News & Discussion: Other Transport Projects

[Llessur2002]

Honestly, I've long been supportive of keeping the rail line over the tram option, but this is fucking terrible. It solves the issues of the freight crossing the the Park Tce level crossing, but not only doesn't address any of the other issues the project was originally going to address — it actively makes them worse. It needs to be properly underground like was originally planned.

What are the other issues?

Just read your comment on InDaily - think that covers it

[Llessur2002]

Here's another picture looking east towards the city and showing the tram line running off along War Memorial Drive:



http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-06/a ... er/7391458

I'm hard-pushed to imagine where it will go once it reaches Montefiore Road - if it's going to go past the Oval and up King William Street as per the InDaily article then I can only assume the plan would be to close War Memorial Drive to traffic between Montefiore Road and KWS.

Presumably, either there would be a spur at Bowden where some trams would head along the existing Port Road line and others would branch off to the Oval and North Adelaide (great on game days) - otherwise all city-bound trams would have to go via the Oval and then south on KWS into the CBD.

I guess it's all just concepts at this stage but opens up some interesting possibilities.

My personal view at this stage is that once the Torrens Junction upgrade is completed then we'll never see trams on this line - probably for the best in the grand scheme of things.

[metro]

I just wish they'd get on with building the Torrens Junction and putting in a new station at Bowden, for now I dont really care if it's a big ugly trench so long as the same number of crossings are kept open, and there's always the possibility that covering it over in the future might happen when Bowden is a bit more developed. I'm also hoping that State Govt and perhaps also Federal govt also get on with Electrification to both Gawler and Outer Hbr/Grange before the decade is over, once electric trains are running out to Port Adelaide it should end the discussion of converting electric trains that are faster/spacious to trams that are slower/cramped, and to change over to trams would require almost a full year shut down of the line, plus a huge amount of $$ make it happen, funding that could instead be put towards building new tram lines to places that currently have no rail, like the Airport, or Norwood!

[Norman]

I think the problem with undergrounding Bowden right now is the fact that the line still uses diesel trains. Maybe once the line is electric the trench will be covered? That wouldn't be too hard to do I think...

[metro]

The fly through video shows diesels still using both Gawler and Outer Hbr/Grange lines

[The Scooter Guy]

YAY!


I knew I saw that coming! A definite must-have!
No more giving way to interstate trains & vice-versa!

But...
I must say that both Indian Pacific & Ghan services will have to somehow stop at a 'makeshift' rail terminal somewhere next to Mawson Interchange or otherwise, get suspended for a year.
And shabby old buses would have to run rail subs from North Tce to Bowden.
However, the railcars can still access the Dry Creek depot by means of using the Rosewater branch that goes past Wingfield!

[EBG]

Nathan's second picture resized. Trams and trains are not interchangeable trains run on broad gauge 1600 mm and 25,000ac V and trams run on 1435 mm track at 650 DC V

[crawf]

That station in the clip is about 100x better than the current setup, though the plan is pretty underwhelming. For Bowden to be a true success, it needs an underground station and the existing railway land converted to development or green space.

The Government and councils also need to give up this fantasy idea of converting the line to light rail, trains are just better, simple as that. Trams are more suited to the inner-city area.

I think the problem with undergrounding Bowden right now is the fact that the line still uses diesel trains. Maybe once the line is electric the trench will be covered? That wouldn't be too hard to do I think...

Then that case, electrify the entire line in conjunction of upgrading the Torrens Junction. This state already has a long history of half completing projects, the train network is one of them currently.

[jk1237]

not sure why they would move Bowden Station east towards Park Tce. No one lives in the parklands, and no one takes a train to the parklands. Id leave the station where it is because it will be in the middle of the Bowden midrise apartments in the next few years, and is closer to the Ent Centre/Hindmarsh Stadium etc

[ChillyPhilly]

not sure why they would move Bowden Station east towards Park Tce. No one lives in the parklands, and no one takes a train to the parklands. Id leave the station where it is because it will be in the middle of the Bowden midrise apartments in the next few years, and is closer to the Ent Centre/Hindmarsh Stadium etc

Not only that, but there's the less-utilised-but-still-used North Adelaide station a matter of metres away.

