[COM] Goodwood Junction Rail Underpass | $110m

[gumbi]

Another thing I would like to point out - I think it's sometimes easy to diss this project because obviously most of us are sour (myself included) about rail electrification / tram extensions being "suspended".

However, I think it is important to remember that the underpasses at Bowden and at Goodwood are going to produce tangible benefits for the entire country (not just Adelaide) by improving the efficiency of rail freight.

The Federal Government is not as interested in rail electrification and tram lines because these are ultimately issues for the State Government.

The underpasses might seem like a bit of an anomaly considering the "suspension" of rail electrification and tram lines but this is because the projects are funded by different levels of Government each with different priorities / objectives.

[crawf]

The Outer Harbor line should remain as heavy rail. Trams are more suited to the CBD and inner suburbs.

Another thing, after again seeing traffic building up into the Port Road intersection due to the railway crossing. This can't come soon enough

[rev]

The Outer Harbor line should remain as heavy rail. Trams are more suited to the CBD and inner suburbs.

Another thing, after again seeing traffic building up into the Port Road intersection due to the railway crossing. This can't come soon enough

Traffic banks up into the intersection because some drivers have no idea what they are doing. The eyes and brain they were born with are obviously redundant features on them.

4. The tram will teminate only ever at the entertainment centre and remain stranded from connection to West Lakes/Semaphore/Port.(wasted opportunity)
Looks like the end of "coast to coast light rail".

Why is it the end of it? Why cant there be a line down Sir Donald Bradman drive/Burbridge road, that splits off to the airport, and continues down to Military/Seaview roads and then back north towards Henley, Grange, etc..?
There's nothing stopping them from converting the middle of West Lakes Boulevard currently used as a busway for the football, into an extension of the Grange line. They could run the west bound lanes before the bend just before AAMI a little wider and tunnel the end of to stop under AAMI stadium somewhere, or under the carpark of West Lakes somewhere. AAMI stadium is being turned into housing eventually anyway.
My point is that there are plenty of options still available.

[Aidan]

While I think it is a good idea to see light rail down to Port Adelaide, West Lakes and Semaphore I don't consider that it should entirely replace heavy rail services. The capacity of say a two set 3000 series compared with a standard tram is obviously much greater. If this part of the city is going to accommodate the sort of growth which the government has envisaged I would think that heavy rail needs to be part of the plan. The concurrent use of the line could be achieved by having heavy rail only stopping at limited stations, etc.

That's what they planned to do with the "Coast to Coast" plan, but even within DTEI (as it then was) most people knew that it's a very bad idea. Having very different acceleration profiles and stopping patterns limis capacity far more than the choice of rollingstock. And while few mentioned it, the technical problems of running on two very different rail profiles are substantial.

As I said before, I favour converting the line entirely to light rail. In addition to the reasons I mentioned before, there's also the advantage of being able to build branches running on streets. But AIUI the DTEI generally favoured heavy rail, partly because it would be faster, but mainly because it would be cheaper. Anot only do the trams themselves cost more than trains of the same capacity, but the electrification would require multiple substations, whereas for heavy rail, with its higher voltage, they could make do with a single connection at the Adelaide end.

Despite the higher overall cost, there are some cost advantages to light rail. It can manage steeper gradients, so (for example) it could bridge South Road the way the Glenelg line has, shortening the required underpass/tunnel. But a fast route into the City is still needed - via Port Road it's just too slow. So all this has little effect on the need for grade separation in the Parklands. The Adelaide Hills Freight Bypass is needed to make that unnecessary (and is far more desereving of Federal funding, but the DPTI think it's nothing to do with them so haven't even nominated it).

[Eurostar]

Grade seperations advanatages:
- Freight trains will no longer have to slow down or wait for the green light at Goodwood and Torrens Junctions.

- Motorists will no longer have to wait as long at Cross Road, Hawker Street and Torrens Road level crossings and no longer have to wait at all at Leader Street and Park Terrace level crossings.

The next step to be taken and should be done as soon as possible is to divert trains through Bolivar which will mean freight trains will no longer have to use the corridor through the Salisbury area and reduce delays for motorists at Kings Road, Park Terrace, Bagsters Road and Heaslip Road.

[rhino]

The next step to be taken and should be done as soon as possible is to divert trains through Bolivar which will mean freight trains will no longer have to use the corridor through the Salisbury area and reduce delays for motorists at Kings Road, Park Terrace, Bagsters Road and Heaslip Road.

This is actually part of the proposal for the Northern Connector. The rail line is proposed to diverge from somewhere along the Wingfield line, I believe, and head north between the road carriageways of the Northern Connector, rejoining the main north line near Virginia.

[Pressman]

The next step to be taken and should be done as soon as possible is to divert trains through Bolivar which will mean freight trains will no longer have to use the corridor through the Salisbury area and reduce delays for motorists at Kings Road, Park Terrace, Bagsters Road and Heaslip Road.

This is actually part of the proposal for the Northern Connector. The rail line is proposed to diverge from somewhere along the Wingfield line, I believe, and head north between the road carriageways of the Northern Connector, rejoining the main north line near Virginia.

Hence the Port Wakefield Road bridge at the southern end of the Northern Expressway having three spans (two un-used at the moment) {- 2 for road 1 for rail}, and that massive un-used expanse between the Northbound and Southbound roadways of the NEXY just to the east of the bridge.

