Railways in Melbourne

File:Reallyoldfindersstreetstation1.jpg

The pre 1910 Flinders Street Station building on Swanston Street

Flinders Street Station today

Melbourne has a long history of railway development. The city's first railway opened in 1854, when only 20 years earlier the city itself did not exist. Today, Melbourne's suburban railway network consists of 16 electrified lines, the central City Loop subway, and 200 stations, with a total length of 372kms of the electrified lines. It is operated by Connex Melbourne under franchise to the Government of Victoria.

History

In 1839 the Government Surveyor Robert Hoddle provided for a railway linking Melbourne and Hobsons Bay.

On 7 September 1851 a public meeting called for a railway linking Melbourne to Sandridge (Port Melbourne) which led to the establishment of the Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company on 20 January 1853. On 8 February 1853 the Government also approved the establishment of the Geelong and Melbourne Railway Company and the Melbourne, Mount Alexander and Murray River Railway Company.

In 1855 the Victorian Colonial Government conducted enquiries and carried out surveys into country railways. On 1 April 1856, Victorian Government established the Railway Department as part of the Board of Land and Works with George Christian Darbyshire being appointed Engineer in Chief. On 23 May of that year the Government took over the Melbourne, Mount Alexander and Murray River Railway Company.

The first train

The first steam train to travel in Australia took its maiden trip on 12 September 1854. The railway line stretched 4 km from the Melbourne (or City) Terminus (on the site of modern day Flinders Street Station) to Sandridge (now Port Melbourne). As with many of Australia's early railways, it was owned and operated by a private company - the Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company, which was formed in 1853.

Work began on laying the railway in March 1853, and trains were ordered from Robert Stephenson and Company of the United Kingdom. The first train was locally built by Robertson, Martin and Smith, however, owing to delays in shipping. Australia's first steam locomotive was built in ten weeks and cost £2,700.

The opening of the line occurred during the period of the Victorian gold rush - a time when both Melbourne and Victoria undertook massive capital works, each with its own gala opening. The inaugural journey on the Sandridge line was no exception. According to the Argus newspaper's report of the next day: "Long before the hour appointed ... a great crowd assembled round the station at the Melbourne terminus, lining the whole of Flinders Street". Lieutenant-Governor Sir Charles Hotham and Lady Hotham were aboard the train - which consisted of two first class carriages and one second class - and were presented with satin copies of the railway's timetable and bylaws.

The trip took 10 minutes, none of the later stations along the line having been built. On arriving at Station Pier (onto which the tracks extended), it was hailed with gun-salutes by the warships HMS Electra and HMS Fantome.

By March 1855, the four engines ordered from the UK were all in service, with trains running every half-hour. They were named Melbourne, Sandridge, Victoria, and Yarra (after the Yarra River over which the line crossed).

Early privateers

Melbourne's second railway line opened 13 May 1857, when the Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company opened their 4.5km line from the Melbourne (or City) Terminus (on the site of modern day Flinders Street Station) to St Kilda. This line was later extended by the St Kilda and Brighton Railway Company, who opened a line from St Kilda to Brighton in 1857.

Country lines followed were also built in 1857, with the Geelong and Melbourne Railway Company opening their railway from Geelong to Newport. In 1859 the Williamstown railway opened, connecting Williamstown and Geelong to Spencer Street Station.

More country lines followed in 1859 when the Victorian Railways opened a line from the Williamstown line at Footscray, to Sunbury, taking over from the Melbourne, Mount Alexander and Murray River Railway Company that was established in 1853 to build a railway to Echuca, but failed to make any progress.

Back in the city, the first line to the south-eastern suburbs was opened in 1859 by the Melbourne and Suburban Railway Company, from Princes Bridge railway station to Punt Road (Richmond), South Yarra, and Prahran. This line was extended to Windsor in 1860, connecting with the St Kilda and Brighton Railway Company line from St Kilda. The new line replaced the indirect St Kilda and Windsor line to the city, which was closed in 1867.

Another suburban line was built by the Melbourne and Essendon Railway Company in 1860, their line running from North Melbourne to Essendon, with a branch line from Newmarket to Flemington Racecourse opening in 1861. On the eastern side of town, the Melbourne and Suburban Railway Company opened their branch line from Richmond to Burnley and Hawthorn in 1861.

