News & Discussion: Adelaide Metro Trains

[Nort]

If the freight rail component of the northern connector was to be built, that would free up a rail line along the gawler line and all the way to Virginia

Wish they would add rail alongside it now before everything is built up, works so well in Perth.

[crawf]

$125 million has been allocated in the recent Federal Budget for the level crossing removal on Curtis Road.

[[Shuz]]

Whilst any investment in removing level crossings is welcome, I'm a little baffled Curtis Road was chosen as a priority. The issue up there isn't the train crossing, it's the road capacity. It needs duplication.

[Spotto]

Whilst any investment in removing level crossings is welcome, I'm a little baffled Curtis Road was chosen as a priority. The issue up there isn't the train crossing, it's the road capacity. It needs duplication.

Level crossing removals are always traffic projects, the benefit to public transport is just a bonus.

Curtis Road also looks like a relatively straight forward road overpass project, the road corridor is wide and the one side street that might be cut off can be easily accommodated. Most other projects are much more complicated with no space, surrounding houses, a mess of side streets, and some people’s opposition to skyrail.

[[Shuz]]

Sky rail isn't really a concept here in Adelaide. It was just the Hove crossing that kicked up a shitstorm.

Although concerns could have easily been allayed had it been communicated properly.

[Spotto]

Sky rail isn't really a concept here in Adelaide. It was just the Hove crossing that kicked up a shitstorm.

Although concerns could have easily been allayed had it been communicated properly.

It was communicated pretty clearly that any option other than skyrail would require far more destructive property acquisition, take longer and be more expensive. Didn’t make much of a difference.

Skyrail would’ve also opened up community space beneath the rail line, but apparently it would’ve “separated the community”.

[SouthAussie94]

Skyrail would’ve also opened up community space beneath the rail line, but apparently it would’ve “separated the community”.

Thankfully the project was cancelled, and the community can continue to be united by the 20m wide rail corridor, cyclone fences and the boom gates closing every 10 minutes....

A tall bridge would've been SO unsightly, and the basketball courts, gardens and walking paths under the bridge would have done nothing but attract youth crime and undesirables....

[rev]

A tall bridge would've been SO unsightly, and the basketball courts, gardens and walking paths under the bridge would have done nothing but attract youth crime and undesirables....

Within 15-20 years that's exactly what would happen.
This is Adelaide, we can't have the roads swept and kept clear of debris and rubbish on even a semi regular basis.

[crawf]

I think they'd be crazy not to do two new lines to the north.
One through the salt pans up to Virginia and Riverlea/Two Wells, include the freight line through there too. Maybe run along the edge of Port Wakefield road.
And then spur off at Salisbury past the base and head back up to MacDonald Park and Angle Vale.
Build a second station in the southern part of the CBD and an underground loop through the cbd.
Would it be possible to extend from Flinders down to the Woodcroft area?

Might seem crazy to do that today, but when those areas in the north are full of houses and there's a few hundred thousand new residents and tens of thousands more cars on the road, we'll be wishing something like that was done when the opportunity was there.

In the latest Greater Adelaide Regional Plan (see attached), it mentions a "mass transit corridor reservation" for Riverlea Park, Two Wells and Roseworthy. It also highlights insane growth for these areas, Riverlea Park / Two Wells is projected to have a combined population of 70,000 and a further 80,000 for Roseworthy, and that's excluding Gawler/Concordia. Absolute crazy stuff.

Rev and others are 100% right. With enormous growth planned for Dry Creek, Riverlea, Two Wells, Virginia and countless others in the coming decades, it seems reasonable for a new major railway corridor running parallel to Port Wakefield Road. A branch line to Angle Vale isn't a crazy idea either considering this is another fast growing area. The issue however is the current narrow stretch of railway corridor in the inner suburbs which doesn't have the space for an additional two railway tracks. Whilst this is very much a long term vision, the government should very least start planning for a new northern railway corridor. Otherwise this part of Adelaide is going to be in a world of pain in decades to come. First stage could be a new line to Dry Creek once that area is developed.

Before any of this happens, the two main priorities need to be the electrification of the remaining existing network (Outer Harbor and Belair) and a new city loop. This will free up the network allowing these expansions to occur aswell as significantly drive investment in the city.

From roads to rail, transport planning or any planning for that matter is always an afterthought in this state and it needs to change.

[AAA]

https://dit.sa.gov.au/infrastructure/pu ... ning-study

[NTRabbit]

At least the Roseworthy corridor is still there and intact - they could just send one crew on a budget out there to start now, and by the time they finished cleaning up the plants and crossings, and re-laying all the rails and sleepers, Roseworthy would be just about ready to need it

[A-Town]

New lines out north to serve the growing suburbs are needed, but can they be accommodated when the Adelaide Railway Station is already at capacity?

Do we need to create an underground link before expanding the system?

[crawf]

New lines out north to serve the growing suburbs are needed, but can they be accommodated when the Adelaide Railway Station is already at capacity?

Do we need to create an underground link before expanding the system?

Yes.

[Spotto]

New lines out north to serve the growing suburbs are needed, but can they be accommodated when the Adelaide Railway Station is already at capacity?

Do we need to create an underground link before expanding the system?

A north-south tunnel link would ideally remove most or all Seaford/Flinders and Gawler trains from Adelaide Railway Station, perhaps except for extra peak trains. Opening up capacity and allowing a significant reshuffle of how the station is used.

One possible concept, it would fully open up Platforms 1 and 2 for Belair, allow for potential dual gauge conversion on Platforms 3, 4 and 5 (best located to be used from both north and south) for Mount Barker and Two Wells, and extra capacity on Platforms 6 and 7.

[ChillyPhilly]

New lines out north to serve the growing suburbs are needed, but can they be accommodated when the Adelaide Railway Station is already at capacity?

Do we need to create an underground link before expanding the system?

A north-south tunnel link would ideally remove most or all Seaford/Flinders and Gawler trains from Adelaide Railway Station, perhaps except for extra peak trains. Opening up capacity and allowing a significant reshuffle of how the station is used.

One possible concept, it would fully open up Platforms 1 and 2 for Belair, allow for potential dual gauge conversion on Platforms 3, 4 and 5 (best located to be used from both north and south) for Mount Barker and Two Wells, and extra capacity on Platforms 6 and 7.

A CBD Loop would see a new station under North Terrace near ARS, freeing up the station completely.

ARS would then be used for regional and interstate services.