News & Discussion: Other Transport Projects

[Will409]

First of all, the Limestone Coast Railway went under in 2006 (high PLI costs, lack of volunteers/resources and other raising costs). The Redhen fleet they owned is in storage at the depot at Mt Gambier.

Secondly, the line from Wolseley on the junction of the main Adelaide-Melbourne line to Mt Gambier is around 250km long. The last time a train from Adelaide to Mt Gambier was run in 1995. With a line that hasn't seen a train run in 13 years, you can imagine that the amount of money needed to get the track upto standard would be large.

Thirdly, the line was closed when the line from Adelaide to Melbourne was gauge converted from broad gauge (5' 3"/1600mm) to standard gauge (4' 8.5"/1435mm). Since then, the track has remained untouched south of the junction and is still broad gauge.

The current estimated cost to get the line from Wolseley to Penola to serve the new pulp mill is estimated at being around $70million which includes gauge conversion and enough maintenance to allow for (I'd imagine) minimum operational standard. I can only imagine that the track speed once the line is restored would be around 70km/h although the only way we will know for sure is if trains actually start running again. $10million has been allocated by the SA Government whil, oddly, the mill owner is prepared to foot the rest of the bill for gauge conversion, restoration and reconnection of the line to the ARTC network at Wolseley.

[skyliner]

First of all, the Limestone Coast Railway went under in 2006 (high PLI costs, lack of volunteers/resources and other raising costs). The Redhen fleet they owned is in storage at the depot at Mt Gambier.

Secondly, the line from Wolseley on the junction of the main Adelaide-Melbourne line to Mt Gambier is around 250km long. The last time a train from Adelaide to Mt Gambier was run in 1995. With a line that hasn't seen a train run in 13 years, you can imagine that the amount of money needed to get the track upto standard would be large.

Thirdly, the line was closed when the line from Adelaide to Melbourne was gauge converted from broad gauge (5' 3"/1600mm) to standard gauge (4' 8.5"/1435mm). Since then, the track has remained untouched south of the junction and is still broad gauge.

The current estimated cost to get the line from Wolseley to Penola to serve the new pulp mill is estimated at being around $70million which includes gauge conversion and enough maintenance to allow for (I'd imagine) minimum operational standard. I can only imagine that the track speed once the line is restored would be around 70km/h although the only way we will know for sure is if trains actually start running again. $10million has been allocated by the SA Government whil, oddly, the mill owner is prepared to foot the rest of the bill for gauge conversion, restoration and reconnection of the line to the ARTC network at Wolseley.

My point will409 - Yes the LCR has closed for 2 years - it ran up to Tantanoola - about 20 Km south of Penola. (the place the newly developed line would go to). The section of line to Mt Gambier is not in such poor condition as the rest of the SE line which has been shut and unused from 1995. Up to Tantanoola will cost the state only $10m - the Pulp Mill company paying rest. HOW CHEAP IS THAT for the gov't.

The remaining 25 Km, only about 2 years since maintenance, would cost VERY little to connect MG - nearing 25000 people with another 8000 nearby. This is why I said in my last post, ''how easy is that?'

WE must look after our provincial cities - especially wealthy, productive and growing places.

[skyliner]

So much happening now - I thought I'd get it all into a summary here on transport projects. Correct me if I'm wrong somewhere. It's good to see collated to get an overall picture of implications etc. -
1. Rail - all lines electrified by 2018 except the hills line.
2. Speaking of extending Tonsley line to Flinders.
3. Speaking of extending the southern line to Seaford.
4. Tram to Pt Adelaide.
5. Tram to Semaphorre.
6. Tram to West Lakes.
7. More talk of Airport light rail link (tramstop planned in airport.
8. City tram loop still being considered for the not too distant future.
9. 50 new electric trains.
10 Upgrading of stations - eg Oaklands.
11.South road tram overpass.

Add to this the roadworks - starting to speak of a great anticipated future for the city. Who knows who has read this site as well to glean whatever was needed from a public forum.

ADELAIDE - CITY ON THE MOVE

[mattblack]

Another submission doc. anyone?

Theres a parlimentary enquiry being undertaken into extending our trainlines. A NE liuune was talked about along a disused rail corridoor, extension down south to Aldinga, another one to O'Halloren Hill, reopening the disused line to Mt Barker and regular services to Victor and the Barossa.

Public submissions welcome. Lead news report on 7 tonight. Dont know where to find any futher info though.

