News & Discussion: Adelaide Metro Trains

[Will409]

From memory, quite a bit of the Noarlunga line between Noarlunga Centre and the oil refinery are sleepered with those pressed steel sleepers they laid down under the tramline. I remember reading somewhere that they are meant to last longer than wooden sleepers while being cheaper than concrete, but trials found that they develop stress fractures sooner than anticipated or something?

That is true. There are still a large number of timber sleepers in that area of the Noarlunga Centre line. Steel sleepers if maintained well and are properly ballasted will last a good few years with most on the Gawler Central line passing 20 years and are still in good condition (20 years is the most you will get out of a good timber sleeper). I highlighted properly because the ballast needs to be packed most in the area under the rails which is ofcourse where most of the stress is imposed. As the years go on, it will get compacted and the whole sleeper will have an even base under it. However, steel sleepers are very ballast hungry because they are hollow underneath. They need to be very carefully packed (tamped is the technical term) to prevent fractures from forming. Because they are hollow, they can also rust out as well if the ballast is poor with a lot of dirt in it preventing good drainage.

Steel sleepers aren't exactly best for suburban passenger services where you have passenger trains running at reasonably high speed. They are best used in shunting yards or slow speed freight lines where the chances of fractures are lower.

[Cruise]

Source: The Sunday Mail

GUARDS have been stationed on parts of Adelaide's ageing rail fleet to protect commuters from doors that fly open while trains are moving.

Rail bosses were forced into the embarrassing move after the sliding doors malfunctioned on a TransAdelaide service last Thursday – the second such incident in five months.
TransAdelaide has blamed the problems on software faults in its 2000-class trains – in service since 1980 and used predominantly on the Noarlunga and Gawler lines. Emergency repairs are being carried out on 23 carriages.

TransAdelaide acting general manager James Hall said guards were stationed on all peak-hour services using the 2000-class carriages this week as a "precautionary measure" in case the automatic doors opened with the trains travelling at up to 90km/h.

The guards were replaced on Friday by TransAdelaide staff armed with specific instructions to monitor doors on the third and fourth carriages of the trains, where the problems are centred.

"They are making sure the door does close and if it doesn't he will make sure the driver and the control centre are aware of the situation," Mr Hall said.

The latest door incident happened last Thursday, aboard the same Noarlunga-bound train service that derailed just after leaving the Adelaide station.

A set of the doors opened in the third carriage as the 5.10pm service pulled out of the station, with passengers on the packed train attempting unsuccessfully to push them closed.

The train then travelled less than 100 metres before derailing and leaving hundreds stranded.

The faulty doors and the derailment were not believed to be related, with Mr Hall saying the train had "definitely been ruled out" as the cause of the train leaving the tracks.

Train bosses were first alerted to problems with faulty doors on the 2000-class carriages on May 16 when passengers almost fell out of a Brighton to Adelaide train when a woman accidentally pressed the "door open" button in the third carriage.

The doors then stayed open for seven minutes between Goodwood station and Adelaide.

A TransAdelaide report into that incident, obtained by the Sunday Mail, found a software fault between the driver's cabin and the rear carriages was the cause of the problem.

Mr Hall said: "There appears to be a software problem and it's a concern, obviously.

"I think we have got to say that it is a rare occurrence - we admit it's happened and admit it's a problem and we're on to it.

"If it was a real concern we'd be withdrawing the carriages and stopping the services but we haven't got to that extent."

Software worth $35,000 was being installed to fix the problem with repairs due to be finished by the end of this week.

Opposition Transport spokesman Duncan McFetridge said if the doors were not working properly "passengers' lives are at risk".

"They have admitted that there is a real problem and their only answer is to put somebody on the train and make sure the doors close – what sort of solution is that?" he said.

"It's only been by the grace of God nobody was thrown out of the doors at last week's derailment.

"It comes back to the fact we have the oldest rail fleet in Australia - the Government has got to make sure the trains we have got are 100 per cent reliable."

