ConnectCentral
| ConnectCentral | |
|---|---|
| Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination | |
| Public Transport System | |
| Operators: | Connect, Dalesburg Department of Transportation and public transport operators of Gardellia Central, Gospley, Palm Ridge, New Oak and Traxia |
| Lines: | 5 ( A B D E U ) |
| Number of Stations: | 32 |
| Parent Company | Matt Transit, Dalesburg Department of Transportation and public transport operators of Gardellia Central, Gospley, Palm Ridge, New Oak and Traxia |
| System Map | |
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The ConnectCentral network is a light rail and tramway system connecting the cities of Gardellia Central, Castelnau Le Lez, Gospley, Palm Ridge, Dalesburg, New Oak and Traxia which are located in the Central Region of Gardellia. These lines are jointly owned and operated by the seven cities' transport agencies under the ConnectCentral branding.
Service Notifications
| Line | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|
| A | Disrupted | Castelnau Arena Station is closed. |
| B | Good Service | Normal Service |
| D | Good Service | Normal Service |
| E | Good Service | Normal Service |
| e | Good Service | Normal Service |
| U | Disrupted | Castelnau Arena station is closed.
Part suspended north of Paillade Nord. |
History
Creation of the ConnectCentral brand
In summer 2017, two lines from the Dalesburg Tram system were extended westwards under the Gardellia Mainline network tracks to Castelnau Le Lez, terminating just north of the then-plaza and bus interchange at the city's mainline station. The terminus in Castelnau was dubbed Maguelones.
In September 2017, the two lines were rebranded as part of the creation of the ConnectCentral network. Dalesburg tram lines 1 and 2 became lines A and B respectively. At its creation, both lines shared the same tracks from Castelnau Le Lez to Dalesburg City Hall with line A branching off to the Train Station while line B diverted south serving Allentown and the TransHaven Center.
Between September 2017 and October 2017, line B was extended further to the Dalesburg Super Speedway.
Initial expansion to Rockham and Palm Ridge
A month later in October 2017, the network was extended to Rockham with a major restructuring of the network. Lines A and B were swapped, with line B now being the short branch terminating at the Train Station, whilst line A gained a branch to Dalesburg - Residential with some trams terminating there instead of the Super Speedway. Line C was created to connect to Rockham, connecting with the rest of the network at Dalesburg - Residential and calling at an Rockham - East Beach before terminating at Rockham Central.
Simultaneously, the Matt Transit Castelnau Le Lez - Palm Ridge Line was integrated into the network becoming line D . At the time, the line was operated in two separate sections with one not going further than the Castelnau Le Lez city borders calling at Canal, Agropolis, Expo, Maguelones, Luynes, Beaulieu and Paillade, and another serving Palm Ridge connecting Palm Ridge Central and Aberdeen.
In late October 2017, the network in Palm Ridge was expanded with the addition of line E running north-south between Palm Ridge - Temple-Arena, Palm Ridge Central and the city's mainline station.
Separately, also in late October, the Castelnau Arena station was opened on lines A and B between Maguelones and City Hall due to the opening of the eponymous hockey arena.
In addition, line C was extended further east in Rockham serving Southport and Stadium Way.
Further short extensions
On November 1st 2017, line E was extended further south to Palm Ridge - Connor.
In December 2017, line E gained a branch to Palm Ridge - Stadium with trains alternately serving Stadium or Temple-Arena and Connor.
In May 2018, line E was extended north from Palm Ridge - Mainline to Palm Ridge - Plainsview.
In July 2018, Dalesburg - TransHaven Center station was renamed to Dalesburg - ConnectCentral Arena due to the renaming of the hockey arena.
In August 2018, Rockham - Southport was renamed Rockham - Southpoint.
In December 2019, due to the regeneration of Rockham, service on line C was permanently suspended.
2020 network reorganization and improvement projects
Initial interim service improvements measures
As part of service upgrades in early March 2020, service patterns were modified on lines A and B with 20 trams per hour between Maguelones to Dalesburg City Hall, 12 trams per hour to Dalesburg Train Station, 4 to Dalesburg Super Speedway, and 4 to Residential in peak periods.
