News & Discussion: Adelaide Metro Trains

[ChillyPhilly]

FYI the overhead wires aren't even up around North Adelaide station (as from 2 days ago), so there won't be much testing of electric trains going on

I wonder how the issue of the Park Terrace bridge was resolved - it was apparently too low for electrics.

[dbl96]

Compared to other cities around the world, our trains are slow to accelerate. Is there a reason for this? Could the 4000 class trains accelerate faster?

I think they can, if memory serves they don't for safety reasons, on account of all our level crossings, especially the pedestrian ones at either end of most of our ancient stations.

I suspect it also has something to do with the type of train. The 4000 class are essentially an electric version of the VLine VLocity trains used on intercity routes in Victoria. They are bulky and heavy and probably more suited to cruising at high speed out in the country that speeding up and slowing down in Adelaide's closely spaced stations. I don't know why they chose the 4000 class over a lighter metro-style electric train that would probably be better suited to our close station spacing.

[A-Town]

The boom gates have been removed at the Murray St crossing, just after Gawler Central. Not sure if this had to happen due to the electrifying works or not, but I hope they eventually extend and re-use the line and open up a station on the eastern edges of the town where there are a large number of housing developments going up.

[Spotto]

The boom gates have been removed at the Murray St crossing, just after Gawler Central. Not sure if this had to happen due to the electrifying works or not, but I hope they eventually extend the re-use the line and open up a station on the eastern edges of the town where there are a large number of housing developments going up.

The line would have to be extensively refurbished if it was to be reopened, it hasn’t seen traffic since 2014. If they were doing a short extension just to the fringes of Gawler they’d like do a full tear up and replace.

But yes, I agree with what you’re saying.

[Jacob_ULG3]

Went out for a drive to get petrol and noticed from Parafield Gardens up to Munno Para the new LED signals are now preset to their default position, I couldnt grab a photo cos I was driving and it was busy.

Signal outside Parafield Gdns Northbound is sitting on the Yellow Aspect, also signals between Smithfield and Munno para are showing a Green Aspect and a Yellow Aspect further north.

In addition to that I noticed the old signals between Womma and Kudla have been removed but from Parafield Gdns to Salisbury are still there, however I only got limited vision due to driving.

Progress is really on the home stretch right now for the Electrification Project

[PD2/20]

Can confirm progress noted by Jacob. All new signals from N Adelaide to Gawler are now upright and illuminated. One signal N of Grrenfields is still hooded. I noticed in several locations insulated joints have now been bypassed with bonds. Axle counters have been fitted to the ARTC crossing to N end of Islington Works. Overhead has now been strung from Park Tce, N Adelaide to E of Gawler Oval. The only sections to be strung are throughTorrens Jn/N Adelaide and under King St bridge into Gawler Central. Dry Creek Depot seems to have been completed with the connections to main line. Pedestrian crossings at Chidda, Salisbury South and Broadmeadows are open but not yet automated. Fibre optic cable is being installed at North Adelaide. There still seems to be quite a bit of work happening on the ARTC signalling. Sigtech have the contract from Siemens to carry the AC immunisation work on the ARTC signalling.

[Jacob_ULG3]

Can confirm progress noted by Jacob. All new signals from N Adelaide to Gawler are now upright and illuminated. One signal N of Grrenfields is still hooded. I noticed in several locations insulated joints have now been bypassed with bonds. Axle counters have been fitted to the ARTC crossing to N end of Islington Works. Overhead has now been strung from Park Tce, N Adelaide to E of Gawler Oval. The only sections to be strung are throughTorrens Jn/N Adelaide and under King St bridge into Gawler Central. Dry Creek Depot seems to have been completed with the connections to main line. Pedestrian crossings at Chidda, Salisbury South and Broadmeadows are open but not yet automated. Fibre optic cable is being installed at North Adelaide. There still seems to be quite a bit of work happening on the ARTC signalling. Sigtech have the contract from Siemens to carry the AC immunisation work on the ARTC signalling.

Well the new King Street Bridge was installed on Saturday 4th December and is supposed to be open to the public I would estimate by the end of the year.

There's only the original signals between Mawson Lakes and Chidda left. Everywhere else are all removed.

Some signals out at Dry Creek are set to their default state now.

