TransAdelaide
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
TransAdelaide is a publicly owned corporation which provides suburban train and tram services in Adelaide, South Australia, under contract to the Government of South Australia.
Between 1 July 1994 and 22 April 2000 TransAdelaide also operated local bus services in Adelaide. All metropolitan bus routes have since been transferred to private companies, but TransAdelaide has retained the contract to maintain and operate the rail system until at least April 2010.
TransAdelaide is fully integrated into the Adelaide Metro public transport system. Adelaide Metro is a trading brand of the S.A Government’s Office of Public Transport, which provides funding, coordination and a central publicity and marketing service for public transport in the city. Adelaide Metro also administers the Metroticket system, which allows unlimited transfers between all buses, trains and trams in the Adelaide metropolitan area within a ticket’s period of validity.
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[edit] Operations
Currently TransAdelaide operates four main rail lines and two branch lines, with a total length of 120km. In 2006 there are 240 round-trip train journeys on Monday to Fridays (plus an extra two on Fridays), 95 on Saturdays and 88 on Sundays. In the 12 months to 30 June 2005, the train system was used by a total of 11.2 million passengers, while 2.1 million used the Glenelg tram.
Adelaide is the only suburban rail network in mainland Australia which has not been electrified, despite several studies and proposals by governments throughout the 20th century. After retiring the last of the aging Redhen railcars in 1996, TransAdelaide now operates 94 broad gauge diesel railcars, split into four types - the diesel-hydraulic powered 2000 and 2100 classes and the diesel-electric 3000 and 3100 class. All are maintained by Bombardier at a central depot adjacent to Adelaide station.
The Adelaide-Glenelg tram line is also operated and maintained by TransAdelaide. The tram line is undergoing a major AU$71 million overhaul in 2005 - 2006 with new Bombardier Flexity light-rail vehicles replacing the aging H-type trams which have been in service since 1929. During 2006 the tram line will be extended from its current city terminus at Victoria Square along King William St. to the railway station. This extension is scheduled to open in 2007.
[edit] Organisation Development
TransAdelaide is a corporate body, wholly owned by the Government of South Australia. It was established on 1 July 1994 as a result of the Passenger Transport Act 1994.
This legislation replaced South Australia’s previous government-controlled transit agency, the State Transport Authority (STA) with a new Public Transport Board (PTB), which coordinated and funded the public transport system, and TransAdelaide which actually operated the services. The aims of the change were to bring a more customer-focused approach to public transport, to reverse a long-term trend of falling passenger numbers, and to implement financial efficiencies to control increasing government subsidies required to maintain the system.
When formed, TransAdelaide took over control of the whole former STA bus network in Adelaide, as well as the suburban train system and the single remaining tram line to Glenelg. TransAdelaide ran buses from the seven STA depots at
-
- Aldgate
- Elizabeth
- Lonsdale
- Mile End
- Morphettville
- Port Adelaide
- St.Agnes
This was an interim arrangement, partly the result of a political deal to get the 1994 Act passed by the S.A. Parliament and partly to allow details of a competitive tendering arrangement to be put into place.
In early 1995, Adelaide’s public transport system was divided into a number of geographical contract areas. In September 1995 the first negotiated contract was awarded to Hills Transit (a wholly owned subsidiary of TransAdelaide) for bus services to Aldgate and Mount Barker in the Adelaide Hills.
The first competitively tendered contracts for bus services in the metro area were awarded in January 1996 to Serco for the Outer North of the metro area and to TransAdelaide for the Outer South.
The TransAdelaide (Corporate Structure) Act 1998 came into effect in January 1999 and reformed the management structure of TransAdelaide. These changes provided the State Government with shareholder rights and obligations and gave TransAdelaide the opportunity to operate with a clear business charter under the guidance of a politically independent and commercially astute Board of Directors who have the professional skills and business backgrounds to provide a strong commercial influence on strategic decision-making.