Uniting the network

By this point, the railways of Melbourne was a disjointed group of city bound lines, with the various companies operating from three different city terminals - Princes Bridge, Flinders Street, and Spencer Street stations. Some of the smaller companies had also encountered financial problems.

The St Kilda and Brighton Railway Company and Melbourne and Suburban Railway Company were absorbed by the Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company in 1865, forming the Melbourne and Hobsons Bay United Railway Company. The Melbourne and Essendon Railway Company was taken over by the Victorian Government in 1867. The Melbourne and Hobsons Bay United Railway Company was not taken over by the Victorian Government until 1878.

The terminals themselves were not linked until 1879, when a railway was built along the southern side of Flinders Street at street level to connect with Spencer Street Station, although this was only used for freight traffic at night. It was not until 1889 that a two-line viaduct was built between Flinders Street and Spencer Street stations.

Outwards expansion also continued, with major trunk lines being opened into Victoria. The Victorian Railways extended their line to Broadmeadows in 1872 as part of the line to Seymour and Albury-Wodonga. In 1879 the Gippsland line was opened from South Yarra to Caulfield, Pakenham and Bairnsdale.

Land boom lines

Connex train arriving at the heritage listed Camberwell railway station

Train at Alamein railway station

See also the Rosstown, Inner Circle, and Outer Circle railway lines

The 1870s and 1880s were a time of great growth and prosperity in Melbourne. Land speculation companies were formed, to buy up outer suburban land cheaply, and to agitate for suburban railways to be built or extended to serve these land holdings and increase land values. By 1880 the "Land Boom" was in full swing in Victoria.

New suburban railways were opened, with the Frankston line begun with the opening of a line from Caufield to Mordialloc in 1881, reaching the terminus in 1882. A second new suburban railway was opened from Spencer Street Station to Coburg in 1884, and extended to Somerton in 1889, meeting the main line from Spencer Street to Wodonga. Land developers opened a private railway from Newport to Altona in 1888, but it was closed in 1890, due to lack of demand.

The line from Hawthorn was extended, to Camberwell in 1882, Lilydale in 1883, and Healesville in 1889. In addition, a branch line (now known as the Belgrave line) was opened from Ringwood to Upper Ferntree Gully in 1889. A short branch two station was also opened from Hawthorn to Kew in 1887. The Brighton Beach line was also extended to Sandringham in 1887.

In 1888, railways came to the north eastern suburbs with the opening of the Inner Circle line from Spencer Street Station via Royal Park station to what is now Victoria Park station, and then on to Heidelberg. A branch was also opened off the Inner Circle in Fitzroy North, to Epping and Whittlesea in 1888 and 1889. Trains between Spencer Street and Heidelberg reversed at Victoria Park until a link was opened between Victoria Park and Princes Bridge in 1901.

The Outer Circle line opened in 1890, linking Oakleigh (on the Pakenham line) to Riversdale (with a branch to Camberwell on the Lilydale line) and Fairfield (on the Hurstbridge line). Originally envisigaed to link the Gippsland line with Spencer Street Station in the 1870s, this reason disappeared with the building of a direct link via South Yarra before the line had even opened. The line saw little traffic as it traversed empty paddocks, and with no though traffic, the Outer Circle was closed in sections between 1893 and 1897. The Camberwell to Ashburton stretch of the Outer Circle re-opened as the Ashburton line in 1899, and in 1900, part of the northern section of the Outer Circle reopened as a shuttle service between East Camberwell and Deepdene station. This line closed in 1927.

At the same time as the Outer Circle, a railway was opened from Burnley to Darling and a junction with the Outer Circle at Waverley Road (near the modern East Malvern). A stub of the future Glen Waverly line, it was cut back to Darling in 1895.

The land boom railway building hit a peak with the construction of the Rosstown Railway between Elstenwick and Oakleigh. Built by William Murry Ross, the line was planned from the 1870s to serve a sugar beet mill near Caufield. Construction commenced in 1883, followed by rebuilding in 1888. Ross's debt grew, and he attempted to sell the line many times without success. The line never opened to traffic and was later dismantled.

