News & Discussion: Adelaide Metro Trains

[fabricator]

Actually, the concept of providing temporary station access while major works are undertaken is not new.

Nor is it impractical.

Nor is it expensive in the overall scheme of things.

What Aidan is asking for is not rocket science.

The temporary once a year Showground Central station is around $100,000 (from memory), and its build from scaffolding. For the millions they are spending on these stations its not such a big ask anyway.

The only questions would relate to site access (is there anywhere to build it), and how much of the carpark is off limits due to construction works. Need to add the cost of new pedestrian mazes as required.

[AtD]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010 ... 796790.htm

Station rebuilds for Gawler rail upgrade
Posted Wed Jan 20, 2010 12:20pm AEDT

More details have been given about upgrade work on the Gawler rail line through Adelaide's north.

There will be multi-million-dollar rebuilds of railway stations at Elizabeth and Munno Para.

Shelter and car parking will be improved and there will be pedestrian overpasses with lifts to improve access to bus interchanges.

Upgrade work is due for completion in 2013.

[Straze]

Elizabeth station was done up many years ago but it does look half decent, so it will be great to see a real decent upgrade, i hope they consider doing up the bus interchange area too. ATD you said Munno Para station is getting an upgrade including the bus interchange, i think you meant Smithfield this is the one with Munno Para Shopping City nearby.

[fkj]

heres something for all of you too look at
these people dont know what they're complaining about http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#/page ... 090?ref=ts

[muzzamo]

heres something for all of you too look at
these people dont know what they're complaining about http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#/page ... 090?ref=ts

I joined the group to have a good troll, suggest everyone else does the same

[DM8]

Assuming that the vast majority of the 'fans' of that group are regular commuters to/from the Port Adelaide, I can understand how the closure of the line would result in a massive outcry. Culture shock - people who are used to taking the train now have to switch to bus (and personally, I'm not a fan of buses). But having to only head out that way a dozen or so times a year, I wouldn't know - do the buses really take that much longer to go between Port Adelaide and the city compared to the train?

I do think they need to be a bit realistic though. Seriously, the state that bridge was in was pretty poor, and it was BADLY in need of an upgrade. I did have worrying thoughts about it giving way on my last trip out to Osborne. But there are things I think they could have done better, such as setting up a temporary platform (akin to the showgrounds stop) perhaps on the northern side of the Grand Junction Rd overpass, where there's a gravel path from the tracks to Lipson St and alongside G.J. Rd to Commercial Rd, which is only a short walk. Closing down the line from Woodville onwards also stops services to Alberton and Cheltenham, which shouldn't be impacted being on the city side of the rail bridge.

What I thought funny was one of the comments saying "The train only take half an hour to get to the city!" like that was a good thing - I reckon it should take 20 minutes maximum (maybe I'm just fussy after living in Perth near Warwick train station, 15km north of the city, could travel to town in 15 minutes at 110km/h).

[Tonsley213]

They are selfish.

[ralmin]

I live near Alberton station and to me the greatest inconvenience is that I've lost the ability to put my bike on the train to the city. Now it's not too far to ride from Alberton to Woodville, but if the bike breaks down, it's a long walk to get to a shop and have it repaired.

What about those people who used to take bikes on the train further up the peninsula - Osborne, Taperoo, Outer Harbor...

[crawf]

Sick of the constant road works in the port! Everyone is sick of catching the bus to town.. The train only take half an hour to get to the city! Then they decide to update the railways lines.. like it was fine the way it was! Why the hell did you have to go and shut the whole train down for ages? O:

IQ = 0

[Aidan]

Sick of the constant road works in the port! Everyone is sick of catching the bus to town.. The train only take half an hour to get to the city! Then they decide to update the railways lines.. like it was fine the way it was! Why the hell did you have to go and shut the whole train down for ages? O:

IQ = 0

I disagree. 'Tis a far more sensible opinion than the one that says it's OK to inconvenience thousands of residents for months.

Converting the line to light rail is a far better option, and it wouldn't've required such a long closure.

[iTouch]

who's Michael Ransom? Hes hilarious and a great troll!!

[monotonehell]

Converting the line to light rail is a far better option, and it wouldn't've required such a long closure.

How do you justify that statement?

The bridge needed restructuring and the station needed rebuilding, the line had to be closed to allow that. Converting it to light rail would require the same work to be undertaken in order to make it safe. however, I'm in no position to comment on how long that should take.

Just a 'feeling in my bones' but I suspect that there are plans to convert that line to light rail in the distant future.

[Aidan]

Converting the line to light rail is a far better option, and it wouldn't've required such a long closure.

How do you justify that statement?

The bridge needed restructuring and the station needed rebuilding, the line had to be closed to allow that. Converting it to light rail would require the same work to be undertaken in order to make it safe.

No, the line would be far better without that bridge and station. Street running through the centre of Port Adelaide would be a much better option.

Did you ever see the file my .sig links to? I explained it in more detail there.

however, I'm in no position to comment on how long that should take.

Just a 'feeling in my bones' but I suspect that there are plans to convert that line to light rail in the distant future.

Unfortunately the DTEI don't think the line's suitable for conversion to light rail. Hence the idiotic plan for the dual voltage tram trains. I suspect it's only a matter of time before this is dropped in favour of heavy rail only.

[monotonehell]

No, the line would be far better without that bridge and station. Street running through the centre of Port Adelaide would be a much better option. Did you ever see the file my .sig links to? I explained it in more detail there.
...
Unfortunately the DTEI don't think the line's suitable for conversion to light rail. Hence the idiotic plan for the dual voltage tram trains. I suspect it's only a matter of time before this is dropped in favour of heavy rail only.

Yes I have looked at your plans for the line. Street running light rail would have some benefits, if it would fit into the narrow streets there. But, I didn't mention it at the time as it was moot, I didn't see how you intended to get a light rail line over Jervois Bridge and then turn 90 degrees and come back down in elevation to align with Causeway road without a new bridge alongside the existing one, at great expense and considering the new maina development under the bridge there.

With regard to the line's future status, I understood that the high cost to revenue of that line was the reason for the desire to change it to lightrail. Looks like the number crunching didn't add up.

[fabricator]

Sick of the constant road works in the port! Everyone is sick of catching the bus to town.. The train only take half an hour to get to the city! Then they decide to update the railways lines.. like it was fine the way it was! Why the hell did you have to go and shut the whole train down for ages? O:

IQ = 0

It was a rusty death trap the was it was!
I swear the pictures of the old station taken in the 1950's show the exact same sleepers and rails as it was a few months ago.

Converting the line to light rail is a far better option, and it wouldn't've required such a long closure.

Thanks I needed a laugh
Lets see, dig up Port Adelaide roads to lay tracks - 3 Months
Rebuild all the station platforms to suit trams - 4 months.
Order enough trams to run the new service - 2 years.
Install overhead wire - lets say 2 months.

Good luck doing it all at once, what with the road digging making a right mess of the substitute bus service.

With regard to the line's future status, I understood that the high cost to revenue of that line was the reason for the desire to change it to lightrail. Looks like the number crunching didn't add up.

The other set of numbers that didn't stack up is the amount of time level crossings would be down while trams went through. I did the same calculations myself and got the same numbers, the boom gates would spend more time down than up.