Just wondering if the Torrens Rail Junction Project has been completed.

https://www.dpti.sa.gov.au/torrens-rail-junction

The altered AC would simply be a change in fan speed. And even then it's still too loud! If the 3000 class can have effective silent AC, so should the newer 4000 class.

It could be that you don't hear the A/C in a 3000 over the noise of the diesel engines.

I also think the AC in the 3000 is substantially less powerful than the AC in the spark sets. Then as Don says, the AC is likely just as loud, but due to the excessive noise of the genset you just cannot perceive it.

Just wondering if the Torrens Rail Junction Project has been completed.

https://www.dpti.sa.gov.au/torrens-rail-junction

Apart from landscaping works and the part of the shared path to the west of Bowden station, yes.

From what I read Bombadier has been having financial difficulties over the past few years but its financial position is improving by the year.

In the Aerospace division they have limited competition in their segment of the market (up to 150 seats, Both turbo prop and jet).    Certainly the big two, Boeing and Airbus, haven't occupied  this market, save for the short lived Boeing 717.    Airbus have a 50.1% interest with Bombadier in the company marketing the C series jet.

In the Transportation division there are big orders for the USA, New York MTA, and in Europe.   They have more competition in this sector, however.

I see no reason to shun Bombadier for rolling stock supply,  subject to an open tendering process.   Remember  an order for 15 trains, 45 vehicles, is a very small order compared to some overseas orders, one of 750 vehicles for the UK.

I would not recommend shunning Bombardier either, but under no circumstances should they be considered on anything better than equal terms with other bidders and even that should wait until they have fixed the remaining issues with the A-City fleet.

There are other more nimble companies which specialise in filling small orders without cutting corners, they should be given a fair run at the deal.

... until they have fixed the remaining issues with the A-City fleet.

What's your gripe ?

Terrible ride quality on lower numbered units, deafening air con on lower numbered units (which is no more effective than those which were fixed or fitted with the quieter systems from new) and rattling interior fittings.

Worth a hefty discount on any subsequent order from Bombardier if they continue their refusal to fix them.

I recall going on 4003 in early 2014, but I don't remember anything annoying about it in contrast to today. It still had the longer but less bossy and intrusive station announcements with the female voice.

I didn't find it's aircon to be painfully loud, but I guess I'm yet to end up on one of the rogue sets mentioned. I think I've only been on 4010, 4019, and one other unidentified set in the 401_ range.

If it is causing headaches to passengers, it is entirely unacceptable and needs to be reported ASAP as a potential health risk. Public transport that is unpleasant to ride is not exactly encouraging to potential patrons. But I have a gut feeling that the DPTI doesn't care about this due to it potentially resulting in patronage numbers decreasing and hence less services possibly being required.

The worst buses on the road already provide about 80% of PT services on weekends and after hours.

Terrible ride quality on lower numbered units, deafening air con on lower numbered units (which is no more effective than those which were fixed or fitted with the quieter systems from new) and rattling interior fittings.

Worth a hefty discount on any subsequent order from Bombardier if they continue their refusal to fix them.

I've never witnessed rattly interior fittings, in fact I think the quiet at speed is impressive - much better than the X'trapolis in Melbourne. Anyway - I'm no expert, what do I know.

Just wondering if the Torrens Rail Junction Project has been completed.

https://www.dpti.sa.gov.au/torrens-rail-junction

Apart from landscaping works and the part of the shared path to the west of Bowden station, yes.

There are a couple of outstanding matters.  The automated pedestrian crossings at Torrens Jn and North Adelaide have yet to be commissioned.  While the old crossings at  North Adelaide are available, the junction crossing is currently fenced off.  The new ARTC signal south of N Adel is also awaiting commissioning.

In the T2T work the new ped crossings from West St to Croydon also await commissioning.

Just wondering if the Torrens Rail Junction Project has been completed.

https://www.dpti.sa.gov.au/torrens-rail-junction

Apart from landscaping works and the part of the shared path to the west of Bowden station, yes.

There are a couple of outstanding matters.  The automated pedestrian crossings at Torrens Jn and North Adelaide have yet to be commissioned.  While the old crossings at  North Adelaide are available, the junction crossing is currently fenced off.  The new ARTC signal south of N Adel is also awaiting commissioning.

In the T2T work the new ped crossings from West St to Croydon also await commissioning.

