Aren't the Liberals very unpopular in SA?  That's what I've been hearing from this side of the border anyway; maybe that's changed since the demise of Isobel Redmond.  Toxic in-fighting is always a very unseemly look.

I don't suppose anyone has seen how far the catenary/poles extend now?  I'd be interested to know -

Aren't the Liberals very unpopular in SA?  That's what I've been hearing from this side of the border anyway; maybe that's changed since the demise of Isobel Redmond.  Toxic in-fighting is always a very unseemly look.

I don't suppose anyone has seen how far the catenary/poles extend now?  I'd be interested to know -

There are masts being installed sporadically from Seaford to Woodlands Park. Complete electrification works (Which includes the wiring) have been done from Seaford to Hallet Cove/Beach I think.

There are still some areas from Hallet Cove/Beach to Woodlands Park with no masts installed at all yet. The bulk of the electrification works probably won't be occurring on the line until late next month going into July when the track work along the Noarlunga Line is pretty much near completion. Because there will be less disruptions for the electrification crew when they don't have the track crew getting in the way of their work.

So I expect the bulk of the electrification works to commence around June/July

One of my sources indicates poles going up around Oaklands.

Hi All
Finally got a decent day off to have a good look at the works along the Noarlunga Line today. Things have moved along very quickly since i last had a look. The track is all laid and ballasted from Clarence Park to the Sturt River Bridge now.With the only piece missing between East Ave and Goodwood station now (The Underpass site) The Tamper's & Ballast Regulator were working in the Marion Station area today.
Electrification works have gotten as far as Woodlands Park, with a few missing poles over Marion/Daws rd embankments and on the Up line between the Sturt river Bridge and Marion Station.
A few photos from today's works.
Tamper 1 on the Marion Rd approach Embankment.
[img]http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2806/8781105842_6a771a6ab3_m.jpg[/img]
Tamper 2 @ Marion station.
[img]http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2891/8781103622_400659da09_m.jpg[/img]
Ballast Regulator @ Ascot Park
[img]http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5443/8774536477_6b9c29c065_m.jpg[/img]
Looking Back towards Ascot Pk from Sixth ave crossing
[img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8254/8774535843_99090ed75c_m.jpg[/img]
Re-enforcing for the Overhead support poles @ Edwardstown.
[img]http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3683/8781104178_dfbaf24816_m.jpg[/img]
Not Really part of the Noarlunga Line, But, As part of the Goodwood Grade Seperation Project. A new loop is being built between Goodwood and Millswood on the Belair Line.
[img]http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5452/8774552597_13f1c07eed_m.jpg[/img]
New style hollow Sleeper for the point rodding to pass through.
[img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8542/8781121820_94ec65e533_m.jpg[/img]
And a Relic form the Past, The Former Millswood Station still reasonably intact.
[img]http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5465/8781120952_48a313bd01_m.jpg[/img]

One of my sources indicates poles going up around Oaklands.

Yeah I took a picture earlier today of the electrification crew installing masts near Oaklands level crossing heading to Warradale.

http://imageshack.us/a/img89/9983/img0017hbpb.jpg

Thanks for those pictures 85trainfan & Milkomeda - looks like they're flying along with the overhead.  The tracks look shiny already, I suppose they've been grinding them ready for use.

Thanks for those pictures 85trainfan & Milkomeda - looks like they're flying along with the overhead.  The tracks look shiny already, I suppose they've been grinding them ready for use.

Don

No grinding but a lack of rain and use by rail mounted road vehicles. The borer for the mast footings is a rail mounted pendulum type, cranes are also rail mounted.

After a sporadic beginning the mast erection now seems to be proceeding well. The installers actual get occupancy of the track section and put in baulks to protect their work site/s.

It does seem like they are doing the "easy" parts first.

Even when the wires are up there will be a lot of bonding and isolation work to be done and some existing lineside infrastructure will have to be moved.

Anyone know how they will erect masts directly through Oaklands station?

Anyone know how they will erect masts directly through Oaklands station?

The stations usually have big portal structures which cross over the platform(s) and both tracks. Have a look at the new Munno Para station for an example (although being new they did thread the poles though the shelter).

why not demolish millswood now while the works are happening!!!

Has there been a big cut-back of those huge pine trees in Edwardstown?  There's heaps of dead pine cones in them and they (did?) look like they'd explode into flames given the chance.

Has there been a big cut-back of those huge pine trees in Edwardstown?  There's heaps of dead pine cones in them and they (did?) look like they'd explode into flames given the chance.

