Rail transport in Victoria: Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox rail |
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| railroad_name = Railways of Victoria |
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| logo_filename = |
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| logo_size = |
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| system_map = Victorian-rail-map-2007.png |
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| map_caption = Victorian railway network, passenger lines in colour, freight only lines in grey |
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| marks = |
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| locale = [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], [[Australia]] |
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| start_year = 1854 |
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| end_year = |
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| predecessor_line = |
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| successor_line = |
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| gauge = {{5ft3in}} [[Victorian broad gauge|broad gauge]],<br> {{4ft8.5in}} standard gauge,<br> some {{3ft6in}} and 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) [[narrow gauge railway|narrow gauge]] |
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| length = 1712 km passenger, 4129 km total.<ref name="rtsa">{{cite web |
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| title = Victoria’s Regional Railway Past, Present and Potential |
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| work = RTSA Regional Rail Symposium, Wagga Wagga |
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| date = 1 February 2007 |
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| url = http://www.rtsa.com.au/events/conferences/fffrr/text-for-rtsa-wagga-presentation-20070107.pdf |
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| author = John Hearsch |
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| format = PDF |
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| accessdate = 2008-02-08 }}</ref> |
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| hq_city = |
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}} |
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{{main|Rail transport in Australia}} |
{{main|Rail transport in Australia}} |
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[[Image:Vlocity train at lara victoria.jpg|thumb|280px|Modern V/Line [[VLocity]] diesel train purchased for the [[Regional Fast Rail project]]]] |
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[[Image:Pacific national cement train at geelong.jpg|thumb|280px|[[Pacific National]] operated freight train]] |
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[[Image:Restored victorian railways train.jpg|thumb|right|280px|Heritage train in the Victorian Railways livery]] |
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'''Rail transport in Victoria''', [[Australia]], is |
'''Rail transport in [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]]''', [[Australia]], is provided by a number of railway operators who operate over the government owned [[railway]] lines. Victorian lines use {{5 ft 3 in}} [[Victorian broad gauge|broad gauge]], with the exception of a few experimental [[Narrow gauge lines of the Victorian Railways|narrow gauge]] lines, and a number of [[standard gauge]] {{4ft8.5in}} freight and interstate lines. |
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Passenger services are operated by [[V/Line]] and [[Connex Melbourne]], while freight is operated by [[Pacific National]] and other private operators. |
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==Gauge== |
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The [[standard gauge|standard]] or international rail gauge is {{4ft8.5in}}. |
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==Infrastructure== |
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The majority of the railways of Victoria are {{5ft3in}} [[broad gauge railway|broad gauge]], presenting difficulties when connections were made with the other states of Australia. These problems were made worse when the [[Victorian Railways]] experimented with four short [[narrow gauge railway|narrow gauge]] lines of {{2ft6in}} in the early 20th century. |
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{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; clear: right; margin:10px; text-size:80%; text-align:right" |
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!align=center colspan=4| '''Network route kilometres (January 2007)'''<ref name="rtsa" /> |
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|- |
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| |
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| Broad gauge |
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| Standard gauge |
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| Total |
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|- |
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| Passenger<br> and freight |
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| 1712 |
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| nil |
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| 1712 |
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|- |
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| Freight-only |
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| 1673 |
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| 368 |
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| 2041 |
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|- |
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| Services suspended |
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| 290 |
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| 86 |
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| 376 |
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|- |
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| Total |
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| 3675 |
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| 454 |
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| '''4129''' |
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|- |
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|} |
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The trunk railway lines of Victoria are double track, some built as such, and others duplicated later on. Early sections of the suburban network were [[double track]], with later additions being [[Single track (rail)|single track]] that was later duplicated. |
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By the [[1960s]], interstate traffic was suffering from the [[Rail gauge|break of gauge]] at the [[New South Wales]] state border, and a parallel {{4ft8.5in}} line was built from the state capital to join the New South Wales system, mainly with Commonwealth (national) funding. A [[bogie exchange]] depot was introduced to allow wagons to operate across the broad and [[standard gauge]] lines. |
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The [[Bendigo railway line, Victoria|Bendigo]] and [[Geelong - Ballarat railway line, Victoria|Geelong - Ballarat]] mainlines were both built as double track in the 1860s, but were singled in the 1930s and 2000s respectively. The [[Albury-Wodonga railway line, Victoria|north-east line]] to [[Seymour railway station, Victoria|Seymour]] was duplicated in the mid 1880s<ref name="somerton">{{cite web |
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The oldest single-gauge inter-capital line from [[Melbourne]] to [[Adelaide]] (dating from [[1887]]) was finally converted from {{5ft3in}} to {{4ft8.5in}} in [[1995]]. Since the [[1970s]], Victorian Railways has contracted, and many low use lines have been closed. |
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| title = Somerton |
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| work = Victorian Station Histories |
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| author = Andrew Waugh |
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| url = http://www.vrhistory.com/Locations/Somerton.pdf |
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| format = PDF |
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| accessdate = 2008-02-08 }}</ref> and remains so today, the [[Bairnsdale railway line, Victoria|Gippsland]] line to [[Moe railway station, Victoria|Moe]] was duplicated in the 1950s in conjunction with increased briquette traffic,<ref name="elect91" >{{cite book |
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| last = S.E. Doorman and R.G. Henderson |
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| title = Electric Railways of Victoria |
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| publisher = Australian Electric Traction Society |
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| page = page 91 |
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| year = 1979 |
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| isbn = 0 909459 06 1 }}</ref> and the busiest country line in the state to [[Geelong, Victoria|Geelong]] was progressively duplicated from 1959 to 1981.<ref name="rg">{{cite web | title = Geelong Line | work = Rail Geelong | publisher = Marcus Wong | url = http://railgeelong.com/lineguide.php?line=geelong | format = HTML | accessdate = 2008-02-05 }}</ref> |
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Few railway tunnels exist in Victoria, with the exception of the Melbourne [[City Loop, Melbourne|City Loop]]. The longest tunnel before the opening of the loop was at [[Fyansford, Victoria|Fyansford]] (near Geelong), where a 1300 metre long tunnel existed on a narrow gauge quarry railway.<ref>{{cite web | title = Fyansford Line | work = Rail Geelong | publisher = Marcus Wong | url = http://railgeelong.com/lineguide.php?line=fyansford | format = HTML | accessdate = 2008-02-08 }}</ref> Of those open today the longest is the single track 422 metre long Geelong Tunnel,<ref>{{cite web | title = Geelong Tunnel | work = Rail Geelong | publisher = Marcus Wong | url = http://railgeelong.com/locations.php?name=Geelong%20Tunnel | format = HTML | accessdate = 2008-02-08 }}</ref> followed by the double track 385 metre Elphinstone and the 390 metre long Big Hill Tunnels on the [[Bendigo railway line, Victoria|Bendigo line]].<ref>{{cite web | title = Bendigo Line |
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| work = Vicsig Lineguides | url = http://www.vicsig.net/index.php?page=infrastructure&line=Bendigo | format = HTML | accessdate = 2008-02-08 }}</ref> A 154 metre long tunnel also exists on the [[Healesville railway line, Melbourne|Healesville line]], as well as three tunnels on the suburban [[Hurstbridge railway line, Melbourne|Hurstbridge line]], and another on the [[Freight railways in Melbourne|freight lines]] under Footscray station.<ref name="hisvic">{{cite web |
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| title = The Railway Top 20! |
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| work = Royal Historical Society of Victoria |
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| url = http://www.historyvictoria.org.au/pdf/questions.pdf |
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| format = PDF |
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| accessdate = 2008-02-05 }}</ref> |
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On the interstate railway corridors there are independent sections of track due to the use of both broad and standard gauges in the state, these sections being from Melbourne to Seymour and on to Albury (constructed in the 1960s), and Melbourne to Geelong (completed in 1995). The gauge issue also sees [[dual gauge]] track used, in areas including [[Maryborough railway station, Victoria|Maryborough]], North Geelong, and various freight terminals in Melbourne. |
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==Operators== |
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The first railways in [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]] were operated by private companies, but when these companies failed or defaulted, [[Victorian Railways]] was established in 1859 to take over their operations. |
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The maximum speed of suburban [[Electric Multiple Unit]]s and locomotive hauled trains is 115 km/h, with [[Diesel Multiple Unit]]s permitted up to 130 km/h on the same track, and up to 160 km/h on specified lines.<ref name="vlpnspaddenda" /> The maximum axle loading of freight wagons is 20 tonnes,<ref name="vlpnspnoc" /> with locomotives of up to 22 tonne axle loading operating.<ref name="vlpnspaddenda">{{cite web | publisher = V/Line Regional Network and Access | title = Addenda | work = [http://www.vline.com.au/rna/rna/information_pack.html V/Line Network Service Plan] | url = http://www.vline.com.au/pdf/rna/addenda.pdf | format = PDF | accessdate = 2007-09-10 }}</ref> Train lengths are limited to 1200 metres, except on the main interstate lines where 1500 metre long trains are permitted.<ref name="vlpnspnoc" /> |
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This situation remained until 1974 when the Victorian Railways was rebranded as '''VicRail'''. In 1983 VicRail was reconstituted as the '''State Transport Authority'''. [[V/Line]] became the operator of the regional network and [[Metlink|The Met]] became the operator of [[Railways in Melbourne|Melbourne suburban services]]. Between 1996 and 1997 V/Line and The Met were privatised. V/Line's freight business and rural intrastate network is now controlled by [[Pacific National]]. However, in November 2006 Pacific National reportedly agreed to sell the remainder of its lease of the network back to the Victorian Government for $133.8m.<ref>{{cite news |
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| title = Toll sells rail lease |
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| pages = 17 |
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| publisher = [[Canberra Times]] |
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| date = 2 November 2006 }}</ref> V/Line's former interstate rail freight infrastructure is controlled by the [[Australian Rail Track Corporation]]. [[Connex Melbourne]] now operates the suburban railway network in [[Melbourne]]. On the other hand, the [[National Express Group]] gave up its V/Line Passenger franchise in 2002. |
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== |
===Rail gauge=== |
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[[Image:Mixed-gauge-trackwork-north-geelong.jpg|thumb|Dual gauge (broad and standard) track work]] |
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Victoria's first railway was a suburban railway opened from [[Flinders Street Station|Melbourne]] to [[Port Melbourne, Victoria|Port Melbourne]] in 1854. |
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{{see also|Victorian broad gauge}} |
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The first country line was from Melbourne to [[Geelong, Victoria|Geelong]] in 1857 by the [[Geelong and Melbourne Railway Company]]. The Company built a further connection of Geelong to [[Ballarat]] to help the gold mining industry. |
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The majority of the railways of Victoria are of {{5 ft 3 in}} [[Victorian broad gauge|broad gauge]], presenting [[break-of-gauge]] difficulties when connections were made with the other states of Australia which use the {{4ft8.5in}} [[standard gauge]]. In addition, the [[Victorian Railways]] experimented with four short [[Narrow gauge lines of the Victorian Railways|narrow gauge]] lines of {{2 ft 6 in}} in the early 20th century. Efforts to eliminate the gauge issue were proposed many times in the intervening years, with a [[List of Australian Royal Commissions|Royal Commission]] in 1921 deciding "''that the gauge of 4-ft. 8.5-in. be adopted as the standard for Australia; that no mechanical, third rail, or other device would meet the situation, and that uniformity could be secured by one means only, viz., by conversion of the gauges other than 4-ft. 8.5-in.''"<ref>{{cite web |
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| title = Standardisation of Railway Gauges |
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| work = Year Book Australia, 1967 |
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| publisher = Australian Bureau of Statistics |
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| date = 25/01/1967 |
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| url = http://www.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/[email protected]/dc057c1016e548b4ca256c470025ff88/f7d0f9dda8f0a320ca2569de0028b414!OpenDocument |
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| format = HTML |
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| accessdate = 2008-02-08 }}</ref> |
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By the 1950s, interstate traffic was suffering from the break-of-gauge at the [[New South Wales]] state border, and a parallel standard gauge line was opened from the Melbourne to join the New South Wales system in 1962, along with a [[bogie exchange]] depot to allow wagons to operate across the broad and standard gauge networks.<ref name="rtsa">{{cite web |
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The suburban network expanded from [[Princes Bridge railway station, Melbourne|Princes Bridge railway station]] to [[Richmond railway station, Melbourne|Richmond]] in 1859. <!-- |
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| title = Victoria’s Regional Railway Past, Present and Potential |
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Subsequently, up to 1925, [[Victorian Railways]] built new railways to connect farming and mining communities to the ports of Melbourne, Geelong and [[Portland, Victoria|Portland]]. |
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| work = RTSA Regional Rail Symposium, Wagga Wagga |
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--> |
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| date = 1 February 2007 |
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| url = http://www.rtsa.com.au/events/conferences/fffrr/text-for-rtsa-wagga-presentation-20070107.pdf |
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| author = John Hearsch |
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| format = PDF |
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| accessdate = 2008-02-08 }}</ref> The second interstate link from Victoria to [[Adelaide]] (the oldest single-gauge inter-capital line dating from 1887) was converted from broad to standard gauge in 1995 enabling from Victoria to access the rest of the nation without disruption.<ref name="rtsa" /> |
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Today the standard gauge network consists of the two main interstate lines, and a number of branch lines in the far west of the state.<ref name="vrmap">{{cite web | author = Mark Bau | title = RAILWAY MAP VICTORIAN LINES | url = http://steam4me.railpage.org.au/files/vrmap.pdf | format = PDF | accessdate = 2005-10-01 }}</ref> Gauge conversion |
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In 1862 lines reaches the great [[Victorian gold rush|gold rush]] towns of [[Bendigo, Victoria|Bendigo]] and [[Ballarat, Victoria|Ballarat]], and in 1864 a line was opened to the [[Murray River]] port of [[Echuca, Victoria|Echuca]]. |
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of 2000 kilometres of track was announced in May 2001 by the Victorian Government, but did not proceed due to the difficulty of achieving any agreement with then track manager, [[Freight Australia]].<ref name="rtsa" /> The works would have covered 13 lines,<ref name="agrg">{{cite web |
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| title = Rail Gauge Standardisation Project |
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| work = Victorian Auditor General's Office |
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| date = August 2006 |
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| url = http://www.audit.vic.gov.au/reports_mp_psa/psa1603.html |
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| author = Victorian Auditor General |
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| format = HTML |
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| accessdate = 2008-02-08 }}</ref> including the [[Mildura_railway_line,_Victoria|Mildura line]] via Geelong, Ballarat, and Maryborough; the north western Victorian grain network; and the lines centred upon Seymour and Benalla in the north east. Conversion of the regional and suburban passenger networks is not envisioned.<ref name="agrg" /> |
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===Loading gauge=== |