The stock market crash of 1891 lead to an extended period of economic depression, and put an end to railway construction until the next decade.

Further extensions

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Ripponlea railway station is an older station in the southern suburbs

By the 1900s, the driving force for new railway lines was the farmers in what is now Melbourne's outer suburbs. In the Dandenong Ranges a narrow gauge 762 mm line was opened from Upper Ferntree Gully to Belgrave and Gembrook in 1900 to serve the local farming and timber community. In the Yarra Valley a branch was opened from Lilydale to Yarra Junction and Warburton in 1901.

On the other side of the valley, the Hurstbridge line was extended to Eltham in 1912 and Hurstbridge in 1912. The freight only Mont Park line was also opened in 1911, branching from Macleod. Finally on the Mornington Peninsula, a branch was built from Bittern to Red Hill in 1921.

Electrification

First set of Tait suburban passenger carriages hauled by steam locomotive Dde 750, 1913

Four car Tait train at the Spring Vale Cemetery platform

Planning for electrification was started by Victorian Railways chairman Thomas James Tait, who engaged engineer Englishman Charles Hesterman Merz to deliver a report on the electrification of the Melbourne suburban network. His first report in 1908 recommended a three stage plan over 2 years, covering 200 route km of existing lines and almost 500 suburban carriages (approximately 80 trains). The report was considered by the Government and the Railway Commissioners, and Merz was engaged to deliver a second report based on their feedback.

Delivered in 1912, this second report recommended an expanded system of electrification to 240 route km of existing lines (463 track km), and almost 800 suburban carriages (approximately 130 trains). The works were approved by the State Government in December 1912. It was envisaged that the first electric trains would be running by 1915, and the project complete by 1917. World War I restrictions prevented electrical equipment being imported from the United Kingdom, and progress soon fell behind.

Rolling stock construction continued, with a number of older suburban carriages were converted for electric use as the Swing Door trains, and the first of the Tait trains were introduced as steam hauled carriages. Track expansion was also carried out, with four tracks being provided between South Yarra and Caufield, as well as grade separation from roads.

The first trials did not occur until Sunday October 1918 on the Flemington Racecourse line. Driver training continued on this line until the night of Sunday 18 May 1919, when the first electric train ran between Sandringham and Essendon, simulating revenue services. Electric services were inaugurated on May 28, 1919 with the first train running to Essendon, then to Sandringham. Full services started the next day.

The Burnley - Darling section of the Glen Waverley line line, the Upfield line to Fawkner, the branch to Altona, and the entire Williamstown line followed in 1920.

The Craigieburn line to Broadmeadows, the Epping line to Reservoir, the Sydenham line to St Albans, and the inner sections of the Hurstbridge line were electrified in 1921.

The Pakenham to Dandenong, and Frankston lines were electrified in 1922, as was the inner sections of the Lilydale line due to regrading works.

1923 was the completion of the original electrification scheme, but over the next three years a number of short extensions were carried out. The Ashburton line was electrified in 1924, final works on the Lilydale line were completed in 1925, as was electrification on the Belgrave line) to Upper Ferntree Gully. Electrification on the outer ends of the Hurstbridge line were completed by 1926, the Epping line to Thomastown was electrified in 1929, and the Burnley - Darling line was extended to Glen Waverley in 1930 to become the Glen Waverley line.

Post war rebuilding

A retired Harris train

Over the course of World War II funds for investment in the railways were not available. It was not until 1950 that the Victorian Railways were able to put their Operation Phoenix rebuilding plan into action. The Harris trains were delivered, being the first steel suburban trains on the network. This enabled the oldest of the Swing Door trains to be retired. A number of extensions to lines were also carried out, in order to serve the growing suburbs. A great deal of track amplification was completed, with a number of single line sections being eliminated.

The Ashburton line was extended along the old Outer Circle track formation to Alamein station in 1948 to become the Alamein line The Upfield line to Upfield, and the Epping line to Lalor were both electrified in 1959; the Epping line reaching its current terminus in 1964.