No trees have been Trimed at Edwardstown yet. Some will have to be trimmed to met the Required Vegetation Clearance requirements thou.

Heath, No need to Demolish Millswood at the current time. The inner voice in me, secretly thinks Millswood may have a use in future years, Hence the reason it still in Reasonable condition. (I'm not opening that can of Worms thou)

back to the Upgrades, I noticed today the Rail Mounted Augur drilling the support base holes was working around Mile End this afternoon. I also heard the Company making the Steel Fabricated Overhead Supports are about a Month behind on the work.

The stations usually have big portal structures which cross over the platform(s) and both tracks. Have a look at the new Munno Para station for an example (although being new they did thread the poles though the shelter).

This is how most overhead Supports are around Infructsucre. ie Stations, Bridges, signals etc

[img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8527/8641748983_b2aace1222_m.jpg[/img]
The one Pictured is installed over Lonsdale Station.

Ballast train reverses toward the city:
[img]http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s264/billd_photo/Parkholme_May_2013_1477_zps47537b7c.jpg[/img]

Tamping above Marion Road:
[img]http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s264/billd_photo/Parkholme_May_2013_1488_zps791d45fe.jpg[/img]

Ballast train reverses toward the city:
[img]http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s264/billd_photo/Parkholme_May_2013_1477_zps47537b7c.jpg[/img]

Tamping above Marion Road:
[img]http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s264/billd_photo/Parkholme_May_2013_1488_zps791d45fe.jpg[/img]

Thank you Bill, at least there is still one person contributing to this forum positively.

Took the bustrain to Norlunga station door a look. Only had phone camera, but thought I'd share anyhow.

Is that the height the wires will be operating at or will they be raised?

Not bad for a phone camera.

Took a look from footbridge at Pt Stanvac today and also from Lonsdale Hwy.

• OH in for down track to Hallett Cove though still some finishing off to do from the trailing cross over to the Pt Stanvac stabling yards.
• Up track a work in progress, contact wire not up and carrier only tied off and not tensioned.

A lot of activity at Goodwood yesterday

• Belair track appeared continuous from Anzac Hwy to Victoria Street
• Lifting and a ballast filling in progress
• Brownhill Creek diversion still no walls west of rail track.
• Platform 3 being restored

Notice to residents etc at Goodwood of work this Sunday. The notice advises that the Belair service will resume in July.
Sunday work = Welding of rails on Belair line then packing and tamping.
Tamping will continue through the week, residents warned of rumbling and vibration.

Today

• The up points on the Millswood loop were very much in kit form; point motor being worked on this morning. These point have timber baulks not concrete as at the new junction.
• Belair track now continuous over dive though to up end of Millswood loop

SASMEE affords a great place to watch the works. Didn't get much work done!

Ian

These point have timber baulks not concrete as at the new junction.

The Tonsley junction points had brand new timber sleepers fitted and then were replaced with concrete sleepers when the tracks were joined back up. I wonder if the same will happen here. The only reason I can think of would be that wooden sleepers are lighter and therefore the whole panel of the points can be lifted and moved around without losing the setup using the available equipment. Any other ideas or actual knowledge, anyone?

Electrification works must be behind schedule?

At 2200 Sat night two men were working on the contact/catenary wire where the track crossed Lonsdale Highway using what appeared to be a rail mounted EPV. The work was conspicuous from the light spill from the advertising hoardings on the side of the bridge and the blokes (assumed) were wearing visivests.

Why?

• At night
• On a Saturday
• In the rain

Possible explanations:

• The work is so far behind (To work OT)
• They were stealing copper (I could think of less conspicuous places)
• It was a training exercise (Sod's Law says most repairs will be an a wet night)

Enjoy your Sunday. Go to Mt Barker.
Ian

The Tonsley junction points had brand new timber sleepers fitted and then were replaced with concrete sleepers when the tracks were joined back up. I wonder if the same will happen here. The only reason I can think of would be that wooden sleepers are lighter and therefore the whole panel of the points can be lifted and moved around without losing the setup using the available equipment. Any other ideas or actual knowledge, anyone?

If the timbers were brand new and then replaced with concrete baulks I think there is a more traditional explanation.

The concrete baulks are much deeper than timber by about 1/3rd and so there is less ballast underneath.

I note that the concrete sleepers are much deeper than the timber or steel they replaced.  
This could explain some of ARTC problems in the eastern states where the base has pumped through the ballast where concrete sleepers have been installed. Poor and compromised ballast with less beneath the sleeper breaks the base course lets water accumulate and then pump through.
When CR/AN put concrete sleepers from Pirie to Stirling North they raised the bridges to compensate for the increased rail height caused by the concrete sleeper thickness compared to timber.

