Just adding a few points to Mal's fine photos.
Firstly the map. It shows that there will be 4 substations on the 7km new section. These are shown as 4 squares/rectangles.
The first is on the west side of Olsen Ave just near where the line crosses that road after leaving the hospital terminus.
The next is shown just west of Uplands Ave. In fact a house is located where the substation is shown but it will actually be 50 or more metres further west. The location is interesting as the only road access will be from the Smith St Motorway so it will have to be put in place before the track goes in unless a level crossing is built for it. Ground preparation work is under way now.
The last 2 sub stations are beyond the north end of Greenacre Drive and just before Helensvale terminus.
In Mal's second photo showing the slicing away of a section of ridge, you can see a rock smasher similar to the concrete smashers used during track relays in Melbourne.
Last evening when returning Dave and Dot Hinman and Vincent Chan to the tram, we were surprised that two such smashers were still busy at work at 9.30pm.
Additionally there were lane closures where the two road crossings will be, at Olsen Ave and Napper Rd/Smith St. A worklady at the latter site told me that they would be working all night installing cabling for the new traffic lights there that will cater for the tram crossing. Possibly it was similar work going on at Olsen Ave.
In Mal's last photo the location of Parkwood East stop can be seen. If you look along the alignment you will see a large yellow object beside a similar brown object. If you look left you can see the yellow earthmoving equipment. 4 houses, the entire occupancy of one little street, were demolished here.
Cleary the contractors are really getting stuck into this project. I wonder if the same could be said for any part of the Sydney project?
Regards,
> On 21 Feb 2017, at 8:15 am, Mal Rowemal.rowe@... [TramsDownUnder] TramsDownUnder@...> wrote:
>
>> On 20/02/2017 8:57 PM, Mal Rowemal.rowe@... [TramsDownUnder] wrote:
>>
>> Here's the first of a series of pics showing the current state of the stage 2 extension of the Gold Coast tramway - to connect to Helensvale Station.
> Firstly - a map showing the extension.
>> http://tdu.to/Gold_Coast_Light_Rail_Stage_2_Map.jpg
>
> Second series of pics ... check the map linked above for orientation.
>
> First pic looks South from the intersection of Wintergreen Dve (at University Hospital) looking south alomg the tramway formation as it runs beside olsen Ave and swings around to run beside the Smith St motorway.
> http://tdu.to/Beside-OlsenAve_19Feb2017.JPG
>
> Next pic shows the works on the northern side of the motorway - with a huge cut out of a ridge to get an acceptable grade on both the motorway and tramway.
> http://tdu.to/SmithSt_looking-west_19Feb2017.JPG
>
> Third pic is from the top of that ridge, looking East - back towards the coast.
> http://tdu.to/SmithSt_looking-east_19Feb2017.JPG
>
> This is going to be a great ride - high speed running with only one station in the section.
>
> Mal Rowe - looking forward to a ride.
>
> <Beside-OlsenAve_19Feb2017.JPG>
> <SmithSt_looking-west_19Feb2017.JPG>
> <SmithSt_looking-east_19Feb2017.JPG>