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In 1883 the first connection with another State's rail system was made when a line was completed to the [[New South Wales Government Railways]]'s station at [[Albury, New South Wales|Albury]], requiring a [[break-of-gauge]] to New South Wales's [[standard gauge]] ({{4ft8.5in}}). In 1887, Victorian Railways met [[South Australian Railways]] at [[Serviceton, Victoria|Serviceton]], although both systems used broad gauge. By this time the Victorian Railways had grown to service all parts of the state, and became something of a [[political football]] with politicians demanding new lines to be built in places where traffic levels never justified it. |
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The Victorian [[loading gauge]] for vehicles is sized between that of British and American practices. Wagons may be up to 22.85 metres long, 2.97 metres wide, and carry loads up to 4.27 metres above the rail height.<ref name="vlpnspnoc">{{cite web | publisher = V/Line Regional Network and Access | title = Network Operating Requirements | work = [http://www.vline.com.au/rna/rna/information_pack.html V/Line Network Service Plan] | url = http://www.vline.com.au/pdf/rna/network_operating_requirements.pdf | format = PDF | accessdate = 2007-09-10 }}</ref> Double stacking of container wagons is not possible under these limits, with 2655mm (8ft 8½ in) high containers the largest permitted, with the exception of 3200mm (10ft 6in) high containers on some routes.<ref name="vlpnspnoc" /> Trials were made with the [[4D (train)|4D double deck passenger train]] on some suburban lines, requiring alterations to overhead bridges and structures, but no double deck trains are used today. |
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In 1888 the [[Gippsland Railway|Gippsland line]] reached [[Bairnsdale, Victoria|Bairnsdale]]. The next year a direct line from Melbourne to Ballarat opened, avoiding Geelong. In the early 20th century rural lines were completed to [[Mildura, Victoria|Mildura]] (1903) and [[Tocumwal, New South Wales|Tocumwal]] (1908). |
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--> |
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===Signalling=== |
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Railways were a huge industry, with some 10,000 workers engaged by 1891, engines were being produced by the Phoenix foundry in Ballarat and sleeper cutting became a substantial part of the timber industry.[http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/tia/836.html#3324] |
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[[Image:Mechanical-signalling-north-geelong.jpg|thumb|Mechanical ''2 position'' semaphore signalling at [[North Geelong railway station, Victoria|North Geelong]].]] |
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[[Image:Mechanical-interlocking-frame-avenel.jpg|thumb|Mechanical [[interlocking]] frame for signal control at [[Avenel railway station, Victoria|Avenel]].]] |
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[[Image:Led-colour-light-signal.jpg|thumb|Modern LED colour light ''3 position'' signalling]] |
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:''Compare to [[Australian railway signalling]]''<!-- update there as well please, then here too --> |
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In 1919, electrification and development of the [[Railways in Melbourne|Melbourne suburban lines]] commenced. |
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Victoria uses a mix of [[railway signalling]] practices: British route signalling with home and distant signals (''2 position signalling'') and American speed signalling (''3 position signalling'').<ref name="sigx" >{{cite book |
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In 1981, Melbourne's only underground railway, the [[City Loop, Melbourne|Melbourne City Loop]] was opened. The main interstate links were finally standardised: Melbourne to Albury (connecting to [[Sydney]]) in 1961 and Melbourne to [[Adelaide]] in 1995. |
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| last = Fisher |
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===Melbourne lines=== |
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| first = Peter |
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: ''For further details on the subsequent development of the inner Melbourne lines see [[Railways in Melbourne]].'' |
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| title = Victorian Signalling: by Accident or Design? |
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Australia's first railway was a 4 km [[Victorian broad gauge]] line between the [[Melbourne]] (or City) Terminus (on the site of modern day [[Flinders Street Station]]) and Sandridge (now [[Port Melbourne, Victoria|Port Melbourne]]), constructed by the [[Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company]] and opened in September 1854. This line became part of the [[Railways in Melbourne|Melbourne suburban electrified network]] during the 20th century and most of it was converted to [[standard gauge]] light rail in the 1987 as [[Melbourne tram route 109]]. |
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| publisher = Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division) |
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| year = 2007 |
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| page = page ''x'' |
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| isbn = 978 1 92089 250 0 }}</ref> |
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[[railway semaphore signal|Semaphore signals]] were used on the very first railway lines, but only a bare minimum were provided as the time interval system being relied upon instead.<ref name="sig39" >{{cite book |
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| last = Fisher |
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| first = Peter |
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| title = Victorian Signalling: by Accident or Design? |
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| publisher = Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division) |
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| year = 2007 |
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| page = page 39 |
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| isbn = 978 1 92089 250 0 }}</ref> The first [[interlocking]] of signals to protect trains was provided in 1874, <ref name="vrhist" /> as before this time conflicting moves could be made. The design of the signals also progressed, with the ''disc'' type siding signals first introduced in 1885,<ref name="sig62" >{{cite book |
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| last = Fisher |
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| first = Peter |
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| title = Victorian Signalling: by Accident or Design? |
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| publisher = Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division) |
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| year = 2007 |
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| page = page 62 |
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| isbn = 978 1 92089 250 0 }}</ref> and the lower quadrant ''somersault'' type main line signals adopted in 1887,<ref name="sigx" /> both of which are still in use today. Green was not adopted as the ''All Right'' colour until 1898, with white being used before this time.<ref name="sig62" /> Red was the usually colour of all signal arms, until yellow was chosen as the colour for distant signals in 1926, with full adoption made in 1930.<ref name="sig62" /> Colour light signals first appeared in 1918, and by 1924 they were the standard for new installations.<ref name="sigx" /> |
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The safeworking of trains between stations on the early lines was time interval working,<ref name="sig39" /> where a train would be allowed to leave a given time after the train before it. With heavier traffic this method became unsafe, with [[Staff and Ticket]] working on single lines adopted from 1873, and telegraph block working from 1878 on double lines.<ref name="sig64" >{{cite book |
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| last = Fisher |
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| first = Peter |
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| title = Victorian Signalling: by Accident or Design? |
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| publisher = Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division) |
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| year = 2007 |
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| page = page 64 |
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| isbn = 978 1 92089 250 0 }}</ref> Both of these systems ensured that only one train would be in a section of track at one time. Telegraphic block working was then replaced with ''Winters Block'' working between 1883 and 1888,<ref name="sig66" >{{cite book |
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| last = Fisher |
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| first = Peter |
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| title = Victorian Signalling: by Accident or Design? |
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| publisher = Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division) |
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| year = 2007 |
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| page = page 66 |
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| isbn = 978 1 92089 250 0 }}</ref> a system that is a predecessor of the ''Double line Block'' system which is still used today. Later years saw variations made to the ''Staff and Ticket'' system, with busier lines provided with [[Electric Staff]] working which provided greater safely when more trains ran. |
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Heavier suburban traffic on the [[Railways in Melbourne|Melbourne network]] saw a greater stain on the block working then used, which required a large number of manned signal boxes to enable trains to run close together.<ref name="elect20" >{{cite book |
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===Gippsland line=== |
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| last = S.E. Doorman and R.G. Henderson |
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{{Further|[[Gippsland Railway|Gippsland line]]}} |
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| title = Electric Railways of Victoria |
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The [[Melbourne and Suburban Railway Company]] opened a line from [[Princes Bridge railway station, Melbourne|Princes Bridge railway station]] to [[Richmond railway station, Melbourne|Punt Road]] (Richmond) and [[South Yarra railway station, Melbourne|South Yarra]] in 1859. This line was extended to [[Moe, Victoria|Moe]], [[Morwell, Victoria|Morwell]], [[Traralgon, Victoria|Traralgon]], [[Sale, Victoria|Sale]], and [[Bairnsdale, Victoria|Bairnsdale]] between 1877 and 1879. It was extended to [[Orbost, Victoria|Orbost]] in 1916. The line east of Sale was closed by the Kennett Government in 1993, but was reopened to Bairnsdale in 2004. The line between Dandenong and Traralgon was electrified in 1954, but electrification was cut back to [[Warragul, Victoria|Warragul]] in 1987, [[Bunyip railway station, Victoria|Bunyip]] in 1998, and [[Pakenham railway station, Melbourne|Pakenham]] in 2001, although the electrification from Pakenham to Bunyip after 1987 was mostly used for the testing of suburban trains, with only a handful of electrified services per week between Flinders Street and Warragul. V/line passenger trains now run as far as Bairnsdale since the Sale-Bairnsdale section was restored by the Bracks Labor state government in 2004. |
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| publisher = Australian Electric Traction Society |
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| page = page 20 |
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| year = 1979 |
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| isbn = 0 909459 06 1 }}</ref> As a result it was decided to adopt power signalling under the [[Automatic Block Signal|Automatic Block System]] (ABS) of safeworking, where the presence of trains automatically control the signals after them, providing a safe distance between trains. Introduced from 1915, the system was based on American speed signalling practice with GRS2A upper quadrant mechanical signals with two arms able to indicate up to 5 different speed aspects to train drivers.<ref name="sigx" /> These signals were later replaced by colour light signals which are the standard today, but the old mechanical style remained until 2001.<ref name="sig89" >{{cite book |
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| last = Fisher |
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| first = Peter |
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| title = Victorian Signalling: by Accident or Design? |
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| publisher = Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division) |
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| year = 2007 |
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| page = page 89 |
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| isbn = 978 1 92089 250 0 }}</ref> |
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A variant of the ''Automatic Block System'', ''Automatic and Track Control'' (ATC) has since been introduced, which provides the same benefits as ABS on single lines of track, while still ensuring only one train in a section at a time. [[Centralized traffic control|Centralised Traffic Control]] was also introduced in the 1960s on the new standard gauge line to Albury,<ref name="somerton" /> and then on the main interstate line to Adelaide, allowing trains to be directed from a distance. |
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Today little mechanical signalling remains, with local [[signal box]]es controlling signals abolished from many areas as part of the [[Regional Fast Rail project]].<ref name="sigx" /> Today the suburban network and busier regional lines use variants of Automatic Block Signalling, while quieter lines use the [[Token (railway signalling)|Train Staff and Ticket]] or [[Train order operation|Train Order]] systems of safeworking.<ref>{{cite web | title = Safeworking in Victoria |
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===South Gippsland line=== |
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| work = Vicsig | url = http://www.vicsig.net/index.php?page=infrastructure§ion=safeworking | format = HTML | accessdate = 2008-02-08 }}</ref> [[Train protection system|Train protection]] has also progressed, with the [[Train Protection & Warning System]] also introduced on major passenger lines.<ref name="sigx" /> |
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{{Further|[[South Gippsland railway line, Victoria|South Gippsland line]]}} |
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The South Gippsland railway line was opened from Dandenong to [[Cranbourne railway station, Melbourne|Cranbourne]] in 1888 and extended to [[Loch, Victoria|Loch]] in 1890, [[Leongatha, Victoria|Leongatha]] in 1891 and [[Alberton, Victoria|Alberton]] and [[Port Albert, Victoria|Port Albert]] in 1892. A branch line was built from Alberton to [[Yarram, Victoria|Yarram]] and [[Woodside, Victoria|Woodside]] in 1921. Almost all the line was closed in stages between the early 1970s and 1994. Passenger service ran as far as Leongatha until 1993, when the Kennett Government closed the line for "economic reasons". In 1995, the first 13km of line between Dandenong to Cranbourne was electrified and re-opened as part of the Melbourne suburban network. Tourist trains currently operate between Korumburra and Leongatha on Sundays, and may shortly recommence between Korumburra and Nyora; the Connex electrified suburban service from Melbourne Flinders Street terminates at Cranbourne. |
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==Rollingstock== |
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===Albury-Wodonga line=== |
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Rollingstock in Victoria has used air braking since tests of [[Brake (railway)|continuous train brakes]] were carried out in 1884.<ref name="vrhist" /> Initially screw couplings were used to connect wagons, but from 1924 automatic [[Coupling (railway)|knuckle couplers]] were introduced, with [[buffer (rail transport)|buffers]] removed from freight wagons by 1960.<ref name="wagons">{{cite journal | title = Four wheeled open wagons of the Victorian Railways | journal = Notes from the Victorian Model Railway Society Prototype Modellers Meet 2007 | author = Mark Bau }}</ref> |
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{{Further|[[Albury-Wodonga railway line, Victoria|Albury-Wodonga line]]}} |
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The Albury-Wodonga line originated from the [[Melbourne and Essendon Railway Company]]'s line opened from [[North Melbourne railway station|North Melbourne]] to [[Essendon railway station, Melbourne|Essendon]] in 1860. It was extended to [[Mangalore, Victoria|Mangalore]] in 1872 and [[Wodonga, Victoria|Wodonga]] in 1873, connecting with the [[New South Wales Government Railways]] at [[Albury, New South Wales|Albury]] at a [[break-of-gauge]] in 1883. A standard gauge track was completed parallel with the broad gauge track from Albury to Melbourne in 1961. Frequent service runs between Melbourne and Seymour, while several V/line trains a day run as far as Wodonga and Albury on broad gauge track. The Melbourne-Sydney XPT operated by Countrylink also runs along this route, stopping at Benalla, Wangaratta and Albury only, but on standard gauge. |
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=== |
===Locomotives=== |
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{{see also|Category:Victorian Railways locomotives|l1=Victorian Railways locomotives}} |
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{{Further|[[Shepparton railway line, Victoria|Shepparton line]]}} |
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A branch line was built from Mangalore to [[Toolamba, Victoria|Toolamba]] and [[Shepparton, Victoria|Shepparton]] in 1880 and extended to [[Numurkah, Victoria|Numurkah]] in 1881, [[Strathmerton, Victoria|Strathmerton]] in 1905 and connecting with the New South Wales Government Railways at [[Tocumwal, New South Wales|Tocumwal]] at a [[break-of-gauge]] in 1908. There are regular calls for the line to be standardised as part of a proposed Melbourne to Brisbane (inland) railway. Until 1993, passenger service ran as far as Cobram via Nagambie, Murchison East, Shepparton and Numurkah. As part of economic rationalisation during the Kennett era, service was cut back to Shepparton. |
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[[Image:R707-loco-victorian-railways.jpg|thumb|Preserved [[Victorian Railways R class|R class]] steam locomotive]] |
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===Bendigo area lines=== |
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[[Image:Vline-a70-pn-xr557.jpg|thumb|[[V/Line]] [[Victorian Railways A class (diesel)|A class]], and [[Pacific National]] [[Victorian XR class (diesel)|XR class]] diesel locomotives.]] |
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The line from [[Southern Cross Station|Spencer Street]] to [[Sunbury railway station, Melbourne|Sunbury]] was extended to [[Woodend railway station, Victoria|Woodend]] and [[Kyneton railway station, Victoria|Kyneton]] in 1861 and [[Castlemaine railway station, Victoria|Castlemaine]] and [[Bendigo railway station, Victoria|Bendigo]] in 1862. |
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In Victoria groups of [[locomotive]]s of the same design are classed together by letter, in a system introduced in 1886.<ref name="railmac3" /> Initially low letters were given to passenger classes, and high letters for goods classes, but from about 1916 this pattern was discarded.<ref name="railmac3" /> Within classes locomotives are individually numbered, in a continuous number block which is unique to the class. In some cases locomotives have been renumbered to keep number blocks continuous, and in some cases there is no correlation between the number blocks used for the steam and diesel locomotives of the same class letter.<ref name="power=parade">Examination of all classes in {{cite book |
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A branch line was opened from [[Clarkefield, Victoria|Clarkefield]] (north of Sunbury) to [[Lancefield, Victoria|Lancefield]] in the 1881. This line closed in 1956. |
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| year = 1981 |
|||
| title = Power Parade |
|||
| author = VicRail Public Relations |
|||
| ISBN = 0 7241 3323 2 |
|||
}}</ref> In addition, some classes start the number series with a ''0'', while others start with a ''1''.<ref name="power=parade" /> |