The Upper Ferntree Gully to Belgrave section of the Gembrook narrow gauge line was converted to broad gauge and electrified in 1962. The remainder of the line was closed in 1954, but has been progressively reopened by the Puffing Billy Railway.

The Pakenham line was electrified in 1954 as part of the works being carried out on the Gippsland railway, but suburban services did not start until the 1970s.

During this rebuilding, a number of little used lines were closed on the edges of Melbourne. The Bittern to Red Hill lines closed in 1953, the line between Epping and Whittlesea closed in 1959, and the Lilydale to Yarra Junction and Warburton line closed in 1964.

The final stages of the rebuilding stretched into the 1970s, with track amplification carried out to Footscray, and Box Hill, and the first deliveries of the stainless steel Hitachi trains.

Modernisation

Melbourne Central railway station in the underground City Loop

Comeng train on the Werribee line

By the 1980s, the railways of Melbourne had entered a run down state. 60 year old Tait trains were still in operation, and inner city congestion at Flinders Street lead to peak hour delays. The Victorian Railways were also going though a period of change, being rebranded as VicRail and reorganised along corporate lines.

The first of the new Comeng trains were delivered, providing a new level of comfort for suburban commuters with air conditioning, panoramic windows, and a high standard of interior furnishings. The older Tait trains were scrapped, and the older Harris trains underwent a failed refurbishment to Comeng standards of passenger comfort.

Between 1981 and 1985 the underground City Loop line was opened around central Melbourne to improve the capacity of Flinders and Spencer Street to handle suburban trains and to offer a better choice of stations to users. In addition the Metrol train control centre was opened to coordinate trains throughout the network. Public transport in Melbourne was also reorganised, with the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) formed to coordinate all train, tram and bus services in the city.

In 1983 the Werribee line was electrified, and the Altona line was extended to Laverton in 1985 to become part of the line. The Port Melbourne and St Kilda lines were converted to standard gauge light rail in 1987, becoming tram routes 111 (now route 109) and 96.

The 1980s was also a time of the closure of many uneconomic branch lines throughout the state. The line between Lilydale and Healesville was closed in 1980, now used by the Yarra Valley Tourist Railway. The branch from Baxter to Mornington was closed in 1981, but the line south of Moorooduc is now operated by the Mornington Railway as a tourist railway.

Privatisation

The modern Southern Cross Station

Melbourne's newest railway station, Roxburgh Park

The early 1990s was further changes, with the MTA reborn as the Public Transport Corporation, trading as "The Met".

State Governments of both sides of politics begun to push for reform of the railway network, proposing conversion of the Upfield, Williamstown, and Alamein lines to light rail. These proposals failed, with the Upfield line instead receiving a series of upgrades to replace labour intensive manual signalling systems. Federal government funding was made available for the electrification of the Cranbourne line in 1995. Rationalisation of the Jolimont Railyards commenced, allowing the creation of Melbourne Park and the later Federation Square.

The Kennett Government also initiated a number of reforms to the operation of the railway system, with guards being abolished from suburban trains and train drivers taking over the task of door operation. Stations were de-manned, and the Metcard ticketing system was introduced to cut the need for staff even further.

The biggest change was the privatisation. 'The Met' was split into two operating units - 'Hillside Trains' and 'Bayside Trains', each to be franchised to a different private operator. In 1999 the process was complete, with Connex Melbourne and M>Train each operating half of the network. By 2004 the parent company of M>Train (National Express) withdrawn from operating public transport in Victoria, and their half of the suburban network was passed to Connex as part of a renegotiated contract.

The franchising contracts contained provisions for the new operators to refurbish the Comeng trains, and to replace the older Hitachi trains - Connex choose the Alstom X'Trapolis while M>Train chose the Siemens. Since privatisation the Victorian Government has funded expansions to the suburban network - the electrification of the St Albans line was extended to Watergardens (near the former Sydenham station) in 2002, and the Broadmeadows line was extended to Craigieburn in 2007.