In late-March 2020, due to declining ridership largely due to the regeneration of Rockham, Dalesburg - Residential was closed. In addition, line A took over line D stations between Maguelones and Canal. Line A was also extended south from the Super Speedway to lecity2. Services during peak periods on lines A and B remained at 20 trams per hour between Maguelones and Dalesburg City Hall whilst 5 services per hour continued to Dalesburg Train Station, 15 to lecity2 and 5 westbound to Canal.
Separation and Realignment of Lines A and B
Due to overcrowding on the shared Dalesburg-Castelnau Le Lez corridor, ConnectCentral considered several solutions to mitigate the increasingly serious capacity shortfall. As part of the finalised plan, line B would be separated entirely from line A , in a bid to increase capacity. Line B would run direct via tunnels from Canal to reach Paillade Station and further east, still underground, to Dalesburg City Hall and onwards onto its current alignment to Dalesburg Train Station. with direct tunnels to reach Paillade Stadium. In addition, the section served by line D between Maguelones and Canal would be transferred to line A .
Line B was first separated from Line A in late-March 2020 with services running a short shuttle service connecting Dalesburg City Hall and Dalesburg Train Station. Construction works progressed by the latter part of the year, enabling services between a new set of underground platforms at Paillade and Dalesburg Train Station from October 13th.
Some time between March and October 2020, line A was realigned between Maguelones and Canal, replacing line D services. Agropolis tramstop was permanently closed, and Canal tramstop was relocated slightly to the east.
Line B extension to Dalesburg Athlete Village
Separately to the network restructuring between Castelnau Le Lez and Dalesburg, line B was extended to Dalesburg Athlete Village via a station at Ocean Key some time between March and October 2020.
Line A Improvement works
As part of the 2020 network restructuring plans, infrastructure along line A was upgraded. The curves around Dalesburg City Hall were redone when platform extension works occurred. As existing tunnels leading to Maguelones from Castelnau Arena were too sharp, a new route was done to allow for longer trains to operate. This renovation was completed in 2020, utilising a month-long closure. When the underground road tunnel was redone, a new route was needed between north of the new Maguelones portal and west of Dalesburg City Hall. A new gentle curve was done from the latter, with a new cut-and-cover tunnel dug. The line now has a road crossing due to space constraints. These works were completed in May 2021. Castelnau Arena would open at a later date due to extensive renovation involving the Castelnau Underground station.
Extensions to Central City
With planning finalised in 2020 with line B set to continue from Canal to the Port of Gardellia, whilst line A would continue from LeCity2 into the Central City, with an intersection with line B at the western end, construction on these extensions progressed well into mid-2021.
Preliminary work completed ahead of summer 2021 occurred on line A throughout the latter part of 2020, which included the total reconstruction of Super Speedway station and a short extension to LeCity2. Allentown station was relocated, with Dalesburg City Hall rebuilt to accommodate longer platforms and an additional pair for line B .
The line B extension further south to Canal was completed and opened in July 2021 with the tunnels having been finished as early as May 2021.
Gospley extension
Separately, there were plans since 2018 to finish construction in Gospley connecting the separate sections of line D . However, a ban of trains in the city halted any form of construction. Eventually, it was decided that the line would continue underground to prevent disruption on developments in Gospley.
Line D was first renovated in 2019, which included track improvement works and station upgrades. As a result of the separation of lines A and B , the section between Maguelones and Canal was taken over by line A . The next phase was to extend the line to Gospley. There were several complications which delayed its extension. The tunnel portal and tunnels were too small, which means tunnel strengthening and widening had to be done. Works were completed in 2020. New sections of tunnel were dug in May 2021, with the two new stations Gospley Central and Gospley Bridesgate opened on 11 June 2021.
