News & Discussion: Adelaide Metro Trains

[kenget]

From: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008 ... 174365.htm

$11m upgrade for SA rail

Posted 6 hours 11 minutes ago
Updated 5 hours 58 minutes ago
rail tracks (file photo)

South Australia's suburban rail network will receive an upgrade. (ABC News: Gary Rivett)

* Map: Adelaide 5000

South Australia's suburban rail network will get a $11 million upgrade.

A derailment in the Adelaide rail yards last September injured 15 people and stranded thousands of commuters.

Transport Minister Pat Conlon says a metal plate bolted to the track seven years ago as part of repair work led to the derailment.

"It's frustrating because it's not really the overall infrastructure of the place it's the fact that a temporary piece of equipment was used and should've been removed but wasn't," he said.

Opposition Leader Martin Hamilton-Smith says the Government should take responsibility.

"If they haven't been able to ascertain it's safe and if they haven't been able to ensure it is, they're incompetent," he said.

Meanwhile another derailment last November involving a tram near South Terrace, was found to have been caused by the driver running a red light.

Doesn't really talk about what the $11m will actually be spent on, but its a start I suppose!

[Will409]

On ch10 news, they did detail (in part) of what the $11million will be spent on. Basically, the money will be used to do some patch ups in the worst sections of track on the system while they are also planning of upgrading the enunciator system but they never mentioned in detail what that would entail.

[AtD]

$11m... chicken feed.

[Norman]

When does the extra money for the full resleepering of the Noarlunga and Belair lines kick in?

[ReallyBad]

And while they're at it resleepering - how about grade seperating ALL level crossings.

[monotonehell]

And while they're at it resleepering - how about grade seperating ALL level crossings.

I agree. The conflict between train and road is slowing the system down (amongst other things). Also the number of stations needs to be reduced. Trains only come into their own when they're allowed to move tonnes of people from A to B. Otherwise we'd be better off with light rail or buses.

[jimmy_2486]

And while they're at it resleepering - how about grade seperating ALL level crossings.

I agree. The conflict between train and road is slowing the system down (amongst other things). Also the number of stations needs to be reduced. Trains only come into their own when they're allowed to move tonnes of people from A to B. Otherwise we'd be better off with light rail or buses.

I agree with both statements.

Peak hour chaos could be reduced by eliminating all rail crossings surely.

I don't think they should go about knocking the inner suburban stations down, however instead we should have light rail AND heavy rail running down the same corridors with heavy rail (which only Noarlunga and Gawler really qualify for) bypassing all but major inner suburban stations (eg Noarlunga line bypassing all from hallet cove to brighton, brighton to oaklands, oaklands to woodlands park, woodlands park to goodwood......this is just an example), and let the light rail run through the other stations.

[Norman]

That'd muck about with all-stopper trams and express trains, especially when light rail is slower overall than heavy rail. It's better to keep them on seperate corridors IMO.

[James Renfrey]

That'd muck about with all-stopper trams and express trains, especially when light rail is slower overall than heavy rail. It's better to keep them on seperate corridors IMO.

When are those who advocate wider spacing of stations going to realize that in the frighteningly near future very large numbers of present car commuters are going to be wanting to use public transport. They will not want to hike for miles to the nearest station. There is quite a restricted real service area around each station beyond which there is negligible patronage.

One of the advantages of Adelaide's suburban system is the close spacing of stations, and the present method of alternating stopping trains with semi expresses means that many more people can be served. A glance at the timetables will show that the elimination of inner suburban stations to benefit outer suburban commuters adds only a very few minutes to the running times.

Adelaide's light rail cars (trams) run faster than our diesel heavy rail at speeds comparable with the Melbourne trains which I use frequently. Stopping sweeper trains leaving Brighton immediately the block is cleared after the departure of an express would reach the city before the next scheduled express.

What is needed is to dedicate platforms at the city terminus to particular routes and trains in a logical geographic order, and have those trains (carrying destination signs) run as shuttles on a frequent memory schedule on one route only. The ridiculous ploy of e.g. putting Noarlunga Centre trains onto Platform 8 for one departure and the equally ridiculous stacking of two or even three trains on one platform which comes about from the routing of trains onto different lines throughout the day has to stop.


Then a little work on a computer might end the maddening sight of a departing Noarlunga Centre train passing the maintenance depot as an incoming Gawler arrives in the yard (as the existing timetables dictate) or a Sunday Belair train departing just before a Noarlunga Centre which didn't stop at Goodwood arrives. Both of these idiotic situations have adversely impacted on me many times. The latter still would if I couldn't now catch a tram back to Goodwood outside the station.

Bring on a huge comprehensive extension to the tram network and some timetablers with big city experience.

[skyliner]

When are those who advocate wider spacing of stations going to realize that in the frighteningly near future very large numbers of present car commuters are going to be wanting to use public transport. They will not want to hike for miles to the nearest station. There is quite a restricted real service area around each station beyond which there is negligible patronage.

Exactly! Some research into the concept of 'peak oil' reveals this scenario - not far away. (See the DVD called 'crude'). This concept also revealed by GM executives recently in the USA. it is obvious that oil demands are rapidly increasing while supplies are not because oil is not a renewable resource - big oil prices coming.

There was a scare concerning supplies in 1974 that led to virtual outlawing of 8 cylinder cars and no accesss to petrol for motor boats. However this was a funtion of political issues rather than resource scarcity.