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The first locomotives used in the state were small [[steam locomotives]], and by the end of the 1800s [[0-6-0]] tender engines were used on goods, and [[4-4-0]] configurations for passenger workings.<ref name="railmac2" >{{cite book |
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A branch was opened from [[Carlsruhe, Victoria|Carlsruhe]] (between Woodend and Kyneton) to [[Daylesford, Victoria|Daylesford]] in 1880. This line was closed in 1978. Part of this line, between Daylesford and [[Bullarto railway station, Victoria|Bullarto]] is now operated by the [[Daylesford Spa Country Railway]] as a tourist railway. This line was connected with a line from [[Ballarat, Victoria|Ballarat]] in 1887. |
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| author = Railmac Publications |
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| title = Australian Fleetbooks: V/Line locomotives |
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| publisher = Kitchner Press |
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| year = 1992 |
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| page = page 2 |
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| isbn = 0 949817 76 7 }}</ref> The majority of locomotives were imported from [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|Britain]], from companies such as [[Beyer, Peacock and Company]], [[Robert Stephenson and Company]], [[R and W Hawthorn]] and [[George England]].<ref name="railmac2" /> The Williamstown Workshops also built locomotives locally, as did the [[Phoenix Foundry]] in [[Ballarat, Victoria|Ballarat]].<ref name="railmac2" /> |
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As the size of train increased, so did the locomotives. The [[4-6-0]] wheel arrangement became popular for passenger and mixed traffic work with the [[Victorian Railways Dd class|D3]] and [[Victorian Railways A2 class|A2 class]]es, and the [[2-8-0]] arrangement on goods with the [[Victorian Railways K class|K]], [[Victorian Railways J class|J]] and [[Victorian Railways C class|C classes]] lasting into the 1960s.<ref name="railmac2" /> These were then followed by the [[4-6-2]] [[Victorian Railways S class|S class]] ''Pacifics'' for the ''[[Spirit of Progress]]'' express, and the single [[4-8-4]] [[Victorian Railways H class|H class]] locomotive H220, the biggest [[Victorian Railways]] steam locomotive.<ref name="arhs">{{cite web|url=http://www.railwaymuseum.org.au/whattosee_h220.html|title = What to see - H220|work = ARHS Railway Museum | accessdate = 2008-02-05}}</ref> The final steam locomotives built in Victoria were the [[4-6-4]] [[Victorian Railways R class|R class]] and [[2-8-0]] [[Victorian Railways J class|J class]]es. Of more modern design, they arrived at the same time as the first diesels and were never fully appreciated.<ref name="railmac3" >{{cite book |
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A branch line was built between [[Redesdale, Victoria|Redesdale]] Junction (north of Kyneton) and Redesdale by 1900. It was closed in the 1950s. |
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| author = Railmac Publications |
|||
| title = Australian Fleetbooks: V/Line locomotives |
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| publisher = Kitchner Press |
|||
| year = 1992 |
|||
| page = page 3 |
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| isbn = 0 949817 76 7 }}</ref> |
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Electric locomotives were first acquired with the [[railway electrification system|electrification]] of the suburban railways, the [[Victorian Railways E class (electric)|E class]] suburban engines acquired in 1923 and 1928-29, followed by the [[Victorian Railways L class (electric)|L class]] from 1953 when the mainline to [[Traralgon, Victoria|Traralgon]] was electrified for [[Energy in Victoria|briquette]] traffic.<ref name="railmac3" /> |
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A branch line was opened from Castlemaine to [[Maldon, Victoria|Maldon]] in 1884 and [[Shelbourne, Victoria|Shelbourne]] in 1891, although the railway had originally been planned to run to [[Laanecoorie, Victoria|Laanecoorie]]. The line from Maldon to Shelbourne was closed in 1969 due to bush fire damage. The branch line closed in 1976.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.vgr.com.au/timechart/timechart1988.htm | title=Chart of Events| publisher=[http://www.vgr.com.au Victorian Goldfields Railway]|accessdate=2006-06-09}}</ref>. The [[Victorian Goldfields Railway]] has restored the line and operates trains between Castlemaine and Maldon. |
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[[Dieselisation]] occurred from 1951 with the [[Victorian Railways F class (diesel)|F class shunter]], but the [[Victorian Railways B class (diesel)|B]] and [[Victorian Railways S class (diesel)|S classes]] of 1952 and 1957 revolutionised main line operations.<ref name="railmac3" /> They were then followed by the [[Victorian Railways T class (diesel)|T]] and [[Victorian Railways Y class (diesel)|Y classes]] in 1955 and 1963 which displaced steam from the branch lines and yards.<ref name="railmac3" /> Apart from the F class, [[Clyde Engineering]] has had a monopoly on Victorian diesel-electric locos.<ref name="locopage">{{cite web | title = VR - V/Line - VLP/ FA Locomotives | work = Locopage | url = http://locopage.railpage.org.au/vline.html | format = HTML | accessdate = 2008-02-05 }}</ref> as the Australian licensee of [[General Motors]] [[Electro-Motive Diesel|EMD]] engines and traction motors, fitting them into locally designed bodies. By 1980s the first generation locomotives were approaching the end of their lives, with the electric locomotives withdrawn by 1988,<ref name="railmac3" /> and the modern [[Victorian Railways N class (diesel)|N]] and [[Victorian Railways G class (diesel)|G classes]] allowing the withdrawal of lower horsepower T and Y classes.<ref name="railmac12" >{{cite book |
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A branch line was built from Bendigo to [[Heathcote, Victoria|Heathcote]] in 1888 and connected to a line from [[Kilmore, Victoria|Kilmore]] in 1890. The Bendigo - Heathcote line closed in 1958. |
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| author = Railmac Publications |
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The Heathcote Junction to Heathcote branch was closed in November 1968. |
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| title = Australian Fleetbooks: V/Line locomotives |
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| publisher = Kitchner Press |
|||
| year = 1992 |
|||
| page = page 12 |
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| isbn = 0 949817 76 7 }}</ref> |
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Today the former [[Victorian Railways]] locomotive fleet has been split into two, with the [[Victorian Railways N class (diesel)|N]], [[Victorian Railways A class (diesel)|A]] and [[Victorian Railways P class (diesel)|P classes]] utilised by [[V/Line]] on passenger services, with the remainder with [[Pacific National]] in freight use.<ref name="locopage" /> No new passenger locomotives have been built since the 1980s, with [[Diesel Multiple Unit]]s being acquired instead. Freight operations have seen the re-powering of the G and [[Victorian Railways X class (diesel)|X classes]], as well as the restoration to service of stored locomotives, now up to 50 year old.<ref name="cfcla">{{cite web | title = Mainline Locomotives | work = Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia | url = http://www.cfcla.com.au/mainline.htm | format = HTML | accessdate = 2008-02-05 }}</ref> |
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Regular passenger service is provided by V/line on the Bendigo Line. Since the Bracks Government was elected in 1999, more frequent train service on the line has been provided. |
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=== |
===Passenger=== |
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[[Image:Vlocity train at lara victoria.jpg|thumb|Modern V/Line [[VLocity]] diesel train purchased for the [[Regional Fast Rail project]]]] |
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The Bendigo line was extended to [[Elmore, Victoria|Elmore]] and [[Echuca, Victoria|Echuca]] in 1864 and across the [[Murray River]] to connect with the private [[Deniliquin and Moama Railway Company]] from [[Moama, New South Wales|Moama]] to [[Barnes, New South Wales|Barnes]] and [[Deniliquin, New South Wales|Deniliquin]] in 1876. This company was taken over by Victorian Railways in 1923. |
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Early passenger services were operated with 4 and 6 wheeled 'dogbox' passenger carriage with small compartments and no side corridors. Later years say the provision of side corridors to provided access down the train, and onboard toilets. Sleeping carriages was first introduced in 1887,<ref name="hisvic">{{cite web |
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A branch line was built from Elmore to [[Cohuna, Victoria|Cohuna]] in 1910 and it was closed in the 1980s. |
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| title = The Railway Top 20! |
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| work = Royal Historical Society of Victoria |
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| url = http://www.historyvictoria.org.au/pdf/questions.pdf |
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| format = PDF |
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| accessdate = 2008-02-05 }}</ref> and dining cars from 1908.<ref name="pjvover">{{cite web |
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| title = Victorian Railways - Loco hauled Passenger Carriages |
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| work = Peter J. Vincent's Website |
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| url = http://www.pjv101.net/cd/pages/type_car.htm |
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| format = HTML |
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| accessdate = 2008-02-08 }}</ref> |
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Larger bogie rollingstock started to appear from the turn of the century,<ref name="pjvover" /> with the [[E type carriage|E type carriage stock]] introduced on ''[[The Overland]]'',<ref>{{cite web |
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A branch line was built from Barnes to [[Moulamein, New South Wales|Moulamein]] and [[Balranald, New South Wales|Balranald]] in 1926. The Moulamein - Balranald section was closed in the 1980s. |
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| title =V&SAR Joint Stock Sleeping Cars |
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| work = Peter J. Vincent's Website |
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| url = http://www.pjv101.net/cd/pages/c191m.htm |
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| format = HTML |
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| accessdate = 2008-02-08 }}</ref> and smaller [[W type carriage|W type carriage stock]] on intrastate trains. The first air conditioned carriage was introduced in 1935, when one of the E type carriages was fitted.<ref>{{cite web |
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| title = AE 1st class wooden compartment pass. cars |
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| author = Mark Bau |
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| url = http://www.victorianrailways.net/pass%20cars/pass%20car%20pages/ae.html |
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| format = HTML |
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| accessdate = 2008-02-08 }}</ref> All steel carriages came to the Victorian Railways in 1937, with the construction of the [[S type carriage|S type carriage stock]] for the new ''[[Spirit of Progress]]''.<ref name="arhs2" /> |
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On the Melbourne suburban network [[Electric Multiple Unit]]s were introduced speeding up services. Experiments were also made with [[:Category:Victorian Railways railmotors|various diesel and petrol railcars]] for use smaller branch lines, with the DERM being the most successful, remaining in service from 1928 to 1991. A fleet of Walker railcars was also introduced in the 1950s, along with [[Z type carriage|Z type]] saloon carriage stock<ref name="pjvover" /> for both intra and interstate trains. |
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In 1996 passenger service to Echuca was reinstated for the first time since 1983 when a twice-weekly service from Bendigo was started. Since 2007, there is one train to/from Melbourne on weekdays and two on weekends.However the train speed between Bendigo and Echuca is a very slow 80 kph. |
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By the 1980s country passenger services were run down, and older wooden rolling stock was now approaching their use by date. As a result, the [[N type carriage|N type carriages]] were introduced from 1981,<ref name="pjvover" /> followed by the converted [[H type carriage|H type stock]] from 1984.<ref name="pjvover" /> Since then, [[Diesel Multiple Unit]]s have become the norm for new purchases, with the [[Sprinter_(Victorian_train)|Sprinter]] introduced in 1992, and the [[VLocity]] from 2005. |
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====Robinvale line==== |
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A line was opened from Bendigo to [[Inglewood, Victoria|Inglewood]] in 1876, [[Korong Vale, Victoria|Korong Vale]] in 1882, [[Boort, Victoria|Boort]] in 1883, [[Quambatook, Victoria|Quambatook]] in 1894, [[Ultima, Victoria|Ultima]] in 1900, [[Chillingolah, Victoria|Chillingolah]] in 1909, [[Manangatang, Victoria|Manangatang]] in 1914, [[Annuello, Victoria|Annuello]] in 1921 and [[Robinvale, Victoria|Robinvale]] in 1924. This line currently only handles grain trains. Victorian Railways commenced construction of a railway to Koorakee and Lette in New South Wales in 1924, but this railway was never completed. The [[Murray River]] bridge between Robinvale and [[Euston, New South Wales|Euston]] was instead converted to a road bridge. A new road bridge is currently being built to replace it and the old bridge will be demolished on its completion. A short branch line was built from [[Wedderburn, Victoria|Wedderburn]] Junction (south of Korong Vale) to Wedderburn in the 1880s and it was closed in the 1980s. There is currently no passenger service on this line. |
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====Swan Hill line==== |
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A line was built from [[Eaglehawk, Victoria|Eaglehawk]] (just north of Bendigo on the line to Inglewood) to [[Raywood, Victoria|Raywood]] in 1882, [[Mitiamo, Victoria|Mitiamo]] in 1883, [[Kerang, Victoria|Kerang]] in 1884, [[Swan Hill, Victoria|Swan Hill]] in 1890, [[Piangil, Victoria|Piangil]] in 1915, [[Kooloonong, Victoria|Kooloonong]] by 1920 and [[Yungara, Victoria|Yungara]] in the 1920s. The Kooloonong - Yungara was closed in the 1950s and the Piangil - Kooloonong section was closed in the 1980s. |
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===Freight=== |
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A branch line was built from Kerang to [[Murrabit, Victoria|Murrabit]] in 1924 and [[Stony Crossing, New South Wales]] (originally called Poonboon) in 1928 under an agreement with New South Wales.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/consol_act/bra1922177/sch1.html | title=Border Railways Act 1922| publisher=[http://www.austlii.edu.au Australian Australasian Legal Information Institute] | accessdate=2006-06-09}}</ref> No passenger services were carried on the section beyond Murrabit after 1932 and it was closed about 1943. Passenger services ceased to Murrabit in 1941 and the branch line closed altogether in 1961. <ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.aattc.org.au/Times%20December%202002A.pdf | title=Poonboon| publisher=[http://www.aattc.org.au Australian Association of Time Table Collectors] | accessdate=2006-06-09}}</ref>. |
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[[Image:Wagons-north-melbourne.jpg|thumb|Various Victorian bogie wagons]] |
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Another branch line was built from Kerang to Koondrook in 1889. It was closed in the 1980s. |
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Early wagons were built on four wheeled under frames, but from 1871 [[bogie]] vehicles begun to appear.<ref name="bogie" >{{cite book |
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V/line provides daily passenger service between Melbourne and Swan Hill via Bendigo, with two weekday round-trips. |
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| author = Norm Bray and Peter J Vincent |
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| title = Bogie Freight Wagons of Victoria |
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| publisher = Brief History Books |
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| year = 2006 |
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| isbn = 0 9775056 0 X }}</ref> These early wagons were of all wood construction, but later types had wood bogies on steel underframes, then followed by all steel wagons.<ref name="wagons" /> Groups of wagons of the same design are classed together by a multiple character alphabetical code, initially in a system restricted to Victoria only, but from 1979 the [[Railways of Australia]] four letter coding was introduced.<ref name="bogie" /> Under this system the first letter represent owner of the wagon, the second represents the general type of wagon, the third separates different classes of the same general type, and the four letter indicates the maximum running speed.<ref name="bogie" /> |
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The last four wheeled open wagons were built in 1958,<ref name="wagons" /> but were not scrapped in large numbers until the 1980s when new bogie wagons replaced them.<ref name="newsrail-wagon">{{cite journal |
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| year = 1987 |
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| month = July |
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| title = V/Line Freight Rollingstock Fleet - 1 July 1987 |
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| journal = Newsrail |
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| publisher = Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division) |
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| volume = 15 |
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| issue = 10 |
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| pages = page 303 |
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}}</ref> In 1987 the bogie wagon fleet numbered 5000, with approximately 700 grain hoppers, 800 container flats, 1000 louvred vans, 700 open wagons, 400 tank cars, and 300 flat wagons.<ref name="newsrail-wagon" /> Today the broad gauge intrastate fleet numbers 2600,<ref name="wagons" /> with large numbers of louvred vans, open and flat wagons, and tank cars stored or scrapped due to the decline in traffic. |
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== |
==Operations== |
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===Commodities=== |
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A line was opened from Korong Vale to [[Wycheproof, Victoria|Wycheproof]] in 1883, [[Sea Lake, Victoria|Sea Lake]] in 1895, [[Nandaly, Victoria|Nandaly]] in 1914, [[Mittyack, Victoria|Mittyack]] in 1919 and [[Kulwin, Victoria|Kulwin]] in 1919. This line currently only handles grain trains. Until late 2006, rural rail network lessee Pacific National had mothballed the Mittyack to Kulwin section but this has been recently re-opened to traffic despite the poor grain harvest. There has not been passenger service on this line since before 1985. |
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{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; clear: right; margin:10px; text-size:80%; text-align:right" |
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===Western lines=== |
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!align=center colspan=3| '''Traffic by year''' |
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The '''Geelong and Melbourne Railway Company''' opened a railway from [[Geelong, Victoria|Geelong]] to [[Newport railway station, Melbourne|Newport]] in 1857. This was extended to [[Southern Cross Station|Melbourne Spencer Street Station]] in 1859. The [[Geelong railway line, Victoria|Geelong line]] was taken over by Victorian Railways in 1860 and a line was opened from Geelong to [[Ballarat, Victoria|Ballarat]] in 1862. The direct line between Melbourne and Ballarat was built from both ends in stages from 1862, meeting at [[Ballan, Victoria|Ballan]] in 1889. |
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|- |
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| Commodity |
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| Percentage<br> (1987)<ref name="newsrails-grain" /> |
