Discussion about the Mandurah Line

[Daise]

I've been giving this some thought, and I can see the Mandurah rail line being one of the biggest logistical nightmares EVER.

Anyone seen the parking bays? No? Didn't think so, COS THERE'S FECK-ALL!

And I wonder if they will be upgrading the trains on that line. I hope that they will take note of the Joondalup line in peak hour (couple of hundred people squished into a single train) and create a larger buffer for the crowds. The southern 'burbs are getting more and more populated, creating a greater need for public transport into the city.

So what are people's thoughts about this? Especially the southies? Do you think this is going to work? Do you think that they've planned ahead?

[Semi]

whats the parking like down further south? or is that what you mean? The one near me (south st), they'e added a whole pile of bays on the opposite site (east side) of the fwy i think, plus more room can be made when they shift where the buses go

[CitizenD]

whats the parking like down further south? or is that what you mean? The one near me (south st), they'e added a whole pile of bays on the opposite site (east side) of the fwy i think, plus more room can be made when they shift where the buses go[/b]

What do you foresee in regards to actually getting out of the parking bays during peak hours? I haven't taken note of it for a few months, but from last I remember it looks like they forgot to plan for people driving in and out of the parking areas.

[Rich]

Lotsa parking at the Rocky station and the Warnbro station..

And I reckon it's awesome, my house will rise in value. I will have a nice little walk to the station and then a brisk train ride to perth.

Oh and a taxi ride to Perth is like $60, train probably less than $10

[Taylor]

I heard it's 8 dollars one way from rockingham... who would spend 16 dollars a day for the train??

It took a while for the bus services to focus around getting people to and from the trains in the joondalup line, I hope they get their act together pretty quickly down that way.

[terrible]

i think once its up and running it will be great..

if not we can use the monorail that they are thinking of putting in lol

[Rich]

how about $120 for a taxi

[Scoundrel]

I've been giving this some thought, and I can see the Mandurah rail line being one of the biggest logistical nightmares EVER.

Anyone seen the parking bays? No? Didn't think so, COS THERE'S FECK-ALL!

And I wonder if they will be upgrading the trains on that line. I hope that they will take note of the Joondalup line in peak hour (couple of hundred people squished into a single train) and create a larger buffer for the crowds. The southern 'burbs are getting more and more populated, creating a greater need for public transport into the city.

So what are people's thoughts about this? Especially the southies? Do you think this is going to work? Do you think that they've planned ahead?[/b]

Being squished into a train, boohoo. Ever used the London Underground during peak hour? Now THAT is being squished in. The railcars are a lot smaller and shittier and they squeeze more people in, but it still works efficiently because the commuters are used to it and the stations have all the onward-journey connections sorted. And people are tolerant of the squeeze because its a fact of life.

Here on the Southern Suburbs Rail they are using new railcars (which are now 3 car sets instead of the 2 car sets they use now). The idea is that the circle line, errmm, circle route buses will terminate at the train stations to encourage people to catch the bus to the station instead of drive.

In other words its been done on purpose.

Personally I think its a boon for the southern suburbs, think of it as the same as when the opened up the freeway past South Street in the early 90's - it opened up the southern suburbs from a bogan backwater that it was to Perth's development front like it is now.

[Taylor]

how about $120 for a taxi[/b]

Too right. Speaking of which, why don't we have a train station at the Airport?

[CitizenD]

I think I remember reading way back that to recoup the cost of building it, tickets would need to be $38 for the next 125 years.

[Rich]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(S4R @ Apr 12 2007, 07:33 PM) [snapback]468146[/snapback]

how about $120 for a taxi[/b]

Too right. Speaking of which, why don&#39;t we have a train station at the Airport?
[/b][/quote]
One day Taylor, one day...it will happen..

[Taylor]

I think I remember reading way back that to recoup the cost of building it, tickets would need to be $38 for the next 125 years.[/b]

Recoup? Screw them, if the money doesn&#39;t go back to the people then just where DOES it go? Do you have any idea how much money the government collected from just stamp duty during the recent housing "boom", a tax which was meant to be replaced by G.S.T., yet they act as if they are always broke.

