News & Discussion: Adelaide Metro Trains

[SBD]

No evidence to suggest 'planned' electrification of the OH/Grange lines, but basically the Belair line can't be electrified due to the low tunnel ceiling.

Can't they lower the floor in the tunnels?

Cheers

Anything is possible. However, you'd have to stop rail freight to and from Adelaide/Melbourne for the several months it would likely take. It would have to be a last resort.

The freight line might not need to be closed for as long, as they have separate tracks, and even separate single-track tunnels for some of them. On the other hand, if it looked like being easy to lower the tracks or raise the tunnels, there'd be a plan for double-stacked containers, and that seems to be ruled out.

[Spotto]

The freight line might not need to be closed for as long, as they have separate tracks, and even separate single-track tunnels for some of them. On the other hand, if it looked like being easy to lower the tracks or raise the tunnels, there'd be a plan for double-stacked containers, and that seems to be ruled out.

There’s a pretty significant difference between lowering a tunnel floor slightly to make room for overhead wires, and making room for double-stacked freight.

[RetroGamer87]

Could they save space by using rigid conductor rail in the tunnels in place of traditional overhead lines?

[rubberman]

Could they save space by using rigid conductor rail in the tunnels in place of traditional overhead lines?

Why bother? If it's a hybrid diesel/battery, it's not needed. If it's electrified, a battery with enough capacity to take the train a few hundred metres would only require the driver to lower the pantograph at the mouth of the tunnel, and raise it at the exit. Since the line is not even planned for electrification in the next ten years, AND with battery technology advances in that time, it may be that electrification is only needed for part of the way. Heck, it might turn out that both the Gawler and Seaford lines didn't need overhead wires all the way, and enough of that could be taken down and used on the Belair and Outer Harbor lines if hybrid battery/overhead was used. This is now used for trolleybuses, so it stands to reason that if battery tech improves, it will also work for heavy rail.

[SBD]

The freight line might not need to be closed for as long, as they have separate tracks, and even separate single-track tunnels for some of them. On the other hand, if it looked like being easy to lower the tracks or raise the tunnels, there'd be a plan for double-stacked containers, and that seems to be ruled out.

There’s a pretty significant difference between lowering a tunnel floor slightly to make room for overhead wires, and making room for double-stacked freight.

There would also be potential problems if any of the tunnels have ruling grade approaches - the railway would have to be lowered by the same amount all the way to somewhere that the grade is reduced. On an earlier thread, someone asserted that the track is 1:45 all the way from Belair to Mount Lofty Station - meaning that to lower the tunnel floors would mean deepening the cutting at Mount Lofty Station. Maybe raising the rooves and bridges is easier the lowering the track.

A new tunnel from Mitcham to Mount Barker is beginning to look just as easy - especially if the route intersects silver or gold veins to help fund it

[rubberman]

PSA. I rode the hybrid today. However it was not in hybrid mode. So, obviously, it's able to be switched off. Interesting. I noted that the diesel was idling in ARS, so if you are looking to ride it, and it's idling in ARS, you might be out of luck.

[Llessur2002]

Car 3017 has been green-wrapped too. They must be rolling it out to all the 3000 class as they are upgraded.

[PD2/20]

Car 3017 has been green wrapped too. They must be rolling it out to all the 3000 class as they are upgraded.

3017 was the first to be wrapped. 3121/22 followed. 3009 is also green wrapped and was paired with 3017. In the last 2-3 weeks 3017 has been on its own at Dry Creek.

It was announced that 45 of the 70 railcars would be converted.

[ChillyPhilly]

Car 3017 has been green wrapped too. They must be rolling it out to all the 3000 class as they are upgraded.

3017 was the first to be wrapped. 3121/22 followed. 3009 is also green wrapped and was paired with 3017. In the last 2-3 weeks 3017 has been on its own at Dry Creek.

It was announced that 45 of the 70 railcars would be converted.

The 3000s not being converted will be retired I believe - correct me if I am wrong.

[Spotto]

Car 3017 has been green wrapped too. They must be rolling it out to all the 3000 class as they are upgraded.

3017 was the first to be wrapped. 3121/22 followed. 3009 is also green wrapped and was paired with 3017. In the last 2-3 weeks 3017 has been on its own at Dry Creek.

It was announced that 45 of the 70 railcars would be converted.

The 3000s not being converted will be retired I believe - correct me if I am wrong.

I believe only the Clyde-built units are being hybrid converted, the original Comeng-built units will be retired.

[Llessur2002]

Ah, I missed that - I thought it was only 3121/22. 3017 wasn't paired with 3009 yesterday, but with I think 3020 or thereabouts (I didn't make it that far up the platform and only saw it from a distance). Whatever it was it wasn't green-wrapped and I noticed that whilst 3017 had the green wrapping it didn't have the Hybrid Technology graphics that 3121/22 have.

[PD2/20]

3017 was the first to be wrapped. 3121/22 followed. 3009 is also green wrapped and was paired with 3017. In the last 2-3 weeks 3017 has been on its own at Dry Creek.

It was announced that 45 of the 70 railcars would be converted.

The 3000s not being converted will be retired I believe - correct me if I am wrong.

I believe only the Clyde-built units are being hybrid converted, the original Comeng-built units will be retired.

The Comeng cars are 3001-08 and 3101-12 dating from 1986-88. The Clyde cars are 3009-30 and 3113-40 from 1992-96.

[RetroGamer87]

I just boarding a 3000 class on the Gawler line. I thought the days of mixed 3000 / 4000 class traffic on the Gawler line were over.

(not that I'm complaining, I just thought it was odd)

[SouthAussie94]

City underground rail key to Adelaide group's new transport vision

Adelaide needs a new approach to public transport with an underground rail loop in the city a key part of this transformation, according to a comprehensive blueprint released by a South Australian transport lobby group.



Full Article: https://indaily.com.au/news/2023/11/08/ ... rt-vision/

[ChillyPhilly]

City underground rail key to Adelaide group's new transport vision

Adelaide needs a new approach to public transport with an underground rail loop in the city a key part of this transformation, according to a comprehensive blueprint released by a South Australian transport lobby group.



Full Article: https://indaily.com.au/news/2023/11/08/ ... rt-vision/

CBD rail tunnel is something we unanimously agree with, although I am a little unsure about using Keswick Creek as a light rail corridor unless it is to be an express service between the city and the Airport. At least it does show this as an alternative to the better option, which makes use of Henley Beach Road and Airport Road.