[crawf]

The Outer Harbor line should remain as heavy rail. Trams are more suited to the CBD and inner suburbs.

Another thing, after again seeing traffic building up into the Port Road intersection due to the railway crossing. This can't come soon enough

Traffic banks up into the intersection because some drivers have no idea what they are doing. The eyes and brain they were born with are obviously redundant features on them.

Might be the case, but It's still a bad location for a railway crossing near a busy intersection. Would not be surprised if someone hasn't been killed yet or seriously injured, same with that notorious Port Road/South Road intersection.

The worst part is that traffic is banked up waiting for a two-car train, or sometimes just one. It's ridiculous, but that's for another topic.

[Eurostar]

The next step to be taken and should be done as soon as possible is to divert trains through Bolivar which will mean freight trains will no longer have to use the corridor through the Salisbury area and reduce delays for motorists at Kings Road, Park Terrace, Bagsters Road and Heaslip Road.

This is actually part of the proposal for the Northern Connector. The rail line is proposed to diverge from somewhere along the Wingfield line, I believe, and head north between the road carriageways of the Northern Connector, rejoining the main north line near Virginia.

Yeah I know about the Northern Connector but no funding has been put on the table for it nor is there a timeline for it. I thought it will connecting the line more closer to Heaslip Road because of the proposed intermodal rail terminal to be built there.

[Pressman]

Yeah I know about the Northern Connector but no funding has been put on the table for it nor is there a timeline for it. I thought it will connecting the line more closer to Heaslip Road because of the proposed intermodal rail terminal to be built there.

The concept drawings show the Northern connector Rail line joining the existing line to the North West of the where the NEXY crosses over it. The connection is also shown as a triangle connection so the existing line via Salisbury will still exist.

The proposed Intermodal rail terminal IS between the Nexy over bridge and Heaslip Road, but it ain't proposed, it's already built and operational! SCT moved into their new site a week or so ago. The loco facilities there have been operational for several months (since their new chinese locos arrived)

[claybro]

The Outer Harbor line should remain as heavy rail. Trams are more suited to the CBD and inner suburbs.

Another thing, after again seeing traffic building up into the Port Road intersection due to the railway crossing. This can't come soon enough

Traffic banks up into the intersection because some drivers have no idea what they are doing. The eyes and brain they were born with are obviously redundant features on them.

Might be the case, but It's still a bad location for a railway crossing near a busy intersection. Would not be surprised if someone hasn't been killed yet or seriously injured, same with that notorious Port Road/South Road intersection.

The worst part is that traffic is banked up waiting for a two-car train, or sometimes just one. It's ridiculous, but that's for another topic.

As previously mentioned, the Glenelg light rail is a huge sucess. Glenelg is a similar distance from Adelaide as Grange/ West Lakes/Semaphore and Port Adelaide. The journey time from say Glanville to city via Port Road from the Ent Cent should be roughly the same as Glenelg- Adelaide as there are less stops on the O.H. line. Trams from West lakes/Semaphore/Port will all converge on the line by Woodville so the stations Woddville-adelaide would see a tram every 5 mins. The section of line from Glanville to outer harbour will never have the population density to support heavy rail other than peak hours. Removing the suburban line from the parklands would also get rid of the level crossing at Park Terrace. The crossing of tram over Port Road onto the O.H. line could be sequenced with the nearby intersection to prevent a delay on prt into the city.

[claybro]

The Outer Harbor line should remain as heavy rail. Trams are more suited to the CBD and inner suburbs.

Another thing, after again seeing traffic building up into the Port Road intersection due to the railway crossing. This can't come soon enough

Traffic banks up into the intersection because some drivers have no idea what they are doing. The eyes and brain they were born with are obviously redundant features on them.

4. The tram will teminate only ever at the entertainment centre and remain stranded from connection to West Lakes/Semaphore/Port.(wasted opportunity)
Looks like the end of "coast to coast light rail".

Why is it the end of it? Why cant there be a line down Sir Donald Bradman drive/Burbridge road, that splits off to the airport, and continues down to Military/Seaview roads and then back north towards Henley, Grange, etc..?
There's nothing stopping them from converting the middle of West Lakes Boulevard currently used as a busway for the football, into an extension of the Grange line. They could run the west bound lanes before the bend just before AAMI a little wider and tunnel the end of to stop under AAMI stadium somewhere, or under the carpark of West Lakes somewhere. AAMI stadium is being turned into housing eventually anyway.
My point is that there are plenty of options still available.

Sir Donald Bradman/ West Lakes Blvd are not connected in any way to the terminus at the Ent Centre. I just Figured that spending $200MIL on the grade separation at Bowden only increases freight eficiency. By putting that money toward a light rail based on the O.H. line not only solves the frieght issue by removing the outer harbour line tangle in the parklands and the Park Tce level crossing, but also modernises that whole line.

[Ben]

Part of this is now on public consultation.

http://www.dac.sa.gov.au/index.cfm?obje ... 0F2030D46A

[Wayno]

Seems the Belair line will be closed from January to mid-2013 for this grade separation project.

[metro]

and I thought I read somewhere that the Noarlunga line will be closed for 9 months from January to September next year