Train passenger Kelly, 28, of Noarlunga Downs said the Government had neglected the public transport system.

"I've lived in Sydney and although trains were late they were frequent," she said.

"When an emergency happens there are no back-up plans; with the derailment last week there were not enough buses."

David Jepp, 43, of North Brighton said unlike interstate there was "no sign" that Adelaide's trains were being upgraded.

"There is just this disaster management approach," he said.

"The trains are getting older, the tracks are getting older – there just isn't the infrastructure."

[Norman]

I remember when I was getting on a train, the doors were closing and I just squeezed though, but the doors opened again. This was at Hallett Cove Beach. The train then continued on with the open door (the train was pretty much empty though) until Hallett Cove, where the doors finally shut.

If this trrain would have been full, there could have been serious consequences. I hope this software update fixes the problem.

[AG]

The 2000 class railcars should be considered for retirement some time within the next 5-10 years, the oldest of them are at least 27 years old now. There's only a handful of them running around on the system at the moment.

The issue with doors remaining open on the 2000 class while in motion has been known for years.

[muzzamo]

there is more than a handful though isn't there?

[Mants]

the train situation is just shocking both the facilities and the timetables.

im actually glad i live in an area which isnt serviced by them.

[Bulldozer]

The issue with doors remaining open on the 2000 class while in motion has been known for years.

Yeah being a former daily train commuter on the Noarlunga line I saw it happen many a time. A few times the PSA fixed the doors by fiddling with the mechanics in the compartment above the door. I'm quite surprised that there's software controlling the doors, especially on something dating from the early 80's!

[AtD]

im actually glad i live in an area which isnt serviced by them.

What a horrible attitude.

[crawf]

when in the hell are we going to finally spend some serious money on our trains?!

the whole system is just a joke, the State Government really need to look at using this for next years State Budget.

[Mants]

im actually glad i live in an area which isnt serviced by them.

What a horrible attitude.

i suppose, but i am rather disgusted at the state government and their inability to maintain an acceptable train service.

[Will409]

The unfortunate thing with the 2000 series is that they have not had the best maintenance in the past 10-15 or so years. Part of the issue with the 26 currently in service (not 23 as reported in the Sunday Mail) is that they have not had a proper overhaul since they were introduced to service in 1980. They were re engined between 1992-1994 but probably didn't have a lot else done at the time. The only 2000s in good condition would have to be 2103-2003-2104 which is the first set of 6 total that are being returned to service. The others are just as they were, except for Admet livery. To be honest, while to railfans they are good to ride, to everyone else, they are shockers. The interior panels hiding the door mechanism have quite often been found to be loose and on rough sections of track, can shake around.

The age doesn't really have much bearing on the railcars, just the condition and maintenance given to them which is the cause of the faults. They are restricted to peak our services for a start and some of the runs they are used on aren't exactly good for the mechanical equipment (constant stop-start stopping all services). When built, they were virtually identical to the old Prospector railcars used in WA which were suited to long high speed running, not stop-start service.

[Tom]

Remember some of the Red Hen railcars just about made it to 40 before being retired, There’s some good old South Australian design work for you.
All but one of the 2000/2100 fleet is in service.

I would prefer to travel on a 2000/2100 class railcar anyway because they are safer in the event of an accident. 3000/3100 class railcars have one fatal flaw. Their collision beams are hollow and are not strong enough which means they crumble in a collision as was shown by one of Melbourne’s Comeng Railcars which are almost identical to the 3000/3100 class when a few years back when a runaway locomotive ran into Melbourne railcar at Southern Cross Station (then Spencer street station).

Even a low speed collision with a 3000/3100 railcar has the potential to telescope the railcar making impossible to open doors to escape. There are far more problems with the 3000/3100 class cars then 2000/2100 class but you only see the Advertiser attack the oldest railcars.

[AG]

Commuters dump ageing trains
RENATO CASTELLO
October 14, 2007 12:15am
COMMUTERS are abandoning Adelaide's ageing rail network, new figures show.

