RailSA » Flexity

Adelaide’s newest tram set to roll

admin — Mon, 09 May 2011 00:57:41 +0000

Adelaide has taken delivery of the first of four new trams from Germany, three years after they were ordered.

The tram arrived at Appleton Dock in Melbourne last Wednesday.

It was then transported to Adelaide and installed on the tracks early on Monday.

Transport Department head of public transport services, Rod Hook, says the trams were ordered in 2008, but there had been several delays.

“There were some issues with the construction of them. There were some floods in Germany which impacted the product that was being built and they had to go back and start again,” he said.

via ABC News

Entertainment Centre concert-goers give trams rave reviews

admin — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 06:28:03 +0000

Trams at the Entertainment Centre passed their first major test on a high note last night, receiving raving reviews from concert-goers.

Fans flocked to the upgraded venue on the recently opened extension to see 1970s singer-songwriters James Taylor and Carole King and went home singing the praises of both the concert and their transport.

Dozens of people arrived on each tram from 7pm until just before the concert began at 8pm and told AdelaideNow the service was quick, convenient and comfortable. Most were planning on taking trams home after the show.

David and Jill Michael, of Port Augusta, caught the tram to the Entertainment Centre from the city.

“It’s our first trip on the tram to here,” David said before the concert.

“I only found out about two hours ago that it (the extension) was even finished this far.

“It’s brilliant. It certainly beats catching a taxi and hopefully when we leave we’re not standing in a line for half an hour or three quarters of an hour as we have in the past to catch a taxi back.”

Two extra trams were added to the regular schedule to accommodate fans leaving the concert, who streamed across Port Rd to find at least one and sometimes two trams waiting at the Entertainment Centre stop’s platforms.

Hundreds of people boarded trams within minutes of the concert finishing.

The centre’s car park also seemed to switch smoothly at 6.30pm from its new role as a park and ride facility to venue car parking.

via AdelaideNow

Public ride new Entertainment Centre tram extension

admin — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 02:19:00 +0000

Commuters piled on to ride free trams to try the new Adelaide Entertainment Centre extension today.

About 100 people departed the Entertainment Centre stop on Citadis 205, the first tram to carry public passengers along the extension, at 11:50am as part of a special community open day of the tram extension and the Entertainment Centre refurbishment.

Packed trams shuttled at 10-minute intervals from the Entertainment Centre to Rundle Mall stops for free during the early afternoon.

The extension officially opens to the public on Monday, March 22.

New tram timetables were handed out by government officials to the public at tram stops including the Entertainment Centre and Railway Station.

The free shuttle services will be extended to the Entertainment Centre for the first six months at this stage, spokesperson for the Department of Transport Ross Stargatt said.

Members of the public enjoyed the community ride and many also saw the Entertainment Centre Open Day.

Passengers Bev and Rob Miles, of North Adelaide, took their grand-daughter Scarlett, of Walkerville, along to the activities.

“It’s something new, it’s a new experience, a free ride and a chance to see the Entertainment Centre,” Mrs Miles said.

Mr Miles said “the trams are fabulous.”

Tram fan Terry Bourke, from Modbury Heights, thought the extension provided greater access to the area.

“I can catch a bus and a tram to see things like the Brewery Lights at Christmas,” he said.

Passengers Megan Bennett, from Clarence Park, and Dee Bluett, from Highbury said they’d definitely use the line to go to the Entertainment Centre.

Passengers thought the ride was comfortable and smooth on the Citadis and Flexity Classic trams.

Mr and Mrs Miles said the ride was very comfortable and smooth, whilst Miss Bennett said the new section of track was “better than the Glenelg to City West section of track.”

The first tram departed about 9:45am with Premier Mike Rann, State Minister for Transport Patrick Conlon, Adelaide Lord Mayor Michael Harbison, Mayor of Charles Sturt Council Harold Anderson and media on board.

Scones with jam and cream and a sausage sizzle were available for the public to celebrate the event.

By Anthony Caggiano for RailSA

Old trams test new extension

admin — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 02:20:59 +0000

Old met new when H type tram 367 was trialled on the Adelaide Entertainment Centre tram extension last night.

The tram was last in a fleet of seven as tests of the voltage supply at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre took place.

A tram spotter walked on the concrete barricade at the Entertainment Centre stop to take photos of the 367.

Overnight tram testing of the power supply along the new track started at 3:23am when Citadis 203 tram departed the City West stop.

Flexity Classic 103, 105 and 108 and Citadis 203, 204 and 205 trams ran along the new section of track simultaneously between 3:20 and 5:30am.

The Flexity Classic and Citadis trams travelled up and down the track twice with each test faster than the last.

A return trip at full speed took about 20 minutes.

At least three trams were tested for acceleration from the Entertainment Centre stop.

No obvious faults were evident during the tests.

By Anthony Caggiano for RailSA

Adelaide tram refit costs cool $3.5m

admin — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:15:50 +0000

TransAdelaide has spent a hefty $3.5 million fixing air-conditioning units in its troubled tram fleet over the past two years.

The cost equates to $318,000 per tram or about $63,600 to upgrade each airconditioning unit across the three-year-old 11-tram Bombardier Flexity Classic fleet.

The costly replacement program was prompted by chronic shortcomings in the $5.5 million German-made trams – which started appearing on city tram tracks in January 2006 – and couldn’t cope with Adelaide’s sweltering summer heat.

The trams’ cooling systems were dispersing cool air down the sides of tram interior and not into the middle.

Contractors finished upgrading 55 airconditioning units – three in the passenger saloon and two in the driver’s cabins of each tram – on November 6, on the eve of Adelaide’s first heatwave.

The Sunday Mail understands that contractors were put on an “open-ended” contract at TransAdelaide’s Glengowrie tram depot to finish the repairs before another blistering summer.

The new units will double the cooling capacity of the trams but the repair bill has been criticised by the Opposition, which has again questioned the Government’s “rushed” decision to buy the Bombardier model.

“I still can’t believe you would go and buy new equipment and within the first few years you spend an extra $3.5 million to make it suitable for Australian conditions,” Opposition transport spokesman David Ridgway said. “This brings into question a whole range of decisions the Government makes.

“The trams are overcrowded, there’s not much seating and they are not a pleasurable ride.”

Mr Ridgway wanted assurances from Transport Minister Patrick Conlon that a new generation of Alstom Citadis trams, bought from Spain for $36m, would not face similar problems.

The first of the trams will enter service next month with all six expected to be on track by February.

The first of the trams arrived in Adelaide on November 12 and started testing on the Glenelg to City West tramline during the week.

Mr Conlon did not respond by the Sunday Mail’s deadline.

AdelaideNow