A Transport Department spokeswoman said the city-bound train was forced to stop near the Emerson Station due to engine failure.

The break-down caused a number of other trains to bank up behind it.

Passengers from the affected train told The Advertiser they waited for up to one hour on the trains before they were allowed off.

They were told to wait on South Rd for buses to transport them to the city.

About 50 people were still waiting for a bus at Emerson Station more than one hour after the train broke-down.

Passenger, Mathilda Martin said she waited for up to one hour on the train before she was allowed to get off.

“We were standing the whole time – but that’s life,” she said.

“It’s lucky I’ve got understanding bosses – it’s clearly not my fault.”

Passenger, Corey Sandercock, was in the train behind the broken-down train and had been waiting for over one hour for a bus.

“It’s very inconvenient,” he said.

“I don’t have any phone credit so I could only phone work saying I’d be late after I found a phone box.”

The disabled train has now been moved and services on the Noarlunga line have resumed.

via AdelaideNow

Federal Transport Minister Anthony Albanese and state counterpart Pat Conlon said the $10.2 million project development contract for electrification had been awarded to Laing O’Rourke.

Mr Albanese said the company had over 30 years experience designing and constructing electrified rail systems nationally and overseas.

“The Adelaide rail electrification project will deliver long lasting benefits for the Adelaide transport network: modernizing the lines, benefiting the environment and enhancing lifestyle in Adelaide” he said.

“It is also delivering jobs and bringing international companies to SA.”

The system will cover over more than 100 kilometres of track from Gawler to Seaford, and Adelaide to Outer Harbor.

Mr Conlon said the next phase of the project would deliver about 100 jobs.

“This work represents the nuts and bolts of electrification the poles and wires and signalling and communication systems required to run a state-of-the-art electric rail system complete with brand new trains,” he said.

“In around two years electric trains will be part of a multi-billion dollar network providing faster, more efficient, greener, more frequent and safer bus, train and tram services.”

The first electrified services will run on the new Seaford rail line in 2013, and on the Noarlunga and Gawler lines later that year, with electrification of the Outer Harbor line to be completed in 2015.

The electrification project includes provision of a 25,000 volt overhead wiring system to the metropolitan passenger rail network.

via AdelaideNow

Timetables for the buses – which were last week delivered to more than 45,000 letterboxes in the line’s catchment area – show commuters will need to leave their homes earlier to reach their destinations on time.

The timetable also showed bus services to Noarlunga would depart Oaklands Interchange 25 minutes earlier than the usual trains.

The schedule – which shows only one replacement bus service for each train – has frustrated some local train users.

Morphett Vale resident, Melanie Lawrence, 24 – who was at Noarlunga station last Wednesday – said the substitute bus service timetable would be a “big inconvenience”.

“I usually get to spend time with my two-year-old son in the morning before I take him to my mum’s house before heading to the station where I travel to the city for work,” Ms Lawrence said.

“Now I don’t know what I’m going to do. It will be a big rush. It means I’ll have to probably wake up about an hour or so earlier than I already do.”

Monica Golab, 45, of Port Noarlunga – who also travels to the city for work – said she was already “dreading the early mornings” and the continual “stopping and starting” of buses.

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Commuters were last month told they would be without a rail service for six months, while contractor Tracksure lays new tracks, replaces sleepers, improves level crossings and upgrades stations.

A Transport Department spokesman said the substitute bus timetable had been aligned as “closely as possible” with the train timetable, and would “cater for the full capacity of the Noarlunga line services, and be monitored daily throughout the closure”.

“On average the journey time will increase by about 15 minutes,” he said. “There are some express options which only add about eight to 10 minutes to the overall journey time.”

Buses will replace trains from Sunday, February 6, and will service the 12 stations from Noarlunga to Oaklands.

via Messenger News

The Noarlunga Centre-Oaklands line will be closed from Sunday, February 6, so private contractor Tracksure can lay new tracks, replace sleepers, upgrade stations and improve level crossings.

