Queen St had been little more than a quiet suburban back street. I will try to see how thick the road was, but not likely to be more than an inch or two of bitumen. It might support trams at low speed for a week or so, but that would be it. Not to mention a typical crowned roadway, which would put trams on a lean towards the gutter.

Regards,

On 09/07/2012, at 7:55 PM, Dudley Horscroft wrote:

>
> Remember Troy Buswell's remark: "You just don't turn up and put some sleepers or put some rails down on the road, light rail is very complicated, it's very expensive and it's very important we do it well."
>
> But Melbourne does this when it wants to put a temporary terminus in. It lays track on the road, spikes it down, and runs trams over it.
>
> As the temporary track is curved, the sideways forces are substantial. The existing road surface may not be completely level. But trams do not fall off the track!
>
> Consider, say, Queens Street in GCC. Underground services have been fixed, new surface should be in good order. Consider laying track on the surface, using tie bars to ensure correct gauge. Pre-drill the holes for the "lockpiks" (did I get the name right?) using laser technology to ensure that line is absolutely correct, then the track can be abutted up to the lockpicks - hence line is correct. run a trolley over the top, using laser to check top, and wedge up the track as necessary to ensure top is correct. The concrete the whole thing in place.
>
> Suggest that the wedges be sited so that there is an average 10mm clearance between road and the elastic pad under the rails, then cement can be forced into this space so as to ensure that top remains correct. Then add concrete. If necessary, the roadway between the alignment for the rails can be grooved to give a good key for the concrete. Add concrete borders (sloping at required angles - glueing these in place same like cat's eyes are glued - then fill in with concrete here also.
>
> Lay half a km a night?
>
> Regards
>
> Dudley Horscroft
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Richard YOUL
> To:TramsDownUnder@...
> Sent: Monday, July 09, 2012 5:12 PM
> Subject: Re: [TramsDownUnder] GCLR - Gold Coast Hwy 9.7.12
>
> I expect we are all eagerly awaiting the rails, but as no trackbase has been laid in Queen St yet I see it as highly unlikely that any sleepers, let alone rails, will be in place for the group visit on Friday.
>
> Regards,
>
>