The next round of contract negotiations in 2000 resulted in TransAdelaide losing all its remaining bus services to private operators Serco, Torrens Transit, SouthLink and Transitplus (although Transitplus is actually a joint venture between TransAdelaide and Australian Transit Enterprises).
Since April 2000, TransAdelaide’s main focus has been on operating the rail and tram systems. In April 2005 the Government renewed TransAdelaide’s contracts to operate and maintain the rail/tram system until April 2010.
[edit] TransAdelaide Railcars and Trams
[edit] 3000-class
Each 3000-class diesel railcar has driving cabs at both ends and can operate singly, or in multiple with other 3000 and 3100-class units to build up trains of 2, 3 or 4 cars.
TransAdelaide regularly uses single cars on lightly-patronised routes such as the Tonsley and Grange lines, and on the main lines at weekends or in the evening.
When delivered from the builders, all 3000 and 3100-class railcars were painted in an orange and blue State Transport Authority livery. In recent years, most have been repainted into the South Australian State colours of yellow, blue and red which are standard across the Adelaide Metro bus and light rail fleets. Railcars: 3017,3018, 3025, 3026, 3027, 3028, 3029, and 3030 are fitted with hard seats. Only a few of the newest railcars in the fleet still retain the original orange & blue and this is expected to disappear with the next scheduled overhaul.
All of the 30 original 3000-class units are still in service.
| 3000-class Railcars | |
|---|---|
| Track Gauge: | Broad Gauge 1600mm (5ft 3in) |
| Transmission: | Diesel-electric |
| Power Plant: | One Twin turbo-charged Mercedes Benz V-12 354kW (475 hp) direct injection underfloor diesel engine + 400kVA alternator powering one bogie. |
| Number in class: | 30 |
| Unit numbers: | 3001 - 3030 |
| Introduced: | 1987 to 1996 |
| Built by: | 3001 - 08 Comeng 3009 - 30 Clyde GM |
| Passenger Seating Capacity: | 106 |
| Weight: | 48 tonnes |
[edit] 3100 Class
3100-class railcars are generally similar to the 3000-class, but have only one driving cab per car. They always operate in pairs as two-car sets, or in multiple with other 3000 or 3100-class units to form longer trains. Usually, they operate as consecutively numbered pairs (e.g. 3107 with 3108, 3109 with 3110). On rare occasions, depending on maintenance needs, they can be seen in service as non-matched pairs, or a single 3100 joined to a 3000-class car. (Due to differences in the rear couplers, only Clyde-built 3100-class can be coupled with 3000’s in this way).
Both the 3000 and 3100-class units were built in two batches, by two different manufacturers (see table). The two railcar sets; 3116-3117 and 3131-3140 have hard passenger seats like the few 3000 railcars mentioned above. However the two comeng and clyde batches are virtually identical.
All 3100-class railcars are currently in service.
| 3100-class Railcars | |
|---|---|
| Track Gauge: | Broad Gauge 1600mm (5ft 3in) |
| Transmission: | Diesel-Electric |
| Power Plant: | One Twin turbo-charged Mercedes Benz V-12 354kW (475 hp) direct injection underfloor diesel engine + 400kVA alternator powering one bogie. |
| Number in class: | 40 |
| Unit numbers: | 3101 - 3140 |
| Introduced: | 1988 to 1996 |
| Built by: | 3101 - 12 Comeng 3113 - 40 Clyde GM |
| Passenger Seating Capacity: | 113 |
| Weight: | 46 tonnes |
[edit] 2000 / 2100-class
TransAdelaide’s 2000 & 2100-class units are a unique and somewhat unusual series of suburban diesel railcars. They are large, comfortable, air-conditioned cars, which are popular with local rail enthusiasts and regular commuters and have been given the nickname Jumbos.