Extension to New Oak
Separately to the connection of the two separate line D sections in Gospley, the line was further extended westwards to North New Oak in a bid to serve new developments in New Oak. Construction of new tunnels using existing diameters were done west of Palm Ridge Central and the line was extended in May 2020. When such work took place, the platforms at Palm Ridge Central had to be lowered due to space constraints. 3 new stations opened, Westlands in Palm Ridge, and New Oak Riverpark and North New Oak in New Oak.
Linking Line D together
Phase 2 of the extension would connect the existing Palm Ridge and New Oak section to the Gospley section. Due to incompatibility, tunnel widening and improvement works had to be done between New Oak and Palm Ridge - Aberdeen. Aberdeen would be relocated to be in a cutting when the line connects. Platform extension works were ongoing at Palm Ridge Central. Efficiency was at its peak to widen these tunnels, which were completed in weeks. The new Aberdeen station, together with widened tunnels to Palm Ridge Central, reopened on 12 June 2021. The section from New Oak tunnel portal up to Palm Ridge Central was completed a day later. Platforms at Palm Ridge Central were fully extended in June 2021. The Gospley connection between Aberdeen and Bridesgate opened on 18 June 2021, with a new station at Fellindre expected in September 2021. This connection was a key milestone after 4 years of separate services, and was inaugurated a day after revenue services began. Many Gardellians took the first train from Gospley Central or Aberdeen through the new section.
Further extension west to Traxia
Construction of the Traxia extension caught up shortly after, using the existing right of way of the New Oak-Traxia railway. Initially, new tunnels were dug, but were shifted due to space constraints and engineering difficulties on the sandy terrain. During these works, Traxia station was temporarily closed to allow for platform extension and station renovation works to occur. The original station had no proper entrance. New and wider stairs were built on the existing platform, while new escalators, stairs and a lift were fitted into the two new platforms, forming a new island platform layout. Works were completed ahead of schedule, with the extension opening on 6 July 2021.
2021 Revitalization Plans
A new programme was introduced in mid 2021 to complete and upgrade existing infrastructure managed by ConnectCentral. Line D was the main goal, and was achieved by finishing the Traxia extension whilst upgrading existing tunnels and stations. The Gospley extension and connection to Palm Ridge was the most crucial part of the project, which was completed in June 2021. Aberdeen station was massively upgraded and reconstructed to cater for increased patronage.
Castelnau Underground absorbed into the network
The Castelnau Underground was absorbed into ConnectCentral as Line U in June 2021. The existing line received major and heavy upgrades to allow for longer trains to operate, including the separation of the Hyeres branch.
Expansion to Ember Coast
To provide better connection with neighbouring city Ember Coast, an extension for Tram Line E was drawn up. The entire line was upgraded and converted to right-hand traffic (RHT). Tunnel diameters were extensively widened, with certain gradients made gentler. A further substantial renovation was planned between Palm Ridge Mainline and Forum to allow for smoother gradient transition. This would be done in conjunction with the Palm Ridge Central station upgrade. Forum station was lowered, with the section to Connor rebuilt to allow for a straighter alignment for the extension to Ember Coast. All platforms were slightly extended to allow for longer trains to fit.
Line B extension to the Port of Gardellia
While the extension of line A was delayed due to construction in Central City, line B was extended south from Canal to the Port of Gardellia in August 2021. The infrastructure included the provision for a future infill station at Lez Riverside-Central West which would be opened at a later date.
Things to add:
- Line E extensions to Ember Coast and New Hudson, tunnel adjustment, track realignments
2022 Network Extension program
Finalised in mid-September 2022, the 2022 program included the extension of line A to the Port of Gardellia whilst relocating the current alignment in Central City to a grass median. In addition the extension included a new road link between Dalesburg and Central City along with a revamped car park for the Dalesburg Super Speedway. Line A and B would also be realigned in Dalesburg itself in a bid to increase speed limits and shorten travel times. As part of this project, Dalesburg City Hall and Train Station stops may be merged.
Separately, the plans to extend line E north to New Hudson and south to Ember Coast and a new park and ride facility at South New Oak were shifted from the 2021 revitalization plan program.
