News & Discussion: Adelaide Metro Trains

[Cruise]

your all so stupid, its ran by carrier pigeons.

[rhino]

And remember the SA Govenrment saying they are rebuilding SA, so I also think it could be on the cards for next year if itsn't then they better hurry up and put it high on the agenda because if the libs proposal a major plan to completely upgrade our PT system (especially the trains) for the 2010 election then theres a high chance labor will be thrown out of office.

When did Libs in office ever give a stuff about Public Transport since Tom Playford brought busses to Adelaide? That's just opposition talk.

[rogue]

From AdelaideNow...

Howard, Rudd KO train upgrade

November 04, 2007 12:15am

PRIME Minister John Howard and Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd have both turned down pleas for cash to help upgrade the ailing Adelaide rail system.

Labor says it has other more important transport priorities while the Liberals says it is a State Government responsibility.
Independent MP Bob Such – a regular train commuter – approached both leaders earlier this year for federal funding to convert Adelaide's broad gauge diesel service to a standard gauge light rail electric system as part of their election commitments.

His letter pointed out that such a commitment would be well received in marginal seats such as Kingston.

Conversion to electric would cost an estimated $1 billion, however, Mr Such suggested it could be done in stages over several years.

Adelaide is now the only mainland capital still running a diesel train fleet.

The engines stay running even when the trains are stationary, to maintain lights for passengers, air-conditioning and pressure for breaks and door closures.

Dr Such said conversion to an electric system would result in a cleaner, quicker fleet with potential for services to be extended to Aldinga. Prospect, Norwood and Burnside.

However, Mr Howard's principal private secretary, Peter Langhorne, replying on the PM's behalf, turned down the request.

"Passengers services in Adelaide, including the establishment of electric light rail systems, are the responsibility of the SA Government," he wrote in May.

Mr Rudd passed the request to Labor Transport spokesman Martin Ferguson who said his priority was the Brisbane to Melbourne freight corridor and the upgrading of freight lines.

Dr Such said he was disappointed at the lack of support for the project.

" If you go to electric you don't have the pollution, and the trains are faster," he said.

[jimmy_2486]

Ah well, using trains that break down every few days isn't too bad isnt it?? :wank:

[Norman]

3 problems in 1 year... 1 of them major...

Seems not that bad for me. And timetables will be updated soon anyway I would say. That would reduce complaints of trains being late.

[AtD]

Pushing the timetables out by five minutes may save face, but it does nothing to address the problem.

[ozisnowman]

Few simple words to both federal parties!!!

Give South Australia our fair share of road and rail funding!!! and then im sure the
State Government would fix the problems... Problem is the Federal Government (both Parties)
in the last 30 years has been short changing SA. So to pass the buck and say that it
is a State Government Responsibility is absolutely pathetic Mr Howard. And Mr Rudd
i dont even see you making any promises re South Australia.

If i was in State Government i would borrow the money from China/Japan/Korea etc
and build all the infrastructure we need, make Adelaide the envy of Eastern States and
when the State Government then goes Bankrupt with large debts i would say well we
dont have the money its now the Federal Governments Responsibility to bail us out....

[Norman]

I went on the Outer Harbor line today, and was pleased with the track quality from Woodville to Bowden. The Port Adelaide bridge, however, is really derelict and needs to be replaced ASAP. The train was going extremely slow on that section. But the train was nice and fast on that new section, if the Noarlunga line will be as good, I think services will get much better in the future.

Also, even the 3000-class cars seem to have door problems. Two youths opened the door on the Port Adelaide Bridge while the train was moving, almost falling out. They are the biggest idiots I have ever seen. However, the doors need to be updraded so theyactually lock properly.

[Bulldozer]

Also, even the 3000-class cars seem to have door problems. Two youths opened the door on the Port Adelaide Bridge while the train was moving, almost falling out. They are the biggest idiots I have ever seen. However, the doors need to be updraded so theyactually lock properly.

They always have been able to be opened whilst the train is moving, but you need to exert a lot of force to do it. If you're stupid enough to go to the trouble of forcing open a door while the train is moving then you deserve to fall out and die. Hell, those doors are hard enough as it is for some people to open when the train is stopped!

We have to stop trying to idiot proof everything and accept that fact that some people just deserve to get hurt or die for doing things that obviously and blatantly stupid. Every time you make something idiot proof, evolution produces a better idiot.

[bmw boy]

haha I agree bulldozer, but its the transport minister's head when something like that occurs...

[jimmy_2486]

FFS cant they just make it a button operating door like the rest of the country and like those big old trains we have!!!

We have to always be different!

[AG]

FFS cant they just make it a button operating door like the rest of the country and like those big old trains we have!!!

We have to always be different!

Melbourne's Hitachi and Comeng trains still have the pulling handles on the doors as the mechanism for opening the doors as do Brisbane's first generation EMUs. It is only on the trains that have been introduced recently (such as X'trapolis and Siemens) that have the push button operated doors, or driver operated doors as they do in Sydney.

[Will409]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007 ... 084129.htm

Premier Mike Rann has foreshadowed a restructuring of TransAdelaide in the wake of a tram derailment yesterday.

The tram left the track between South Terrace and Greenhill Road.

Mr Rann says he is waiting for a report on how the transport corporation can be made more efficient.

The Premier says Transport Minister Patrick Conlon has his full support, but yesterday's disruption to tram services was unacceptable.

" I think that the general question of governance of TransAdelaide needs to be looked at," the Premier said.

"Currently there's a review of governance going on but I expect that there'll be changes at TransAdelaide.

"Pat Conlon has my total support and I think that, if this comes out that this was human error, it's pretty hard to blame Pat Conlon for it, he doesn't drive the trains or the trams."

One can only hope that something good comes out of this. Privatisation in my opinion would be a great start.

[Will]

Privatisation would be an outrageous and unnaceptable outcome. When a vital public service is privatized is goes from providing an essential public service to becoming a profit generating apparatus that only serves the benefits of shareholders. If TransAdelaide is privatized, await huge cost increases in fares, and the elimination and reduction of routes which although provide a vital public service are not profitable.

[omada]

Oh we have a Premier, I forgot about that Whats his name again???