Operations

Melbourne's suburban electrified railway system comprises 16 interdependent lines all feeding into Flinders Street station. Some of these line are the suburban parts of regional lines, and also carry diesel-hauled passenger and goods trains to locations beyond the suburban network. Melbourne railways ars built to Template:5ft3in Irish broad gauge. (Interstate lines and the tram system (including former railway lines converted to light rail) are standard gauge, with a distance of Template:4ft8.5in between the rails.)

Power is supplied by catenary-style overhead wiring at 1500 volts DC. Melbourne, along with other Australian railways, uses the British terminology of "up" and "down", with "up" being defined as toward Flinders Street Station.

Infrastructure

Quadruple track near Caulfield station, showing signalling and overhead wiring.

All but a handful of the lines include at least one single-track section, and except for flyovers at North Melbourne, Burnley, and Camberwell, all junctions are flat junctions. These restrictions hinder the performance of the system, as delays tend to "knock on" to other services. Two lines have three-track sections (the centre line being signalled for two-way operation and used for up trains in the morning peak period and down trains at other times). Where two or more lines come together in the inner area, there are four or more tracks.

Operationally, the 16 lines are divided into four groups of lines. The Clifton Hill Group comprises the two lines that branch at Clifton Hill station. The Burnley Group comprises the four lines that go through Burnley station. The Caulfield Group comprises the three lines that go through Caulfield station, plus the Sandringham line. The Northern Group comprises the remaining lines, which all go through North Melbourne station.

The City Loop consists of four single-track underground lines, one for each group, allowing trains arriving in the city from each group to circle the central business district then head out again to a destination on the same group. Trains generally operate within one of the four groups, although there is some interworking between the Burnley and Clifton Hill groups and between the Caulfield and Northern Groups.

Passenger information

PRIDE Talking Box panel at East Camberwell station

A diagram of a two-line LED PID

A diagram of a CRT PID screen pair

The PRIDE II system is used to distribute timetable information to passengers at stations. An electronic timetable and announcement system, PRIDE stands for Passenger Real-time Information Dissemination Equipment. The system consists of:

• The control system, situated at Metrol.
• Control stations, at which staff update information, and announcements and CCTV recordings are dealt with for nearby stations.
• Public address systems at each station on the network. The PRIDE system automatically announces when a train is due soon, delayed, or cancelled; this is done via the rail telephone network.
• PRIDE "talking boxes" installed on each platform of all stations.
• Electronic information displays.

Control data comes from two locations: Metrol, and control stations. Next train data and times are automatically updated by the train control systems, with manual overrides also possible.

All stations are provided with "talking boxes" which have two buttons and a small speaker. The green button, when pressed, contacts the PRIDE controller over the rail telephone network, identifying itself by the DTMF tones that correspond to the ID number assigned to the box. The system then reads out times and destinations for the next two services to depart that platform (or, in the case of stations with a single island platform with departures either side, both platforms). The red button when pressed, gives the user two way communication with the closest control station.

More busy stations are provided with electronic LED PIDs, which indicate the destination, time, stopping pattern summary, and minutes to departure for the next train on the platform.

Finally station on the City Loop, in addition to North Melbourne, Richmond, and Box Hill stations, have CRT screen PIDs. These displays show in detail the destination, scheduled and actual departure time, and all stations the next train stops at. Also shown is the destination and time of the following train, and the system is capable of providing suggested connections and warn of service interruptions. At Flinders Street and Southern Cross stations, these displays have been replaced by widescreen LCD screens.

Safeworking

A signal with associated train stop in the raised position to the right

Most lines in Melbourne operate under an automatic block system of safeworking with three-position power signalling. This permits signals to operate automatically with the passage of trains, enforcing the distance between them. At junctions signals are manually controlled from signal boxes, with interlockings used to ensure conflicting paths are not set. The Flemington Racecourse line has two-position automatic signalling, a variant of the three-position system.

The outer end of the Hurstbridge line is operated with token based systems and two-position manual signalling, where access to the line is based upon possession of a token.

Train stops are used to enforce stop indications on signals - should a train pass a signal, the train's brakes will automatically be applied. Trains are also fitted with pilot valves, a form of dead man's switch that applies the brakes should the driver fail to maintain a foot or hand pilot valve in a set position. The "VICERS" vigilance control and event recorder system is also being currently fitted to suburban trains to provide an additional level of safety.