Leader St crossing completed with asphalt this afternoon way before the official end of 5am tomorrow (Mon).
Looks relatively flat across all 4 lines. MUCH better than the old surface.
One van that crossed Friday night just before closure lost his ladder after crossing.
Made a heck of a racket but he didn't stop. That'll teach him to secure it next time!
Luckily there wasn't a car following close behind!

Thermite (Alumothermic) welding yet to be done and I'm told destress welding
could be taking place in the next 2 weeks a bit further down the Noarlunga line.

Aren't the Liberals very unpopular in SA?  That's what I've been hearing from this side of the border anyway; maybe that's changed since the demise of Isobel Redmond.  Toxic in-fighting is always a very unseemly look.

They have gained some more favourable publicity since the new leadership has been announced though, as a supporter of much more progressive policies than they espouse, I nevertheless quite liked Isabel. That having been said, election of the Liberals will bring Labor's huge increase in expenditure on bringing Adelaide's transport up-to-date to a screaming halt. I well remember holding up a placard (which I still have) supporting the extension of the tram line down King William Street and along North Terrace as one of about ten supporters scattered in a large anti-tram crowd led by Martin Hamilton-Smith on the steps of Parliament House. He's still a force to be reckoned with in the Liberal Party. Tony Abbot has explicitly ruled out funding any urban transport initiatives. Leaving aside all other policies of either major party, advocates of public transport have to consider this. When it comes to a choice between the Liberal and Labor parties, in many ways I wish a plague on both their houses, but I do want progress in the infrastructure of this country and will cast my vote accordingly.

By the way, I very much appreciate your comments on this page.

I don't suppose anyone has seen how far the catenary/poles extend now?  I'd be interested to know.

I took a trip up to Noarlunga Centre by the 'All Stations' rail substitute bus the other day. Good progress seems to have been made in stringing the catenary towards Lonsdale, with the appearance of a real electric railway across the Field River embankment a great thrill. I am 84 years old and electric suburban rail proposals have come and gone since before I was born, so you can imagine how I feel about this. Poles still had to be erected between Marino Rocks and Hallett Cove, but are now lining the route up to the underpass at Goodwood except for some which have to have special treatment during installation. Nearer to my home, I watched and photographed the installation of poles between Warradale and Oaklands, and will take a picture from the Oaklands crossing today for publication in Railpage. I have linked my new Flickr account with this group.

SAR526, yes, I hear what you are saying.  It's a terrible shame that even in the USA, the home of suburbia, they are going the other way now with the provision of quality public transport options and yet in this country there are still people like Tony Abbott and Martin Hamilton-Smith who still believe that the private car is the best option for everyone and in every situation.

Here in Melbourne we have some extreme problems with traffic congestion and yet our esteemed premier Denis Napthine's answer is to fast-track a VERY EXPENSIVE and not-needed tunnel to connect the Eastern Freeway to City Link.  It's not really wanted by anyone except maybe the trucking industry and it actually won't solve the problems that the Eastern Fwy causes to Hoddle Street because there won't be any additional exits to the city.  In the meantime our trains get so crowded at peak times they are often impossible to physically board; this has happened to me often at my local station at the peak.  

The problem is that we have a plutocracy in this country; very rich people make decisions that favor themselves and their friends and politicians of all persuasions just do as they're told.  Tollways present lovely fat opportunities for merchant banks to gouge the public on tolls and consultancy fees whereas there's not much graft to be had in building public transport options; which do you think pollies are going to choose?  Martin Hamilton-Smith is just doing as he's told by his political and economic backers -

In the meantime you have a rare situation in Adelaide where big money got spent on a decrepit and ancient rail system in an attempt to bring it in to the 21st century.  With any luck the sheer popularity of the enhanced services will be evidence enough for the Liberals to keep on track with completing the project; as you would be aware from my posts I'm a former resident who can't believe they actually got around to spending the money either so with any luck a change of state government won't result in a wholesale abandonment of the improvement program.  

Thanks also to you for your contributions to this board, the whole reason why I come here is because I'm interested in the opinions of other people even though you may not always agree with them; it's the quality of their argument that I'm interested in.  It was also interesting to hear that you were in a counter-anti tram protest, I always admire people who actually get out there and wave a placard for things they want; pollies actually get scared of people who do that.  The times that I've caught the new expanded tram service up King William street it's always been packed with tourists and locals - do you think Martin Hamilton-Smith would change his mind on account of that?