There were 100,000 fewer trips on the system in the 2006-07 financial year compared to 2005-06. Trams and buses both recorded passenger growth in the same period, the Transport Department figures show.
The drop off in train use equates to 25,000 fewer trips on each of the four TransAdelaide-operated main lines.

The figures, released on Friday by Department officials after a request from the Sunday Mail, show train passengers made 11.647 million trips in 06/07, down from 11.75 million in 05/06.

The figures come as it was revealed:

A PASSENGER has written to TransAdelaide telling of fellow passengers fainting on what she said were overcrowded carriages on the Gawler Central line.

AN internal TransAdelaide document obtained by the Sunday Mail shows there are now speed restrictions at 100 points across the rail network because of the track condition. There were 59 in August last year and 81 in July.

TRANSADELAIDE has discovered white ants destroying timber sleepers in the Adelaide Railyard.

People for Public Transport secretary Margaret Dingle said the decline in passengers showed there was a "great need" to electrify the network.

"A lot of maintenance is needed," she said. "If they are unreliable, and if the trains are overcrowded, it will definitely discourage people."

Trams recorded the largest growth of four per cent to 2.35 million trips in 06/07.

Rail authorities have come under increased scrutiny after two derailments in three months and door malfunctions on the ageing 2000-class rail cars.

The Sunday Mail revealed last week that TransAdelaide had posted guards on some of its ageing rail fleet because doors were opening mid-journey.

Passenger Debbie, 35, who did not want her surname used, said she has seen three fellow commuters faint in two months in what she described as over-crowded carriages on the Gawler Central line. Debbie has lodged a formal complaint with TransAdelaide, asking TransAdelaide put on more carriages to ease overcrowding.

In her letter, seen by the Sunday Mail, she writes: "There does not seem to be any policies and procedures in place to ensure passenger safety. Does it take a fatality before resources are made available?"

In the latest incident, on October 3, she said a young woman collapsed on the packed 8.16am express service from Gawler to Adelaide. She blamed passengers being "packed in like sardines" and wanted more staff on trains during peak hours to deal with emergencies.

"I worry that if we get someone with a major heart issue, what the hell are we going to do?" said Debbie.

TransAdelaide general manager Bill Watson said there were plans to put an extra four rail carriages on the Gawler line, subject to approval by the Passenger Transport Division.

"Any decision on additional rolling stock is dealt with as a part of the annual budget process, which TransAdelaide like other government agencies does not discuss," he said.

He said he was aware of the passengers fainting, but would not comment on whether there was money for more staff. He said that the sleepers damaged by white ants in the Adelaide railyard had been replaced.

Transport Minister Patrick Conlon attributed the passenger drop on the rail network to upgrades on the Bakewell Bridge which resulted in "slight" disruptions to services on the Noarlunga and Belair lines.

"There are a whole host of reasons including whether people have changed their (travel) behaviour," he said. He also disputed that Adelaide's trains were more overcrowded than elsewhere in Australia, saying there were a "number of reasons" why people might faint.

[UrbanSG]

I can't believe Conlon is trying to blame the Bakewell Underpass. As if that would result in 100,000 fewer trips! It is simple, everyone is abandoning the trains and driving or busing it. This at a time when petrol prices are high, it is a disgrace, patronage should be increasing.

I hardly ever catch the train anymore. It is far too unreliable. After my recent story where my train didn't even end up comming and I had to catch the bus an hour later I decided to try the train again on Friday morning. Shouldn't have bothered. It was 15 minutes late and this time that really screwed me around for an appointment. Not to mention I couldn't see through ANY windows and it felt like we were about to derail a few times upon entry to the Adelaide Railyards. I know it is usually a rough ride there but this time it was worse. The trains are a complete joke!

[Norman]

Is this on the Noarlunga line? Because whenever the trains used to speed up at Keswick, the train does shake a lot. Kind of scary actually.

I'm glad they are re-sleepering, but I still want full electrification.