News & Discussion: Adelaide Metro Trains

[rhino]

So that's what railway stations look like Down Under?

[muzzamo]

So that's what railway stations look like Down Under?

Its what happens when your browser ignores the EXIF image rotation tag i've edited it now.

[claybro]

All of this highlights that Adelaides rail system does not well serve where people actually need/want to go, even in the CBD. Lines and therefore stations are generally tucked away through back streets and a too far walk for most from shopping centres, local precincts, venues etc. Since the rails cant easily be moved to the people, the people are being moved to the lines in the form of TOD's. Also some stations are being moved to make them more visible and to areas that are able to be further developed. I do believe that the Defence site adjacent to the new station construcion will be developed into some form of mixed housing and business TOD. Also I also have heard there are plans to expand the use of the showgrounds with more convention facilities etc. The new station will serve these developements well, including the Greenhill Road offices which are on the same side of the road whereas the current Goodwood station really does not serve the Goodwood Road precinct and Keswick has never really succeeded in its current location.As for any further developement of the Parklands teminal....this should not be encouraged at any cost. Its location is woeful, and I dont believe any tourist transferrs trains here.

[AtD]

I don't get the anger. Aren't they just moving it to the other side of the intersection?

[jk1237]

I don't get the anger. Aren't they just moving it to the other side of the intersection?

thats what I thought. I was under the impression Goodwood is staying but the new station is far better positioned for the showgrounds and future housing development of Keswick barracks

[claybro]

I don't get the anger. Aren't they just moving it to the other side of the intersection?

thats what I thought. I was under the impression Goodwood is staying but the new station is far better positioned for the showgrounds and future housing development of Keswick barracks

Goodwood may well be staying. no-one said it was closing, was only a suggestion I made as Goodwood and Wayville will be VERY close together, and the new Wayville station is beter located as stated above. There are too many stations on our lines now, many of them poorly sited and under used, Goodwood being one of those, tucked away in a back lane with bugger all parking, isolated with a feeling of being unsafe ..etc. Amalgamate 2 poorly used stations, Goodwood and Keswick into one better located and more accessable for future developement. Win win.
As for the anger AtD, as this is Adelaide, and something is being moved/developed/improved/changed....cue anger.

[witsend]

With close proximity to Adelaide High School and Temple Christian College, closing Mile End would be a mistake. Although it has limited services now, selected Noarlunga/Seaford service should stop there like Keswick to cater for the peak traffic, ie to school/work in the morning and ditto in the arvo.

The new Wayville Station will benefit but I still expect a few peak Noarlunga/Seaford stopping there to cater, whilst predominantly serviced by Belair/Tonsley and Brighton services.

[Maximus]

they really need to get laws changes so superfunds can invest in infrastructure.

From The AFR this morning...

AMP veteran flays flaws in our super
Vesna Poljak and Philip Baker

Former AMP chief investment officer Merv Peacock says that local super funds are hamstrung in their ability to bid for infrastructure assets because Australians enjoy the benefits of super choice.

This makes it more difficult for funds to lock up members' money in illiquid assets such as toll roads, but does not preclude them from being buyers of unlisted infrastructure.

Mr Peacock, who is a director of industry fund UniSuper and two NSW transport and infrastructure projects, has witnessed first -hand the acquisitive streak of offshore pension funds - especially those from Canada - in buying local assets.

"They think Australian toll roads are terrific - 30 years, inflation adjusted, stable country, " he said. But the structure of Australian and Canadian retirement schemes is markedly different: members in an offshore fund could be locked into that provider for their working life and will draw down their benefits incrementally upon retirement age.

In Australia, members can switch funds freely and draw down their entire balance at 65. "It limits the Australian superannuation industry to be larger investors in the infrastructure business, and it's the reason that the sovereign wealth funds and some of the global pension funds, particularly the Canadians, have been able to come down here and buy Australian assets that you would think should be owned by Australian funds," he said.

Mr Peacock applauded the right of members to have super choice, but said in reality most people don't end up exercising those rights.

"There's more choice than we really use."

[SAR526]

Goodwood may well be staying. no-one said it was closing, was only a suggestion I made as Goodwood and Wayville will be VERY close together, and the new Wayville station is beter located as stated above. There are too many stations on our lines now, many of them poorly sited and under used, Goodwood being one of those, tucked away in a back lane with bugger all parking, isolated with a feeling of being unsafe ..etc. Amalgamate 2 poorly used stations, Goodwood and Keswick into one better located and more accessable for future developement. Win win.As for the anger AtD, as this is Adelaide, and something is being moved/developed/improved/changed....cue anger.