Jumbos were conceived and designed in the late 1970’s to provide fast, attractive commuter services to Adelaide’s expanding suburbs along the Gawler and Noarlunga rail lines. They perform much the same function today, being used mainly on weekday daytime services and working the busiest express trains in the morning and evening peaks. Off-peak, evening and weekend rail services in Adelaide are usually operated by the more economical 3000 & 3100-class units.
Jumbos come in two distinct varieties – the 2000-class power cars and 2100-class trailers. Each type has a single elevated driver’s cab at one end only, which means they must operate as a minimum 2-car set. Longer trains are built up by adding extra power cars and trailers.
Many of the Jumbos still retain their original orange livery but the fleet is now being progressively refurbished and repainted in the standard Adelaide Metro colour scheme, with unpainted bodies and yellow, blue and red ends.
The heavy construction and hydraulic transmission means the power cars must be revved hard when starting and accelerating. While the Jumbos are comfortable to ride in, the external engine noise, high pitched turbo whine and diesel fumes are much more noticeable than on the newer 3000 and 3100 class, which have diesel-electric transmission and ac drive. From the operator’s point of view, the Jumbos have relatively poor fuel economy and slower acceleration, which means they struggle to keep to the timetable when operating stopping trains scheduled around the faster 3000/3100 cars.
| 2000/2100-class Railcars | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2000-class | 2100-class | |
| Track Gauge: | Broad Gauge 1600mm (5ft 3in) |
Broad Gauge 1600mm (5ft 3in) |
| Transmission: | Diesel Hydraulic | Trailer |
| Power Plant: | Two turbocharged Cummins 6-cylinder 390kW (525 hp) underfloor diesel engines, plus two torque converters and 175 kVA alternator | Trailer |
| Number in class: | 9* (originally 12) | 14* (originally 18) |
| Unit numbers: | 2001 - 2012 | 2101 - 2118 |
| Introduced: | 1980 | 1980 |
| Built by: | Comeng | Comeng |
| Passenger Seating Capacity: | 64 | 104 |
| Weight: | 68 tonnes | 42 tonnes |
- Note: * several power & trailer cars were stored out-of-service as of mid-2006. However these are being progressively reinstated to the operational fleet to address overcrowding during weekday peak hours.
[edit] Deployment of 2000/2100-class
Jumbos normally run in the following configurations:-
- 2-car trains: 1x 2000, 1x 2100 (Power car and trailer)
- 3-car trains: 1x 2000, 2x 2100 (Trailers at each end, power car in middle)
- 4-car trains: 2x 2000, 2x 2100 (2x 2car sets, usually power-trailer-trailer-power)
Other non-standard configurations have run on rare occasions in past. For example:-
- 2x 2000 - 2-car train with double power cars.
- 1x 2000, 2x 2100 - 3-car train with power car at one end, followed by two trailers
During the 1980s and early 1990s, five and six car Jumbos regularly operated peak hour trains on the Noarlunga Centre line. These longer trains were formed by coupling a 2-car set with a 3-car set, two 3-car sets and even three 2 car sets. Since the mid 1990s trains on normal suburban workings have been no more than 4 cars. However 5 or 6-car sets do run occasionally when traffic conditions dictate.
The various power cars and trailers are semi-permanently coupled as two and three car sets, which are re-arranged depending on traffic and maintenance needs. Unlike the 3100-class, the sets do not follow any numeric sequence. For example powercar 2001 currently uses trailers 2102 and 2113
Trailer car no. 2117 has had a section of seating removed to provide extra accommodation for bikes. This is used for weekend Belair services, usually as a 2-car set with powercar 2008. Trailer 2118 used to be added to the consist for weekday services (the bike area is used for standing room in peak hour services on the Noarlunga line. But now 2118 is on another set to save fuel costs on coupling and de-coupling. 2117/2008 is the only Jumbo to regularly work on the Belair line.
Within the next 15 years these trains will most likely go out of service. By then the trains will be 41 years old, and will most likely be replaced with newer railcars.
