourne-based APBC bought the Transport SA building from the State Government for $12 million last month.

It plans to transform the building into an art-house hotel with about 400 apartments and hotel rooms by 2013.

[monotonehell]

Push for O-Bahn stop in St Peters...

WRONG! These guys don't understand what the OBahn is for. There's already several bus routes that stop outside this building (207 208 208B 209 281 283). The OBahn is not a local tram, it's a short cut from the outer NE sprawl to the city. Next they'll be wanting the jets flying overhead on their way to Adelaide Airport to stop over.

[AtD]

Many buses don't stop at Klemzig anyway. I don't see how this new stop would be any different.

[peas_and_corn]

Many buses don't stop at Klemzig anyway. I don't see how this new stop would be any different.

They can't drive through Klemzig at 100km/h. Pity, might get rid of some of the bogans

[The Scooter Guy]

Japan also has some kerb guided busways.
The only fully operational installation is a single 6.5 km (4 mile) line in Nagoya, Aichi which opened on 23rd March 2001. This is served by five bus routes which are operated by three different bus companies. Away from the guided section the buses use the normal roadway. As with the many Japanese monorails or automated guideway transits the line is legally considered as a sort of railway.
The line is officially called Guideway Bus Shidami Line, although it is also has a nickname of Yutorito Line, this being is a combination of Yutori ("relaxed") and street (Sutorito). The name is also unofficially spelt Yutreet Line. It is owned by Nagoya Guideway Bus, whose name is also often used as an alternative name for the line.

[Prince George]

Interesting that they have signage in Romanized Japanese as well as Kanji (*).

(*) Although I wouldn't actually know whether or not they are Kanji characters, I'm just presuming that's what they are.

[The Scooter Guy]

Prior to the O-Bahn, the second operational Guided Busway in the world, Tracline 65 in Birmingham, UK opened in 1984 and lasted until 1987. The buses used were MCW double deckers.

[Aidan]

Push for O-Bahn stop in St Peters...

WRONG! These guys don't understand what the OBahn is for. There's already several bus routes that stop outside this building (207 208 208B 209 281 283). The OBahn is not a local tram, it's a short cut from the outer NE sprawl to the city. Next they'll be wanting the jets flying overhead on their way to Adelaide Airport to stop over.

I was rather amused by their assumption that the decision not to stop by the DTEI HQ was an oversight rather than a deliberate decision to delete the stop from the plans.

But though a stop there is a bad idea, there is one location where I think another O-bahn interchange should be built: Gilberton (next to where the track currently starts). Such an interchange would require substantial changes to the access arrangements (so I'm not suggesting it should be built any time soon) but it would greatly improve access to the upper end of Lower North Adelaide. Melbourne Street is an important commercial area but buses take a long time to get there.

It would also improve access to the City would be improved, as O-Bahn passengers would get the opportunity to transfer onto routes directly serving different parts of the City. And (off peak at least) passengers on other routes would be able to transfer to an O-bahn bus to reach the City faster.

[Nathan]

Interesting that they have signage in Romanized Japanese as well as Kanji (*).

(*) Although I wouldn't actually know whether or not they are Kanji characters, I'm just presuming that's what they are.

Most directional and transportation signage in Japan has place names in both kanji/hiragana and romaji. Many trains even display full English occasionally on the electronic screens inside.

[Aidan]

Japan also has some kerb guided busways.
The only fully operational installation is a single 6.5 km (4 mile) line in Nagoya, Aichi which opened on 23rd March 2001. This is served by five bus routes which are operated by three different bus companies. Away from the guided section the buses use the normal roadway. As with the many Japanese monorails or automated guideway transits the line is legally considered as a sort of railway.
The line is officially called Guideway Bus Shidami Line, although it is also has a nickname of Yutorito Line, this being is a combination of Yutori ("relaxed") and street (Sutorito). The name is also unofficially spelt Yutreet Line. It is owned by Nagoya Guideway Bus, whose name is also often used as an alternative name for the line.

That's very interesting - but I see from http://www.city.nagoya.jp/_res/usr/5263 ... morrow.pdf that their maximum speed is only 60km/h, making it more like the British O-bahn systems than the Adelaide one.

BTW this would probably be better suited to a separate thread in the Beyond South Australia section.