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Publications and NoticesIt’s electrifying! Journey’s end for Gawler line project
Monday, 18 December 2023
In a major milestone, the State Government has welcomed the final electric train onto the Gawler rail line, signalling the completion of the electrification project.
The new electric train is the 12th to join Adelaide Metro’s Gawler fleet and will begin servicing passengers from Monday after a successful testing period.
It follows the completion of the $842 million Gawler Rail Electrification Project, which was jointly funded by the Australian and South Australian government.
The project involved the electrification of 42 kilometres of rail from Adelaide to Gawler, the busiest rail service across the Adelaide Metro network with more than 10,500 passengers on average using the line each weekday. From June 2022 to November 2023, around 4.8 million validations were recorded.
As part of the electrification project, 14 railway stations also received a facelift, helping modernise and improve safety along the busy route. The improvements range from new and refurbished shelters, new seating and bins to LED lighting upgrades, painting and landscaping.
The delivery of the final rail car coincides with the completion of all 13 activated pedestrian crossings along the Gawler line, including the Parklands and North Adelaide crossings which will be finalised in the coming days. When a train is approaching the pedestrian gates will automatically close and alarm bells will sound to let pedestrians know it is unsafe to cross.
Once the final two crossings are complete all major works on the line will be finished. The entire electrification project supported approximately 675 full-time equivalent jobs per year over the life of the project.
The final train brings Adelaide Metro’s total Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) fleet to 34, which will maintain electric transport services across the Gawler, Seaford and Flinders lines.
As well as being better for the environment, electric transport also provides passengers with a quieter and smoother journey. The new train is the latest electric vehicle to join Adelaide Metro’s green fleet, with the launch of the state’s first electric bus earlier this month, further supporting the State Government’s target of reaching net zero emissions by 2050.