COM: Glenelg Tramline Upgrade

[kymbosa]

I've done a fair bit of travelling on the Glenelg line at those times and I have seen how quick they fill up. I have seen it on one occasion get filled to crush load (ie seating and standing load at maximum capacity) by Goodwood at one point. The one issue that I can think of is the lack of spare trams when this is all up and running before the the roumered new order arrives. I have spoken to a few drivers/connies and even now, they are running with only one or two Flexis spare in the depot. Once this is all up and running, they will be running virtually 'all hands on deck' with the Flexis.

Even when the old H class trams were being used in the peak times, they were always full at 8. There has been no real change in the amount of trams full in peak times. The major difference is that the media have jumped on board and it has been a polictial talking point since the new trams arrived. The evidence is that i have caught the 5:10 express at night, from the city to the bay. When the H class trams were running i had to wait at vic square for the next tram at least 3times a week. The same thing happens now as it has in the past. Don't forget the amount of people on two of the "H" class trams takes the same amount for one "flexi". Yes they are small and should have been bigger, however at least they are new. My understanding is that the ones that might becoming in the next order could be the european class, which is what melbourne has. These would only be used during Peak times, cause they take more people.

[bmw boy]

lets hope we do get these European class trams... with more cumfy seating 2!

[Cruise]

Having just came back from Melbourne I hated the fact i had to step out into oncoming traffic to catch a tram (although the trams themselves where nice)I stayed not far from the Coburg line

[Ben]

From the Messenger:

Tram trip to history

Aaron Coultate

02Oct07

CAMERAS flash, heads turn and traffic slows as the 78-year-old H-Class tram makes a slow but stately progress along the $31 million city track extension.

An entourage of orange-clad contractors scurried alongside, as the tram travels on its latest test run, stopping at every set of lights on King William St and North Tce.

A dozen or so ``tramspotters'' line the streets armed with hi-tech photographic equipment.

A sprinkling of Asian tourists whip out their digital cameras and passers-by turn their heads to see what all the fuss is about.

``We had at least 150 people out here with cameras for the first test run,'' Transport Department major projects executive officer Rod Hook says.
He cranes his neck out of the window, looking at the lit-up Railway Station on North Tce: ``This old tram, in front of the railway station, that'll be a great pic for the enthusiasts,'' he says.

And he's right; as the tram goes past at least a dozen afficionados take photos standing outside the Strathmore Hotel.

The whole trip only about 1.6km takes nearly two hours. Not the sort of journey times that can be expected when the trams run for real.

On tonight's test run, the transport workers need to check alterations done to the North Tce kerbing, which the old H-Class tram scraped on first test run. There's a collective deep breath as the tram rounds the corner without incident.

It comes to a brief stop just before the Morphett St bridge, before heading back up the terrace, and down to Victoria Square, to resume a normal service to Glenelg.

Sunday, October 14, will be a public open day for the new track extension, with trams operating to a daily schedule as of October 15.

[muzzamo]

The tram stops now have Adelaide metro signage and the routemap on them..

[AG]

Even when the old H class trams were being used in the peak times, they were always full at 8. There has been no real change in the amount of trams full in peak times. The major difference is that the media have jumped on board and it has been a polictial talking point since the new trams arrived. The evidence is that i have caught the 5:10 express at night, from the city to the bay. When the H class trams were running i had to wait at vic square for the next tram at least 3times a week. The same thing happens now as it has in the past. Don't forget the amount of people on two of the "H" class trams takes the same amount for one "flexi". Yes they are small and should have been bigger, however at least they are new. My understanding is that the ones that might becoming in the next order could be the european class, which is what melbourne has. These would only be used during Peak times, cause they take more people.

Which European tram? Melbourne has two new types of trams from Europe, the Citadis (built by Alstom) and Combino (built by Siemens) class trams. The Citadis are only 3-module trams, while the Combinos are built as both 3-module (D1) and 5-module (D2) trams.

