U/C: Electrification & Upgrade of the Adelaide Rail Network

[Tonsley213]

Less sensational story from the ABC:

City Railway Station to shut for a month
ABC News Online, 18 August 2012

The Adelaide Railway Station will shut early next year as maintenance work is carried out, the Transport Department says.

The timing of the closure is yet to be determined, but the department says the period from early January to early February is being considered.

The work will include a track upgrade and rail electrification.

The Rail, Train and Bus Union says it has been told about the plan.

In a statement, the Transport Department said the January-February period was chosen because it is the quietest time of the year for the rail network.

"Track upgrade and electrification works associated with the Noarlunga (Seaford) Line and Adelaide Rail Yard are scheduled for completion in 2013," it said.

"While operational and contractual matters are still to be finalised, this is the preferred time for a closure of the rail yard to allow for work to be done safely and efficiently.

"The department expects to finalise a program of works in coming weeks, including a communication campaign to ensure passengers have all the information they need to plan their journeys and access the alternative services that will be provided."

The closure will be the latest interruption to the rail network after track upgrades led to significantly longer trips along the Gawler and Noarlunga lines.

Journeys along the Gawler line were extended by close to half an hour last summer when passengers were forced to switch from buses to trains at Mawson Lakes.

I would hope that if they are undertaking works to prepare for the electrification of the Noarlunga line, that they do the works for all the lines. It's bad enough to close the station once, but if they were to do it again...

Mate if they prep it now, by time they get around to spark up the rest, every thing that they put up in the railway station will be absolutely covered in soot. I would imagine they will be adjusting track widths as to allow for poles ect. It wouldn't need to be closed otherwise.

And to those wingers, I am sure the decision to close the station would not have come lightly. Furthermore the time period that it is closed for is mostly during the Christmas break. There maybe an inconvenience for a week or two when work resumes. Look I would have more of a right to complain about them closing the station because I live at Marion and go to university at Mawson Lakes, and the whole period of my summer classes are scheduled right at the same times of this closure. So shut up and don't complain, especially if you do not even catch the train.

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[Verbatim9]

Hopefully they will complete all the electrical wiring on all the platforms to prevent future disruptions at the station. Despite the closure stated in the paper and other media outlets the government should also communicate alternative transport well in advance as what Perth did this weekend on the Transperth website with a Progress in Works video also outlining alternative transport. http://www.pta.wa.gov.au/perthcitylink/Videos/tabid/548/language/en-US/Default.aspx

[rubberman]

And to those wingers, I am sure the decision to close the station would not have come lightly. Furthermore the time period that it is closed for is mostly during the Christmas break. There maybe an inconvenience for a week or two when work resumes. Look I would have more of a right to complain about them closing the station because I live at Marion and go to university at Mawson Lakes, and the whole period of my summer classes are scheduled right at the same times of this closure. So shut up and don't complain, especially if you do not even catch the train.

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The problem is simply that other places manage to be able to do massive building works and yet keep their transport systems running.

This just adds to a list of projects where Adelaide just shuts down its systems because it has lost the technical capacity to manage the work-arounds. I cite as other examples, the shutdowns of the mainlines during relaying. This is simply not done elsewhere - those running the systems know how to keep them going while work is in progress.

This is not happening because it is necessary, it is happening because Adelaide now does not have the technical expertise to do better. What I object to is, that rather than admit they are shutting the station down because they don't know how to work around the problems, we are fed a line of nonsense that it is the only way the outcome can be achieved. Like most people, I don't like being fed a line of nonsense. It also makes me wonder what other lines I am being fed by the authorities.

The reason for pointing this out, is NOT to whinge, but to say that until the authorities admit that they really lack some basic basic knowledge (I mean $6m for second hand Citadis, when the Going Price for a much superior Skoda 15T is less than $4m is a further example of how uninformed we are), we will never address that lack of knowledge. If we keep on pretending that we know what we are doing, and dismissing any criticism as 'whinging', then we are just going to keep getting treated like mugs, with worse and worse service interruptions and higher prices.

[rev]

The problem is simply that other places manage to be able to do massive building works and yet keep their transport systems running.