Do you actually use trains or look at maps? Wayville will be useful for show grounds traffic, but there is no housing or business activity within coo-ee. To the North there is and can be nothing past Anzac Highway, which itself has minimal development along its southern side. To the West there are the barracks and long walks across or under the Highway to various businesses, but very little housing. The only passenger traffic of any consequence for some years at least is that which uses the present Goodwood station, which does have the possibility of the convenient tram/train interchange that it should always have been. You do have a point about parking. Then again it is an inner suburban station and 'park and ride' doesn't make very much sense. There'd be no 'park and ride' at Wayville either. Many people do use Goodwood to access heavily populated areas and the Goodwood business/theatre district. To add the long extra walk to Wayville would result in almost no use of the station by local residents and people wishing to access the shops and theatre.

I use the station often, and almost never find myself alone on the platform. Either both stations must be provided with a frequent service or, for some time, Wayville should be the one receiving fewer stopping trains, just as Keswick has for years. I still think that a rebuilt Keswick with clearly defined platform access by lift to the pedestrian over bridge, an upgraded walk under Anzac Highway to the show grounds and an underpass to Adelaide Parklands from the northern end (which should have been provided from the time that it was built) would be the preferable option.

In the future we may well see a return to interstate passenger transport. Remember that fast trains are preferred to air transport throughout Europe, and greenhouse gas emissions may force change. Sprinter trains serving greatly expanded populations en route to Melbourne at Horsham, Stawell, Ararat, Ballarat and Geelong ideally should go right to Adelaide station, but may continue to use the Parklands station because of access problems.

It's because of lack of foresight that we have the present problems. I have the advantage over most of you in that I have been actively interested in (and used) our railway and tramway systems for over 80 years, for all of which electrification schemes have been mooted and actually begun, but I am still waiting. And while I am being obnoxious, could some of you PLEASE write your effusions in English?

[neoballmon]

A couple of pics from last Wednesday

[claybro]

Yes I do use the Belair train (to Mitcham) probably a dozen times a year. In my observation, Goodwood gets very little use outside of peak hours-and even then hardly much.Keswick virtually none anytime. There are certainly not even dozens of people going to the Goodwood "theatre district" by train.I for one would not use to Goodwood station at night after a movie, and I am one to seek public transport rather than use my car. What I have observed , at show time, is hundreds of showgoers walking to the furthest point from the showgrounds, and also done the long walk to Goodwod station from the show in the rain carrying showbags and kids. As for Wayville not servicing any housing?? It is well known that the future plans for Keswick barracks is a TOD/mixed use dev. of sorts.There are no plans to build more housing in the back streets of Goodwood (god forbid). The Wayville location is also closer to Ashford hospital and businesses on Anzac Highway and Greenhill road, while still remaining close to the office tower on the corner of Anzac and Richmond Rd. As for the lack of carparking at the new station...well that is an error of planning. All new stations should have ample parking.

[rubberman]

Hi Maximus,

That is typical low grade analysis from the AFR.

Most government debt is for infrastructure. If super funds want liquid infrastructure bonds, they effectively already exist.

What that puff piece is about is merchant bankers wanting the government to somehow underwrite their infrastructure proposals. The idea is that the merchant bankers take four or five percent up front, and an ongoing management fee, then selling it to investors at 8% but using government infrastructure bonds to guarantee the return. (That's what they want, whatever they actually say).

When you add it all together, it means that this would cost 9%+ per annum. Why any government would fall for it when bond rates are about a third of that, has me stumped. No worthwhile financial newspaper would take this seriously for a second.

[Maximus]

Fair enough, Rubberman. You obviously know a lot more about it than I do. I really just posted that article to show that super funds already can invest in infrastructure.

But I agree -- never trust a merchant banker... And I have a good mate who is one! He's the exception to this rule, of course.

[[Shuz]]

I am very, very curious to know what is going to happen to the patch of land on the southern side of the rail tracks after all the electrification, hospital and convention centre works are complete...

[[Shuz]]

By the way something caught my eye;



In this pic, you can see that the new overhead masts in the background span across the rail tracks in 2 segments, spanning 4 tracks each. Fair enough.

However, a bit closer to the foreground of the image, the southern most overhead mast spans 6 tracks, the two southern most tracks (closest to North Terrace) seemingly... disappear into the dirt? Can anyone explain this?