Murray Bridge | Developments & News

[Somebody]

Combining the slow & windy route with steep grades makes it a dog route for freight trains. I do agree that it needs fixing, but the only real solution is a new route which would have to go via another area, unless you are proposing massive tunnels, high enough to fit double-stack containers and with ventilation to suck out diesel fumes, through the Adelaide Hills.

The road links to the Adelaide Hills and Murray Bridge are fairly good so I'd be proposing better bus services personally. They do suffer from congestion inward of Glen Osmond, but full-time bus lanes will provide a better & cheaper solution than a train would

I doubt that the Adelaide Hills regional will reach the population of Ipswich, unless the centres of each town start getting built up as high density. Is there really that much land left to sprawl onto, that isn't either national parks or unsuitable for development?

[skyliner]

Combining the slow & windy route with steep grades makes it a dog route for freight trains. I do agree that it needs fixing, but the only real solution is a new route which would have to go via another area, unless you are proposing massive tunnels, high enough to fit double-stack containers and with ventilation to suck out diesel fumes, through the Adelaide Hills.

I have a friend (believe it or not) who is a CEO and right into railways - lives about 200m from Blackwood line. He says the freight trains going up shift the track across the ballast about 40cm - around 20 chain radius curves. As you said, this needs addressing.

The road links to the Adelaide Hills and Murray Bridge are fairly good so I'd be proposing better bus services personally. They do suffer from congestion inward of Glen Osmond, but full-time bus lanes will provide a better & cheaper solution than a train would

I doubt that the Adelaide Hills regional will reach the population of Ipswich, unless the centres of each town start getting built up as high density. Is there really that much land left to sprawl onto, that isn't either national parks or unsuitable for development?

The figures I gave were for Mg. BM and MtB combined. AS for Mt B, trace it's growth on ABS - big surprises.

SA - STATE ON THE MOVE

[fabricator]

Yes. I have experienced the dog slow journey through the hills on the Overland, bluebird and behind a 600c webb era steam engine as well as behind a 520 class steam loco (steamranger). It IS unbelievably slow.

The Overland is the only locomotive on that list that has enough HP and uses modern traction equipment, the diesel railcars have all been hydraulic, and the big steam engines keep to the timetables better than anything TA run up the hill to Belair. Some of the tracks is speed limited to 75km/hr but Overland train drivers say they can't do that speed due to braking/acceleration/ride comfort limitations.

I suspect the Overland is slow on purpose though, I've been on it through straight level track and it wasn't doing anything more than about 60km/hr. Its all about ride comfort, the train slows for bad track and that includes steep grades and tight curves. Average speed in the hills is still 60km/hr which I've heard is better than the buses do up the freeway hills. Some tight curves as low as 30-40km/hr.

Murray Bridge does need infrastructure upgrades, if we can't fix the roads though, the train is the only remaining option. With modern railcars designed for hills, faster speeds are indeed possible. Power and water are thorny problems too, $1m+ for a new substation isn't something to sneeze at.

[Wilfy 2007]

Good Morning,

So is this cause for a campaign for a Regular rail Passenger service from Murray Bridge to Adelaide?

Any thoughts?

Assuming an average of 2.5 persons per household and an increase of 3500 homes, I don't really think that 8750 extra people in a town over 100km from Adelaide by itself truly warrants a rail service. Does anyone know of any figures that exist that could show how many people travel into the Adelaide metropolitan area from the areas east of Adelaide? I don't imagine there would be many people from Murray Bridge who would travel into Adelaide on a daily basis.

FUTURE PROJECTION - You may be interested to know that at the same time, Protavia's Pulp Mill in Penola (due for completion about 2010) will mean opening the railway as standard gauge to 10 k's past Penola (where the mill is) AND that the SA gov't is looking into passenger services to MG (extending the line to MG of course). They obviously think this could work now.

As ALL south east traffic goes through MB it then makes enhanced rail services to MB as well.This can be capitalised on by making the through passenger trains drop off/pick up at MB as well as Mt Barker.(depending on scheduled timing of course).

Keep in mind that Mt B is now about 25000 and growing very fast in a VERY short time and is just up the track. (Trace this through ABS stats - one of the ten fastest growing areas in Australia). Also, remember the percentage of MB and Mt B population that will be commuters to Adelaide will rapidly increase as well. Together looking realistically at about 70000 - 80000 (MB and Mt B) in the not to distant future (maybe 2020) and with MG, up to 100000.The SA gov't should be looking at this scenario very closely.

SA - STATE ON THE MOVE

Gidday Skyliner,

Some good points in your post as I am in favour of a Passenger service to Murray Bridge and Mount barker.

But as somebody has pointed out the Line has a dogleg in it that needs to be taken out, Quite a lot harder than what it looks.

I thought that a route could be taken from Mitcham to Stirling or Bridgewater, but it is thru the Hills with lots of problems and of course the gradients are a problem.

If the line could be straightened and realigned then it would be more suitable for Railcar services to Mount barker and Murray Bridge.

Regards,

[skyliner]

As the SA gov't has not yet elected to electrify the Hills line - it makes you wonder about straightening as well beforehand. I am also aware of the proposal to bring the southern line in from the north as well. Maybe the metro hills line will physically terminate a as a result. This then throws in the feasability of using the new line for MB, MtB and MG traffic.

SA - STATE ON THE MOVE

[Somebody]

For a quick burst of sanity on the issue of passenger trains:

http://transporttextbook.com/?p=509

Comments are welcome.

I thought that a route could be taken from Mitcham to Stirling or Bridgewater, but it is thru the Hills with lots of problems and of course the gradients are a problem.

Be a big hill a get up - very challenging to build.