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| Percentage<br> (1996 to 1998)<ref name="rtsa" /> |
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|- |
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| Bulk grain<br>(wheat, barley, oats) |
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| 31.4% |
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| 50.8% |
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|- |
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| Containers |
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| 10.6% |
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| 19.6% |
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|- |
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| Freight forwarders |
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| 9.5% |
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| ? |
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|- |
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| Mining,<br> quarry products |
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| 7.9% |
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| 14.7% |
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|- |
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| Cement |
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| 6.8% |
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| 4.9% |
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|- |
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| Iron and steel |
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| 6.3% |
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| ? |
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|- |
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| Petroleum |
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| 4.4% |
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| 3.2% |
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|- |
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|} |
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Victoria does not have a dominant mining base as with other states, and has traditionally been more dependant on agriculture for rail freight traffic.<ref name="newsrails-grain">{{cite journal |
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A branch line was built from Ballarat to [[Newtown, Victoria|Newtown]] and [[Skipton, Victoria|Skipton]] in 1883. This line closed in 1985. A branch was built between Newtown, [[Cressy, Victoria|Cressy]] and [[Irrewarra, Victoria|Irrewarra]] (east of Colac) about 1910. This line was closed in 1953. |
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| year = 1987 |
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====North western lines==== |
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| month = October |
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The '''Mildura line''' was opened from Ballarat to [[Creswick, Victoria|Creswick]], [[Clunes, Victoria|Clunes]], [[Maryborough, Victoria|Maryborough]] and [[Dunolly, Victoria|Dunolly]] in 1874 and 1875, and extended to [[St Arnaud, Victoria|St Arnaud]] in 1878, [[Donald, Victoria|Donald]] in 1882, [[Birchip, Victoria|Birchip]] in 1893, [[Woomelang, Victoria|Woomelang]] in 1899, [[Ouyen, Victoria|Ouyen]], [[Red Cliffs, Victoria|Red Cliffs]] and [[Mildura, Victoria|Mildura]] in 1903, [[Merbein, Victoria|Merbein]] in 1910 and [[Yelta, Victoria|Yelta]] in 1925. |
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| title = V/Line Grain Handling |
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| author = Peter Foote |
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| journal = Newsrail |
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| publisher = Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division) |
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| volume = 15 |
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| issue = 10 |
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| pages = pages 292 - 297 |
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}}</ref> |
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In 1987 10.51 million tonnes of freight was carried by rail, with bulk grain being the main commodity consisting of 31.4% of traffic.<ref name="newsrails-grain" /> Continued drought, road competition, and rationalisation of intrastate freight operations have seen this change in recent years, with an average of only 6.1 million tonnes of intrastate freight carried from each year between 1996 to 1998;<ref name="rtsa" /> and containers now being the major traffic, with residual cement, logs, quarry, and steel trains operating. Less than carload traffic was discontinued in July 2007 with the end of the ''Fastrack'' freight service.<ref>{{cite web |
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| title = Goodbye to Victorian Louver Vans |
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| work = Railpage Australia forums |
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| url = http://www.railpage.com.au/f-t11329739.htm |
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| format = HTML |
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| accessdate = 2008-02-08 }}</ref> An exception to the downfall is interstate operations, with intermodal container traffic growing due to competition between private operators. |
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===Companies=== |
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Passenger service was provided by V/line with three weekly overnight services from Melbourne (known as the Vinelander), including sleeping cars, until 1993 when it was closed by the Kennett Government. The present State Labor Government had promised to re-open this line to passenger traffic as one of its election pledges. This has not come to fruition, however. |
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[[Image:Pacific national cement train at geelong.jpg|thumb|[[Pacific National]] operated freight train]] |
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[[Image:Restored victorian railways train.jpg|thumb|right|Heritage train in the Victorian Railways livery]] |
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{{see also|Victorian Railways|Public Transport Corporation}} |
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A line was opened from Ballarat to [[Waubra, Victoria|Waubra]] in the 1880s. It was closed in the 1960s. |
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The first railways in [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]] were operated by private companies, but when these companies failed or defaulted, [[Victorian Railways]] took over. The Victorian Railways was initially known as the "Department of Railways" from the first appointment of staff in 1856, and on [[1 November]] [[1883]] the Victorian Railways Commissioners Act established the "Victorian Railways".<ref name="arhs1">{{cite web | title = ARHS Railway Museum: Victoria 1839 - 1900 | work = ARHS Railway Museum | url = http://www.railwaymuseum.org.au/history.html | format = HTML | accessdate = 2008-02-05 }}</ref> |
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This situation remained until May 1973 when the Railways (Amendment) Act 1972 passed the management of the Railways from the Victorian Railways Commissioners to a Victorian Railways Board,<ref name="arhs3">{{cite web | title = ARHS Railway Museum: Victoria 1950 - now | work = ARHS Railway Museum | url = http://www.railwaymuseum.org.au/history3.html | format = HTML | accessdate = 2008-02-05 }}</ref> with rebranding as [[VicRail]] following in 1976. |
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A branch line was built from [[Creswick, Victoria|North Creswick]] to [[Daylesford, Victoria|Daylesford]] in 1887, connecting with the line from [[Carlsruhe railway station, Victoria|Carlsruhe]]. This line was closed in 1953. |
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In 1983 VicRail was split into the [[State Transport Authority (Victoria)|State Transport Authority]] taking responsibility for the provision of country rail and road, passenger and freight services under the [[V/Line]] brand; and the [[Metropolitan Transit Authority (Victoria)|Metropolitan Transit Authority]] taking over [[Railways in Melbourne|suburban passenger]] operations.<ref name="arhs3" /> These authorities were then merged into the [[Public Transport Corporation]] in 1989, with the suburban services rebranded as "[[Metlink|The Met]]". |
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A line was opened from Marborough to connect with the Melbourne - Bendigo line at [[Castlemaine, Victoria|Castlemaine]] in 1874. This line is not currently used by regular traffic. |
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In 1993 the Kennett Government offered long-distance country rail services previously run by the government-owned operator V/Line to private operators. While several rail services were replaced by road coach services, [[West Coast Railway (Victoria)|West Coast Railway]] successfully tendered to operate the railway line to [[Warrnambool railway line, Victoria|Warrnambool]], becoming the first private operator in Victoria.<ref name=Age>{{cite news | author = Philip Hopkins | title = End of the line for West Coast Rail | url = http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/07/18/1090089033538.html?from=storylhs | work = The Age | date = 2004-07-19 | accessdate = 2008-02-05}}</ref> |
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Another branch line was opened from Maryborough to [[Avoca, Victoria|Avoca]] in 1876 and [[Ben Nevis, Victoria|Ben Nevis]] and [[Ararat, Victoria|Ararat]] in 1890. This line was closed in 1959, reopened in 1966, [[standard gauge|standardised]] in 1996 and closed again in 2005. A branch was opened from Ben Nevis to [[Navarre, Victoria|Navarre]] in 1914 and it was closed in 1954. |
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It was also at this time that the [[Hilmer Report]] into competition among government-owned entities was released, clearing the way for new rail freight operators in Victoria. [[Specialised Container Transport]] commenced operating trains to Perth in 1995,<ref name="artc">{{cite web |
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A line was opened from Dunolly to [[Inglewood, Victoria|Inglewood]] in 1888, connecting with the [[Bendigo, Victoria|Bendigo]] - [[Boort, Victoria|Boort]] line, completed in 1883. |
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| title = ARTC History |
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| work = Australian Rail Track Corporation |
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| url = http://www.artc.com.au/Content.aspx?p=32 |
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| format = HTML |
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| accessdate = 2008-02-05 }}</ref> and [[Great Northern Rail Services]] started intrastate operations. |
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Privatisation of the Public Transport Corporation commenced under the [[Jeff Kennett|Kennett]] Government of the 1990s. V/Line was split into separate freight and passenger divisions, and "The Met" was divided into "Hillside Trains" and "Bayside Trains". These separate bodies were all sold separately in 1999: V/Line Freight and the rural intrastate network to [[Freight Victoria]]; Hillside Trains and track lease to [[Connex Melbourne]]; and V/Line Passenger and Bayside Trains (with track lease) to the [[National Express Group]].<ref name="arhs3" /> Control of V/Line's former interstate rail freight infrastructure was passed to the federal [[Australian Rail Track Corporation]]. Competition in the rail freight industry has also seen the emergence of small operators [[El Zorro (Railway)|El Zorro]] and [[Southern Shorthaul Railroad]]. |
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A line was opened from Ouyen to [[Murrayville, Victoria|Murrayville]] in 1912 and the [[South Australia]]n border in 1915, connecting with the line to [[Pinnaroo, South Australia|Pinnaroo]] and [[Tailem Bend, South Australia|Tailem Bend]]. The line west of Pinnaroo was standardised in 1998 creating a [[break-of-gauge]]. Nevertheless, it is proposed to standardise the line from Geelong to Mildura and the line between Ouyen and Pinnaroo. In 2006, state and federal money was announced to upgrade the line to Mildura with gauge convertible sleepers.However this upgrade will still leave the passenger service in limbo. The Vic Govt still will not make any comment on the return of the passenger service. |
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On October 1 2003, [[V/Line]] reverted to government ownership with the collapse of [[National Express Group|National Express]],<ref name="background">{{cite web |
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A branch line was completed from Red Cliffs to [[Meringur, Victoria|Meringur]] in the 1920s and extended to [[Morkalia, Victoria|Morkalia]] in the 1930s. This line was closed in the 1980s. A 2 km section of the line near Red Cliffs has been converted to a 610mm-gauge steam railway, operated occasionally by the '''Red Cliffs Historical Steam Railway''' (see [http://www.visitvictoria.com/displayObject.cfm/objectid.0003C002-D4F8-1A7B-835580C476A90000/vvt.vhtml Victorian Tourism]). |
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| title = V/Line Background |
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| work = V/Line |
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| url = http://www.vline.com.au/about/news/en/12/157/article.aspx |
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| format = HTML |
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| accessdate = 2008-02-05 }}</ref> and [[M-Train|M>Train]] was sold to Connex after the withdrawal of it's parent company; and the [[Freight Victoria]] business and rural track lease was purchased by [[Pacific National]]. November 2006 saw Pacific National enter into an agreement to sell the remainder of its Victorian rail lease of the network back to the Victorian Government for $133.8 m, during the [[Caretaker government|caretaker period]] following the issuing of the writs for the [[25 November]] [[2006]] Victorian State election.<ref>{{cite news | title = Toll sells rail lease | pages = 17 | publisher = [[Canberra Times]] | date = 2 November 2006 }}</ref> The sale was completed on May 7, 2007, with state government owned [[V/Line]] managing the track.<ref>{{cite web |
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| title = RAIL BUY BACK DEAL COMPLETE |
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| work = MINISTER FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT (Media Release) |
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| url = http://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/newmedia.nsf/b0222c68d27626e2ca256c8c001a3d2d/6f0846798c60e597ca2572d4007d9d99!OpenDocument |
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| format = HTML |
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| date = May 7, 2007 |
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| accessdate = 2008-02-05 }}</ref> |
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In December 2007 Pacific National announced plans to sell or close its grain transport and Portlink rural container business operations in Victoria.<ref>{{cite web |
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====Ararat and further west==== |
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|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/12/12/2116312.htm |
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|title=Pacific National to sell or close rail freight business |
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|date=December 12, 2007 |
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|work=ABC News website |
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|accessdate=2007-12-17}}</ref> The decision has been criticised as it will force grain growers to use higher cost road transport to transport the annual grain harvest from rural silos to the ports.<ref>{{cite web |
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|url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22909741-664,00.html |
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|title=Asciano delivers grain haulage shock to farmers |
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|date=December 12, 2007 |
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|work=Herald and Weekly Times website |
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|accessdate=2007-12-17}}</ref> The decision has seen many commentators accuse Pacific National of only acquiring the operations of [[Freight Australia]] in [[2004]] for the purposes of [[asset stripping]] and eliminating completion in rail freight.<ref>{{cite web |
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|url=http://www.rtbuvicloco.com.au/locolines/LL%202%2007.pdf |
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|title=Loco Lines |
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|date=May 2007 |
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|work=Newsletter for Locomotive Enginemen of the Rail, Tram & Bus Union – Victoria |
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|accessdate=2007-12-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |
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|url=http://www.railpage.com.au/f-t11336862-0-asc-s0.htm |
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|title=Freight Australia Exiting |
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|date=December 12, 2007 |
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|work=Railpage Australia forums |
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|accessdate=2007-12-17}}</ref> |
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== History == |
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The line was extended from Ballarat to [[Beaufort, Victoria|Beaufort]] in 1874 and [[Ararat, Victoria|Ararat]] in 1875, [[Stawell, Victoria|Stawell]] in 1876, [[Murtoa, Victoria|Murtoa]] in 1878, [[Horsham, Victoria|Horsham]] in 1882, [[Dimboola, Victoria|Dimboola]] in 1882 and linked with the South Australian Railways at [[Serviceton, Victoria|Serviceton]] in 1887. The [[Ararat railway line, Victoria|Ballarat to Ararat section]] was closed from 1994 until 2004, when it was reopened for a twice-daily passenger service as part of the [[Linking Victoria]] Project. The Ararat to Serviceton section was converted to standard gauge in 1995. |
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===First lines=== |
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[[Image:Reallyoldfindersstreetstation1.jpg|thumb|Pre 1910 [[Flinders Street Station]] building]] |
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Australia's first steam operated railway was a 4 km [[Victorian broad gauge]] line between the [[Melbourne]] (or City) Terminus (on the site of modern day [[Flinders Street Station]]) and Sandridge (now [[Port Melbourne, Victoria|Port Melbourne]]), constructed by the [[Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company]] and opened in September 1854.<ref name="arhs1">{{cite web | title = ARHS Railway Museum: History 1839 - 1900 | work = ARHS Railway Museum | url = http://www.railwaymuseum.org.au/history.html | format = HTML | accessdate = 2008-02-05 }}</ref> |
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Until 1993, two daily broad gauge V/line trains ran from Melbourne to Dimboola as well as the nightly Overland service from Melbourne to Adelaide. Under the Kennett Government's economic reforms, the V/line trains were then cut back to Ararat. In 1994 the Ballarat-Ararat section was closed. Standardisation of the line in 1995 beyond Ararat made reinstatement of a V/line service beyond Ararat virtually impossible. The Overland service was re-routed via Maroona. Broad gauge passenger service from Ballarat to Ararat was reinstated in 2004 by the state Labor government with three V/line services in both directions on weekdays and two on weekends. |
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The first country line in Victoria was from Melbourne to [[Geelong, Victoria|Geelong]], opened in 1857 by the [[Geelong and Melbourne Railway Company]].<ref name="rg">{{cite web | title = Geelong Line | work = Rail Geelong | publisher = Marcus Wong | url = http://railgeelong.com/lineguide.php?line=geelong | format = HTML | accessdate = 2008-02-05 }}</ref> |
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A branch line was built from Stawell to [[Grampians National Park|Grampians station]] in the 1880s, but it was closed in the 1930s. |
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The early years saw the majority of lines being constructed by privately companies, this not changing until the the 1870s when the Government Railway Department ([[Victorian Railways]]) had built their own lines.<ref name="awaugh">{{cite web | title = Victorian Railway Maps 1860 - 2000 | work = Victorian Railways Resources | publisher = Andrew Waugh | url = http://www.vrhistory.com/VRMaps/ | format = HTML | accessdate = 2008-02-05 }}</ref> |
