COM: Glenelg Tramline Upgrade

[skyliner]

Apologies to Will - made a blue with the quote in previous post. Also apologies to Shuza.

[AG]

City's new trams on the right track
April 25, 2007 02:15am
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EXTENDING the Glenelg tram service to North Tce is about to become a reality.

It is time opponents of the project stopped grizzling and embraced what, hopefully, is the start of the most significant change to the Adelaide central business district since the opening of Rundle Mall in September, 1976.
So many of the whingers are the same people who complain about any change or advancement.

Of course there will be short-term traffic disruption while the 1.2km of line from Victoria Square to the Railway Station is laid.

When the project is completed, right hand turns from sections of King William St will be phased out. Like so many changes, there is no gain without pain.

When the work is completed towards the end of this year, Adelaide will have the spine of a new public transport system which Transport Minister Pat Conlon and his successors can gradually extend into the suburbs.

First a city loop back to Victoria Square then, perhaps, an extension to North Adelaide servicing Adelaide Oval, the Women's and Children's Hospital and O'Connell St. Ultimately, the tram service may be extended to Port Adelaide, east up North Tce to the Royal Adelaide Hospital and then into the eastern and western suburbs.

Trams are an efficient and environmentally acceptable mode of public transport which operate in many cities.

The establishment of 21st century public transport system in Adelaide creates the genuine prospect of breaking the rigid reliance that the people of Adelaide have on motor vehicles.

[crawf]

Great article, buts it old.

[AtD]

As pointed out in RailSA, you can watch the upgrade with the ACC's Webcams in the Town Hall bell tower.
http://www.cityofadelaide.com.au/script ... c=PC_04_05

[Will]

City's new trams on the right track
April 25, 2007 02:15am
Article from: Font size: + -
Send this article: Print Email
EXTENDING the Glenelg tram service to North Tce is about to become a reality.

It is time opponents of the project stopped grizzling and embraced what, hopefully, is the start of the most significant change to the Adelaide central business district since the opening of Rundle Mall in September, 1976.
So many of the whingers are the same people who complain about any change or advancement.

Of course there will be short-term traffic disruption while the 1.2km of line from Victoria Square to the Railway Station is laid.

When the project is completed, right hand turns from sections of King William St will be phased out. Like so many changes, there is no gain without pain.

When the work is completed towards the end of this year, Adelaide will have the spine of a new public transport system which Transport Minister Pat Conlon and his successors can gradually extend into the suburbs.

First a city loop back to Victoria Square then, perhaps, an extension to North Adelaide servicing Adelaide Oval, the Women's and Children's Hospital and O'Connell St. Ultimately, the tram service may be extended to Port Adelaide, east up North Tce to the Royal Adelaide Hospital and then into the eastern and western suburbs.

Trams are an efficient and environmentally acceptable mode of public transport which operate in many cities.

The establishment of 21st century public transport system in Adelaide creates the genuine prospect of breaking the rigid reliance that the people of Adelaide have on motor vehicles.

I can't believe what I'm reading!

Has the Advertiser finally accepted defeat? or have I woken up today in a twilight-parrallel universe?

[lovinadelaide]

I think the Adelaide Tram upgrade is a fantastic idea. I feel that it is a great oppurtunity for Adelaide to expland further.

Currently I am a student at Unisa, where most of the construction is close-by. Even though the construction is a little frustrating at times and nosiy, I feel that the tram tracks will benefit the public greatly, and is well worth the fuss.

[Will409]

I got a couple of photos of the work and can say that the original idea of pavers has been dropped and normal concrete is being used. I am not sure if the main slab is going to be a different colour to normal concrete. However, there is an additional 'side slab' which you would have seen in my other photos which is of a lighter colour so it will be noticable to motorists. Shame about the pavers though, would have added that little 'something' to the route but atleast we now have tracks where we didn't have them before!

For this weekend, North Terrace will be resurfaced where it hasn't already been done along the tram route. Apparently, more lengths of rails have been delivered to Victoria Square in preparation for the 'big push' from North Terrace to Franklin/Flinders Streets. That will be happening next weekend (May 18-21). The curve from North Terrace to KWS won't be done until the Queens Birthday long weekend so they can completely close the interestection to do the work. The final section through Vic Square will be done during July.

I got a few photos of the work yesterday and will post them when I can.

