COM: Glenelg Tramline Upgrade

[jimmy_2486]

It actually embarrases me how people can kick up a big stink about very minute traffic. Makes us look stupid to big city people who come here probably expecting big traffic and then think....what the hell are they whining about??

[Omicron]

Motorists are complaining because public transport is blocking their way home?

Priceless.

[talrok]

I don't think its the trams .. we are forgetting that Bakewell Underpass still not finished .. I've noticed my bus ride home (132) there is a shit load of cars at cnr West Tce and Nth Tce intersection (old Heaven) which surely banks up to cnr Nth Tce and KWS .. bakewell (Henley Beach Road) is one of only say 4 major roads leading to the west from the city (Port Rd, Henley Bch Rd, Burbridge, Anzac Hwy) .. so if you shut off 1/4 of those roads (ie. henley) then there is your problem .. I think once this is up and running it will be much better.
But then Sth Road will get into 2nd gear then look out for the whingers and B-grade news reporters talking shit each night!!!!

[skyliner]

You know, Froggy could be just acting as a 'devil's advocate' to get us thinking about generalisations he has come across. Good to hear from a different viewpoint, but seriously wrong about tram/congestion issue.

As aid before, PT is meant to remove cars, not compete or give preferences to them. I say go ahead with more tracks and get a real system going. The general public response puts all critiscism in the shadows. Like it or lump it, it's ...

ADELAIDE - A CITY ON THE MOVE

[Shuz]

I think with all the rail corridors across the metro, both light and heavy rail need to have level crossings eliminated, with the exception of trams using roads for throughfare.

[Norman]

Testing uploading direct from my phone...

EDIT: Looks like it worked

[Tom]

It's laughable for all of you in here to whinge about the people whinging about the tram because from what I've read, absolutley none of you deal with the tram on a daily basis to experience what everyone else has.

Froggy, The tram is my principle means of transport other then walking. I have only really noticed self centered drivers doing dangerous things around the trams. May I ask do you get Tram everyday? Infact do you use Public Transport everyday?

[jimmy_2486]

I use them everyday aswell to get to uni and home and I love the service. I dunno why we arnt serisouly considering a big plan to replace alot of the buses that come into the city with trams.

[Norman]

Mostly cost i'd say. It's not cheap, first you have to lay the track, and then invest in more rolling stock.

[Ben]

From the Messenger:

Going back to the future

Chris Day

30Oct07

THE old fleet of 1929 City to Bay trams might be brought back into regular service this month to fix overcrowding on the network.

Operator TransAdelaide said the number of fare-paying passengers riding the tram had risen by about 1000 a day, to about 6000, since the Victoria Square to City West extension opened last month.

The total passenger increase would be far greater, however, because the figure does not include those riding the tram for free between South Tce and North Tce.

``We don't know yet if the old trams will be back but it is an option,'' TransAdelaide general manager Bill Watson said.

He said the new service had been running for only two weeks and it was too early to say if the rise in patronage would be permanent of just a ``novelty factor''.
The five old H-Class trams are only used as a tourist attraction on weekends and public holidays.

A decision on whether or not to reinstate them to the weekday service adding to the 11 new $5 million trams may be made by mid-November.

Passenger overcrowding on the trams has gained media coverage this week.

Incidents included people not being able to get on a tram at all, people being forced to use taxis and buses and others reverting to their cars to get to work.

Among the disgruntled travellers was Michelle Bampton, of Glenelg: ``It's more packed and I don't put my ticket in because I can't get to the machine it's horrible.

``It's late, both in the morning and on the way home, and they shouldn't have got rid of the B-Line bus.

``It's definitely putting me off using the trams and I'm thinking about driving in and parking.''

Transport Minister Patrick Conlon said no money was earmarked in the current budget for more new trams.

He said, in any case, the relatively small number of trams needed in Adelaide, compared with orders from other cities in the world, made it hard secure a fast supply of new trams.

``Even if we wanted to buy them next week we couldn't. We need to piggyback on a larger order,'' Mr Conlon said.

``When we bought the new trams for the enhanced Glenelg line we made it clear the trams were here to stay.

``As we need new trams we'll buy them in the future.''

[AG]

I wonder if these 4-module trams that Lisbon ordered would be suitable for Adelaide. These are the Combino Plus trams built by Siemens, one which was running around the Melbourne tram network before being delivered to Lisbon.

http://www.siemens.com.au/transportatio ... etail.html

A few videos of it while it was in Melbourne:
http://video.google.com.au/videoplay?do ... &plindex=5

http://video.google.com.au/videoplay?do ... &plindex=6

Those 4-module trams should fit onto the existing platforms (the existing trams don't take up the entire length of the platforms). The platforms are 38m long, with the Combino Plus trams being 36.4m long. Ideally, they'd be operating City West-Glenelg services as these services see greater loads than the City West-South Terrace shuttles, which should be operated only by the Flexity trams. The Combino Plus trams have a capacity of 232 people compared to the Flexity's 179.

[urban]

How does the Combino's 2.65m width compare with the Flexity? It appears to be a wider tram from the internal photo (that might just be because of good photography)

[AG]

How does the Combino's 2.65m width compare with the Flexity? It appears to be a wider tram from the internal photo (that might just be because of good photography)

It is wider, the Flexity's are only 2.4m wide. There are gaps between the trams and the platforms, but that could still pose clearance issues for wider trams such as the Combino Plus.

By comparison, the old H-class trams are also 2.65m wide, but they clear the top of the platforms.

[urban]

These seem to be the trams that they should have bought from the start. I have used the tram probably 40-50 times and have only had a seat twice. If the capacity was increased by 60 the trips would be much more comfortable. It is currently very difficult for 2 people to pass down the aisle between seats which can make getting off quite difficult.

The selection of trams is the only major thing they have got wrong with the upgrade. They may have been forced into buying the Flexity because of availability reasons with such small orders.

[crawf]

One thing I hate about the new trams is the hard seats.

Caught the tram from UniSA City West to South Terrace on tuesday and the tram is definitely getting faster