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A branch line was built from Lubeck (between Stawell and Murtoa to [[Rupanyup, Victoria|Rupanyup]] in the 1890 and extended to [[Marnoo, Victoria|Marnoo]] by 1910 and [[Bolangum, Victoria|Bolangum]] in the 1920s. It was closed in 1983. |
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The suburban network expanded to the east from [[Princes Bridge railway station, Melbourne|Princes Bridge railway station]] to [[Richmond railway station, Melbourne|Richmond]] in 1859, then later to Brighton and Hawthorn by the early 1860s. the initial suburban lines were all built by different private companies centred upon Flinders St, being amalgamated into the [[Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company|Melbourne and Hobson's Bay United Railway Company]] by 1865,<ref name="awaugh" /> with public ownership not coming until 1878.<ref name="vrhist" >{{cite web | title = VR timeline | work = http://www.victorianrailways.net/ | publisher = Mark Bau | url = http://www.victorianrailways.net/vr%20history/history.html | format = HTML | accessdate = 2008-02-05 }}</ref> |
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A branch line was opened from Murtoa to [[Warracknabeal, Victoria|Warracknabeal]] in 1886 and extended to [[Beulah, Victoria|Beulah]] in 1893, [[Roseberry, Victoria|Roseberry]] and [[Hopetoun, Victoria|Hopetoun]] in 1994 and [[Patchewollock, Victoria|Patchewollock]] in the 1920s. The section from Hopetoun to Patchewollock was closed in the 1980s. The line from Murtoa to Hopetoun was converted to standard gauge in 1995. It has not carry passengers for many year and grain services between Roseberry to Hopetoun were suspended in 2005. |
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In 1862 [[Victorian Railways]] lines had reached the great [[Victorian gold rush|gold rush]] towns of [[Bendigo, Victoria|Bendigo]] and [[Ballarat, Victoria|Ballarat]], and in 1864 railways were extended to the [[Murray River]] port of [[Echuca, Victoria|Echuca]].<ref name="vrhist" /> |
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A branch line was completed between Horsham, [[Natimuk, Victoria|East Natimuk]] and [[Noradjuha, Victoria|Noradjuha]] in the 1880s and extended to [[Balmoral, Victoria|Balmoral]] by 1920. This was connected to [[Cavendish, Victoria|Cavendish]] and [[Hamilton, Victoria|Hamilton]] in the 1920s. The line from Noradjuha to Hamilton was closed in the 1970s. A branch was built from East Natimuk to [[Carpolac, Victoria|Carpolac]] in 1894. This line and the branch to Noradjuha were closed in the 1990s. |
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===Trunk lines=== |
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A branch was opened from Dimboola to [[Jeparit, Victoria|Jeparit]] in 1894 and extended to [[Rainbow, Victoria|Rainbow]] in 1899 and [[Yaapeet, Victoria|Yaapeet]] in 1914. The line was converted standardised in 1995. It is currently only used by grain trains. A branch line was opened from Jeparit to [[Yanac, Victoria|Yanac]] by 1920, which was closed in 1986. |
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In 1883 the first connection to another State's rail system was made, when the [[Albury-Wodonga railway line, Victoria|Albury-Wodonga line]] was completed to the [[New South Wales Government Railways]]'s station at [[Albury, New South Wales|Albury]], requiring a [[break-of-gauge]] to New South Wales's [[standard gauge]] ({{4ft8.5in}}).<ref name="newsrail-line">{{cite journal |
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===Ararat - Portland line=== |
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| year = 1990 |
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A line was built from Ararat to [[Maroona, Victoria|Maroona]], [[Hamilton, Victoria|Hamilton]], [[Heywood, Victoria|Heywood]] and [[Portland, Victoria|Portland]] in 1877. This was converted to standard gauge in 1995. |
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| month = March |
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| title = Tracks Across the State |
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| author = Sid Brown |
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| journal = Newsrail |
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| publisher = Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division) |
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| volume = 18 |
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| issue = 3 |
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| pages = pages 71-76 |
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}}</ref> It was then followed in 1887 by a connection with the broad gauge [[South Australian Railways]] at [[Serviceton, Victoria|Serviceton]], with the ''Intercolonial Express'' (now ''[[The Overland]]'') to [[Adelaide]] running between the capitals.<ref name="arhs1" /> |
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Additional trunk lines were also built though the 1870s, with rails extended to [[Sale, Victoria|Sale]], [[Portland, Victoria|Portland]] and [[Colac, Victoria|Colac]]; and the first branch lines built.<ref name="awaugh" /> It was a time of improved train safety, with the first [[interlocking]] of [[railway signalling]] to protect trains provided in 1874,<ref name="vrhist" /> and tests of [[Brake (railway)|continuous train brakes]] carried out in 1884.<ref name="vrhist" /> |
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A line was opened from [[Gheringhap, Victoria|Gheringhap Junction]] on the Geelong - Ballarat line to [[Cressy, Victoria|Cressy]] and Maroona in 1913. This was converted to standard gauge in 1995 and became the '''main line between Melbourne and [[Perth, Western Australia|Perth]].''' |
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===Octopus Acts=== |
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A branch line was opened between Hamilton and [[Cavendish, Victoria|Cavendish]] between 1910 and 1920. This was connected to the [[Horsham, Victoria|Horsham]] - [[Balmoral, Victoria|Balmoral]] railway in the 1920s. This line was closed south of [[Noradjuha, Victoria|Noradjuha]], (just south of [[Natimuk, Victoria|East Natimuk]]) in the 1970s. |
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In 1884 the Octopus Act was passed in [[Parliament_of_Victoria|State Parliament]], authorising an enormous amount of railway lines to almost every corner of the state, both to serve new agricultural communities and to support suburban land speculation.<ref name="awaugh" /> It was also this decade that the first [[Narrow_gauge_lines_of_the_Victorian_Railways|narrow gauge line]] was opened from Wangaratta to Whitfield, with 3 other lines following by 1910.<ref name="vrhist" /> |
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The [[South_Gippsland_railway_line,_Victoria|South Gippsland line]] was also opened from Dandenong to [[Leongatha, Victoria|Leongatha]] by 1891.<ref name="newsrail-line" /> However by the late 1890s the majority of the state was now covered in railways, with the exception of the [[The Mallee|Mallee country]] in the north west of the state which saw further line openings,<ref name="awaugh" /> such as the [[Mildura_railway_line,_Victoria|Mildura line]] in 1903.<ref name="newsrail-line" /> |
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A branch line was opened between Hamilton and [[Coleraine, Victoria|Coleraine]] in 1882, but was closed in the 1970s. |
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===A new century=== |
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A branch line was opened between Hamilton and [[Casterton, Victoria|Casterton]] in 1884. This line was closed in the 1977. |
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[[Image:SoP-1937.jpg|right|thumb|The ''Spirit of Progress'' headed by locomotive S301 ''Sir Thomas Mitchell'' near [[Kilmore-East, Victoria|Kilmore-East]] in [[1938]]. (Photo: The late John L. Buckland)]] |
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[[Image:H220-Essendon.jpg|right|thumb|Steam locomotive [[Victorian Railways H class|H 220]] leads the ''Albury Express'' out of Melbourne, past the signalbox at [[Essendon railway station, Melbourne|Essendon]], circa 1949.]] |
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In 1907 the [[Victorian_Railways_A2_class|A2 class]] steam locomotives were introduced, 185 in number they were Victorian Railway's main passenger locomotive until the arrival of the diesel electric [[Victorian Railways B class (diesel)|B class]] in 1952.<ref name="vrhist" /> On April 20 1908 the [[Sunshine train disaster]] occurred, killing 44 passengers in the worst Victorian accident ever.<ref name="vrhist" /> |
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A branch line was opened between Heywood and [[Mount Gambier, South Australia|Mount Gambier]] in 1917. Service was suspended in 1995 due to the standardisation of the Maroona - Portland line. There are regular calls for the Heywood - Mount Gambier line to be standardised. |
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Electrification of the [[Railways in Melbourne|Melbourne suburban network]] was also carried out, with the first train running in 1919.<ref name="arhs2">{{cite web | title = ARHS Railway Museum: History 1900 - 1950 | work = ARHS Railway Museum | url = http://www.railwaymuseum.org.au/history2.html | format = HTML | accessdate = 2008-02-05 }}</ref> By 1924 210,000 passengers passed through the main city terminal of [[Flinders Street Station]] per weekday.<ref name="vrhist" /> [[St Kilda railway station, Melbourne|St Kilda]] was Melbourne's busiest suburban station with 4 1/2 million journeys, followed by [[Footscray railway station, Melbourne|Footscray]] with almost 4 million, then [[Elsternwick railway station, Melbourne|Elsternwick]], [[Ascot Vale railway station, Melbourne|Ascot Vale]], [[Essendon railway station, Melbourne|Essendon]] and [[Balaclava railway station, Melbourne|Balaclava]].<ref name="vrhist" /> |
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There have not been any intrastate (broad gauge) passenger service on these lines since before 1985. However, the Overland train between Melbourne and Adelaide, a standard gauge service since 1997 and currently running three times a week in both directions, has run on the line between Gheringhap and Ararat via Maroona. It does not serve intermediate stops between Geelong North Shore and Ararat, however. |
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Despite the [[World War 1]], significant extensions of rail lines were carried out, particularly in the wheat growing areas in the north west and west. The new lengthy parallel lines were considered to be cheaper to operate that the numerous short spurs such as those in the [[Goulburn Valley]].<ref name="awaugh" /> |
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===Warrnambool line=== |
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The [[Warrnambool railway line, Victoria|Warrnambool line]] was opened from Geelong to [[Winchelsea, Victoria|Winchelsea]] in 1876, [[Colac, Victoria|Colac]] in 1877, [[Camperdown, Victoria|Camperdown]] in 1883, [[Terang, Victoria|Terang]] in 1877 and [[Warrnambool, Victoria|Warrnambool]] and [[Dennington, Victoria|Dennington]] and [[Port Fairy, Victoria|Port Fairy]] in 1890. This line is now closed beyond Warrnambool.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.historyvictoria.org.au/pdf/Geelong.pdf | title=The Geelong Story | publisher=[http://www.historyvictoria.org.au History Victoria] | accessdate=2006-06-07 }}</ref>. |
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A branch was built between [[South Geelong railway station, Victoria|South Geelong]] to [[Queenscliff, Victoria|Queenscliff]] in 1879, but was closed in 1976. |
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Technology advancements continued, with 3 position automatic signals introduced in 1915,<ref name="sig" >{{cite book |
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A branch was opened from near [[Moriac, Victoria|Moriac]] (between Geelong and Winchelsea) to [[Wensleydale, Victoria|Wensleydale]] in 1890, but was closed in 1948. |
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| last = Fisher |
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| first = Peter |
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| title = Victorian Signalling: by Accident or Design? |
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| publisher = Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division) |
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| year = 2007 |
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| isbn = 978 1 92089 250 0 }}</ref> the conversion of screw couplings to [[Coupling (railway)|knuckle couplers]] from 1924,<ref name="wagons">{{cite journal | title = Four wheeled open wagons of the Victorian Railways | journal = Notes from the Victorian Model Railway Society Prototype Modellers Meet 2007 | author = Mark Bau }}</ref> and the first remote controlled signalling provided in 1925.<ref name="vrhist" /> The first [[level crossing]] flashing lights were installed at [[Mentone, Victoria|Mentone]] on Moorabin Road in 1932.<ref name="vrhist" /> |
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By 1930 the railway map of Victoria was largely complete, with the best land settled and the remaining land marginal for agriculture, with a number of lines built across the state border into the [[Riverina]] of NSW.<ref name="awaugh" /> On November 1937 the first run of the ''[[Spirit of Progress]]'' was made, a [[Streamliner|streamlined]] all air conditioned train run between Melbourne and Albury, lead by the matching [[Victorian_Railways_S_class|S class]] steam locomotives.<ref name="arhs2" /> |
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A branch was opened from [[Birregurra, Victoria|Birregurra]] (between Winchelsea and Colac) to [[Forrest, Victoria|Forrest]] in 1891 to carry timber. This was closed in 1957. |
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The Victorian Railways biggest steam locomotive [[Victorian_Railways_H_class|H 220 ''Heavy Harry'']] entered service in 1941,<ref name="vrhist" /> at a time when the railways were struggling with the needs of the war effort. In 1943 the Victorian Railways employed 25,450, had 577 steam locos and 12 electric locos on register along with 19,823 goods wagons and 1,499 passenger cars, running along {{convert|4758|mi|km}} of lines.<ref name="vrhist" /> The network reached its largest extent in 1942, covering 7668 route kilometres.<ref name="rtsa" /> |
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A branch was completed from [[Irrewarra, Victoria|Irrewarra]] (east of Colac) to Cressy in 1910. This was closed in 1953. |
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===Post war rebuilding=== |
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A branch was opened from Colac to [[Beech Forest, Victoria|Beech Forest]] in 1902 to carry timber. A narrow gauge line (762mm) was built from Beech Forest to [[Weeaproniah, Victoria|Weeaproniah]] and [[Crowes, Victoria|Crowes]] in 1911. This was cut back to Weeaproniah in 1954 and closed from Colac in 1962. |
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[[Image:X32.jpg|thumb|Steam locomotive [[Victorian Railways X class|X 32]], hauling a livestock train]] |
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After [[World War II]] the railways were run down, with [[Operation Phoenix (railway)|Operation Phoenix]] unveiled in 1950, involving the expenditure of £80,000,000 over 10 years.<ref name="arhs3">{{cite web | title = ARHS Railway Museum: Victoria 1950 - now | work = ARHS Railway Museum | url = http://www.railwaymuseum.org.au/history3.html | format = HTML | accessdate = 2008-02-05 }}</ref> Works included [[Railway electrification system|electrification]] to [[Traralgon, Victoria|Traralgon]], new [[Harris (train)|Harris suburban trains]], the Walker railmotors, and approximately 3,000 new goods wagons.<ref name="vrhist" /> |
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A branch was opened from Colac to [[Alvie, Victoria|Alvie]] in 1923 to carry potatoes and onions to market, produced by the local improverished "soldier settlers". Ex-soldiers were settled on small holdings in Australia, after [[World War I]], partly in an attempt to create European-style "closer settlement". This was generally a hopeless failure and led to rural poverty and consequently agitation for Government support through the construction of uneconomic railways and the like. This was a factor in the birth of the [[National Party of Australia|Country Party]]. Passenger services on the Alvie line ceased in 1930 and the line was closed in 1954.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.railpage.org.au/swrs/Alive.html | title=The Colac-Alvie Railway | publisher=[http://www.railpage.org.au/swrs South Western Railway Society] | accessdate=2006-06-07 }}</ref>. |
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On July 14 1952 the VR entered the [[dieselisation|diesel era]], with the delivery of the first [[Victorian Railways B class (diesel)|B class]] mainline locomotive,<ref name="arhs3" /> with the commissioning of the first mainline electrification scheme in Australia in July 1954 to Warrugul.<ref name="vrhist" /> March 1954 saw [[Queen Elizabeth II]] tour Victoria by train, the first time a reigning monarch had travelled on the VR,<ref name="vrhist" /> |
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1954 also saw the last last steam locomotive to enter service, [[Victorian_Railways_J_class|J class 559]],<ref name="vrhist" /> as well as the last four wheeled open wagons being built.<ref name="wagons" /> The fifties also saw the loss of a number of short branch lines, particularly country where the only traffic had been timber or livestock.<ref name="awaugh" /> |
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A branch was built from a junction near Camperdown to [[Timboon, Victoria|Timboon]] in 1892. This was closed in 1988. |
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In the 1960s the [[break of gauge]] at Albury was eliminated, with the opening of the [[North East standard gauge line, Victoria|North East standard gauge line]] in 1962.<ref name="arhs3" /> The new line aided freight traffifc between the state capitals, and enabled though passenger trains, such as the ''[[Southern Aurora]]'' and the ''[[Intercapital Daylight]]''. At the same time the sixties was also the end of steam, with the demolition of the massive North Melbourne steam locomotive depot on January 20, 1961.<ref name="vrhist" /> |
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A branch was built from Terang to [[Mortlake, Victoria|Mortlake]] in 1890, but was closed in the 1970s. |
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1965 saw the Victorian Railways produce at £193,727 surplus, but by 1973 it had turned into a $86,086,361 defecit. On July 20, 1976 the Laverton derailment occurred, killing one passenger, in is the last railway passenger fatility not involving a road vehicle.<ref name="vrhist" /> By the late seventies roadside goods and country railmotor services had been replaced by road transport, and branch lines outside the grain producing areas were now virtually non-existent.<ref name="awaugh" /> |
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A branch line was built from [[Koroit, Victoria|Koroit]] (between Warrnambool and Port Fairy), [[Penshurst, Victoria|Penshurst]] and [[Hamilton, Victoria|Hamilton]] (on the Ararat - Portland railway) in the 1890s. This line was closed in the 1970s. A connection was also opened between Penshurst and [[Dunkeld, Victoria|Dunkeld]] (also on the Ararat - Portland railway) in about 1900. |
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===New Deal=== |
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Between 1993 and 2004, passenger services on the Warrnambool line were provided by [[West Coast Railway (Victoria)|West Coast Railway]]. V/line have continued to provide passenger service on this line with three round trips from Melbourne on weekdays and Saturdays, two Sundays. |
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[[Image:City-loop-exit-spencer-street.jpg|thumb|Train exiting the [[City Loop, Melbourne|Melbourne underground loop]].]] |
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[[Image:Vline_n_class_train_at_lara_victoria.jpg|thumb|[[Victorian Railways N class (diesel)|N class]] locomotive with [[N type carriage|"N" type]] country passenger carriages.]] |
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The 1980s saw [[Corporatization|corporatisation]] of the [[Victorian Railways]] carried out, with the railway commissioners by [[VicRail]] and later government authorities. New liveries on trains were unveiled, as elderly ''red ratters'' were replaced by new trains. |