[edit] H-class (Glenelg) Trams
TransAdelaide’s H-class trams have been the mainstay of the Glenelg tram line for 75 years since the line was converted from railway to tramway operation and electrified in 1929.
The cars were specially built for the conversion of the line by local manufacturers A. Pengelley and Sons. They have many of the characteristics of American interurban streetcars of that period and their heritage ambience has been carefully maintained. Although the H-class trams have been through several refurbishment programmes over the years (incorporating more up-to-date features like safety glass, fluorescent lighting and upgraded bogies), they still retain varnished wood and etched glass interiors, a classic Tuscan Red and cream exterior colour scheme and neither heating nor air-conditioning in the passenger saloons.
The H-class regularly run as 2-car coupled sets at busier times. All services are operated by a crew of driver and conductor (driver and two conductors on coupled sets).
Most of the H-class trams are scheduled to be replaced during 2006 by new Bombardier Flexity Classic low floor trams with vigilance control. However five H-class were specially refurbished in 2000, with the intention of retaining these cars for special weekend and holiday operations and are due to be fitted with vigilance control plus electromagentic track brakes.
| H-class Trams | |
|---|---|
| Track Gauge: | Standard Gauge 1435mm (4ft 8½in) |
| Power Source: | 600V DC overhead wire |
| Traction: | 4x 48 kW (65 hp) traction motors |
| Number in class (in 2005): | 21 (out of original 30) - 15 operational - 5 non-operational - 1 restaurant tram |
| Unit numbers: (most cars have been re-numbered during their lives. Numbers carried today are not necessarily the number as built) |
351 – 380 |
| Introduced: | 1929 |
| Built by: | A. Pengelley & Sons, Edwardstown, S.A. |
| Passenger Seating Capacity: | 64 |
| Weight: | 23 tonnes |
[edit] Flexity Trams
In 2006 TransAdelaide began to replace the H-class cars with a fleet of eleven new low floor articulated trams – the Flexity Classics, built by Bombardier in Germany.
The first of the new Flexitys was delivered to the Glengowrie depot in November 2005 and entered public service on 9 January 2006. Delivery continued in small batches through 2006, with new trams operating the Glenelg line side-by-side with the H-class in the interim.
The Flexitys are painted in a standard Adelaide Metro colour scheme of white, with yellow, blue and red ends, very similar to Adelaide’s metropolitan bus fleet.
They have a low floor layout throughout, excpet over the bogies, and are accessible to pushchairs and wheelchairs through each of the three sets of doors. The new cars have many features common in modern public transit vehicles which are absent on the H-class – for example, airconditioning, heating, recorded video surveillance and automated audio and visual announcements of the next stop. TransAdelaide continues to operate the Flexitys with roving conductors, although these are not now needed for safe operation of the cars.
Unlike the H-class, Flexitys cannot be coupled into 2-car sets at busy times and always run as a single vehicle. The internal layout is designed to accommodate wheelchairs and large numbers of standing passengers. The relative lack of seating (compared to the H-class), together with other minor teething problems resulted in some adverse comments from commuters and local media when the Flexitys first entered service.
| Flexity Trams | |
|---|---|
| Track Gauge: | Standard Gauge 1435mm (4ft 8½in) |
| Power Source: | 600V DC overhead wire |
| Traction: | |
| Number in class: | 11 (on completion of current order) |
| Unit numbers: | 101 - 111 |
| Introduced: | 2006 |
| Built by: | Bombardier Transportation, Germany |
| Passenger Seating Capacity: | 70 |
| Weight: | tonnes |
[edit] See also
- List of Adelaide railway stations
- Adelaide Railway Station
- List of suburban and commuter rail systems
- Rail transport in South Australia
- Railways in Adelaide
- Adelaide Metro
- State Transport Authority
- Glenelg Tram
- 3000 class railcar
[edit] External links
- South Australia Central
- Office of Public Transport
- TransAdelaide
- Adelaide Metro
- More on the Glenelg Tram