Thanks for the information justapassenger and 62430.

I have interstate visitors coming next month who haven't been to Adelaide much in the past. They are renting a car for some of their visit but I've suggested a number of wondrous Adelaide public transport trips we could take over (say) two days. I guess the best option would be to get them Admet cards with $10 (or so) each on them.

The OBahn is a must because I've talked it up a lot and they caught glimpses of it last time they were here but no P/T at all as it was a fleeting driving tour of SA.

Not sure if there would be time to do both Glenelg tram to Glenelg and the new-fangled electric train to Seaford (or at least Noarlunga and back) - I think the view over the Spencer Gulf in places is well worth it; but on the other hand Glenelg tram shows you remnants of our version of Blackpool/Brighton.

Suggestions/comments...

INCIDENTALLY I notice driving along the Torrens to Torrens (South Rd) project that they've almost laid all the bitumen -

Try this: Obahn to Tea Tree Plaza to take in the bus tunnel, then bus to Port Adelaide Railway station (every half hour or so), train back to Adelaide to use the Torrens Junction underpass, train to Seaford and back, then return trip to Glenelg.

It can easily be done in a day particularly if you arrange to be at Glenelg dinner time.

Refreshments are available at Port Adelaide, McDonalds, Noarlunga Centre, Adelaide and Glenelg.

No PT tour of Adelaide is complete without a trip to see the picturesque vistas around Smithfield station.

For the life of me I cannot see what makes Smithfield station exceptional any more. It was an interesting country station fifty years ago...

No PT tour of Adelaide is complete without a trip to see the picturesque vistas around Smithfield station.

Foodland Munno Para is an exceptionally good supermarket, I always stop in there if I'm out that way.

Try this: Obahn to Tea Tree Plaza to take in the bus tunnel, then bus to Port Adelaide Railway station (every half hour or so), train back to Adelaide to use the Torrens Junction underpass, train to Seaford and back, then return trip to Glenelg.

It can easily be done in a day particularly if you arrange to be at Glenelg dinner time.

Refreshments are available at Port Adelaide, McDonalds, Noarlunga Centre, Adelaide and Glenelg.

Tea Tree Plaza to Port Adelaide is an hourly service from Zone H Tea Tree Plaza to Port Adelaide.   There is a stop immediately under the railway station.  Route 361 leaving at 09:24, 10:24, 11:24, 12:24, 13:24, 14:24 then roughly half hourly until 17:30.   It takes around 45 minutes.

Try this: Obahn to Tea Tree Plaza to take in the bus tunnel, then bus to Port Adelaide Railway station (every half hour or so), train back to Adelaide to use the Torrens Junction underpass, train to Seaford and back, then return trip to Glenelg.

It can easily be done in a day particularly if you arrange to be at Glenelg dinner time.

Refreshments are available at Port Adelaide, McDonalds, Noarlunga Centre, Adelaide and Glenelg.

Tea Tree Plaza to Port Adelaide is an hourly service from Zone H Tea Tree Plaza to Port Adelaide.   There is a stop immediately under the railway station.  Route 361 leaving at 09:24, 10:24, 11:24, 12:24, 13:24, 14:24 then roughly half hourly until 17:30.   It takes around 45 minutes.

My only concern with that is a fairly long bus trip mostly along Grand Junction Rd with some scenery that probably isn't Adelaide's best...

Stay on the O-Bahn bus through to Salisbury (nice view as you come down from Golden Grove) and catch the train back to Adelaide, skip the Outer Harbor line completely.

You would still get one reasonably recent underpass, on the Seaford line.

It is probably worth going all the way to Seaford to use the Onkaparinga viaduct; I agree regarding the coastal views from Marino to Lonsdale (almost).
I agree with Justapax on his route proposal.

I have interstate visitors coming next month who haven't been to Adelaide much in the past. They are renting a car for some of their visit but I've suggested a number of wondrous Adelaide public transport trips we could take over (say) two days. I guess the best option would be to get them Admet cards with $10 (or so) each on them.

The OBahn is a must because I've talked it up a lot and they caught glimpses of it last time they were here but no P/T at all as it was a fleeting driving tour of SA.

Not sure if there would be time to do both Glenelg tram to Glenelg and the new-fangled electric train to Seaford (or at least Noarlunga and back) - I think the view over the Spencer Gulf in places is well worth it; but on the other hand Glenelg tram shows you remnants of our version of Blackpool/Brighton.