This just adds to a list of projects where Adelaide just shuts down its systems because it has lost the technical capacity to manage the work-arounds. I cite as other examples, the shutdowns of the mainlines during relaying. This is simply not done elsewhere - those running the systems know how to keep them going while work is in progress.

This is not happening because it is necessary, it is happening because Adelaide now does not have the technical expertise to do better. What I object to is, that rather than admit they are shutting the station down because they don't know how to work around the problems, we are fed a line of nonsense that it is the only way the outcome can be achieved. Like most people, I don't like being fed a line of nonsense. It also makes me wonder what other lines I am being fed by the authorities.

The reason for pointing this out, is NOT to whinge, but to say that until the authorities admit that they really lack some basic basic knowledge (I mean $6m for second hand Citadis, when the Going Price for a much superior Skoda 15T is less than $4m is a further example of how uninformed we are), we will never address that lack of knowledge. If we keep on pretending that we know what we are doing, and dismissing any criticism as 'whinging', then we are just going to keep getting treated like mugs, with worse and worse service interruptions and higher prices.

What other places? Show some specific examples were similar work was carried out above bare naked train lines that were still in operation.

If for no other reason then so we can all avoid traveling to such a place that cares little for public safety.

The Citadis were brand new units that sat in storage and were never put into operation. How they came off the assembly line is how they arrived in Melbourne.

[Norman]

My guess as to the works that will be carried out during the Noarlunga Line shutdown:
-Resleepering of the remainder of the line (obvious)
-Building the Goodwood underpass (obvious)
-Rebuilding or renovation of the Marion station, possibly also something happening with the Warradale, Edwardstown and Woodlands Park stations
-Electrification of most (if not all) of the line
-Construction of the Marino Rocks Greenway between Emerson Road and Bryon Road

[Tonsley213]

So why do you feed us multiple lines of nonsence?

Adelaide could well have kept the station open, but the lack of platform and no through running would have put a massive stop to it. Also the price for keeping the platforms open while work happens is so much more than just closing. Also time, it would take nearly three times as long and disadvantage many more people because it would be happening during time that people work in the city.

To you comment about other systems keeping open.
Some systems maybe able to do MINOR track work while the system is open, but that is only in very small sections, of the first upgrade of gawler was to be done this way it would still not be half finished. The London Underground is shutdown constantly by engineering works, and that system is infinatly more important not to shut down than ours.

I reckon this guy dosen't live in Adelaide, but actually lives in Melbourne and can't handle Adelaide investing money to bring their railways up to scratch, and actually have a smartcard system that is already working. Either that or in an underground troll village.

So just shut your victorian mouth and stop winging like a bloody Pom.

Temporary pain for long term gain.

[Eurostar]

Why did we have to put a hotel and convention centre on top of the station? Who ever thought of that? Seriously.

[Aidan]

So why do you feed us multiple lines of nonsence?
...
Temporary pain for long term gain.

So why do you feed us multiple lines of propaganda?

What long term gain do you imagine extending the Convention Centre will bring rail passengers?

Just because there's long term gain doesn't mean the temporary pain is justified. Sometimes the long term benefits are too small to justify the major inconvenience, and sometimes there are ways of getting the same results with far less inconvenience.

The Belair Line upgrade shows that Adelaide has the capability to keep one track running while working on the other, yet the DTEI/DPTI went for the lazy option of upgrading both at once. And the Noarlunga line closure was done in a way that seemed to maximize disruption.

For the Convention Centre extension, the work should be scheduled to confine the hazardous movements to nights when the trains aren't running. The occasional weekend closure may be justified, but an eztended closure during the time when lots of people work in the City certainly isn't. And I think you'll find most City workers DON'T take January off.

The London Underground occasionally shuts lines for major engineering work. The confined spaces leave it with no other option, and unlike in Adelaide the service is far too frequent for single track running to be considered.

[Norman]

If the Adelaide Yard is being rebuilt as well, how would they be able to continue running the lines?