Finally, the local Traxia Connector tram line was planned to be integrated into the ConnectCentral network and branded as line T will be lightly refurbished.
Line E extension to Beverly
Whilst construction had mostly been completed on the one station extension bringing line E further north in August 2021, the station only opened on September 14th 2022.
Implementation of the 2022 Network Extension Program
Temporary Shuttle to Ember Coast
On October 23rd 2022, a temporary shuttle bus service named e was launched linking Ember Coast Mainline and Connor stations.
Network
| Line | First opened | Most recent extension | Termini | Length (in km) | Number of Stations | Running Time (in mins) | Depot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Summer 2017 | August 2021 | Castelnau Le Lez - Canal | Central City - lecity 2 | 8 | 3'45'' | Super Speedway Depot | |
| B | Summer 2017 | August 2021 | Dalesburg - Athlete Village West | Central City - Port of Gardellia | 7 | 4'05'' | ||
| D | 8 March 2017 | 6 July 2021 | Castelnau Le Lez - Maguelones | Traxia | 11 | 8'00'' | Maguelones Depot
New Oak Depot | |
| E | October 2017 | 14 September 2022 | Palm Ridge - Beverly | Palm Ridge - Stadium | 7 | 2'00'' | Connor Depot | |
| Palm Ridge - Connor | 2'45'' | |||||||
| e | 23 October 2022 | - | Palm Ridge - Connor | Ember Coast - Mainline | 2 | - | ||
| U | 23 May 2017 | 31 October 2017 | Castelnau Le Lez - Seaside Crescent | Castelnau Le Lez - Lez Riverside | 7 | 2'30'' (Lez Riverside - Paillade Nord) | ||
Lines
Line A
Line A is a light rail service running between Castelnau Le Lez and Gardellia Central City via Dalesburg. The line is mostly at grade though a tunnel section is present between Castelnau Maguelones and Dalesburg City Hall.
| City | Station Name | Interchange | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Castelnau Le Lez | Canal | B | |
| Castelnau Le Lez | Maguelones | D U NE NW CP IS NC | |
| Castelnau Le Lez | Castelnau Arena | U | Temporarily Closed |
| Dalesburg | City Hall | B | |
| Dalesburg | Allentown | ||
| Dalesburg | ConnectCentral Arena | ConnectCentral Arena | |
| Dalesburg | Super Speedway | Dalesburg Speedway APM | Dalesburg Speedway |
| Gardellia Central City | lecity2 | lecity2 Mall | |
| Gardellia Central City | Under Construction | ||
| Gardellia Central City | Under Construction | ||
| Gardellia Central City | Port of Gardellia | B | Under Construction |
Up to every 4 minutes during the day.
Line B
Line B is a light rail service running between Gardellia Central City and Dalesburg via Castelnau Le Lez. The line is mostly underground though it is at-grade in Dalesburg.
| City | Station Name | Interchange | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gardellia Central City | Port of Gardellia | A | |
| Lez Riverside-Central West (placeholder) | At Lez Riverside Station U | Under Construction (Opening later) | |
| Castelnau Le Lez | Canal | A | Paillade Stadium |
| Castelnau Le Lez | Paillade | D At Paillade Nord Station U | |
| Dalesburg | City Hall | A | |
| Dalesburg | Train Station | NE | |
| Dalesburg | Ocean Key | ||
| Dalesburg | Athlete Village West |
Up to every 4 minutes during the day.