I wonder when they will wire up between Gawler Oval and Gawler Central, and Torrens Bridge to Hawker St LX?? The section between Torrens and hawker St shouldve been done months ago and yet only one wire is present at the moment. I expect once the new bridge is installed that wiring to Gawler Central would begin but im unsure when that will happen.

[PD2/20]

Well the new King Street Bridge was installed on Saturday 4th December and is supposed to be open to the public I would estimate by the end of the year.

There's only the original signals between Mawson Lakes and Chidda left. Everywhere else are all removed.

Some signals out at Dry Creek are set to their default state now.

I wonder when they will wire up between Gawler Oval and Gawler Central, and Torrens Bridge to Hawker St LX?? The section between Torrens and hawker St shouldve been done months ago and yet only one wire is present at the moment. I expect once the new bridge is installed that wiring to Gawler Central would begin but im unsure when that will happen.

Work has been continuing around the King St bridge including construction of the abutment wall under the bridge and the installation of water and gas pipes attached to the west side of the bridge.

Before Christmas the new signalling at Dudley Park and Islington had still not been fully commissioned. The regular mid evening empty stock workings were actuating the level crossings but signals remained at red.

Gawler Oval - Gawler Central has now been strung, sometime after mid December. The up line from Hawker St to Torrens Bri was also strung when I passed today.

Work is being done on platforms and shelters at Gawler Central, Tambelin and Womma.

At Ovingham since late November daytime track possessions have been needed for the installation of bridge girders and subsequent work above the tracks. Torrens Rd will be closed at the level crossing from tomorrow until 22 Jan. Rail lengths were being unloaded today in preparation for track replacement.

[ChillyPhilly]

Getting closer... maybe.

[Spotto]

Getting closer... maybe.

Rare chance to catch a ride, you never see diesels in revenue service on those lines anymore.

I've been told it's so that the 4000s can be trialled on the Gawler Line and drivers can be trained.

[ChillyPhilly]

Pure novelty. Will be interesting to see how they keep to timetable - the electrics kill the diesels.

[Jacob_ULG3]

Getting closer... maybe.

Rare chance to catch a ride, you never see diesels in revenue service on those lines anymore.

I've been told it's so that the 4000s can be trialled on the Gawler Line and drivers can be trained.

If the Gawler Line is strung all the way from Adelaide to Gawler Central now, the only thing that is missing now is the Red Only Signal at Gawler Central, Finishing of the King St Bridge, Ovingham LX removal, energisation of the OHW, and commissioning of all Rail Signals. If the 4000 class trains arent running for all weekends in January, ChillyPhilly said that the Gawler Line would probably be used for testing, every single one of the 4000 class trains could be used for Driver Training, split off into sections of the line.

Suppose the Gawler Line wont be open in May 2022, maybe it could be Early March or Mid-late february I believe, otherwise It could be May.

I logged into SitePodium for the Ovingham Level Crossing and according to the quarter between Apr 2022 - Jun 2022 it says at the bottom "Rail service impacts (weekends and night closures), substitute bus services in place (GREP)" even says testing and commissioning Rail Signals, i believe for the Gawler Line and the ARTC track.

[whatstheirnamesmom]

Not sure if this is still the case, but on my bike ride around the Park Lands last Monday (3rd Jan), I noted no stringing had been done at North Adelaide station yet.

[Nathan]

Not sure if this is still the case, but on my bike ride around the Park Lands last Monday (3rd Jan), I noted no stringing had been done at North Adelaide station yet.

They've actually been (finally) doing it the past 3 or 4 days.

[PD2/20]

The notice about diesel services on the Seaford line refers to testing on the Seaford line not on the Gawler line. This suggests the work involved is the commissioning of the switching cabin in the fork of the Seaford/Belair and Gawler/Port lines with feeder connections to the Seaford line N of Glover Avenue and to the Gawler line at Torrens Bri. There is also an overhead connection to be completed right at the fork which bypasses the switching cabin. The N half of Adelaide Yard might also energised this month. I would would be surprised if the overhead N of Torrens Bri is energised this month, given the crane activity in the vicinity of the rail tracks that will required to lift the next set of concrete deck panels on to the bridge girders at Ovingham. Torrens Rd is currently closed this and next week for replacement of the track at the level crossing and through Ovingham Station and for road works at the Chief St and Churchill Rd junctions.