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1981 saw the [[City Loop, Melbourne|Melbourne underground loop]] open in January, followed by the new air conditioned [[Comeng (train)|Comeng suburban trains]] and [[N type carriage|"N" type]] country passenger carriages in September the same year.<ref name="vrhist" /> Country services were also sped up under the ''New Deal'' by the closure of dozens of small wayside stations. |
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Country passenger services saw the last of the wooden bodied passenger cars withdrawn from service in 1986, replaced by new [[H type carriage|"H" set]] carriages. Trials were also carried out for further upgrades, with locomotive [[Victorian Railways A class (diesel)|A85]] re-geared for 160 km/h operation in a series of test runs between [[Glenorchy, Victoria|Glenorchy]] and [[Lubeck, Victoria|Lubeck]] in the state's west in July 1986.<ref name="newsrails86">{{cite journal |
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| year = 1986 |
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| month = September |
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| title = News |
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| journal = Newsrail |
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| publisher = Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division) |
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| volume = 14 |
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| issue = 9 |
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| pages = pages 24-27 |
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}}</ref> |
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It was also the end of an era, with freight trains having their [[Caboose|guards van]]s and guards abolished from 1985, and the carriage of livestock ended in 1986.<ref name="vrhist" /> The last run of the ''[[Spirit of Progress]]'' and ''[[Southern Aurora]]'' passenger trains were also made in 1986, on August 3rd.<ref name="newsrails86sp">{{cite journal |
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| year = 1986 |
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| month = September |
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| title = Aurora and Spirt of Progress depart |
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| journal = Newsrail |
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| publisher = Australian Railway Heritage Society |
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| author = G. Carmichael |
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| volume = 14 |
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| issue = 9 |
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}}</ref> Working practices were also altered, with through working of [[Victorian Railways C class (diesel)|C class]] locomotives introduced between Melbourne and Adelaide in 1982.<ref name="arhs3" /> Previously Victorian locos were detached at the state borders, and replaced by locomotives from the next state. New locomotive were also introduced, with the [[Victorian Railways G class (diesel)|G class]] and [[Victorian Railways N class (diesel)|N class]]es enabling the retirement of many of the 1st generation diesels.<ref name="railmac" >{{cite book |
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| author = Railmac Publications |
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| title = Australian Fleetbooks: V/Line locomotives |
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| publisher = Kitchner Press |
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| year = 1992 |
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| isbn = 0 949817 76 7 }}</ref> |
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Cuts continued to the rail network, with larger centralised silos in the north western area of the state, and replacement of traditional safeworking systems by systems that required no local staff saw further stations de-manned.<ref name="awaugh" /> |
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===Privatisation=== |
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The 1990s saw costs further reduced on the rail network. Guards removed from passenger trains in 1989, and driver only suburban trains commenced running in 1993, the last suburban train crewed by a guard running in November 1995.<ref name="artc">{{cite web |
|||
| title = ARTC History |
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| work = Australian Rail Track Corporation |
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| url = http://www.artc.com.au/Content.aspx?p=32 |
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| format = HTML |
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| accessdate = 2008-02-05 }}</ref> In 1994 the [[National Rail Corporation]] was established, taking profitable steel, and intermodal traffics from [[Public Transport Corporation|V/Line]];<ref name="bogie" >{{cite book |
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| author = Norm Bray and Peter J Vincent |
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| title = Bogie Freight Wagons of Victoria |
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| publisher = Brief History Books |
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| year = 2006 |
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| isbn = 0 9775056 0 X }}</ref> and the [[Western_standard_gauge_line,_Victoria|Melbourne to Adelaide standard gauge line]] was opened in 1995 moving the break of gauge.<ref name="vrhist" /> |
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Moves towards privatisation begun in 1997, when V/Line split into [[V/Line Passenger]] and [[V/Line Freight]] by [[Bayside Trains]] and [[Hillside Trains]] being split off from [[Public Transport Corporation]] in 1998.<ref name="vrhist" /> V/Line Freight was sold to Rail America, known as [[Freight Victoria]] in 1999, followed by [[National Express Group|National Express]] taking over over Bayside Trains and V/Line Passenger in 2000, and [[Connex Melbourne]] taking over Hillside Trains. |
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Today, the state consists of four networks: the [[Railways in Melbourne|electrified metropolitan system]] operated by [[Connex Melbourne]], the [[List_of_regional_railway_stations_in_Victoria|country passenger network]] operated by [[V/Line]], the standard gauge interstate lines to Adelaide and Sydney, and the grain network in the north west of the state, connected to the ports at Geelong and Portland.<ref name="awaugh" /> |
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==By line== |
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{{VictorianRailwayLines}} |
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===Melbourne lines=== |
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Australia's first railway was a 4 km [[Victorian broad gauge]] line between the [[Melbourne]] (or City) Terminus (on the site of modern day [[Flinders Street Station]]) and Sandridge (now [[Port Melbourne, Victoria|Port Melbourne]]), constructed by the [[Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company]] and opened in September 1854. Today, Melbourne's [[List of Melbourne railway stations|suburban railway network]] consists of 16 [[Railway electrification system|electrified]] lines, the central [[City Loop, Melbourne|City Loop]] subway, and 200 [[Train station|stations]], with a total length of 372kms of the electrified lines, operated by [[Connex Melbourne]] under [[franchising|franchise]] to the [[Government of Victoria]]. |
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===Gippsland lines=== |
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The line was extended to [[Bairnsdale, Victoria|Bairnsdale]] as an extension of suburban lines between 1877 and 1888, and extended eastwards to [[Orbost, Victoria|Orbost]] in 1916.<ref name="newsrail-line" /> The line between Dandenong and Traralgon was electrified in 1954, but electrification was cut back progressively to [[Pakenham railway station, Melbourne|Pakenham]] between 1987 and 2001. [[V/Line]] passenger trains now run as far as Bairnsdale. |
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===South Gippsland lines=== |
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The South Gippsland railway line was opened from Dandenong to [[Cranbourne railway station, Melbourne|Cranbourne]], [[Leongatha, Victoria|Leongatha]] and [[Port Albert, Victoria|Port Albert]] between 1888 and 1892.<ref name="newsrail-line" /> A number of branch lines were also built. Almost all the line was closed in stages between the early 1970s and 1994, part has since been electrified and re-opened as part of the suburban network, and the [[South Gippsland Tourist Railway]] operates heritage services between Nyora and Leongatha. |
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===Albury-Wodonga line=== |
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The Albury-Wodonga line originated from a suburban line to [[Essendon railway station, Melbourne|Essendon]] in 1860, being extended to [[Wodonga, Victoria|Wodonga]] by 1873, connecting with the [[New South Wales Government Railways]] at [[Albury, New South Wales|Albury]] at a [[break-of-gauge]] in 1883.<ref name="newsrail-line" /> A standard gauge track was completed parallel with the broad gauge track from Albury to Melbourne in 1962.<ref name="arhs3"/> [[V/Line]] services operate along the broad gauge line, while the Melbourne-Sydney [[Countrylink]] [[XPT (Train)|XPT]] runs on the standard gauge. |
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===Shepparton line=== |
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A branch line was built from Mangalore to [[Shepparton, Victoria|Shepparton]] in 1880 and extended to the New South Wales Government Railways at [[Tocumwal, New South Wales|Tocumwal]] at a [[break-of-gauge]] in 1908.<ref name="newsrail-line" /> [[V/Line]] passenger service run as far as Shepparton. |
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=== Bendigo lines === |
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The line from [[Southern Cross Station|Spencer Street]] to [[Bendigo railway station, Victoria|Bendigo]] was completed in 1862. Extensions were opened to [[Echuca, Victoria|Echuca]] in 1864, and [[Swan Hill, Victoria|Swan Hill]] in 1890.<ref name="newsrail-line" /> Only these lines continue to see [[V/Line]] services, with other lines in the region only seeing freight traffic. |
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===Ballarat lines=== |
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The first railway line from Melbourne to Ballarat was via [[Geelong, Victoria|Geelong]], opening in 1862.<ref name="rg" /> The line was extended from Ballarat to [[Ararat, Victoria|Ararat]] between 1874 and 1875.<ref name="newsrail-line" /> It was not until 1889 that the direct line between Melbourne and Ballarat was opened, built from both ends in stages until they met at [[Ballan, Victoria|Ballan]]. Further branch lines followed to [[Portland, Victoria|Portland]] and other western towns. The line formed the first interstate railway line in Australia, when it was extended to the the [[South Australian Railways]] at [[Serviceton, Victoria|Serviceton]] in 1887. Up until the 1990s the Ballarat line was on the main route between Melbourne and [[Adelaide]], as well as ''[[The Overland]]'' services to Adelaide, until the [[One Nation (Infrastructure)|One Nation Program]] rerouted the main interstate line via [[Geelong, Victoria|Geelong]] and [[Maroona, Victoria|Maroona]] as standard gauge.<ref name="rtsa"/> |
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===Geelong lines=== |
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The [[Geelong and Melbourne Railway Company]] opened a railway from [[Geelong, Victoria|Geelong]] to [[Newport railway station, Melbourne|Newport]] in 1857, being extended to [[Southern Cross Station|Spencer Street Station]] in 1859.<ref name="rg" /> The Geelong line was taken over by Victorian Railways in 1860 and a line was opened from Geelong to [[Ballarat, Victoria|Ballarat]] in 1862.<ref name="rg" /> The line was later extended south-east from 1876, reaching [[Warrnambool, Victoria|Warrnambool]] and [[Port Fairy, Victoria|Port Fairy]] in 1890.<ref name="rg" /> Branch lines also existed to [[Queenscliff, Victoria|Queenscliff]], [[Beech Forest, Victoria|Beech Forest]], and a number of other towns.<ref name="rg" /> |
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==Railway preservation== |
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{{MelbourneTouristTrainLines}} |
{{MelbourneTouristTrainLines}} |
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Organised [[railway preservation]] commenced in Victoria with the formation of the [[Puffing Billy Railway, Melbourne|Puffing Billy Preservation Society]] in 1955. Formed to operate the [[Narrow gauge lines of the Victorian Railways|narrow gauge]] 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge railway in the [[Dandenong Ranges]] near [[Melbourne]], the group continues to operate the railway today. |
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==External links== |
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The demise of the last of the [[steam locomotive]]s in Victoria commenced in the 1960s, the [[Australian Railway Historical Society]] worked with the Victorian Railways to have a number of locomotives preserved for the future. A [[railway museum]] was established at [[North Williamstown, Victoria|North Williamstown]] to house static exhibits, and a number of locomotives were restored for use on [[Restored trains|special trains]]. |
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* [http://www.victorianrailways.net History of the Victorian Railways] |
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* [http://www.vicrailstations.com/ Victorian railway stations] |
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* [http://www.vicsig.net VICSIG - Comprehensive site covering Railways in Victoria] |
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* [http://nla.gov.au/nla.aus-vn2594516 Victorian railway ephemera] collected and digitised by the National Library of Australia |
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* [http://www.vlinecars.com/ '''V/LineCars.com'''] - Comprehensive V/Line Carriages Information & Enthusiast website |
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* [http://www.vrhistory.com/VRMaps/ Interesting network maps of Victorian railways and analysis at ten year intervals] |
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* [http://steam4me.railpage.org.au/files/vrmap.pdf A detailed map of Victorian railways, showing operating and closed railways] |
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By the 1980s a number of [[heritage railway]]s had been established in Victoria on closed [[branch lines]]. These railways serve both as tourist attractions, and to preserve the railway past. The work of railway preservation groups has since expanded to retired railway carriages, electric multiple units, rail motors, and diesel locomotives. |
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== See also == |
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== See also == |
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* [[Railways in Melbourne]] |
* [[Railways in Melbourne]] |
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* [[List of regional railway stations in Victoria]] |
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* [[V/Line]] |
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* [[History of rail transport in Australia]] |
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* [[Rail transport in Australia]] |
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* [[Spirit of Progress]] |
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* [[Narrow gauge lines of the Victorian Railways]] |
* [[Narrow gauge lines of the Victorian Railways]] |
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* [[Victorian broad gauge]] |
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== References == |
== References == |
||
{{reflist}} |
{{reflist|2}} |
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==External links== |
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'''History''': |
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* [http://www.victorianrailways.net Mark Bau's Victorian Railways] - History of rolling stock, locomotives, and signalling |
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* [http://www.pjv101.net/ Peter J. Vincent] - History of rolling stock and wagons of the Victorian Railways |
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* [http://www.vrhistory.com/ Victorian Railways Resources] - Network maps and analysis at ten year intervals, and histories of stations |
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* [http://signaldiagramsandphotos.com/ Signal Diagrams] - Digitised copies of Victorian Railways and V/Line signalling diagrams |
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* [http://railgeelong.com/ Rail Geelong] - History of the railways of the [[Geelong, Victoria|Geelong]] region |
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'''Today''': |
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* [http://www.vicrailstations.com/ Victorian Railway Stations] - photographs of stations of the Victorian network |
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* [http://www.vicsig.net Vicsig] - Information on present infrastructure, operations, signalling, and locomotives |
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* [http://www.vlinecars.com/ V/Linecars] - V/Line carriages and operations website |
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{{FormerVictorianRailCompanies}} |
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{{Australian rail}} |
{{Australian rail}} |
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{{Victoria}} |
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[[Category:Transport in Victoria]] |
[[Category:Transport in Victoria]] |
Revision as of 05:34, 8 February 2008
![]() Victorian railway network, passenger lines in colour, freight only lines in grey | |
Übersicht | |
---|---|
Locale | Victoria, Australia |
Dates of operation | 1854– |
Technical | |
Track gauge | Template:5ft3in broad gauge, Template:4ft8.5in standard gauge, some Template:3ft6in and 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge |
Length | 1712 km passenger, 4129 km total.[1] |
Rail transport in Victoria, Australia, is provided by a number of railway operators who operate over the government owned railway lines. Victorian lines use Template:5 ft 3 in broad gauge, with the exception of a few experimental narrow gauge lines, and a number of standard gauge Template:4ft8.5in freight and interstate lines.
Passenger services are operated by V/Line and Connex Melbourne, while freight is operated by Pacific National and other private operators.
Infrastructure
Network route kilometres (January 2007)[1] | |||
---|---|---|---|
Broad gauge | Standard gauge | Total | |
Passenger and freight |
1712 | nil | 1712 |
Freight-only | 1673 | 368 | 2041 |
Services suspended | 290 | 86 | 376 |
Total | 3675 | 454 | 4129 |
The trunk railway lines of Victoria are double track, some built as such, and others duplicated later on. Early sections of the suburban network were double track, with later additions being single track that was later duplicated.
The Bendigo and Geelong - Ballarat mainlines were both built as double track in the 1860s, but were singled in the 1930s and 2000s respectively. The north-east line to Seymour was duplicated in the mid 1880s[2] and remains so today, the Gippsland line to Moe was duplicated in the 1950s in conjunction with increased briquette traffic,[3] and the busiest country line in the state to Geelong was progressively duplicated from 1959 to 1981.[4]
Few railway tunnels exist in Victoria, with the exception of the Melbourne City Loop. The longest tunnel before the opening of the loop was at Fyansford (near Geelong), where a 1300 metre long tunnel existed on a narrow gauge quarry railway.[5] Of those open today the longest is the single track 422 metre long Geelong Tunnel,[6] followed by the double track 385 metre Elphinstone and the 390 metre long Big Hill Tunnels on the Bendigo line.[7] A 154 metre long tunnel also exists on the Healesville line, as well as three tunnels on the suburban Hurstbridge line, and another on the freight lines under Footscray station.[8]
On the interstate railway corridors there are independent sections of track due to the use of both broad and standard gauges in the state, these sections being from Melbourne to Seymour and on to Albury (constructed in the 1960s), and Melbourne to Geelong (completed in 1995). The gauge issue also sees dual gauge track used, in areas including Maryborough, North Geelong, and various freight terminals in Melbourne.
