Riding the Gautrain

[LeonDude]

The plan was to do a ride report on the Gautrain, so that those who don't live in Gauteng could get an idea of what the thing was about. I was going to do most of the ride on tar next to the tracks, but after being very friendly to some security gaurds I actually managed to do most of the ride on gravel next to the track.
Thanks to Glen, who had some gates opened for me and waved me past some of the security, so that I could get some of the first shots of the day for you guys!  :thumleft:
I had to enhance some of the photos, because my camera is not the best. (Read: Codak sucks!).
Also, photobucket seems to be on the blink, so the photos is going straight to the server.

1. Fountains valley, where my ride started.
2 - 4, various shots of the surrounding areas.
5. Basterbrak, happily carrying me around as usual.

 

[LeonDude]

As you can imagine, the camera does not really give you the scale of operations. The ride was only about 50 kilometers, but took me all of 3 hours to complete!

The next five shots are more of the works between Fountains valley and Jean avenue. According to glen the segments are cast in 180 Meter pieces, so that no piece will fall into a sinkhole in the event of a sinkhole occuring.

 

[Piston Pete]

Some seriaas earthworks Thanks for sharing :thumleft:
Will there be some dirt roads left over after its up & running? ;D

 

[LeonDude]

Ok, first a bit of lunch had to happen, so now to continue.
PP, they're putting a wall a around it, so I doubt we'll be able to ride it once it's finished. And I had to ask nicely to get in at some of the places.

The next four photies is from where the train goes over both Jean Ave and the Ben Schoeman highway.
The last photie is another crossing, but check out the size of those concrete blocks. I still don't know what they are used for.

 

[Piston Pete]

;D Good excuse to ride back for them blocks!
They use them to line something?

 

[LeonDude]

The next five photos are in the vicinity of Supersport park, and show some of the more technical going - ons of the operation. Just don't ask me any technical questions!  :biggrin:

 

[LeonDude]

The line then crosses the Pietersburg highway. It then runs parallel to the highway for a while. Here I had to weave into and out of places to stay on the muddy gravel, but the ride itself was a blast!

 

[LeonDude]

From the bridge here at Nelmapius ave I followed the track for another while until it disappeared into the distance in Midrand. I would have gone further, but suddenly remembered that I had a few Windhoek lagers awaiting my arival back home.
So ok, maybe some of the other dogs will pick up this thread from here and ride some more, or perhaps I will do some more exploring of the line some other day.

 

[Piston Pete]

Its all very big! Billions spent & no maintenance dirt tracks for the brothers ;D

 

[BMWPE]

Thanks for that very interesting
Ride report with a diffrence  :thumleft:

 

[GundaGunda]

Thanks for the "spying" Leon.

Nice thread, and one we can keep up to date with further exploring and spying over the year.

What better way to do it on a bike that can sneak in easier and get where the cages can't.

Keep it up !

P.S.

What amazes me about the project are some of the steep up-and-down gradients.

Bumped into a guy wearing a Gautrain t-shirt and asked him if they were going to run on rubber wheels like bits of the Paris metro, but he said not - all steel wheels.

Hope they did their sommetjies and the wheels are not going to slip, or they use a 4x4 loco up front.

(Probably a 444x444  : )

 

[TVB]

Thanks Leondude, enjoyed the RR. Unbelievable construction, no wonder it's taking so long. Hope they are right about the sinkhole preventative measures (longer casts etc) I have heard that that train will travel at around 200km/h, come to think what will happen if a sinkhole suddenly appear!

I also like riding the gravel service roads next to the railway line in Brits, take my sons pitbike and do some exploring. One can have good riding and fun on these stretches of dirt, only a madness on Sundays when the guys on the 'super quads' come from the front next to each other in a big pack and there is hardly any space to give way... atch:

Think now is the time to get that Canon camera you've been dreaming about ot:

 

[Rooies]

Nice report Leon, thanks!

 

[Miles]

Thanks Leon.  Major Project. 8)

 

[Stormer]

I see a lot of these places on a weekly basis. They are using big machines and are building at a snot spoet. Some places faster (airport to Sandton) and some places a bit slower (centurion area). They are trying to get the link up between the airport and Santon in time for next year. It was never part of the world cup planning but they are trying.

I have seen at the airport where they connected to pillars (about 150 meters) in 2 weeks, and that is about 10 or 15 meters up in the air.

What I have wondered is those concrete blocks. When they started in Centurion they would hoist the blocks in the air and then drop them and hoist again and drop. I have seen places where they were busy for a couple of days and when the block drops it goes about 10 cm into the ground. It is definitely not for compaction because they did not do it on the whole route. Is this to get some sort of sound readings?


Then the other thing. Those big blocks with the holes in the middle that they truck in (it is made in Midrand and then individually transported onto the site). Are the empty section in the middle for maintenance that they don't need a road next to the track but have access from below?

 

[shark_za]

On side projects, say goodbye to the old Allendale offramp and onramp.
As of this weekend the new ones are in operation.

 

[roxenz]

Fascinating Leon Dude!

 

[iep_kruger]

heyta,,,well done at this totally cool iniative,,,was thinking when we gonna do this,,,,,

so now when do we do part 2????

 

[TrackSHUN]

heyta,,,well done at this totally cool iniative,,,was thinking when we gonna do this,,,,,

so now when do we do part 2????

Thanks for the inspiration, LeonDude. As I have passed a lot of the activity on a daily/weekly basis, I thught that this was a good reason to check it out a bit closer.

So Malgat, herewith Part 2

I decided to pick up where LeonDude had left off, so last Saturday got onto the service road near Nelmapius, heading south toward Midrand

Some MAJOR earthworks ... deep cuttings through the area

 

[TrackSHUN]

Some more pics in the Nelmapius area