The original plan of a significant stretch of the rail line, along with Bowden station, both being underground remains far superior.

[SRW]

A couple of things: it needs to co-scheduled with the electrification of those lines to minimise already extensive commuter disruption; and, the trench needs to be built in a way that allows it to be covered in future both in Bowden and through parklands - area that should reclaimed as green space.

So long as that's done, I think I can tolerate it being built open if (the cheaper cost) means getting it done sooner.

[Vee]

.....
I'm also hoping that State Govt and perhaps also Federal govt also get on with Electrification to both Gawler and Outer Hbr/Grange before the decade is over, once electric trains are running out to Port Adelaide it should end the discussion of converting electric trains that are faster/spacious to trams that are slower/cramped, and to change over to trams would require almost a full year shut down of the line, plus a huge amount of $$ make it happen, funding that could instead be put towards building new tram lines to places that currently have no rail, like the Airport, or Norwood!

I also don't see the need or sense in switching from trains to trams on the Port Adelaide line. But bring on the extension of the tram network, starting with a much needed city loop.

Investment in improved public transport is sorely needed in our congested cities.
I was hoping to see Federal $ support for electrification of the Gawler line and or extending the Adelaide tram network in the Federal Budget.

Sadly, neither scored in the Federal budget just announced. Looks like SA got the Subs (no contract yet, jobs still going at ASC) and other states got the infrastructure spend going forward?

Abbott was never a fan of PT but thought Turnbull would do more.

Federal Labor (Albanese) has promised a $10 billion investment to turbo charge investment in public transport/infrastructure including Brisbane Cross River Rail, MelbourneMetro, Western Sydney Rail, Perth Metronet, Adelaide’s Gawler line and AdeLINK light rail.
IF elected.

The 2016 Budget, says shadow infrastructure and transport minister Anthony Albanese, contained no new investments in public transport, leaving Australian cities at the mercy of worsening traffic congestion which is damaging the economy and eroding Australians’ quality of life.

LaborHerald:
https://www.laborherald.com.au/politics ... n-the-sky/

It's frustrating that vital infrastructure (IMHO) like critical public transport projects don't get more bipartisan support.

[claybro]

You guys do all realise that once the OH line is dedicated as heavy rail only, you can say good bye to any hope of trams for port adelaide, west lakes , semaphore and quite likely the closure of the 4 stations that constitute the grange spur. The whole North West light rail to those areas was based on OH line being converted or duplicated as light rail. They will not have 2 seperate systems once OH is upgraded as heavy rail only.

[Goodsy]

You guys do all realise that once the OH line is dedicated as heavy rail only, you can say good bye to any hope of trams for port adelaide, west lakes , semaphore and quite likely the closure of the 4 stations that constitute the grange spur. The whole North West light rail to those areas was based on OH line being converted or duplicated as light rail. They will not have 2 separate systems once OH is upgraded as heavy rail only.

Light rail could feed passagers into a central Port Adelaide train station, Trams don't all have to be connected into the CBD.

I think the problem with undergrounding Bowden right now is the fact that the line still uses diesel trains. Maybe once the line is electric the trench will be covered? That wouldn't be too hard to do I think...

Adelaide Train station is already underground.. It's not something we couldn't figure out




IMO They should go all out and put the entire OH line in a trench

[Norman]

Yes, but Adelaide Station has an expensive fume extraction system, and it's only a short stretch. Look at Hallett Cove station, they left the covers off because of the smoke. I just hope that the open trench is only a temporary measure until the line is electrified.

Besides, the images are only an indication of what could be built, maybe the design of it will change as the design progresses.