Train control

The main control room for the rail network is Metrol. Located in the Melbourne CBD, it controls signals in the inner suburbs, tracking the location of all trains, as well as the handling the distribution of real time passenger information, and manages disruptions to the timetable. Additional signal boxes are located throughout the network, and in direct communication with Metrol.

Trains

A Sydenham-bound Hitachi, the oldest in the fleet

A Frankston-bound Siemens train, the newest in the fleet

Refurbished Comeng train

Modern X'Trapolis 100 train

See also: Hitachi, Comeng, X'Trapolis, and Siemens

All electric trains on the Melbourne suburban network are driver-only operated, with power-operated sliding doors closed by the driver, but opened by the passengers. Guards on suburban trains were abolished in the 1990s.

Trains also have intercar doors to enable passengers to change between carriages while in transit. All trains except the older Hitachi trains are fitted with air conditioning, closed-circuit cameras, and emergency intercom systems. Trains are fixed into three car units, and may operate alone or with a second such unit.

Fleet

There are four types of trains, each type being unable to operate coupled to each other type. Two types, the X'Trapolis and Siemens trains, are currently limited in normal operation to two groups each, the Burnley and Clifton Hill groups and the Caulfield and Northern Groups respectively. Both the Hitachi trains and the Comeng trains can operate throughout the system.

Melbourne's suburban rolling stock currently consists of (numbers are number of 3-carriage units):

• 12 Hitachi EMUs, built by Martin & King using Hitachi-supplied electrical components during the 1970s. The Hitachi fleet was to be replaced by the X'trapolis and Siemens trains, but twelve have been kept to cater for a growth in traffic.
• 187 Comeng EMUs, built by Commonwealth Engineering from 1981-1989, refurbished by EDi Rail and Alstom for M>Train and Connex respectively from 2000-2003.
• 58 X'Trapolis EMUs, built by Alstom from 2002-2004.
• 72 Siemens EMUs, built by Siemens AG from 2003-2006.
• 4 MTH carriages, converted from the Harris EMUs, hauled by a A class diesel locomotive, used on the Stony Point Line.

Classification and configuration

Since the introduction of suburban electric trains in Melbourne, their carriages have been classified as follows. All fleet types have used these classifications, with different fleet types using different number ranges for the carriages.

• M indicates a motorised carriage, with a driving compartment.
• T indicates a trailer carriage.
• D indicated a trailer carriage with a driving compartment. Only Swing-door, Tait, and Hitachi trains had these.
• G indicated a trailer carriage fitted with both gas and electric lighting, for use on country services. Only Tait trains had these.
• BT indicated a particular type of trailer carriage. Prior to the abolition of first class suburban travel in 1958, motorised carriage were generally second class and trailer carriages were generally first class. BT indicated a second class trailer carriage.

An exception to the above classifications was the trial double-deck train, which used T to indicate a trailer carriage with a driving compartment, and M to indicate a motorised carriage without a driving compartment.

Currently, all trains are assembled into a symmetrical M-T-M arrangement. Trains comprise either one or two such units. All peak period services and some off-peak services comprise two units. The few remaining Hitachi trains operate in fixed two-unit sets.

Services

Melbourne uses "clock-face" timetables in off-peak periods, but generally not in peak periods, due to operating near to the capacity of the infrastructure and having to accommodate single-line sections, flat junctions, and regional diesel-hauled trains. Even in off-peak periods, however, frequencies vary according to time of day and day of week, and by line. In some places, services on two lines combine to provide more frequent services on common sections of tracks. Saturday and Sunday services are identical during the day, but differ during the evening on some lines.

Burnley Group

All trains run via the City Loop (in one direction depending on time of day and day of week), with the exception of Alamein and Blackburn services. With minor exceptions, Lilydale and Belgrave trains do not stop at East Richmond station, which is served by Glen Waverley trains.

During peak hours express trains operate from the outer ends of the Lilydale and Belgrave lines in the direction of peak travel, utilising the third track from Box Hill and the City Loop. Alamein trains run direct to Flinders Street, in addition to stopping all stations trains from the intermediate terminus of Blackburn.

