PRO: Port Adelaide Tramline | $260m

[PeFe]

No the train line remains and is electrified. Bowden Station may be rebuilt underground so that the TOD can be built above and around the station area. After the electrification of the Outer Harbor line the SA government had plnned to buy dual-
voltage trams that can run on the line joining the train line just west of Bowden Station. Thsese new train-trams (can anyone think of a better description?) would start their outward journeys in the city using existing tram tracks joining the train line at Bowden and then leave the train line at West Lakes Boulevarde for the trip to West lakes Mall. This was due to built in 2015 but may be delayed in favour of diverting the money to the Adelaide Oval development. Another train-tram would leave the train line near Port Adelaide and continue the journey to Semaphore via Port Adelaide city centre. This plan effectively creates 2 new light rail corridors in the north-western suburbs allowing urban consolidation around transit orientated development and the re-infigoration of Port Adelaide.

[rhino]

Apart from requiring dual-voltage tram-trains, this would also require dual-height platforms, or extra tram platforms at different locations to the train platforms.

Or ... You don't have any trains stopping between Port Adelaide and the City, all trains are express between those points, and then all stops further up the peninsula. This means all platforms between the city and Port adelaide can be low, tram platorms.

This creates another issue - an express train getting held up behind an all-stops tram.

Is there room in the corridor for two tram lines as well as two train lines?

[muzzamo]

Is there room in the corridor for two tram lines as well as two train lines?

I get the feeling DTEI has gone cold on the tram-train concept.

I reckon the whole lot will go light rail.

[PeFe]

What about having 2 passing points (an extra section of track where a tram could pull over) in both directions? The platform
issue is probably quite an easy fix-build a tram platform at the end of each train station where necessary with appropiate electronic signage indicating the next "train" to arrive is a tram and passengers need to board at --- end of the platform.

[RayRichards]

Looking at Nearmap on the Port Road Hindmarsh stretch of the tram line. I say they shouldve extended the line until the rotunda, so it will cater for the Hindmarsh Stadium mob and also service more of the Hindmarsh precinct and make it the terminus. I think the Thebarton, Hindmarsh, Bowden, Brompton area is underrated at the moment and with all this new development going on it will give it its own identity.

They just now need to have a underpass under the Outer Harbor trainline on Park Tce to make the area more fluid.

Ray.

[shiftaling]

I know this must be a really silly question to those in the know around here, but are the trams the same guage as the rail line? They would be technically able to travel on the new electrified track wouldn't they?

[Tonsley213]

Not currently.

The trams are standard gauge.
And the train gauge is broad.

[The Scooter Guy]

Not currently.

The trams are standard gauge.
And the train gauge is broad.

Adding an extra rail on the inside of the broad guage track would make a 'multi-gauge' track!

[Tonsley213]

The correct term is Dual Gauge

[rhino]

And then there is the problem of trams and trains running on different voltages ...

[fabricator]

Not currently.

The trams are standard gauge.
And the train gauge is broad.

Adding an extra rail on the inside of the broad guage track would make a 'multi-gauge' track!

Yes as Tonsley213 said, the correct term is Dual Gauge.
The problem with that idea is simple, the gap between the two rails is only a few inches, which means its easy for something to get jammed in that track and cause a derailment. Its a real problem around level crossings. Hence dual gauge broad/standard track is speed limited to 80km/hr for safety reasons.

If you want to see what triple gauge looks like, pay a visit to the NRM, they have 4 rail, 3 gauge track work. Broad, standard and narrow in the same sleepers, the point work is rather complex as a result.

[skyliner]

Further, for those who can't conceptualise issues with duel gauge - Standard gauge is 4 foot eight and a half inches and broad is 5 foot three inches - the gap being six and a half inches or about 16 cm. it is quite possible to operate both effectively as seen in duel gauge stations in SA.

SA - STATE ON THE MOVE

[AG]

Further, for those who can't conceptualise issues with duel gauge - Standard gauge is 4 foot eight and a half inches and broad is 5 foot three inches - the gap being six and a half inches or about 16 cm. it is quite possible to operate both effectively as seen in duel gauge stations in SA.

SA - STATE ON THE MOVE

There previously was a short corridor through Adelaide where both standard gauge and broad gauge trains were using duel gauge tracks between Rosewater and Glanville through Port Adelaide until a couple of years ago when the standard gauge corridor was moved across the new Port River bridges. It wasn't so much of an issue operation wise but it was an inefficient route for the standard gauge freight trains to be using to reach Outer Harbor.

[monotonehell]

Guys, it's
" dual "

[shiftaling]

I would just like to think that as they are relaying and electrifying the track at the moment anyway, that they are planning ahead in case they want to make it a light rail corridor as suggested.