Line D For more information and history see Matt Transit Castelnau Le Lez - Palm Ridge Line
Line D is a light rail service running between Castelnau Le Lez and Traxia via Gospley, Palm Ridge and New Oak. The line is at-grade in Castelnau Le Lez and New Oak, underground in Gospley, Palm Ridge and Traxia.
| City | Station Name | Interchange | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Castelnau Le Lez | Maguelones | A U NE NW CP IS NC | |
| Castelnau Le Lez | Beaulieu | Beaulieu Peak | |
| Castelnau Le Lez | Paillade | B At Paillade Nord Station U | |
| Gospley | Gospley Central | NW CP IS NC | |
| Gospley | Bridesgate | ||
| Gospley | Fellindre | Under Construction | |
| Palm Ridge | Aberdeen | ||
| Palm Ridge | Palm Ridge Central | E | Palm Ridge Mainline, Buses to Ferries |
| Palm Ridge | Westlands | ||
| New Oak | New Oak Riverpark | At New Oak Station NW NC New Oak Tram | |
| New Oak | North New Oak | New Oak Tram | |
| Traxia | Traxia | Traxia Connector Line |
Up to every 2.5 minutes during the day.
Line E
Line E is a light rail service running north-south in Palm Ridge. The line is mostly underground though it is at-grade south of Palm Ridge Central.
| City | Station Name | Interchange | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Ridge | Beverly | ||
| Palm Ridge | Plainsview | ||
| Palm Ridge | Mainline | NW IS NC COACH to Cranbrook | |
| Palm Ridge | Palm Ridge Central | D | |
| Stadium Branch | |||
| Palm Ridge | Stadium | ||
| Ember Coast Branch | |||
| Palm Ridge | Forum | Palm Ridge Temple-Arena | |
| Palm Ridge | Connor | e | |
| Ember Coast | Mainline | IS Harbourfront Line Backside Line | Under Construction |
Up to every 5 minutes during the day. Service will be boosted once the line is extended to Ember Coast with a 3+1 service pattern (3 trains for Ember Coast for every 1 train to Stadium)
e Ember Coast > Connor Shuttle
Line e is a temporary shuttle bus service linking Palm Ridge and Ember Coast whilst construction works on the line E extension to Ember Coast and New Oak continue.
| City | Station Name | Interchange | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Ridge | Connor | E | |
| Ember Coast | Mainline | IS Harbourfront Line Backside Line |
Up to every 5 minutes during the day.
U Castelnau Underground For more information and history see Castelnau Underground
Line U is a metro service running north-south in Castelnau Le Lez. The line is entirely underground.
| City | Station Name | Interchange | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Castelnau Le Lez | Seaside Central | ||
| Castelnau Le Lez | Beach | ||
| Castelnau Le Lez | Paillade Nord | At Paillade Station B D | |
| Castelnau Le Lez | Castelnau Arena | A | Temporarily Closed |
| Castelnau Le Lez | Maguelones | A D NE NW CP IS NC | |
| Castelnau Le Lez | Soho Park | ||
| Castelnau Le Lez | Lez Riverside |
Up to every 3.8 minutes during the day.
Operating Hours & Frequency
| First Train | Last Train | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Line A | From Canal | 05:10 | 00:30 | 24 Hour Weekend |
| From lecity2 | 05:30 | 00:50 | ||
| Line B | From Athlete Village West | 05:15 | 00:50 | 24 Hour Weekend |
| From Port of Gardellia | 05:30 | 01:10 | ||
| Line D | From Maguelones | 04:30 | 00:55 | 24 Hour Weekend |
| From Traxia | 04:30 | 00:45 | ||
| Line E | From Beverly | 05:40 | 00:30 | Additional late departures operated during events at Stadium or at Forum |
| From Stadium | 06:30 | 01:10 | ||
| From Connor | 05:30 | 00:10 | ||