[AtD]

Will409, having not seen the concrete in question, it's possible that the pavers are to go on top of the concrete. If they are to handle vehicular traffic, then it's required that they rest on concrete rather than earth otherwise they'll move and crack easily.

[Will409]

The concrete itself is flush with the railhead. Even though it is flush with the rail head and when North Terrace is resurfaced by the start of next week, with the road surface itself, it will not be carrying vehicle traffic. I've just got the past couple of days worth of photos (about 30) uploaded to the PC and will have them uploaded to the net soon.

Anyway, just made another run to the city and plenty of work happening again along the entire route. More resurfacing along North Terrace as I have already said. A truck also had another delivery of re enforcing bar for the concrete. The median strip on KWS was being dug out but the biggest work was in Victoria Square where the rails were being welded together using a process could Thermit Welding. It is a truly spectacular sight and caught the attention of a lot of people in the square. The temperature in the melting pot reach upto about 1900 degrees if not more. For the 'big push' next weekend, they are welding the rails into 600m lengths. The days of mechanical joints are long since gone!

[Will409]

Photos from yesterday, 11-5-07


Smoothing out the pale concrete edging.


Newly concreted track.


Concreted track from Morphett Street Bridge.


Getting ready to do a cut of some sort into the concrete.


Rail mounted dolly from the King William Street intersection looking westwards.[/img]

[Will409]

Sorry about the delay but Photobucket was running slowly all afternoon. Here are the photos from today. Got quite a few too.


New delivery of reinforcing bar on North Terrace infront of the Railway Station.


Track from KWS intersection again showing the wooden forming going in.


Median strip dug out from the Rundle Mall/Hindley Street intersection.


Welded rails at Vic Square 1.


Welded rails at Vic Square 2.





Rail weld preparation and welding. Quite a spectacular sight.


Lone mini excavator infront of Town Hall.

[Howie]

Thanks for the pics again Will409.

Another article about further expansion in the city messenger.

Looking east and west

08May07

THE city tram extension could herald a return of lines to the suburbs, including The Parade, Port Adelaide and even the airport, the State Government has revealed.

Lines through the East End to Norwood and along King William Rd to O'Connell St would also be considered once the city extension was finished in September.
``The government's position is let's bed down the first stage and get this one working, then we'll look at all sorts of options,'' Office of Major Projects and Infrastructure executive director Rod Hook told the City Messenger this week.
``Whether that's a city loop through the West End or up to North Adelaide, that will all be looked at.''
He said extending the tramline to Port Adelaide, Norwood and the Adelaide Airport were other options.
``The city west loop would be the first one and then I think North Adelaide would be considered.''
``Another possibility is a loop around the east side of the city.''
He said there were no detailed costings on the further extensions and any decision would be ``entirely up to the government's budget and priorities''. Lord Mayor Michael Harbison said the plan to develop O'Connell St's LeCornu site could increase the potential to extend the tramline to North Adelaide.
``Conceivably, a large development on the LeCornu site could tip the balance (for the tram),'' Mr Harbison said this week. The State Government last year considered extending the tramline to North Adelaide.
However, it opted to take the tram to Uni SA's City West Campus, North Tce, saying more people would use that route.
Norwood Mayor Robert Bria was last week keen to explore the option of taking the tramline from the city to Norwood.
``Bringing the trams back down The Parade sounds like an attractive proposition, but there would be a number of significant hurdles to get over before (it) became viable,'' Mr Bria said. Unley Council has asked the State Government to back its idea of taking the tramline along King William Rd, Unley. Transport Minister Patrick Conlon was on leave this week and unavailable for comment.
However, a spokeswoman for the Minister said: ``This (tram) extension is the first step in a vision to integrate our tram services into a wider metropolitan public transport network.''

http://www.messengernews.com.au/article ... _news.html

[Tom]

My sources have told me that pavers were only ever for King William Street so i guess we will have to wait a see what happens. The edges are Brighton Lite Cerment.

[jk1237]

Now I dont know anything about engineering, but has anyone else heard that the track curve from King William St into North Terrace will be laid onto a rubber matting/blocks to prevent the squealing and grinding of the wheels from the trams when they have sharp turns. Its meant to stop any noise (if anyone has stood along Spencer St in Melbourne they would know its quite a noise).

[Tom]

No, the Liberals attacked the Government over this....

I think that its really not going to be a problem, the curves at depot are sharper and there isnt much noise made and even though the trams go slower over these curves then they will a t the King William St/North Tce insection i really dont think it will be much of a problem.