Suggestions/comments...

INCIDENTALLY I notice driving along the Torrens to Torrens (South Rd) project that they've almost laid all the bitumen -

If your validations are going to amount to more than the cost of one off peak validation and two peak ones, then do yourself a favour and purchase a day trip ticket. What I mean is that if you are going to validate at 8:30AM, and then say 10:40, 12:45, and 2:40, and 5:00 you will be overcharged. The day trip ticket prevents you from being ripped off, but only if you get decent use out of it. Full fares are charged outside of 9AM-3PM on weekdays, all day Saturday, with half price fares charged all day Sundays and public holidays. Depending on what time of the week you will be visiting, you will have to calculate your (likely) validations in advance if you want to avoid being potentially ripped off.

Otherwise you are just donating money to the DPTI. There is no daily cap for the smart card system in Adelaide, and the DPTI has no plans to change this due to wanting every cent possible. Even the barriers at Adelaide railway station deduct a fare if the 2 hour window has expired, regardless of whether or not you will be using PT again.

It's all about $ in their pocket, with a 'do I look like I give a ****?' attitude towards patrons.

There isn't a thread for NOT goings on, so I'll post this here.

I went past the Oaklands Crossing site for the first time in a couple of weeks today.

I am pleased to report that the seven weeks since the site depot was set up has seen a breathtaking rate of progress on the work. A billboard has been taken down and two temporary fences have been erected.

One of those fences was new since I last went past a fortnight ago, good to see two solid weeks of hard work producing such rapid change.

At that time two weeks ago, a pair of blokes in crisp new hi-vis vests were inspecting a tree located right where the future track will be located to the south* of the present lines. The tree is still standing two weeks later I can only assume that they were artists preparing to paint a picture of the tree, maybe the same guys responsible for the Traffic Lights Masked By Bags sculpture which celebrates the unregulated primacy of the automobile at the Alawoona Ave entrance to the former Mitsubishi factory.

If the Oaklands project was being done by the Japanese, it would either be nearing completion after seven weeks or the project manager would have committed seppuku. Let's hope the pace upgrades from tectonic to glacial at some point in the near future.



* for those who have not been keeping up to date, the original design of the future tracks following the current alignment and service being maintained during construction using temporary tracks has since been revised to have the new tracks and station located to the south of the present one, with it joining the rest of the route using a S-bend on the eastern end and a tighter curve after the underpass on the western side.

Yeah why would they want to have a full completed issued for construction design ready before commencing major works, it sure would be stupid of them to lock that down before plowing ahead.

Much better that they start works pre-IFC at significant risk to the project just to keep people without a clue of how major infrastructure is delivered happy!

Drove past South Road works yesterday and the progress is incredible, it appears that the trench walls are all complete and they're still busy laying bitumen - I can imagine it will be finished by September as expected.

Can anyone tell me what happened to Colonades Shopping Centre - they only renovated that place top to bottom in 2016 and its nearly completely empty on the ground floor. I knew that the closure of Myer would hit that centre hard but frankly the place was a ghost town and the main centre upstairs isn't much better - I'd be very concerned if I were the centre's owner (Vicinity). I guess the problem is that with the Southern Expressway you can be at Marion in 20 minutes so why would you bother with somewhere dying like Colonades?

The problems are mainly with the layout of Colonnades and its surroundings.

For a start, it's way too big. Colonnades is about 650m from one end of the mall to the other, Marion (in a better catchment area) is about 460m and was only extended once the smaller centre was already shown to be a sustainable success.

Secondly, there's a wall of other buildings forming a barrier obstructing the way from the front car parks (and public transport) to the centre, many of which are welfare and JSA providers. Myer was a particular victim of this, in that it was a long way from the southern car parks and anyone coming from the front car parks had to walk past all the JSA clients smoking and yakking near the centre entrance.

Finally, the smaller centre at Marion includes stuff other than retail which people like (Event Cinemas, Bowland) while Colonnades has to fill all their shops while that stuff is all a lengthy walk away across the Great Dividing Railway - even longer if you want to stay outside rather than going through the dingy station complex.

A good way to improve the ambience would be to shift all the JSA providers to the building just vacated by Toys R Us, and a complete rebuild of the station with a more open and airy layout like those at Seaford or Mawson Lakes.