Having just came back from Melbourne I hated the fact i had to step out into oncoming traffic to catch a tram (although the trams themselves where nice)I stayed not far from the Coburg line

The situation used to be a lot worse before the so called "Super stops" started construction around Melbourne. Most of the stops are still street side stops that require crossing road lanes to reach the tram. On one line, the 109 to Box Hill, most of the stops are constructed such that the footpath is brought up right next to the tram line to serve as a platform (although this restricts road traffic from passing), much like the revamped stops on Jetty Road in Glenelg.

[skyliner]

Excellent set of photos BillD.

The pics do Adelaide justice. First one is on my desktop to 'sell Adelaide' to visitors - especially the arrogant types amongst the local QLD population here.(They just ditched their light rail option up here saying in essence it was a solution that is archaic.)

Thanks mate - your influence is now far and wide!!

ADELAIDE - TOWARDS A GREATER CITY SKYLINE

Hi Skyliner,

When was the Gold Coast Light Rail option ditched? I've searched unsuccessfully this evening for any news about that. It's a bit of a surprise, because the last I heard, Gold Coast ratepayers were largely in favour of it.

PhilH

Phil, someone thought I meant the Gold Coast when I was actually speaking about Brisbane inner city having it's proposed treamline/light rail proposal scrapped. Sorry for confusion!

ADELAIDE - A CITY ON THE MOVE!!

[AG]

Flexity 101 is doing a lot of training trips back and forth between Victoria Square and City West today. I saw it do at least 4 or 5 return trips. It was getting a lot of attention and turning a lot of heads, particularly when it rounded the bend at the corner of KWS and North Terrace.

[sam]

I saw it today too, and it did turn a few heads - I actually quickly headed down KWS so that I could see it do the turn!! hehe

Although it looks like someone turned down my phone res when they were playing with it...



Also saw the Coopers' Clydesdales today too coming round Vic Square

[jk1237]

Rather funny seeing people waiting for no trams on the new extension. I just rode my bike up King William St about 1pm, and there was 2 people waiting at the Rundle Mall stop, 3 people waiting at the Pirie St stop, and then at Vic Sq, about 10 tourists were trying to open the doors of the 'training tram', from the eastern side ie they didnt even realise there was a platform on the other side. I must admit when I rode past I stopped to help them out and advised them you have to go onto the platform to open the doors, but dont try this tram, wait for the other

[Will409]

If I had my camera today, I would have got shots of the extension progress as usual. I promise, they will come tommorrow. However, a few 'odds and ends' sort of notes from today. 105 made another training run which I noticed at about 11:00am. new timber seats have also been installed at Victoria Square stop. At all shelters along the route, the Glenelg line has been decalled onto the main beam as well as the previously mentioned Admet logo and stop name. All that needs to be done now on the extension is the installation of new seats at all the stops and construction you can say has finished.

Plenty of people on the platforms today also. 4 at City West, 10-12 at Railway Station and 3 at Pirie Street. At Pirie Street stop, I made an effort to the people on the platform (who were tourists from the UK) that the next tram wouldn't be due for another week or so. Same at Railway Station stop. I only noticed the people at City West from on a Gawler Central bound train so I couldn't really do much! People will be using it gauranteed.

[bmw boy]

hahaha poor people. Good on you's for infroming them!

They shud have a sign up at each stop informing people that services wont be starting untill 15th or 14th whatever it is..

[Norman]

I went down tonight and captured the name on the beams (by chance)... too bad it was at night though.

I only saw the name on the Rundle Mall and Pirie Street stops, but not on the Vic Square one.

[cruel_world00]

My god, not that I didn't know it already, but The Sunday Mail is such a smarmy piece of shit. I read the editor's comments regarding the tram line and they were basically covering their arses both ways. The gist was that "everyone at The Sunday Mail is against the tram line, but now realise it is here to stay and will be supported, reluctantly". What a stupid bunch of :wank: , this is the kind of project that in the stages of completion needs all the support it can get.

I can't wait to see it become a roaring success and all those knockers can fuck off back to their high horses and stay there.

Bring on more trams I say

[muzzamo]

The sunday mail also claimed that they werent "against" it to begin with but more were saying that the extension should have been longer/it was a waste of money for being so short etc.