News & Discussion: Adelaide Metro Trains

[Goodsy]

Woodville Park does serve a purpose, but it's overlooked: it's the closest station to Arndale Shopping Centre.

Can it really serve something if it's almost 1km away from it?

[Llessur2002]

Heavy rail or light rail, my worry about closing stations is that Adelaidians are so reluctant to walk what would be seen as relatively short distances elsewhere that PT patronage would drop from the areas around any closed stations as people returned to personal car use.

I'm not in any way a rail expert but with a rail corridor as wide as that of the OH line would it not be feasible to put in passing loops so that regular express services could service the furthest stations? There seems to be more than enough room to run an additional line for the whole stretch between Woodville and Croydon - would that not give the best of both worlds?

[Llessur2002]

Can it really serve something if it's almost 1km away from it?

In pretty much any other city, yes.

It's about the same distance as Adelaide Railway Station is to Adelaide Uni or to the North Gate of the Oval.

People are happy enough to do it in the city but when it comes to the suburbs if it's not right next to it then it's nowhere near it.

[ChillyPhilly]

The rule of thumb for transit stops in Australia is 500 metres. That's how far people are prepared to walk. Terrain and obstacles become irrelevant. In areas with more scant public transport services, people may walk up to two kilometres, provided the walk is nice and pleasant.

In the US, it's even less, at 200m.

[monotonehell]

The rule of thumb for transit stops in Australia is 500 metres. That's how far people are prepared to walk. Terrain and obstacles become irrelevant. In areas with more scant public transport services, people may walk up to two kilometres, provided the walk is nice and pleasant.

In the US, it's even less, at 200m.

Anything more than 10 minutes walk negates most advantages of PT in the public's eye. As you say 500m is about 10 minutes' walk. We should not be using heavy rail for short hops, but that's another discussion.

[Nathan]

I think people might be more inclined to work a bit further if it was to a proper station, not a platform with a bus shelter.

Rather than run express trains that skip inner suburbs, let's do two tiers of "stations". Larger stations, and local platforms. You might have 1–3 local platforms between the larger stations. Run express trains that only stop at larger stations, and local trains that stop at all. Having passing loops at the right points, and sync the time tables up at some designated larger stations so that people can swap trains (local train stops, express train stops, people switch between the two, express train leaves, local train leaves). That way you can catch the express train to your nearest large station, and use the local train to complete the last couple of stops.

Those larger stations should then be encouraged to become local centres - give them station buildings with toilets and staff. Build up small retail districts around them. If people can catch a train home, pick up a few things from the station vicinity, and then walk home, then maybe they won't feel they need a car to run all sorts of different errands on their way to and from work.

[monotonehell]

This is good except, like all connecting services, you need amazing frequency to make this work.

However, what you say is supported by a couple of studies I've read, where frequency, facilities and friendliness made the difference in people patronising a service or not. Frequency and facilities are fairly obvious; not having to worry about a schedule; there being clean & secure shelter, shops, toilets etc. Friendliness is one that is overlooked. A good example of this failing is in bus routes. They are often convoluted, with no obvious route. Compare that to a rail line where it's obvious where it goes - a train can't suddenly lurch down a side street and get you lost. Friendliness means things like not having to pour over timetables and route maps in advance of your journey.

Make a good service and people will use it. Still not convinced that they will walk a long way for it.

In a perfect system heavy rail corridors, with distant stops, would connect to light rail loops servicing on-street closely to passengers' destinations.

[ChillyPhilly]

Just spotted the red front 'face' shells of two electrics seemingly being assembled at Dry Creek.

[EBG]

These front shells must be from a train under repair or maintenance as new trains are assembled in Melbourne.

[omada]

Hey does anyone know if the Tonsley - Flinders Med. line extension is still going ahead? And timeline etc

Cheers

[Norman]

Hey does anyone know if the Tonsley - Flinders Med. line extension is still going ahead? And timeline etc

Cheers

Yes. Due to be completed with the main Darlington project, end of 2018.

[jase111]

Location
Gawler to Adelaide CBD, SA
Problem timescale
Near term (0–5 years)
Nominator
SA Government
Gawler Line rail upgrade
Problem
The diesel eet and the signalling system on the line are reaching the end of their reliable service life, presenting an opportunity to invest in sustainable, reliable and ef cient transport solutions.
Proposed initiative
The upgrade and electri cation of the Gawler rail line, including installation of a new signalling system.
Next steps
Business case development
The Australian Infrastructure Audit 2015 identi ed
that demand on the northern line between Gawler and Adelaide is expected to almost double by 2031. Salisbury (serviced by the Gawler rail line) has been identi ed by the Audit as the second most frequented destination in greater Adelaide for rail trips. The current load factor during the morning peak reaches 75% along the busiest sections of the rail line and network capacity is expected to be reached within ve to 10 years.
Increased patronage is being driven by high population growth in areas that are serviced by the Gawler line, including Gawler-Two Wells, Playford and Salisbury. An additional 116,000 residents are expected to live in these suburbs by 2031.
The Gawler rail line is currently serviced by diesel rail cars as the line has not been fully electri ed. As 22 electric railcars are currently serviced at the maintenance facility at Dry Creek on the Gawler line, diesel rail cars are required to haul the electric eet to and from the maintenance facility, resulting in inef cient use of the diesel eet and unnecessary dead running.

This was released today still in business case development stage?????

[SBD]

Location
Gawler to Adelaide CBD, SA
Problem timescale
Near term (0–5 years)
Nominator
SA Government
Gawler Line rail upgrade
[...]

This was released today still in business case development stage?????

Where was this quoted from?

Perhaps the business case is "in development" until someone actually signs off to change it to "funded"?

[EBG]

in reply to Omada in regard to the Tonsely line extension to FMC:

This is a direct quote from article by John Hoyle in Railway Digest Feb 2017.
‘A Commonwealth/State funded $85.5m project will enable the Tonsely line to be extended 600metres to Flinders Medical Centre
via a 520 metre rail bridge over Sturt Road and South Road. This project is expected to result in increased patronage on the Tonsely
line when it is completed by the end of 2018.'
http://www.railwaydigest.com.au
http://www.facebook.com/railwaydigest

So if it is to be completed by end of 2018 stand by for further announcements soon.

[crawf]

Fast forwarding through the usual negative Advertiser crap... the first stage of the electrification of the Gawler Line begins mid this year.

The State Government would shortly be issuing a tender for the electrification of the line from Adelaide to Salisbury and construction would start in the second half of this year.

But electrification of the Salisbury to Gawler section remains unfunded.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/sout ... 2002df2107

Would be much better for the whole line to be done at once, but at least this is starting to gain traction. LONG overdue