| e Ember Coast > Connor Shuttle | From Ember Coast | 05:20 | 00:00 | Last E services from Beverly do not connect with e shuttle to Ember Coast |
| From Connor | 05:45 | 00:25 | ||
| U Castelnau Underground | From Lez Riverside | 05:50 | 00:30 | |
| From Seaside Crescent | 06:10 | 00:50 | ||
| Morning Peak Hour | Evening Peak Hour | Mon-Fri Daytime | Saturday | Sunday | Late Night | Overnight | Schedule Booklet | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Line A | 4' | 4' | 5'-6' | 5'-6' | 6'-7.5' | 8' | 12' | Coming soon | |
| Line B | 4' | 4' | 5'-6' | 5'-6' | 6'-7.5' | 8' | 12' | Coming soon | |
| Line D | 2.5' | 3' | 5' | 5'-6' | 6' | 10' | 12'-15' | Click Here | |
| Line E | Beverly - Connor | 5' | 6' | 10' | 10' | 12' | 12' | N/A | Click Here |
| Beverly - Stadium | 5' | 6' | 10' | 10' | 12' | 12' | |||
| Beverly - Mainline | 2.5' | 3' | 5' | 5' | 6' | 6' | |||
| e Ember Coast > Connor Shuttle | 5' | 6' | 10' | 10' | 12' | 12' | N/A | ||
| U Castelnau Underground | 3.8' | 4.2' | 5' | 5'-6' | 7.5' | 8' | N/A | Coming soon | |
Rolling Stock
| Name | Type | Length | Capacity | Date Introduced | Retired | Number | Used on | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TBD | Modern Tram (LRV) | 5 cars | TBC | Early 2017 | In progress | 28 | E Previously: A B C D | Gradually replaced by longer vehicles following the 2020-21 Revitalization Plan. |
| TBD | Metro (Heavy Rail) | 5 cars | TBC | May 2017 | - | 8 | U | |
Stations
| City | Station Name | Line(s) served | Interchange | At-Grade | Underground | Staffed | Mainline Connection | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castelnau Le Lez | Canal | A B | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Open | ||
| Castelnau Le Lez | Paillade | B D | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Open | ||
| Castelnau Le Lez | Paillade Nord | U | ✓ | ✓ | Open | |||
| Castelnau Le Lez | Seaside Crescent | U | ✓ | ✓ | Closed | |||
| Castelnau Le Lez | Beaulieu | D | ✓ | Open | ||||
| Castelnau Le Lez | Maguelones | A D U | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Open | |
| Castelnau Le Lez | Castelnau Arena | A U | ✓ | ✓ | Closed | |||
| Castelnau Le Lez | Soho Park | U | ✓ | Open | ||||
| Castelnau Le Lez | Lez Riverside | U | ✓ | Open | ||||
| Central City | lecity2 | A | ✓ | Open | ||||
| Central City | Port of Gardellia | B | ✓ | Open | ||||
| Dalesburg | City Hall | A B | ✓ | ✓ | Open | |||
| Dalesburg | Train Station | B | ✓ | ✓ | Open | |||
| Dalesburg | Ocean Key | B | ✓ | Open | ||||
| Dalesburg | Athlete Village West | B | ✓ | Open | ||||
| Dalesburg | Allentown | A | ✓ | Open | ||||
| Dalesburg | ConnectCentral Arena | A | ✓ | Open | ||||
| Dalesburg | Super Speedway | A | ✓ | ✓ | Open | |||
| Gospley | Gospley Central | D | ✓ | ✓ | Open | |||
| Gospley | Bridesgate | D | ✓ | ✓ | Open | |||
| New Oak | North New Oak | D | ✓ | Open | ||||
| New Oak | Riverpark | D | ✓ | ✓ | Open | |||
| Palm Ridge | Westlands | D | ✓ | Open | ||||
| Palm Ridge | Palm Ridge Central | D E | ✓ | ✓ | Open | |||
| Palm Ridge | Aberdeen | D | ✓ | ✓ | Open | |||
| Palm Ridge | Beverly | E | ✓ | Open | ||||
| Palm Ridge | Plainsview | E | ✓ | Open | ||||
| Palm Ridge | Palm Ridge Mainline | E | ✓ | ✓ | Open | |||
| Palm Ridge | Stadium | E | ✓ | Open | ||||
| Palm Ridge | Forum | E | ✓ | ✓ | Open | |||
| Palm Ridge | Connor | E | ✓ | Open | ||||
| Traxia | Traxia | D | ✓ | Open |
Trivia
Tram Line A serves 3 stadiums, the ConnectCentral Arena, Paillade Stadium and Castelnau Arena.