All off-peak trains run via the City Loop in one direction, with the exception of Alamein services which are shuttles to and from the junction at Camberwell.

Caulfield Group

All trains on the Pakenham, Cranbourne, and Frankston lines (in one direction depending on time of day and day of week) operate via the City Loop, with the exception of a small number of peak hour services. Sandringham trains also operate via the underground loop on weekends, but not weekdays.

Frankston sees a number of peak hour express services in the direction of peak travel, utilising the third track from Moorabbin. The Pakenham and Cranbourne lines see a smaller number of peak expresses, and all Sandringham trains stop all stations.

Clifton Hill Group

All trains (in one direction depending on time of day and day of week) operate via the City Loop. At many times, Hurstbridge line trains operate express between Jolimont and Clifton Hill, with the Epping trains serving the intermediate stations.

Northern Group

All trains (in one direction depending on time of day and day of week) operate via the City Loop, except for Williamstown services. All off-peak Williamstown services are shuttles to and from the junction at Newport, while in peak they run direct from Flinders Street.

Greater metropolitan lines

Stony Point line services operate as shuttles from Frankston station with advertised connections between trains. Melton and Sunbury services operate from Southern Cross Station.

Special services

There are no regularly-scheduled services on the Flemington Racecourse line, but services are run to the Racecourse whenever race meetings are held at the racecourse. Services are also operated to the Showgrounds platform during the Royal Melbourne Show every September.

Fares and Tickets

File:Metcard-handyhints.gif

Metcard ticket

Metcard operated barrier gates

Main article: Metcard

The fare and ticket system used on Melbourne's railway system is common to all public transport in Melbourne, and known as Metcard.

There are two concentric zones (which was reduced from three on March 4 2007), with fares applicable to one or two zones. Fares are time-based, with tickets being valid for two hours or all day. Tickets are also available for longer periods, such as weekly and monthly. Within the time periods, tickets can be used on an unlimited number of services and all modes (train, tram, and bus). There is no extra fee for transfers. Various discounts are also available, such as for off-peak travel and buying tickets in bulk.

Tickets are credit-card in size with a magnetic stripe, and must be inserted in a validator before each use. Only the busier stations have ticket-operated barrier gates. At other stations, enforcement is based on honesty with random checks. Tickets are available from machines at all stations and on trams, from station ticket offices at manned stations, from bus drivers, from various retail outlets such as newsagents and convenience stores, and via the Internet. As the tickets have to be validated before use (except when bought on trams, which are sold pre-validated), they may be bought in advance and used when required.

The Metcard ticket system will be replaced in 2007 with a new system of smartcards, known as Myki.

Freight

NR class locomotive at the Melbourne Steel Terminal, off Footscray Road

Main article: Freight railways in Melbourne

Melbourne also has an extensive network of railway lines and yards to serve freight traffic. The lines are of two gauges - Template:5ft3in broad gauge and Template:4ft8.5in standard gauge, and are unelectrified. In the inner western suburbs of the city, freight trains have their own lines to operate upon, but in other areas trains are required to share the tracks with Connex and V/Line passenger services. The majority of freight terminals are located in the inner suburbs about the Port of Melbourne, located between the Melbourne CBD and Footscray.

Until the 1980s a number of suburban stations had their own goods yards, with freight trains running over the suburban network, often with the E or L class electric locomotives.

See also

Melbourne

• Buses in Melbourne
• Trams in Melbourne
• Connex Melbourne
• Lonie Report

Australien

• History of rail transport in Australia
• Rail transport in Victoria
• Rail transport in Australia
• Transportation in Australia

The World

• List of rapid transit systems
• List of suburban and commuter rail systems
• List of current systems for electric rail traction

External links

• Metlink - official website of Melbourne's public transport
• Official map of Melbourne's modern railway network
• Vicsig - Victorian railways enthusiast website
• Railpage Australia - enthusiast website
• V/LineCars.com - Comprehensive V/Line carriage information & enthusiast website
• Google Earth Overlay
• Dallas Delta Corporation – producer of the PRIDE "talking boxes".