SA has long battled to keep pace with the more populous eastern States and a high-speed rail network that literally leaves Adelaide out of the loop would seriously disadvantage us.

This issue and others affecting SA are examined in the SA Business Monthly lifout in The Advertiser on Tuesday.

The high-speed rail project is a long way off but just as it took many decades to go from wishful thinking to reality for the Alice Springs to Darwin rail track, a high-speed rail network linking the capitals will eventually be built.

Should Adelaide receive a high-speed rail link? Share your opinion here.

In the decades ahead, petroleum prices will soar, making car and air travel considerably more expensive. Coupled with greenhouse gas concerns, this will accelerate demand for rail as an alternative. In pushing our case, SA should enlist an unlikely ally Melbourne.

While Adelaidians frequently compare their city to Melbourne, the Victorians’ real rival is Sydney.

It should be pointed out to Melbourne that with a network extending to Adelaide, Melbourne would be a node equal to Sydney, rather than the last stop at the end of the line.

Victoria could also be sold the benefits of Horsham becoming the only stop on a Melbourne-Adelaide route. This would open up the western Victorian region that would otherwise risk becoming isolated.

SA has a proud history in the rail sector, being home to some of the most important and innovative rail organisations, such as the Australian Rail Track Corporation.

Obviously, it would cost many billions of dollars extra to include the link to Adelaide and it would not be an easy case to mount on strict profit criteria.

But if we do not get in there and stake a claim, future generations will condemn us as we get left behind when the economic benefits of the project begin to flow.

via AdelaideNow

Former MetroLigero Citadis tram 167, built in France for Madrid, has been modified at Preston Workshops, Melbourne and departed on board a lowloader yesterday bound for Glengowrie tram depot bearing the number “T204″ printed on a sheet of paper in the driver’s cab window. Arrival of the tram is expected in Adelaide by the end of the week at earliest.

The 200 class trams (affectionately known as Amigos) will supplement the existing 100 class Flexity trams by offering a greater overall capacity despite having fewer seats overall. The Citadis design is popular with commuters in Melbourne, who have embraced the ‘Bumblebee’ trams, sisters to the forthcoming Adelaide fleet.

Unlike the famous Monty Python sketch, it is hoped that these trams will not attract “diabolical laughter”, despite being more than put the test with Adelaide’s pre-summer heatwave. Airconditioning is expected to be able to cope with Adelaide’s Madrid-like mediterranean climate despite the use of large glass panels throughout the bodywork. Climate control has been an ongoing sticking point for commuters with the Flexity tram fleet delivered in 2005.

Modifications taken out at Preston have included the removal of all signage associated with MetroLigero as well as Alstom-related wording; however the Blue, White and Red livery is likely to remain with the Amigos in Adelaide in the short term at least.

The trams are being delivered as part of a State Government deal announced earlier in the year for the purchase of 6 near-new secondhand trams from the Madrid operator, which had stored a large number of trams due to economic factors. MetroLigero 169 was sighted being delivered to Preston today as former-167 was departing.

RailSA