News & Discussion: Adelaide Metro Trains

[Spotto]

Not talking about by-passing Adelaide - talking about building the connections from the MS MW to the SE FW to ensure Adelaide remains on the main route and building the proposed ARTC rail route as per above - it is proposed from Goodwood Junction to Callington via tunnel under southern suburbia then surface rail from Mt Bold to Callington, this keep Adelaide on the main line from Melbourne to Perth and maintains the freight access as you outline. As you would have noted from other posts I made in the past on this forum - I am against any bypassing of Adelaide for freight by either road or rail - hence my most recent post. That's why me and many others were dead against Globelink right form the start. The new route proposed is for double staked container trains.

Edit - have added the 2010 link - see option 4 - southern alignment
https://investment.infrastructure.gov.a ... Report.pdf

My mistake, I misread your post and thought you were referring to the bypass option that has been brought up by other users before.

Though it still leaves the problem of indirect trains to Mount Barker which would need to be solved with a separate and expensive (though considerably less than the freight rerouting) project. On the plus side, if the passenger line is terminated at Mount Barker (whether it runs via SEF or via Balhannah) then it could be broad gauge and avoid a full AdMet re-gauge since there'd be no need for compatibility with the main line for trains to ran beyond to Murray Bridge since the main line would be rerouted away from that area entirely.

[SBD]

I'd suggest that if the option of standardising the Belair Line were seriously looked at, then a service to Two Wells and Virginia should also be in play. Those are perfect for heavy rail. Long station spacing allowing high speeds, playing to heavy rail's prime advantages. Plus, the area is fast developing. Get people used to fast rail, rather than have them used to driving into town. Wait five years, and they'll be welded to their cars.

Plus, of course, the work required in the Adelaide Yard is more economical if it's done for two lines, rather than one.

Where do you think people would be going to use passenger trains to Virginia and Two Wells?

Do you see them as tourist trains to the Adelaide Plains wine and food region

The local public high school will soon be at Angle Vale, and is presently Gawler. I doubt anyone would use a train from Two Wells to Gawler with a change at Salisbury. A few who live in that area (including Buckland Park) might use a train to the Bolivar station (possibly renamed Penfield) if they work at or near the intermodal terminal or in to Salisbury. Other employment in the Penfield/Edinburgh/Edinburgh North area is too far from the railway line to want to walk. I doubt a lot of people would choose to live there if they work in Adelaide city centre, and do we really want a train service designed to encourage people to live there and work in the city?

I believe planning and other policies should be designed to help people live and work locally, rather than using transport policy to encourage more urban sprawl full of commuters to the city centre.

[SBD]

I figured a couple of stops between Belair - Adelaide would allow hills commuters to alight at various points along the line if they didn't require the full trip into the city. You're probably right in that Blackwood is a better option than Belair since it has bus connections to other destinations - in which case technically you could probably drop Mitcham as well. I'm not too knowledgeable about the hills so I didn't realise Ambleside and Balhannah had stations as well.

As for viability, hasn't there been a big population growth out that way and only getting bigger? at a certain point I'd argue that having road-only services will be unable to cope with capacity. Passenger numbers from 35 years ago aren't really indicative of what is necessary in 2021.

I thought Ambleside was only ever a small stop on the line, but Wikipedia says it was a larger station, however all evidence has been removed. Balhannah was a full station and still has some of the buildings (in a poor state of repair). It used to be the junction station for the branch line to Mount Pleasant (the Amy Gillett Trail now uses part of that branch route). It was also a stop for The Overlander, but isn't any more.

[ChillyPhilly]

I'd suggest that if the option of standardising the Belair Line were seriously looked at, then a service to Two Wells and Virginia should also be in play. Those are perfect for heavy rail. Long station spacing allowing high speeds, playing to heavy rail's prime advantages. Plus, the area is fast developing. Get people used to fast rail, rather than have them used to driving into town. Wait five years, and they'll be welded to their cars.

Plus, of course, the work required in the Adelaide Yard is more economical if it's done for two lines, rather than one.

Where do you think people would be going to use passenger trains to Virginia and Two Wells?

Do you see them as tourist trains to the Adelaide Plains wine and food region

The local public high school will soon be at Angle Vale, and is presently Gawler. I doubt anyone would use a train from Two Wells to Gawler with a change at Salisbury. A few who live in that area (including Buckland Park) might use a train to the Bolivar station (possibly renamed Penfield) if they work at or near the intermodal terminal or in to Salisbury. Other employment in the Penfield/Edinburgh/Edinburgh North area is too far from the railway line to want to walk. I doubt a lot of people would choose to live there if they work in Adelaide city centre, and do we really want a train service designed to encourage people to live there and work in the city?