[claybro]

Might have been a good opportunity to close Woodlands park and Edwardstown stations and combine the two at a new site closer to Castle Plaza and the new housing developement. There is room for carparking at the corner of this developement site.
Benefits would include 1 less station on this line, therefore speed up travel times to the city. And move the station to be within an easy walk of Castle Plaza this would make Castle Plaza more of a destination from neighbouring suburbs. This location would be roughly half way between Ascot Park and Emerson station.

[Tonsley213]

It is the upgrading of the yard is what I am getting at. If it was just the convention centre it would not be justified.

[85trainfan]

For the Convention Centre extension, the work should be scheduled to confine the hazardous movements to nights when the trains aren't running. The occasional weekend closure may be justified, but an eztended closure during the time when lots of people work in the City certainly isn't. And I think you'll find most City workers DON'T take January off.

Excatley, If heavy loads over rail lines is an issue next year, why not at present with the current works?

It is the upgrading of the yard is what I am getting at. If it was just the convention centre it would not be justified.

So, the all the lines need to be stopped? even if the Gawler line doesn't come over to the Noarlunga lines path? A logical solution would have been to do close the Belair line tracks in the yard, No Noarlunga/seaford line so there's anther two out the way, Leaves only the Gawler and Outer Harbour lines to worry about. I'm sure they can operate off 4 Platforms. When the first 5 platforms(or area is complete) Switch them around.

DTEI/DPTI went for the lazy option

I think this just sums it up nicely. We wouldn't want our public service personal to work to hard now, would we

Anther problem caused by this shutdown, Travelers from the outer suburbs, that also have a bus service that can do the trip in around similar time will use these services(because we all know, everyone hates changing modes/vechiles unless they really have too), Thus filling the services quicker. Will any consideration be made to ensure adequate buses are used to cope with the extra demand?

[rubberman]

If the Adelaide Yard is being rebuilt as well, how would they be able to continue running the lines?

An excellent question.

One which has occurred before. The Adelaide Railway Station has been rebuilt several times in the past. In those times, the station was busier than it is now with not only suburban commuters, but interstate and country trains as well.

See, we could do it once. We cannot do it now. My first point above.
The fact that people accept the story that we cannot do now what we used to be able to do in the past, illustrates my second point.

For those challenging me for examples, Prague is doing some serious track maintenance on its metro. (It is a city with approximately the same number of inhabitants as Adelaide, so comparable). Guess what, it only takes those out of service at nights or on weekends if it wants to do renewals. But then again, it has a metro for its 1.3m people. Or geez, I know, how about Adelaide not letting its infrastructure get so bad in the first place?

I merely ask, why is it that we were able to rebuild Adelaide Railway Station in the much busier past without stopping the whole show, but now we cannot? And why are we not only prepared to accept that we cannot do now what we once were able to do, but also get angry at people who point out that if we acknowledge our weaknesses, maybe that is the first stage toward addressing them?

[SouthAussie94]

The Belair Line upgrade shows that Adelaide has the capability to keep one track running while working on the other, yet the DTEI/DPTI went for the lazy option of upgrading both at once.

The Belair line only has 1 track...

[Verbatim9]

Why did we have to put a hotel and convention centre on top of the station? Who ever thought of that? Seriously.

I would rather a full line express supermarket and food outlets than a hotel on top of the station unless it was mixed use that included both the hotel and supermarket. Even though there is Rundle mall there is still nothing around the station.

Similar to this in Utrecht in the Netherlands

http://translate.google.com.au/translate?hl=en&sl=nl&u=http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Station_Utrecht_Centraal&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dutrecht%2Bcentral%2Bstation%2Bwinkelcentrum%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26prmd%3Dimvns&sa=X&ei=RiMyUOflBqyciAfu_YHIBg&ved=0CFwQ7gEwAg

Dutch Rail (NS) Station Retailing

http://translate.google.com.au/translate?hl=en&sl=nl&u=http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/NS_Stations_Retailbedrijf&prev=/search%3Fq%3DAlbert%2Bheijn%2Butrecht%2Bcentraal%2Bwiki%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26sa%3DX%26rls%3Den%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D680%26prmd%3Dimvnso&sa=X&ei=2iUyUOqxFKS9iAez1oGIDA&ved=0CFkQ7gEwAw