Cheers

[muzzamo]

Looks like they are considering reopening the rail corridoor through reynella and hackham.

Its interesting because after about 15 years of continuous work, the shared use path along there is complete and they are adding some good facilities and landscaping along its length.

[adam73837]

Well it was expected Queensland would get a lot

Perhaps because of those new freeways they're building.
But hold on, aren't they going to be tolled?
Doesn't their government already have that kind of money?
Shouldn't we be getting help from the Federal Government for our projects?

[Shuz]

Another submission doc. anyone?

Theres a parlimentary enquiry being undertaken into extending our trainlines. A NE liuune was talked about along a disused rail corridoor, extension down south to Aldinga, another one to O'Halloren Hill, reopening the disused line to Mt Barker and regular services to Victor and the Barossa.

Public submissions welcome. Lead news report on 7 tonight. Dont know where to find any futher info though.

Cheers

Source?

[Will409]

The 'disused rail corridor' in the northeast is the old Dry Creek - Northfield line closed in two sections in 1987 and 1994. The entire trackbed from Dry Creek to Northfield is intact and even the track is still inplace from Dry Creek to near Port Wakefield Road.

There are more details here:
http://www.railsa.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=84&t=2780

[monotonehell]

The 'disused rail corridor' in the northeast is the old Dry Creek - Northfield line closed in two sections in 1987 and 1994. The entire trackbed from Dry Creek to Northfield is intact and even the track is still inplace from Dry Creek to near Port Wakefield Road.

There are more details here:
http://www.railsa.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=84&t=2780

The Northfield line is pointless, after cutting through the SK8 Park near bridge road it goes no where. Before that it's all industrial area and wasteland. Unless all that area becomes a ToD I don't see that 2Km spur as being any use to anyone.

The other lines are worth a look though. There's been a lot of additional housing built down those parts since the line was closed. It's an irony that the bicycle pathway which goes for MILES has only recently been completed though.

[Xaragmata]

Another submission doc. anyone?

Theres a parlimentary enquiry being undertaken into extending our trainlines. A NE liuune was talked about along a disused rail corridoor, extension down south to Aldinga, another one to O'Halloren Hill, reopening the disused line to Mt Barker and regular services to Victor and the Barossa.

Public submissions welcome. Lead news report on 7 tonight. Dont know where to find any futher info though.

Cheers

Source?

Most (or all) of what was on Channel 7 is in this Family First document ...
http://www.sa.familyfirst.org.au/pdfs/0 ... NSPORT.pdf

[Norman]

I find some of those proposals hilarious, especially the train to Victor Harbor.

[Cruise]

I find some of those proposals hilarious, especially the train to Victor Harbor.

The Mount Barker line always makes me laugh

[mattblack]

Another submission doc. anyone?

Theres a parlimentary enquiry being undertaken into extending our trainlines. A NE liuune was talked about along a disused rail corridoor, extension down south to Aldinga, another one to O'Halloren Hill, reopening the disused line to Mt Barker and regular services to Victor and the Barossa.

Public submissions welcome. Lead news report on 7 tonight. Dont know where to find any futher info though.

Cheers

Source?

Ummm, Lead news report on 7. Sunday night. Not sure how credible this source is though

[AG]

Well it was expected Queensland would get a lot

Perhaps because of those new freeways they're building.
But hold on, aren't they going to be tolled?
Doesn't their government already have that kind of money?
Shouldn't we be getting help from the Federal Government for our projects?

Queensland is not just building lots of freeways. Much of the funding is getting invested in infrastructure such as rail line expansions and upgrades to the Queensland Rail system in the coal fields, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast, upgrades to the water supply network serving SEQ involving desalination plants and recycling, Brisbane Airport and I am also lead to believe several container ports around Queensland's north are being upgraded also (not including Darymple Bay which is owned by B&B). The motorways being built are mostly being constructed under PPP deals, to which the QLD state government has either provided minimal debt funding relative to the amount of equity raised by the winning consortiums building these projects or not at all (as with the Clem Jones Tunnel which is a Brisbane City Council project under a PPP).

[kenget]

I'm hoping this is the best thread for this article I saw on the ABC news website today:

Graffiti-resistant glass for Adelaide trains

Damaged windows on Adelaide trains are to be replaced with graffiti-resistant glass, in a program costing $700,000.

The State Government says more than 900 new windows are being installed into 70 trains, with work expected to be complete by the end of the year.

The window replacement program precedes a planned interior refurbishment of Adelaide's trains over the next three years.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008 ... 372009.htm