Nobody is going to spend billions of dollars on tunnels through the Adelaide Hills for passenger trains, and the solution for a freight is a bypass coming in via the north, not trying to shove the heavy 1.5km long trains through underground tunnels several kilometres long that would cost billions to build.

If the line could be straightened and realigned then it would be more suitable for Railcar services to Mount barker and Murray Bridge.

Indeed it would be, but otherwise we have an excellent transport corridor in the area for local travel, i.e. the road.

[skyliner]

Somebody, It's interesting with all this, that the possibility of economic feasability is being considered for a passenger train from MG with a source population 25000 (with 8000 from surrounding district) people when operating. Population access along the line - Naracoorte (6000) and Bordertown (3000), M Br. 18000 - 20000. Total access pop. = about 62000 to make the train viable. Note - previous travel time to Adelaide overnight = 12 hours by train! This might destroy the whole concept of the proposal.

SA - STATE ON THE MOVE

[Shuz]

I thought we were just looking into Adelaide - Mount Barker - Murray Bridge. If it costs $59b to do a HSR between Melb-Syd, I wonder how much it'd cost to do the same here?
I'd guesstimate $7b.

[Wilfy 2007]

Somebody, It's interesting with all this, that the possibility of economic feasability is being considered for a passenger train from MG with a source population 25000 (with 8000 from surrounding district) people when operating. Population access along the line - Naracoorte (6000) and Bordertown (3000), M Br. 18000 - 20000. Total access pop. = about 62000 to make the train viable. Note - previous travel time to Adelaide overnight = 12 hours by train! This might destroy the whole concept of the proposal.

SA - STATE ON THE MOVE

skyliner,

you also need to find out the times the Bluebird did the trip in as it was much less than 12 hours back in the late 60's.

IMMSMC the bluebird left 7am or 8am and arrived in Adelaide at 5pm.

Of course the trip from Murray bridge to Adelaide by Train would be slower than the bus, but as has been pointed out the pick up points for both services are in different locations.

A modern day train with a tilt system could probably do the distance much quicker.

Regards,

[skyliner]

I also travelled to MG from Adelaide in the Bluebids - not sure of times but Wilfy, I think you are right with these. There will never be a tilt train or anything like it to MG - so the feasability of passenger rail (via M. Br - a key beneficiary) will be considered on slower trains, controlled by the degree to which the new line can cope with speed - being paid for by Protavia for freight trains only down to Tantanoola. I hope it all takes place. (reasons stated earlier in thread).

SA - STATE ON THE MOVE

[skyliner]

SE extension to MG canned without a projected start by gov't due to economic situation but Protavia line to penola still is being built. So Murray Br. will not benefit from this save for freight trains.

SA - STATE ON THE MOVE

[fabricator]

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/stor ... 82,00.html

Tailem Bend Mitsubishi test track to become industrial park

THE former Mitsubishi Motors test track at Tailem Bend will be converted into an industrial and commercial precinct in a major economic boost for the region.

The Coorong District Council has bought the land from Mitsubishi, which no longer needs the facility because it does not manufacture vehicles in Adelaide.

Mayor Roger Strother said the land was identified as being "strategically significant" to the region, as it was close to interstate highways and the Adelaide to Melbourne railway line.

The council is calling for expressions of interest for the 800ha site to be developed.

It expects motorsport clubs, aircraft maintenance companies, defence industries, solar power companies, commerce or tourism ventures to submit proposals for the site.

Mr Strother said the land included the 1.6km bitumen strip which Mitsubishi used to test its vehicles.

"The site is large and can accommodate a wide range of uses at the same time, including those that may attract tourism to the region, and create exciting employment prospects in Tailem Bend and nearby communities," he said.

"This is a fantastic opportunity to create a special interest commercial precinct that has enormous potential to attract investment and jobs in the region."

The test site is southeast of Tailem Bend next to the Dukes Highway and parts of the land could be sold or leased by council.

Good on the council for buying the land up itself so it gets a say early on in the planning. And especially for creating jobs outside of the urban sprawl.
I never knew Mitsubishi had a test track out that way.

I have to wonder though given the warehouses at Monato don't have a connection to the railway just meters from their door, how much use this new industrial estate will make use of rail.

[fabricator]

Geez it was only $10m the state government were putting in, what cheap scapes !

Last time I looked the funding had been put away due to delays in the line to Penola. The $10m was put in the bank in other words.

Still this should make a dent in Scotts transport, hopefully it will go broke after a while thus forcing the government to act on the rail line.

[pushbutton]

According to the website for puzzle park adventure playground (www.puzzlepark.com.au) in Murray Bridge it is currently closed for redevelopment.

I can't be sure if it is just their website, or the actual park that is closed.

If it is the actual park, then does anyone know what sort of redevelopment they are doing there?

It would be a major boost for SA tourism if they were actually investing in some serious major improvements / new attractions.

I've long thought that Puzzle Park, and Greenhills Adventure park are both ideally located to be major tourist attractions (and I don't just mean for Adelaide residents) but they have a lot of unfulfilled potential and really need more investment.

Potentially, either or both of these parks could develop into proper theme parks / waterparks (and maybe still have the attractions and activities they already have too, which would give them a major point of difference from Gold Coast theme parks). This would put Adelaide on the international map as a genuine tourist destination, as well as attracting more people to live here and invest here.

Anyway, I won't get too excited because I don't think they are going to do anything like that at the moment, but I am interested to know if anyone knows what's going on there with the redevelopment.

[Wayno]

I've always thought it would be great to have on-site (or adjacent) accommodation at Greenhills - similar to the resorts alongside theme parks in queensland (such as Nara Resort next to Sea World). Generates more income which can in turn be used to provide more theme park amenity...