I believe planning and other policies should be designed to help people live and work locally, rather than using transport policy to encourage more urban sprawl full of commuters to the city centre.

Sprawl is less sustainable if there is no option for public transit to the CBD, rather than some.

For Buckland Park, transit options are currently set to 'none'.

[SBD]

I'd suggest that if the option of standardising the Belair Line were seriously looked at, then a service to Two Wells and Virginia should also be in play. Those are perfect for heavy rail. Long station spacing allowing high speeds, playing to heavy rail's prime advantages. Plus, the area is fast developing. Get people used to fast rail, rather than have them used to driving into town. Wait five years, and they'll be welded to their cars.

Plus, of course, the work required in the Adelaide Yard is more economical if it's done for two lines, rather than one.

Where do you think people would be going to use passenger trains to Virginia and Two Wells?

Do you see them as tourist trains to the Adelaide Plains wine and food region

The local public high school will soon be at Angle Vale, and is presently Gawler. I doubt anyone would use a train from Two Wells to Gawler with a change at Salisbury. A few who live in that area (including Buckland Park) might use a train to the Bolivar station (possibly renamed Penfield) if they work at or near the intermodal terminal or in to Salisbury. Other employment in the Penfield/Edinburgh/Edinburgh North area is too far from the railway line to want to walk. I doubt a lot of people would choose to live there if they work in Adelaide city centre, and do we really want a train service designed to encourage people to live there and work in the city?

I believe planning and other policies should be designed to help people live and work locally, rather than using transport policy to encourage more urban sprawl full of commuters to the city centre.

Sprawl is less sustainable if there is no option for public transit to the CBD, rather than some.

For Buckland Park, transit options are currently set to 'none'.

Agreed, so hopefully very few of the people who choose to live there will also choose to work in or near the Adelaide CBD. Once the houses start to be occupied, it is possible the current bus route to Virginia will be extended to Buckland Park and have more services on it. It's unlikely that Adelaide Metro will introduce routes to different places though. Route 900 uses Womma and Penfield Roads to Virginia then PWR and Waterloo Corner Road to Salisbury station, so unlikely to become useful to people trying to work near Buckland Park or study in Angle Vale or Gawler. It could be helpful for university study if it ran at more helpful times.

[AndyWelsh]

Is there a thread on the Railway Station upgrades? Sorry if there is.

Main escalators looked closed today in the station, I assume as part of the upgrade works and installation of the new tilt up fully open doors?




https://renewalsa.sa.gov.au/news/a-new- ... ain-goers/

The ramp entrance is nearing completion too.




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[PeFe]

New murals at the Noarlunga Centre Railway Station. Trying to improve the look of a "dump". The whole station should be rebuilt in my opinion.

[ChillyPhilly]

Adelaide Railway Station.

Please click on photo for larger.

[SRW]

The ramp entrance is nearing completion too.

The new uplighting and presumably paint refresh on the vaulted ceiling is lovely. Looks much more inviting an entrance now.

[gnrc_louis]

Does it anyone know/have photos of how it looked before there was a ramp there?

[SRW]

Does it anyone know/have photos of how it looked before there was a ramp there?

The ramp has always been there. It's just the top portion hasn't always been lined with shops (now removed in this upgrade)

[gnrc_louis]

Does it anyone know/have photos of how it looked before there was a ramp there?

The ramp has always been there. It's just the top portion hasn't always been lined with shops (now removed in this upgrade)

Oh right, thank you. It already looks so much better without the shops on the top portion.

[Spotto]

The ramp entrance is nearing completion too.

Not sure I’m sold on the pastel green on the ceiling just yet, seeing it in person looks a bit odd.

Is the wall colour on the ramp being kept the same or is it being changed? I personally think it’s unfortunate that you’ve got a lovely light stone colour on the exterior and in the concourse while the ramp is painted a completely different darker colour. A natural colour that’s similar to the current stone colours would look fantastic.

[SRW]

The ramp entrance is nearing completion too.

Not sure I’m sold on the pastel green on the ceiling just yet, seeing it in person looks a bit odd.

Is the wall colour on the ramp being kept the same or is it being changed? I personally think it’s unfortunate that you’ve got a lovely light stone colour on the exterior and in the concourse while the ramp is painted a completely different darker colour. A natural colour that’s similar to the current stone colours would look fantastic.

The seafoam green is original but might be standing out more to you due to the new lighting and fresh coat. I think it's lovely and completely appropriate.

[AndyWelsh]

The ramp entrance is nearing completion too.

The new uplighting and presumably paint refresh on the vaulted ceiling is lovely. Looks much more inviting an entrance now.

Agree SRW. All of a sudden I started noticing it was more inviting coming down that ramp, but I couldn’t put my finger on what it was.


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