Good argument for electric train systems as well.

ADELAIDE - CITY ON THE MOVE

[Wayno]

<snip>
When are those who advocate wider spacing of stations going to realize that in the frighteningly near future very large numbers of present car commuters are going to be wanting to use public transport. They will not want to hike for miles to the nearest station. There is quite a restricted real service area around each station beyond which there is negligible patronage.
<snip>

Do you really believe global car corporations will simply let Public Transport slowly take precendence over private vehicles? At the moment cars are propelled by petrol, but at the end of the day these corporations don't care what propels them - as long as they continue to sell an ever increasing volume of them...

Ever stop to think that the Peak Oil situation might actually result in a decrease of pollution and an increased number of private vehicles on our roads! I realize i'm being contentious, but it's potentially a realistic picture of our future!

[skyliner]

<snip>
When are those who advocate wider spacing of stations going to realize that in the frighteningly near future very large numbers of present car commuters are going to be wanting to use public transport. They will not want to hike for miles to the nearest station. There is quite a restricted real service area around each station beyond which there is negligible patronage.
<snip>

Do you really believe global car corporations will simply let Public Transport slowly take precendence over private vehicles? At the moment cars are propelled by petrol, but at the end of the day these corporations don't care what propels them - as long as they continue to sell an ever increasing volume of them...

Not doing too well at this at present. They won't just let the preblems of peak oil just happen - thery will will probably diversify into other fuels (no significant success as yet) or/and into public transportation.

ADELAIDE - CITY ON THE MOVE[/b]

[Will409]

We all know how bad the state of the track on the Gawler Central line is. I have now compiled a list of all 'Temporary' Speed Restrictions on the Gawler Central - Adelaide run. It is only when you see how many TSRs you have as well as how slow the speeds drop that you realise just how bad the line condition is. For those who do not know, the line is 42kilometres long. At certain points along the line, I have included a few other mileposts to give and idea as to the length of the various sections. All TSR speeds are listed in kilometres per hour. All sections listed as unrestricted refer to sections where the maximum track speed of 90km/h is permitted. I realise that it may be tedius reading for those who do not have an indepth knowledge of railways but I have tried to simplify the list where possible.

Gawler Central (42km)- Gawler Oval
20, 15, 25, 15

Gawler Oval - Gawler
50, 20, 15, 30, 25

Gawler - Gawler Racecourse
Unrestricted

Gawler Racecourse - Evanston
50

Evanston - Tambelin
30

Tambelin - Kudla (34km)
50/30, 70/40

Kudla (34km) - Munno Parra
50/30, 70/40

Munno Parra - Smithfield
Unrestricted

Smithfield - Broadmeadows (28.5km)
30

Broadmeadows (28.5km) - Womma
Unrestricted

Womma - Elizabeth (25.9km)
50, 30

Elizabeth (25.9km) - Elizabeth South
50, 70/40

Elizabeth South - Nurlutta
20, 70/40, 30

Nurlutta - Salisbury (20.2km)
25, 20

Salisbury (20.2km) - Chidda
30, 25

Chidda - Parafield
Unrestricted

Parafield - Parafield Gardens (16.6km)
Unrestricted

Parafield Gardens (16.6km) - Greenfields
Unrestricted

Greenfields - Mawson Lakes
30, 15

Mawson Lakes - Dry Creek
30, 15, 50, 15, 50, 50

Dry Creek - Kilburn
50, 50

Kilburn - Islington
50, 40, 70

Islington - Dudley Park
50, 70, 70

Dudley Park - Ovingham
20, 70

Ovingham - North Adelaide
70, 30, 70, 15

North Adelaide - Adelaide platform 9
20, 30, 15

TOTAL TSRs from Gawler Central to Adelaide platform 9:
52

That equals a Temporary Speed Restriction every 807 metres along the line. Even if line speed (90km/h) was maintained for the whole line without restriction, it still wouldn't exactly be fast but this is just plain rediculous. Indeed, some on Railpage have commented that if the trackwork used by TransAdelaide would be bad enough to close down a tourist railway for good. If this isn't enough evidence to support a full rebuild of the railway to modern standards, then I don't know what will cut it.

[rubberman]

No doubt that presented with this information, the transport minister will just deny there are any problems. That is the way of spin - just deny anything, and people eventually give up.

MPs should be made to use public transport to experience what the rest of us peons have to put up with. (Fat chance of that happening).

Mind you, if the opposition were half competent, they would be on the trains in the morning and evening peaks handing out flyers to travellers about this very problem. If they ever want to get into Government they need to win the southern and northern marginals, and to get on the trains to those areas handing out flyers to frustrated commuters just might get them over the line. The operative thing of course is whether the opposition is half competent. If they cannot work out that thousands of commuters every day are fuming about the Govt incompetence you have highlighted, they are just as bad as the Govt.

It is so sad that we only have a choice between dumb and dumber as far as infrastructure is concerned. This Government is so bad that Hyphen-Smith ought to be a shoe-in, but I am not sure that the Libs have what it takes either. Previous cuts to the public sector planners mean that now both Govt and Opposition simply do not know how much they do not know.

[UrbanSG]

It is a disgrace. I told of my experiences on the line last year. Trains being late or not even turning up. I have given up catching the train as it was too unreliable. I saw in the paper recently though that they have now cut back services on the line, particulalry City to Dry Creek runs. I would say this is because they can't run the trains on time with these speed restrictions. What a joke!