The maximum speed of suburban Electric Multiple Units and locomotive hauled trains is 115 km/h, with Diesel Multiple Units permitted up to 130 km/h on the same track, and up to 160 km/h on specified lines.[9] The maximum axle loading of freight wagons is 20 tonnes,[10] with locomotives of up to 22 tonne axle loading operating.[9] Train lengths are limited to 1200 metres, except on the main interstate lines where 1500 metre long trains are permitted.[10]
Rail gauge
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fe/Mixed-gauge-trackwork-north-geelong.jpg/220px-Mixed-gauge-trackwork-north-geelong.jpg)
The majority of the railways of Victoria are of Template:5 ft 3 in broad gauge, presenting break-of-gauge difficulties when connections were made with the other states of Australia which use the Template:4ft8.5in standard gauge. In addition, the Victorian Railways experimented with four short narrow gauge lines of Template:2 ft 6 in in the early 20th century. Efforts to eliminate the gauge issue were proposed many times in the intervening years, with a Royal Commission in 1921 deciding "that the gauge of 4-ft. 8.5-in. be adopted as the standard for Australia; that no mechanical, third rail, or other device would meet the situation, and that uniformity could be secured by one means only, viz., by conversion of the gauges other than 4-ft. 8.5-in."[11]
By the 1950s, interstate traffic was suffering from the break-of-gauge at the New South Wales state border, and a parallel standard gauge line was opened from the Melbourne to join the New South Wales system in 1962, along with a bogie exchange depot to allow wagons to operate across the broad and standard gauge networks.[1] The second interstate link from Victoria to Adelaide (the oldest single-gauge inter-capital line dating from 1887) was converted from broad to standard gauge in 1995 enabling from Victoria to access the rest of the nation without disruption.[1]
Today the standard gauge network consists of the two main interstate lines, and a number of branch lines in the far west of the state.[12] Gauge conversion of 2000 kilometres of track was announced in May 2001 by the Victorian Government, but did not proceed due to the difficulty of achieving any agreement with then track manager, Freight Australia.[1] The works would have covered 13 lines,[13] including the Mildura line via Geelong, Ballarat, and Maryborough; the north western Victorian grain network; and the lines centred upon Seymour and Benalla in the north east. Conversion of the regional and suburban passenger networks is not envisioned.[13]
Loading gauge
The Victorian loading gauge for vehicles is sized between that of British and American practices. Wagons may be up to 22.85 metres long, 2.97 metres wide, and carry loads up to 4.27 metres above the rail height.[10] Double stacking of container wagons is not possible under these limits, with 2655mm (8ft 8½ in) high containers the largest permitted, with the exception of 3200mm (10ft 6in) high containers on some routes.[10] Trials were made with the 4D double deck passenger train on some suburban lines, requiring alterations to overhead bridges and structures, but no double deck trains are used today.
Signalling
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d9/Mechanical-signalling-north-geelong.jpg/220px-Mechanical-signalling-north-geelong.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6d/Mechanical-interlocking-frame-avenel.jpg/220px-Mechanical-interlocking-frame-avenel.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/02/Led-colour-light-signal.jpg/220px-Led-colour-light-signal.jpg)
- Compare to Australian railway signalling
Victoria uses a mix of railway signalling practices: British route signalling with home and distant signals (2 position signalling) and American speed signalling (3 position signalling).[14]
Semaphore signals were used on the very first railway lines, but only a bare minimum were provided as the time interval system being relied upon instead.[15] The first interlocking of signals to protect trains was provided in 1874, [16] as before this time conflicting moves could be made. The design of the signals also progressed, with the disc type siding signals first introduced in 1885,[17] and the lower quadrant somersault type main line signals adopted in 1887,[14] both of which are still in use today. Green was not adopted as the All Right colour until 1898, with white being used before this time.[17] Red was the usually colour of all signal arms, until yellow was chosen as the colour for distant signals in 1926, with full adoption made in 1930.[17] Colour light signals first appeared in 1918, and by 1924 they were the standard for new installations.[14]
The safeworking of trains between stations on the early lines was time interval working,[15] where a train would be allowed to leave a given time after the train before it. With heavier traffic this method became unsafe, with Staff and Ticket working on single lines adopted from 1873, and telegraph block working from 1878 on double lines.[18] Both of these systems ensured that only one train would be in a section of track at one time. Telegraphic block working was then replaced with Winters Block working between 1883 and 1888,[19] a system that is a predecessor of the Double line Block system which is still used today. Later years saw variations made to the Staff and Ticket system, with busier lines provided with Electric Staff working which provided greater safely when more trains ran.
Heavier suburban traffic on the Melbourne network saw a greater stain on the block working then used, which required a large number of manned signal boxes to enable trains to run close together.[20] As a result it was decided to adopt power signalling under the Automatic Block System (ABS) of safeworking, where the presence of trains automatically control the signals after them, providing a safe distance between trains. Introduced from 1915, the system was based on American speed signalling practice with GRS2A upper quadrant mechanical signals with two arms able to indicate up to 5 different speed aspects to train drivers.[14] These signals were later replaced by colour light signals which are the standard today, but the old mechanical style remained until 2001.[21]
A variant of the Automatic Block System, Automatic and Track Control (ATC) has since been introduced, which provides the same benefits as ABS on single lines of track, while still ensuring only one train in a section at a time. Centralised Traffic Control was also introduced in the 1960s on the new standard gauge line to Albury,[2] and then on the main interstate line to Adelaide, allowing trains to be directed from a distance.
Today little mechanical signalling remains, with local signal boxes controlling signals abolished from many areas as part of the Regional Fast Rail project.[14] Today the suburban network and busier regional lines use variants of Automatic Block Signalling, while quieter lines use the Train Staff and Ticket or Train Order systems of safeworking.[22] Train protection has also progressed, with the Train Protection & Warning System also introduced on major passenger lines.[14]
Rollingstock
Rollingstock in Victoria has used air braking since tests of continuous train brakes were carried out in 1884.[16] Initially screw couplings were used to connect wagons, but from 1924 automatic knuckle couplers were introduced, with buffers removed from freight wagons by 1960.[23]
Locomotives
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a8/R707-loco-victorian-railways.jpg/220px-R707-loco-victorian-railways.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e3/Vline-a70-pn-xr557.jpg/220px-Vline-a70-pn-xr557.jpg)
In Victoria groups of locomotives of the same design are classed together by letter, in a system introduced in 1886.[24] Initially low letters were given to passenger classes, and high letters for goods classes, but from about 1916 this pattern was discarded.[24] Within classes locomotives are individually numbered, in a continuous number block which is unique to the class. In some cases locomotives have been renumbered to keep number blocks continuous, and in some cases there is no correlation between the number blocks used for the steam and diesel locomotives of the same class letter.[25] In addition, some classes start the number series with a 0, while others start with a 1.[25]
The first locomotives used in the state were small steam locomotives, and by the end of the 1800s 0-6-0 tender engines were used on goods, and 4-4-0 configurations for passenger workings.[26] The majority of locomotives were imported from Britain, from companies such as Beyer, Peacock and Company, Robert Stephenson and Company, R and W Hawthorn and George England.[26] The Williamstown Workshops also built locomotives locally, as did the Phoenix Foundry in Ballarat.[26]
As the size of train increased, so did the locomotives. The 4-6-0 wheel arrangement became popular for passenger and mixed traffic work with the D3 and A2 classes, and the 2-8-0 arrangement on goods with the K, J and C classes lasting into the 1960s.[26] These were then followed by the 4-6-2 S class Pacifics for the Spirit of Progress express, and the single 4-8-4 H class locomotive H220, the biggest Victorian Railways steam locomotive.[27] The final steam locomotives built in Victoria were the 4-6-4 R class and 2-8-0 J classes. Of more modern design, they arrived at the same time as the first diesels and were never fully appreciated.[24]
Electric locomotives were first acquired with the electrification of the suburban railways, the E class suburban engines acquired in 1923 and 1928-29, followed by the L class from 1953 when the mainline to Traralgon was electrified for briquette traffic.[24]
Dieselisation occurred from 1951 with the F class shunter, but the B and S classes of 1952 and 1957 revolutionised main line operations.[24] They were then followed by the T and Y classes in 1955 and 1963 which displaced steam from the branch lines and yards.[24] Apart from the F class, Clyde Engineering has had a monopoly on Victorian diesel-electric locos.[28] as the Australian licensee of General Motors EMD engines and traction motors, fitting them into locally designed bodies. By 1980s the first generation locomotives were approaching the end of their lives, with the electric locomotives withdrawn by 1988,[24] and the modern N and G classes allowing the withdrawal of lower horsepower T and Y classes.[29]
Today the former Victorian Railways locomotive fleet has been split into two, with the N, A and P classes utilised by V/Line on passenger services, with the remainder with Pacific National in freight use.[28] No new passenger locomotives have been built since the 1980s, with Diesel Multiple Units being acquired instead. Freight operations have seen the re-powering of the G and X classes, as well as the restoration to service of stored locomotives, now up to 50 year old.[30]
Passenger
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/06/Vlocity_train_at_lara_victoria.jpg/220px-Vlocity_train_at_lara_victoria.jpg)
Early passenger services were operated with 4 and 6 wheeled 'dogbox' passenger carriage with small compartments and no side corridors. Later years say the provision of side corridors to provided access down the train, and onboard toilets. Sleeping carriages was first introduced in 1887,[8] and dining cars from 1908.[31]
Larger bogie rollingstock started to appear from the turn of the century,[31] with the E type carriage stock introduced on The Overland,[32] and smaller W type carriage stock on intrastate trains. The first air conditioned carriage was introduced in 1935, when one of the E type carriages was fitted.[33] All steel carriages came to the Victorian Railways in 1937, with the construction of the S type carriage stock for the new Spirit of Progress.[34]
On the Melbourne suburban network Electric Multiple Units were introduced speeding up services. Experiments were also made with various diesel and petrol railcars for use smaller branch lines, with the DERM being the most successful, remaining in service from 1928 to 1991. A fleet of Walker railcars was also introduced in the 1950s, along with Z type saloon carriage stock[31] for both intra and interstate trains.
By the 1980s country passenger services were run down, and older wooden rolling stock was now approaching their use by date. As a result, the N type carriages were introduced from 1981,[31] followed by the converted H type stock from 1984.[31] Since then, Diesel Multiple Units have become the norm for new purchases, with the Sprinter introduced in 1992, and the VLocity from 2005.
Freight
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0c/Wagons-north-melbourne.jpg/220px-Wagons-north-melbourne.jpg)
Early wagons were built on four wheeled under frames, but from 1871 bogie vehicles begun to appear.[35] These early wagons were of all wood construction, but later types had wood bogies on steel underframes, then followed by all steel wagons.[23] Groups of wagons of the same design are classed together by a multiple character alphabetical code, initially in a system restricted to Victoria only, but from 1979 the Railways of Australia four letter coding was introduced.[35] Under this system the first letter represent owner of the wagon, the second represents the general type of wagon, the third separates different classes of the same general type, and the four letter indicates the maximum running speed.[35]
The last four wheeled open wagons were built in 1958,[23] but were not scrapped in large numbers until the 1980s when new bogie wagons replaced them.[36] In 1987 the bogie wagon fleet numbered 5000, with approximately 700 grain hoppers, 800 container flats, 1000 louvred vans, 700 open wagons, 400 tank cars, and 300 flat wagons.[36] Today the broad gauge intrastate fleet numbers 2600,[23] with large numbers of louvred vans, open and flat wagons, and tank cars stored or scrapped due to the decline in traffic.
Operations
Commodities
Traffic by year | ||
---|---|---|
Commodity | Percentage (1987)[37] |
Percentage (1996 to 1998)[1] |
Bulk grain (wheat, barley, oats) |
31.4% | 50.8% |
Containers | 10.6% | 19.6% |
Freight forwarders | 9.5% | ? |
Mining, quarry products |
7.9% | 14.7% |
Cement | 6.8% | 4.9% |
Iron and steel | 6.3% | ? |
Petroleum | 4.4% | 3.2% |
Victoria does not have a dominant mining base as with other states, and has traditionally been more dependant on agriculture for rail freight traffic.[37]
In 1987 10.51 million tonnes of freight was carried by rail, with bulk grain being the main commodity consisting of 31.4% of traffic.[37] Continued drought, road competition, and rationalisation of intrastate freight operations have seen this change in recent years, with an average of only 6.1 million tonnes of intrastate freight carried from each year between 1996 to 1998;[1] and containers now being the major traffic, with residual cement, logs, quarry, and steel trains operating. Less than carload traffic was discontinued in July 2007 with the end of the Fastrack freight service.[38] An exception to the downfall is interstate operations, with intermodal container traffic growing due to competition between private operators.
Unternehmen
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b2/Pacific_national_cement_train_at_geelong.jpg/220px-Pacific_national_cement_train_at_geelong.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/33/Restored_victorian_railways_train.jpg/220px-Restored_victorian_railways_train.jpg)
The first railways in Victoria were operated by private companies, but when these companies failed or defaulted, Victorian Railways took over. The Victorian Railways was initially known as the "Department of Railways" from the first appointment of staff in 1856, and on 1 November 1883 the Victorian Railways Commissioners Act established the "Victorian Railways".[39]
This situation remained until May 1973 when the Railways (Amendment) Act 1972 passed the management of the Railways from the Victorian Railways Commissioners to a Victorian Railways Board,[40] with rebranding as VicRail following in 1976.
In 1983 VicRail was split into the State Transport Authority taking responsibility for the provision of country rail and road, passenger and freight services under the V/Line brand; and the Metropolitan Transit Authority taking over suburban passenger operations.[40] These authorities were then merged into the Public Transport Corporation in 1989, with the suburban services rebranded as "The Met".
In 1993 the Kennett Government offered long-distance country rail services previously run by the government-owned operator V/Line to private operators. While several rail services were replaced by road coach services, West Coast Railway successfully tendered to operate the railway line to Warrnambool, becoming the first private operator in Victoria.[41]
It was also at this time that the Hilmer Report into competition among government-owned entities was released, clearing the way for new rail freight operators in Victoria. Specialised Container Transport commenced operating trains to Perth in 1995,[42] and Great Northern Rail Services started intrastate operations.
Privatisation of the Public Transport Corporation commenced under the Kennett Government of the 1990s. V/Line was split into separate freight and passenger divisions, and "The Met" was divided into "Hillside Trains" and "Bayside Trains". These separate bodies were all sold separately in 1999: V/Line Freight and the rural intrastate network to Freight Victoria; Hillside Trains and track lease to Connex Melbourne; and V/Line Passenger and Bayside Trains (with track lease) to the National Express Group.[40] Control of V/Line's former interstate rail freight infrastructure was passed to the federal Australian Rail Track Corporation. Competition in the rail freight industry has also seen the emergence of small operators El Zorro and Southern Shorthaul Railroad.
