Sensational-Adelaide.com

Everywhere rail is improved with modern trains, increased speed and decent frequency the services are well patronised. The example of WA is just one. Recent improvements to country services in Victoria are also proving even more popular than enivisaged in the planning. Qld tilt trains also popular. Money spent by Vic/SA and Federal gov to greatly improve the Overland would attract more serious travellers,create less congestion at airports. I am not referring to a chinese style maglev train here. A modern train, on existing route travelling up to 160km/h and a journey time roughly equating to road travel would be well used even by business travellers if timed right.

I've always wondered why we don't send trains back up through the Barossa valley.
Does anyone know the gauge of the existing line that continues from the Gawler line? Perhaps once the electrification is complete, we can send diesel trains up there from Adelaide, into the Barossa on weekends and public holidays when there's likely to be a greater number of people going up there.
We went for a drive to Tanunda the other day and I had forgotten how nice and picturesque the whole area was. As Alexander Downer said in his column on Monday, we should be investing more in our state's attractions to lure people here from interstate and overseas. That's not just retirees and hipster singles/couples, but also families.
Perhaps if our trains ran on standard gauge tracks we could also have weekend/public holiday services through the hills up to Hahndorf (another fantastic location close to Adelaide).

adam73837 wrote:I've always wondered why we don't send trains back up through the Barossa valley.

Excuse the shameless plug, but there is a very lengthy and detailed thread about that subject on RailSA if you're interested.

Bring back steam trains to Victor and the Barossa for limited tourist services!!

adam73837 wrote:I've always wondered why we don't send trains back up through the Barossa valley.
Does anyone know the gauge of the existing line that continues from the Gawler line? Perhaps once the electrification is complete, we can send diesel trains up there from Adelaide, into the Barossa on weekends and public holidays when there's likely to be a greater number of people going up there.

Total demand woud be higher on weekdays. But on weekends we have trains spare now - we wouldn't have to wait for electrification.

We went for a drive to Tanunda the other day and I had forgotten how nice and picturesque the whole area was. As Alexander Downer said in his column on Monday, we should be investing more in our state's attractions to lure people here from interstate and overseas. That's not just retirees and hipster singles/couples, but also families.
Perhaps if our trains ran on standard gauge tracks we could also have weekend/public holiday services through the hills up to Hahndorf (another fantastic location close to Adelaide).

Not only is the railway slow and indirect, it doesn't even go to Hahndorf! Ambleside was the nearest station (almost 3km away) but it's been demolished. The nearest surviving (disused) stations (Balhannah and Mount Barker Junction) are about twice as far.

Is anyone able to comment on how the new bus lane configuration on Grenfell/Currie Sts is working? I like the idea, but I can imagine that having only one lane of car traffic might be causing some serious bank-ups during peak hours. And has there been any noticeable effect on bus reliability/patronage?

I've never driven down there in peak hour, but even at about 2-3PM (eastbound), it's usually enough of a line that I feel it's un-justifiable. There are usually only about 2-4 buses along the whole length, and generally, they're pulled over to pick up/drop off. I notice a lot of people drive through the bus lanes much more than 100m to turn left.
Not sure if this has improved bus services or not.

neoballmon wrote:I've never driven down there in peak hour, but even at about 2-3PM (eastbound), it's usually enough of a line that I feel it's un-justifiable. There are usually only about 2-4 buses along the whole length, and generally, they're pulled over to pick up/drop off. I notice a lot of people drive through the bus lanes much more than 100m to turn left.
Not sure if this has improved bus services or not.

Just out of curiosity, why do you drive down Currie/Grenfell instead of say Franklin/Flinders?

I've actually just gone down Currie/Grenfell those couple of times to see how this bus lane has been implemented and how it's affecting traffic.

Maximus wrote:Is anyone able to comment on how the new bus lane configuration on Grenfell/Currie Sts is working? I like the idea, but I can imagine that having only one lane of car traffic might be causing some serious bank-ups during peak hours. And has there been any noticeable effect on bus reliability/patronage?

It's working quite well in my opinion. It seems many drivers are now avoiding the stretch and as a bus user I'm extremely pleased that the trips are meeting the schedules. Would love to see priority lanes rolled out to other streets -- North Terrace, here's looking at you.

North Terrace really does need a bus lane, especially once the new health and riverbank precinct is up and running. Though it wont be as easy as Currie/Grenfell Street, due to more traffic.

I can say that Nth Tce is not on the raydar at the moment but one of the other Tce's is

Could you be referring to West Terrace??? I have often wondered about how to separate to traffic travelling the length of West Terrace and those wishing to turn off into the city, Its really Russian Roulette in the morning. Cars from Goodwood Road wanting to get into the left lanes to continue North and cars from Anzac Hwy wanting to veer right to get into the city. I would wonder how bus lanes would work in this environment, maybe the bus lanes could be in the middle of the road, tram style.. as all buses have to turn into the city at various points. It is very similar to Hoddle Street in Melbourne, although not as bad.

neoballmon wrote:I've never driven down there in peak hour, but even at about 2-3PM (eastbound), it's usually enough of a line that I feel it's un-justifiable. There are usually only about 2-4 buses along the whole length, and generally, they're pulled over to pick up/drop off. I notice a lot of people drive through the bus lanes much more than 100m to turn left.
Not sure if this has improved bus services or not.

The biggest problem with Grenfell/Currie street is not the bus lane, but rather the sequencing of the traffic lights. It's pathetic. I have to drive down Grenfell/Currie often, and the amount of times I get stopped at each and every set of traffic lights is just ridiculous.

There are issues with traffic banking up to turn right from Currie Street onto Light Square in the mornings, which slows down and holds up the entire single lane of cars.

The pedestrian lights are completely out of whack with the intersections. The amount of times I see traffic pile up across King William Street because Currie Street driving west into Grenfell, goes green, then immediately after that, James Place goes red, is just ridiculous. I think that was actually most of the cause of the busses having difficulty with their scheduling. The only reason it's helping now, is because the busses don't have to line up at each set of lights behind a dozen cars.

DPTI and ACC need to take a serious look at the sequencing of the lights along this corridor. That will improve the traffic flow far more than the bus lane. About the biggest help that the bus lane has had to improving the traffic flow, is the removal of most of the right turns and the subesquent traffic that used to make right hand turns.

And whats with those lights at Gray Street at the western end of Currie Street. I reckon 90% of time i travel through there they are red for Currie Street.