[CitizenD]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(CitizenD @ Apr 12 2007, 07:43 PM) [snapback]468159[/snapback]

I think I remember reading way back that to recoup the cost of building it, tickets would need to be $38 for the next 125 years.[/b]

Recoup? Screw them, if the money doesn&#39;t go back to the people then just where DOES it go? Do you have any idea how much money the government collected from just stamp duty during the recent housing "boom", a tax which was meant to be replaced by G.S.T., yet they act as if they are always broke.
[/b][/quote]
Sorry, that should have read "recoup the cost blowout (over budget)".

And yes, I&#39;m sure they&#39;ll get around to removing the stamp-duty around about the same time your train runs to the airport.

Bastards.

[Fat Pat]

The trains will aparrently run at 130 KPH as well. That will mean I will be pushing it to actually beat a train in to the city compared to riding. OMG!

And I am royally sick of hearing Northern and Western city dwellers whinging about the cost of the project. Sure, it will probably cost a bit more than was originally planned - BUT - what hasn&#39;t in the last 7 years. It isn&#39;t called a building boom for nothing. The problem is more down to contractors underquoting and hopelessly underestimating increases in materiel and labour, and then trying to claw back some money from the Govt. They have been doing that for years on big infrastructure projects, this time the Govt is really sticking to its guns on the "Rise and Fall" provisions - to the benefit of taxpayers.

The system may never make a profit, or even break-even, but there are the intangible benefits of a large-scale public transport system. Less pollution and congestion on the roads, less aggravation to the general public who will arrive at work less frazzled. Have a look at the number of cars on the Kwinan Fwy in the past 3 months, it&#39;s gone through the roof. I regularly hit congestion at Gateways now, where it used to start at South St or even further.

Nobody complains about the Joondalup line (except for a bit of crowding), and look at the success up there. We will see the same progress down south now, and that is probably where any "issues with the rail line lie" - just plane old jealousy.

It&#39;s all good.

[chief wiggum]

since when was public transport meant to turn a profit? that&#39;s why it started out as a government run thing. now the beancounters have tried to turn it into a profitable venture, flogged a lot of it off to the highest bidders who give poor service and in return, and whinge when they dont make enough.
and i&#39;m pretty sure i saw somewhere that the government was going to subsidise fares to make it about $6 from rocko to perth. could be wrong but. i was once before, long time ago.
and thank fuck they finally pulled their fingers out and built this frigin line, it&#39;s something that had to be done with all the development to the south, which is only gonna get worse. no, i&#39;m not a southerner, i just think it&#39;s a necessity

[Aphex]

The whole things one giant clusterfuck if you ask me. The original route via Thornlie was the better option and certainly far cheaper from a logistical stand point. There was actually a tunnel built under the freeway from the freight line in jandakot through to the center of the freeway during the freeway construction in the early 90s. Another 2mil wasted and countless millions spent with the additions to the mt henry bridge, the narrows, canning interchange and all of the padestrian bridges over the freeway between canning hwy and the narrows specifically to suit the rail line. The residents of south perth/como voted against the final route for obvious reasons and they wherent the only ones.

Another proposal was also put forward to sink the line (and possibly the freeway) between canning bridge and the narrows. Forward thinking planners would have taken this option although yes it would have cost a bucket load more. Jump forward 50 years and Perth is going to be in a similar situation to Boston. They have just undertaken one of the most challenging civil engineering projects ever with the sinking of some of their roads and the entire train line through the city. They basically ran out of space.

As for parking on the southern line, there is a fair bit. The murdoch park and ride has picked up a few more bays and will now become a bus train interchange. There has been a new purpose built park and ride at thompsons lake specifically for the train also having a bus interchange. Another completely new facility has been built at leach hwy. Of course these carparks will fill each and every day but for the moment, a majour part of the southern corridor will be serviced well. Much growth past atwell/success towards hamond park and beyond however will see any benifits gained thrown out the window fairly sharply. One would have to assume that another park and ride would be on the cards for anketell or russel rds within the next 10 years.

Enough ranting about these 4 overpriced steel rails from me.

[sammytrailor]

From What I can see, the Rham parking spots are ok.

They have sourced new trains. They are already in service, on the Joondalup line and occassionally the freo line to cope with the footy rush (accoring to a Train Nerd I know).

