Future of the OBahn?

[Sojourner]

The OBahn was opened in 1987, the extension to Tea Tree Plaza was opened in 1988. At the time it was believed that the concrete track would have a service life of 20 yrs. I am not sure how many here have ridden on it in recent times, yet the quality of the ride has decreased quite dramatically and they have had to lower the speed limit on the track because of safety issues with the current state of the track and the fact that the newer buses are not able to run on it as well as the original buses have.

Clearly the track needs to be replaced, no doubt that will be at a very high cost, I do wonder then if its time to have a look at if its worth continuing to have O'Bahn buses or to have it as Don Dunstan intended and make it a tram way with the buses connecting at the three stops? In order for that to happen, several bridges would have to be raised for the overhead wires however which could once again blow the costs out.

Either way I am hoping that it does not get reduced down to 80 then 60 because of the state of the track, yet I don't seem to hear anything from either side of government about what they are planning to do with it now that its track life has expired?

[fish]

Surprised you didn't try to blame it on the carbon tax!

[Hondo]

I have been on it several times recently and not noticed the ride being much different to what it was but if its original useful life was 20 years then, yes, I could understand why that could happen. It's still a very quick ride from the city to TTP. It doesn't feel like it is about to fall apart but I guess how could a passenger tell this?

I would have thought normal maintenace and periodic replacement of the tracks over time would be less expensive than completely ripping it up and starting again? Even if you install rail that also needs maintenance over time so the future cost would be unchanged. It's whether you want the one off capital cost of replacing the entire track with rail.

[Sojourner]

Surprised you didn't try to blame it on the carbon tax!

Quite the contrary mullet, I think that the idea of making the buses trolley buses by an electric grid and running them from the energy created by nuclear power would make a real change to our carbon footprint and is the responsible thing to do in respect to meeting the challenge of global warming.

[gadj1976]

OMG...

How on earth can you compare the ride between buses circa 1988 and today? Ride quality... please. The buses are totally different. It's by far and away the best public transport system in Australia.

What a crazy conversation.

The southern suburbs would kill for a transport network like we've got here in the Nth and Nth Eastern suburbs.

[Psyber]

I hadn't really though about it until I read these last few posts.
It occurs to me that a fundamental reason we don't have a good public transport system to help the general public not use cars is that the government doesn't have to fund the maintenance of the vehicles, and that road surfaces possibly cost less to maintain than concrete tracks or rails would.

And the car using public generate revenue, via Infringement Notices, that they wouldn't generate on public transport...

[Bully]

OMG...

How on earth can you compare the ride between buses circa 1988 and today? Ride quality... please. The buses are totally different. It's by far and away the best public transport system in Australia.What a crazy conversation.

The southern suburbs would kill for a transport network like we've got here in the Nth and Nth Eastern suburbs.

you odviously havent been out of adelaide then. There are much better transport systems in australia then the obahn there

[gadj1976]

OMG...

How on earth can you compare the ride between buses circa 1988 and today? Ride quality... please. The buses are totally different. It's by far and away the best public transport system in Australia.What a crazy conversation.

The southern suburbs would kill for a transport network like we've got here in the Nth and Nth Eastern suburbs.

you odviously havent been out of adelaide then. There are much better transport systems in australia then the obahn there

I've lived in Canberra and Melbourne for 4 years and worked in Tas, Sydney, Brisbane for extensive periods of time as well as very rare visits to Perth. Care to explain further?

[Bully]

Trains that run through the city not come to a stop and not go further (unlike adelaide)
.
Brisbanes busways are seperate to roads/highways - 21km stretch of busway from SOuth bank to eightmile plains. No need for a track like the obahn. Old buses and new buses can run on this with no problems.
full bus stations and train stations underground (CBD). Not having to fight buses through the city streets unlike adelaide.

the obahn is good, but way out of date. And from what i am hearing, the track is becoming old and dangerous read to be ripped up. No need for that here. And the new buses being built cant run on the obahn????? What a joke

[gadj1976]

I actually think the track is better than road systems because it's more direct. I think if the south could get a track that cut a swathe through the suburbs, then they'd be happy. From TTP to Nth Terrace, there is only two sets of lights. From Nth Tce (Royal Hotel) to Grenfell St is about 4 sets of lights.

The Brisbane system was pretty good but having caught the O'Bahn for many years I can't see any better. The ONLY thing that could be better about the O'Bahn would be two things;

1. A "Departure" board in town and at TTP/Klemzig etc.
2. Designate Grenfell St as a "Bus Only" St and keep other forms of traffic out.

Either way, the O'Bahn is here to stay, so the topic is moot.

[Bully]

its a good system the obahn. but they should yes extend it to the south from where it starts in walkerville. An underground under the ovals and river in north adelaide/stepney etc to a station underground in the city, then extend south.

i guess its not a slugging match here too. So i wont go on about it. But if they need to rip up the track due to safety, they should include extending it to another part of the city

[Bully]

reading up on this, the Obahn was actually ment to be part of the MATS program and it was actually ment to be the Modbury expressway before that was canned and the Obahn was put in its place

[gadj1976]

its a good system the obahn. but they should yes extend it to the south from where it starts in walkerville. An underground under the ovals and river in north adelaide/stepney etc to a station underground in the city, then extend south.

i guess its not a slugging match here too. So i wont go on about it. But if they need to rip up the track due to safety, they should include extending it to another part of the city

We are in agreeance Bully, it should be extended. I think that's the crux of it. The O'Bahn, whether it needs refurbishment or not, is by far and away something we should look up to in Adelaide. When they refurbished South Rd, a track up the middle would've been ideal!

[Sojourner]

With the Southern Expressway going dual lanes, now would be the ideal time to put a corridor between the two lanes for use as a future OBahn track to head South and have branch lines off to Woodcroft and so on.

[dedja]

LOL, and how is the government going to fund it?

[Sojourner]

They dont have to build it, they simply need to leave a gap to keep the option open for a future government to do so, much like the land footprint left for the Southern Expressway!

[dedja]

The thing that makes the OBahn a success is that is doesn't follow existing roads, but instead cuts a path around the Torrens snaking it's way to the city.

Building a Southern OBahn along the route of the Southern Expressway would be pointless ... just have a bus lane so conventional buses can use it and save squillions.

[Sojourner]

Either way Dedja, the point is do something as opposed to doing nothing!

[dedja]

Let's see if the project to turn it into a dual carriageway actually eventuates ... we'll then continue our argument.

Oh, and I had to catch the bus on the OBahn for a week a couple of months ago when my car was in, and I didn't notice anything other than the usual smooth and fast ride ... I only use it every now and then but was I dreaming?

[Bully]

The thing that makes the OBahn a success is that is doesn't follow existing roads, but instead cuts a path around the Torrens snaking it's way to the city.

Building a Southern OBahn along the route of the Southern Expressway would be pointless ... just have a bus lane soconventional buses can use it and save squillions.

my point . agreed