Thousands of commuters will have to take substitute buses which will service the 12 affected stations.

Emily Davidson, 20, of Seacliff relies on the train to get to work and university up to seven days a week.

“It’s going to be inconvenient … buses aren’t as reliable because with the train at least you know when you’re going to get there, but with buses you can’t really predict it with all the traffic,” she said.

Justin Callahan, 17, who catches the train from his Marino Rocks home to Brighton station and then a bus to school, said the closure would be an inconvenience.

“We’ll have to factor in a bus to a bus to a bus and there’ll be problems with connections,” he said.

“It’s going to take much longer.”

A Transport Department spokesman said substitute buses would cater for the rail line’s full passenger capacity but would take longer than the regular train service.

“On average, the journey time will increase by about 15 minutes,” he said.

“There are some express options which only add approximately 8-10 minutes to the overall journey time.”

People for Public Transport secretary Margaret Dingle said commuters would have to be patient during the closures, which would be beneficial in the long run.

“It’s regrettable that the line will be closed for so long, as it was originally supposed to be four months, but it will be a good thing,” she said.

“As long as there is an adequate number of buses and they don’t drive too many people away from using public transport, then there shouldn’t be too much trouble.”

A Transport Department spokesman said the upgrade eventually would give passengers a much smoother and more reliable journey.

“It is also the first step towards electrification and the operation of brand new electric trains on the Noarlunga line in 2013,” he said.

Hallett Cove Beach station, which has been closed since August for maintenance, will open mid-year when stage two of the Noarlunga line upgrade is finished.

via Messenger News

Train users were last week told that from February, substitute bus services would be servicing the 12 stations from Noarlunga to Oaklands.

Contractor Tracksure will spend six months laying new tracks and replacing sleepers, improving level crossings and upgrading stations.

Transport SA said it would commit enough buses to accommodate the thousands who used the Noarlunga line each day.

The number of buses and the temporary timetables will be released early in the new year.

But some southern train users expressed a reluctance to use the buses, concerned they would lose too much time.

Bike safety instructor and mechanic David Hughes, 25, said he had planned to use the line to travel to Mawson Lakes during 2011, but would now have to reconsider his options.

“Normally I’d take my bike because I need it for work,” he said.

“But usually you can’t take your bike on the bus, when it’s been closed before, so that would inconvenience me quite a bit.”

Mr Hughes, of Christies Beach, said he would likely have to drive to Oaklands during the closure, which he said would cost him time and money.

Tom Watts, 26, of Hallett Cove, said he was very reluctant to use the bus services to travel to the city for work each day.

“I did some house sitting at Belair, when their train line was closed, and it was a pain to catch those buses all the way down,” Mr Watts said.

“I’ll probably drive all the way to the city if I can, but generally I’ll probably drive to Oaklands.”

Christine Probert, 25, of Noarlunga Downs, said she caught the train most days, but would not be greatly affected by the line closure.

“I was really, really annoyed when I first found out, but they’ve changed the bus timetable around, so I’ll be able to get an express bus straight from town, so I’m fine with it,” she said.

Keep up-to-date with the Noarlunga railway line upgrade in our forum

People for Public Transport secretary Margaret Dingle said commuters would have to be patient during the closures, which would be beneficial in the long run.

“It’s regrettable that the line will be closed for so long, as it was originally supposed to be four months, but it will be a good thing,” she said.

“As long as there is an adequate number of buses and they don’t drive too many people away from using public transport, then there shouldn’t be too much trouble.”

Transport Minister Patrick Conlon said the upgrades were necessary as part of the State Government’s $2.6 billion plan to upgrade Adelaide’s public transport system.

“This track upgrade work will create up to 1000 jobs for South Australians and is also the first step towards electrification of the Noarlunga line, which is expected to be completed in 2013,” he said.

via Messenger News