I can&#39;t wait for the train. Travelling the same difference each day on the bus really gets to you (hence why I ride to work more often than not). Who cares if it is crowded on the trains. the peak hour 866 gets chockers, ppl sitting in the aisles.

I remember hearing a lot of people protest about the train line, where it was going, etc. Turns out a lot of them were from the Northern suburbs and it would not affect them at all, they were only in it for an argument. It&#39;s about time things were evened up.

Ohh and bring on a train to the airport. Sucks having to bum lifts to/from the airport for work.

[Fat Pat]

The whole things one giant clusterfuck if you ask me. The original route via Thornlie was the better option and certainly far cheaper from a logistical stand point. There was actually a tunnel built under the freeway from the freight line in jandakot through to the center of the freeway during the freeway construction in the early 90s. Another 2mil wasted and countless millions spent with the additions to the mt henry bridge, the narrows, canning interchange and all of the padestrian bridges over the freeway between canning hwy and the narrows specifically to suit the rail line. The residents of south perth/como voted against the final route for obvious reasons and they wherent the only ones.

Another proposal was also put forward to sink the line (and possibly the freeway) between canning bridge and the narrows. Forward thinking planners would have taken this option although yes it would have cost a bucket load more. Jump forward 50 years and Perth is going to be in a similar situation to Boston. They have just undertaken one of the most challenging civil engineering projects ever with the sinking of some of their roads and the entire train line through the city. They basically ran out of space.

As for parking on the southern line, there is a fair bit. The murdoch park and ride has picked up a few more bays and will now become a bus train interchange. There has been a new purpose built park and ride at thompsons lake specifically for the train also having a bus interchange. Another completely new facility has been built at leach hwy. Of course these carparks will fill each and every day but for the moment, a majour part of the southern corridor will be serviced well. Much growth past atwell/success towards hamond park and beyond however will see any benifits gained thrown out the window fairly sharply. One would have to assume that another park and ride would be on the cards for anketell or russel rds within the next 10 years.

Enough ranting about these 4 overpriced steel rails from me.[/b]

So you quibble over a couple of mill that Richard Court and the Liberal Govt. TRIED to foist on southerners by obliging them to take a sub-standard option (and add another 25 minutes to their journey) going via Thornlie, and then suggest wasting BILLIONS on a pie in the sky option of sinking the line past South Perth. That doesn&#39;t make sense to me. And that fucked-up tunnel in Bibra Lake should be seen for what it was, the Liberals showing complete and utter disregard for people in the south.

And, as the line gathers a few more stations, it will slow the journey a little, but nowhere near as much as the amount of wastage if we all kept driving into town. Imagine if the line went via Kenwick? If you want people to use public transport, you need to make it as ATTRACTIVE as possible, NOT try and make political points 10-15 years into the future.

That&#39;s what&#39;s really fucked-up in WA ATM, the sort or mind-set that prevailed in the past, and what we have to put up with today because of it!

From What I can see, the Rham parking spots are ok.

They have sourced new trains. They are already in service, on the Joondalup line and occassionally the freo line to cope with the footy rush (accoring to a Train Nerd I know).

I can&#39;t wait for the train. Travelling the same difference each day on the bus really gets to you (hence why I ride to work more often than not). Who cares if it is crowded on the trains. the peak hour 866 gets chockers, ppl sitting in the aisles.

I remember hearing a lot of people protest about the train line, where it was going, etc. Turns out a lot of them were from the Northern suburbs and it would not affect them at all, they were only in it for an argument. It&#39;s about time things were evened up.

Ohh and bring on a train to the airport. Sucks having to bum lifts to/from the airport for work.[/b]

BINGO mate, most complaints come from Northerners and rich pratts in Dalkeith - I&#39;ve met some of the eastern suburbs doubters, and they could care less, as long as we don&#39;t build cycle paths along the foreshore, and they help to fund the "alliance" against the souther suburbs railway.

[chief wiggum]

i&#39;m a northerner. i didnt complain.

[Aphex]

Some ones awake

In seriousness though the whole thing is too little too late. Take a look at the mitchel in peak hour. Its worse than the kwinana. They have their all conquering train line. Perth to mandurah/rockingham are going to be the only real benificiaries. The rest is just smoke and mirrors. Can you honestly see that many more people using the train than already use the bus services? Novelty factor in the first few weeks maybe but thats about it.