On October 1 2003, V/Line reverted to government ownership with the collapse of National Express,[43] and M>Train was sold to Connex after the withdrawal of it's parent company; and the Freight Victoria business and rural track lease was purchased by Pacific National. November 2006 saw Pacific National enter into an agreement to sell the remainder of its Victorian rail lease of the network back to the Victorian Government for $133.8 m, during the caretaker period following the issuing of the writs for the 25 November 2006 Victorian State election.[44] The sale was completed on May 7, 2007, with state government owned V/Line managing the track.[45]
In December 2007 Pacific National announced plans to sell or close its grain transport and Portlink rural container business operations in Victoria.[46] The decision has been criticised as it will force grain growers to use higher cost road transport to transport the annual grain harvest from rural silos to the ports.[47] The decision has seen many commentators accuse Pacific National of only acquiring the operations of Freight Australia in 2004 for the purposes of asset stripping and eliminating completion in rail freight.[48][49]
History
First lines
Australia's first steam operated railway was a 4 km Victorian broad gauge line between the Melbourne (or City) Terminus (on the site of modern day Flinders Street Station) and Sandridge (now Port Melbourne), constructed by the Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company and opened in September 1854.[39]
The first country line in Victoria was from Melbourne to Geelong, opened in 1857 by the Geelong and Melbourne Railway Company.[4]
The early years saw the majority of lines being constructed by privately companies, this not changing until the the 1870s when the Government Railway Department (Victorian Railways) had built their own lines.[50]
The suburban network expanded to the east from Princes Bridge railway station to Richmond in 1859, then later to Brighton and Hawthorn by the early 1860s. the initial suburban lines were all built by different private companies centred upon Flinders St, being amalgamated into the Melbourne and Hobson's Bay United Railway Company by 1865,[50] with public ownership not coming until 1878.[16]
In 1862 Victorian Railways lines had reached the great gold rush towns of Bendigo and Ballarat, and in 1864 railways were extended to the Murray River port of Echuca.[16]
Trunk lines
In 1883 the first connection to another State's rail system was made, when the Albury-Wodonga line was completed to the New South Wales Government Railways's station at Albury, requiring a break-of-gauge to New South Wales's standard gauge (Template:4ft8.5in).[51] It was then followed in 1887 by a connection with the broad gauge South Australian Railways at Serviceton, with the Intercolonial Express (now The Overland) to Adelaide running between the capitals.[39]
Additional trunk lines were also built though the 1870s, with rails extended to Sale, Portland and Colac; and the first branch lines built.[50] It was a time of improved train safety, with the first interlocking of railway signalling to protect trains provided in 1874,[16] and tests of continuous train brakes carried out in 1884.[16]
Octopus Acts
In 1884 the Octopus Act was passed in State Parliament, authorising an enormous amount of railway lines to almost every corner of the state, both to serve new agricultural communities and to support suburban land speculation.[50] It was also this decade that the first narrow gauge line was opened from Wangaratta to Whitfield, with 3 other lines following by 1910.[16]
The South Gippsland line was also opened from Dandenong to Leongatha by 1891.[51] However by the late 1890s the majority of the state was now covered in railways, with the exception of the Mallee country in the north west of the state which saw further line openings,[50] such as the Mildura line in 1903.[51]
A new century
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/64/H220-Essendon.jpg/220px-H220-Essendon.jpg)
In 1907 the A2 class steam locomotives were introduced, 185 in number they were Victorian Railway's main passenger locomotive until the arrival of the diesel electric B class in 1952.[16] On April 20 1908 the Sunshine train disaster occurred, killing 44 passengers in the worst Victorian accident ever.[16]
Electrification of the Melbourne suburban network was also carried out, with the first train running in 1919.[34] By 1924 210,000 passengers passed through the main city terminal of Flinders Street Station per weekday.[16] St Kilda was Melbourne's busiest suburban station with 4 1/2 million journeys, followed by Footscray with almost 4 million, then Elsternwick, Ascot Vale, Essendon and Balaclava.[16]
Despite the World War 1, significant extensions of rail lines were carried out, particularly in the wheat growing areas in the north west and west. The new lengthy parallel lines were considered to be cheaper to operate that the numerous short spurs such as those in the Goulburn Valley.[50]
Technology advancements continued, with 3 position automatic signals introduced in 1915,[52] the conversion of screw couplings to knuckle couplers from 1924,[23] and the first remote controlled signalling provided in 1925.[16] The first level crossing flashing lights were installed at Mentone on Moorabin Road in 1932.[16]
By 1930 the railway map of Victoria was largely complete, with the best land settled and the remaining land marginal for agriculture, with a number of lines built across the state border into the Riverina of NSW.[50] On November 1937 the first run of the Spirit of Progress was made, a streamlined all air conditioned train run between Melbourne and Albury, lead by the matching S class steam locomotives.[34]
The Victorian Railways biggest steam locomotive H 220 Heavy Harry entered service in 1941,[16] at a time when the railways were struggling with the needs of the war effort. In 1943 the Victorian Railways employed 25,450, had 577 steam locos and 12 electric locos on register along with 19,823 goods wagons and 1,499 passenger cars, running along 4,758 miles (7,657 km) of lines.[16] The network reached its largest extent in 1942, covering 7668 route kilometres.[1]
Post war rebuilding
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/X32.jpg/220px-X32.jpg)
After World War II the railways were run down, with Operation Phoenix unveiled in 1950, involving the expenditure of £80,000,000 over 10 years.[40] Works included electrification to Traralgon, new Harris suburban trains, the Walker railmotors, and approximately 3,000 new goods wagons.[16]
On July 14 1952 the VR entered the diesel era, with the delivery of the first B class mainline locomotive,[40] with the commissioning of the first mainline electrification scheme in Australia in July 1954 to Warrugul.[16] March 1954 saw Queen Elizabeth II tour Victoria by train, the first time a reigning monarch had travelled on the VR,[16]
1954 also saw the last last steam locomotive to enter service, J class 559,[16] as well as the last four wheeled open wagons being built.[23] The fifties also saw the loss of a number of short branch lines, particularly country where the only traffic had been timber or livestock.[50]
In the 1960s the break of gauge at Albury was eliminated, with the opening of the North East standard gauge line in 1962.[40] The new line aided freight traffifc between the state capitals, and enabled though passenger trains, such as the Southern Aurora and the Intercapital Daylight. At the same time the sixties was also the end of steam, with the demolition of the massive North Melbourne steam locomotive depot on January 20, 1961.[16]
1965 saw the Victorian Railways produce at £193,727 surplus, but by 1973 it had turned into a $86,086,361 defecit. On July 20, 1976 the Laverton derailment occurred, killing one passenger, in is the last railway passenger fatility not involving a road vehicle.[16] By the late seventies roadside goods and country railmotor services had been replaced by road transport, and branch lines outside the grain producing areas were now virtually non-existent.[50]
New Deal
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/City-loop-exit-spencer-street.jpg/220px-City-loop-exit-spencer-street.jpg)
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The 1980s saw corporatisation of the Victorian Railways carried out, with the railway commissioners by VicRail and later government authorities. New liveries on trains were unveiled, as elderly red ratters were replaced by new trains.
1981 saw the Melbourne underground loop open in January, followed by the new air conditioned Comeng suburban trains and "N" type country passenger carriages in September the same year.[16] Country services were also sped up under the New Deal by the closure of dozens of small wayside stations.
Country passenger services saw the last of the wooden bodied passenger cars withdrawn from service in 1986, replaced by new "H" set carriages. Trials were also carried out for further upgrades, with locomotive A85 re-geared for 160 km/h operation in a series of test runs between Glenorchy and Lubeck in the state's west in July 1986.[53]
It was also the end of an era, with freight trains having their guards vans and guards abolished from 1985, and the carriage of livestock ended in 1986.[16] The last run of the Spirit of Progress and Southern Aurora passenger trains were also made in 1986, on August 3rd.[54] Working practices were also altered, with through working of C class locomotives introduced between Melbourne and Adelaide in 1982.[40] Previously Victorian locos were detached at the state borders, and replaced by locomotives from the next state. New locomotive were also introduced, with the G class and N classes enabling the retirement of many of the 1st generation diesels.[55]
Cuts continued to the rail network, with larger centralised silos in the north western area of the state, and replacement of traditional safeworking systems by systems that required no local staff saw further stations de-manned.[50]
Privatisation
The 1990s saw costs further reduced on the rail network. Guards removed from passenger trains in 1989, and driver only suburban trains commenced running in 1993, the last suburban train crewed by a guard running in November 1995.[42] In 1994 the National Rail Corporation was established, taking profitable steel, and intermodal traffics from V/Line;[35] and the Melbourne to Adelaide standard gauge line was opened in 1995 moving the break of gauge.[16]
Moves towards privatisation begun in 1997, when V/Line split into V/Line Passenger and V/Line Freight by Bayside Trains and Hillside Trains being split off from Public Transport Corporation in 1998.[16] V/Line Freight was sold to Rail America, known as Freight Victoria in 1999, followed by National Express taking over over Bayside Trains and V/Line Passenger in 2000, and Connex Melbourne taking over Hillside Trains.
Today, the state consists of four networks: the electrified metropolitan system operated by Connex Melbourne, the country passenger network operated by V/Line, the standard gauge interstate lines to Adelaide and Sydney, and the grain network in the north west of the state, connected to the ports at Geelong and Portland.[50]
By line
Melbourne lines
Australia's first railway was a 4 km Victorian broad gauge line between the Melbourne (or City) Terminus (on the site of modern day Flinders Street Station) and Sandridge (now Port Melbourne), constructed by the Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company and opened in September 1854. 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, operated by Connex Melbourne under franchise to the Government of Victoria.
Gippsland lines
The line was extended to Bairnsdale as an extension of suburban lines between 1877 and 1888, and extended eastwards to Orbost in 1916.[51] The line between Dandenong and Traralgon was electrified in 1954, but electrification was cut back progressively to Pakenham between 1987 and 2001. V/Line passenger trains now run as far as Bairnsdale.
South Gippsland lines
The South Gippsland railway line was opened from Dandenong to Cranbourne, Leongatha and Port Albert between 1888 and 1892.[51] A number of branch lines were also built. Almost all the line was closed in stages between the early 1970s and 1994, part has since been electrified and re-opened as part of the suburban network, and the South Gippsland Tourist Railway operates heritage services between Nyora and Leongatha.
Albury-Wodonga line
The Albury-Wodonga line originated from a suburban line to Essendon in 1860, being extended to Wodonga by 1873, connecting with the New South Wales Government Railways at Albury at a break-of-gauge in 1883.[51] A standard gauge track was completed parallel with the broad gauge track from Albury to Melbourne in 1962.[40] V/Line services operate along the broad gauge line, while the Melbourne-Sydney Countrylink XPT runs on the standard gauge.
Shepparton line
A branch line was built from Mangalore to Shepparton in 1880 and extended to the New South Wales Government Railways at Tocumwal at a break-of-gauge in 1908.[51] V/Line passenger service run as far as Shepparton.
Bendigo lines
The line from Spencer Street to Bendigo was completed in 1862. Extensions were opened to Echuca in 1864, and Swan Hill in 1890.[51] Only these lines continue to see V/Line services, with other lines in the region only seeing freight traffic.
Ballarat lines
The first railway line from Melbourne to Ballarat was via Geelong, opening in 1862.[4] The line was extended from Ballarat to Ararat between 1874 and 1875.[51] It was not until 1889 that the direct line between Melbourne and Ballarat was opened, built from both ends in stages until they met at Ballan. Further branch lines followed to Portland and other western towns. The line formed the first interstate railway line in Australia, when it was extended to the the South Australian Railways at Serviceton in 1887. Up until the 1990s the Ballarat line was on the main route between Melbourne and Adelaide, as well as The Overland services to Adelaide, until the One Nation Program rerouted the main interstate line via Geelong and Maroona as standard gauge.[1]
Geelong lines
The Geelong and Melbourne Railway Company opened a railway from Geelong to Newport in 1857, being extended to Spencer Street Station in 1859.[4] The Geelong line was taken over by Victorian Railways in 1860 and a line was opened from Geelong to Ballarat in 1862.[4] The line was later extended south-east from 1876, reaching Warrnambool and Port Fairy in 1890.[4] Branch lines also existed to Queenscliff, Beech Forest, and a number of other towns.[4]
Railway preservation
Victoria's tourist railways | ||
---|---|---|
Bellarine Railway | ||
Daylesford Spa Country Railway | ||
Mornington Railway | ||
Puffing Billy Railway | ||
Victorian Goldfields Railway | ||
Walhalla Goldfields Railway | ||
Yarra Valley Tourist Railway | ||
Former tourist railways | ||
South Gippsland Railway |
Organised railway preservation commenced in Victoria with the formation of the Puffing Billy Preservation Society in 1955. Formed to operate the narrow gauge 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge railway in the Dandenong Ranges near Melbourne, the group continues to operate the railway today.
The demise of the last of the steam locomotives in Victoria commenced in the 1960s, the Australian Railway Historical Society worked with the Victorian Railways to have a number of locomotives preserved for the future. A railway museum was established at North Williamstown to house static exhibits, and a number of locomotives were restored for use on special trains.
By the 1980s a number of heritage railways had been established in Victoria on closed branch lines. These railways serve both as tourist attractions, and to preserve the railway past. The work of railway preservation groups has since expanded to retired railway carriages, electric multiple units, rail motors, and diesel locomotives.
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i John Hearsch (1 February 2007). "Victoria's Regional Railway Past, Present and Potential" (PDF). RTSA Regional Rail Symposium, Wagga Wagga. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
- ^ a b Andrew Waugh. "Somerton" (PDF). Victorian Station Histories. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
- ^ S.E. Doorman and R.G. Henderson (1979). Electric Railways of Victoria. Australian Electric Traction Society. p. page 91. ISBN 0 909459 06 1.
{{cite book}}
:|page=
has extra text (help) - ^ a b c d e f g "Geelong Line" (HTML). Rail Geelong. Marcus Wong. Retrieved 2008-02-05.
- ^ "Fyansford Line" (HTML). Rail Geelong. Marcus Wong. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
- ^ "Geelong Tunnel" (HTML). Rail Geelong. Marcus Wong. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
- ^ "Bendigo Line" (HTML). Vicsig Lineguides. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
- ^ a b "The Railway Top 20!" (PDF). Royal Historical Society of Victoria. Retrieved 2008-02-05.
- ^ a b "Addenda" (PDF). V/Line Network Service Plan. V/Line Regional Network and Access. Retrieved 2007-09-10.
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- ^ a b c d "Network Operating Requirements" (PDF). V/Line Network Service Plan. V/Line Regional Network and Access. Retrieved 2007-09-10.
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- ^ "Standardisation of Railway Gauges" (HTML). Year Book Australia, 1967. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 25/01/1967. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
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(help) - ^ Mark Bau. "RAILWAY MAP VICTORIAN LINES" (PDF). Retrieved 2005-10-01.
- ^ a b Victorian Auditor General (August 2006). "Rail Gauge Standardisation Project" (HTML). Victorian Auditor General's Office. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
- ^ a b c d e f Fisher, Peter (2007). Victorian Signalling: by Accident or Design?. Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division). p. page x. ISBN 978 1 92089 250 0.
{{cite book}}
:|page=
has extra text (help) - ^ a b Fisher, Peter (2007). Victorian Signalling: by Accident or Design?. Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division). p. page 39. ISBN 978 1 92089 250 0.
{{cite book}}
:|page=
has extra text (help) - ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y "VR timeline" (HTML). http://www.victorianrailways.net/. Mark Bau. Retrieved 2008-02-05.
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- ^ a b c Fisher, Peter (2007). Victorian Signalling: by Accident or Design?. Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division). p. page 62. ISBN 978 1 92089 250 0.
{{cite book}}
:|page=
has extra text (help) - ^ Fisher, Peter (2007). Victorian Signalling: by Accident or Design?. Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division). p. page 64. ISBN 978 1 92089 250 0.
{{cite book}}
:|page=
has extra text (help) - ^ Fisher, Peter (2007). Victorian Signalling: by Accident or Design?. Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division). p. page 66. ISBN 978 1 92089 250 0.
{{cite book}}
:|page=
has extra text (help) - ^ S.E. Doorman and R.G. Henderson (1979). Electric Railways of Victoria. Australian Electric Traction Society. p. page 20. ISBN 0 909459 06 1.
{{cite book}}
:|page=
has extra text (help) - ^ Fisher, Peter (2007). Victorian Signalling: by Accident or Design?. Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division). p. page 89. ISBN 978 1 92089 250 0.
{{cite book}}
:|page=
has extra text (help) - ^ "Safeworking in Victoria" (HTML). Vicsig. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
- ^ a b c d e f Mark Bau. "Four wheeled open wagons of the Victorian Railways". Notes from the Victorian Model Railway Society Prototype Modellers Meet 2007.
- ^ a b c d e f g Railmac Publications (1992). Australian Fleetbooks: V/Line locomotives. Kitchner Press. p. page 3. ISBN 0 949817 76 7.
{{cite book}}
:|page=
has extra text (help) - ^ a b Examination of all classes in VicRail Public Relations (1981). Power Parade. ISBN 0 7241 3323 2.
- ^ a b c d Railmac Publications (1992). Australian Fleetbooks: V/Line locomotives. Kitchner Press. p. page 2. ISBN 0 949817 76 7.
{{cite book}}
:|page=
has extra text (help) - ^ "What to see - H220". ARHS Railway Museum. Retrieved 2008-02-05.
- ^ a b "VR - V/Line - VLP/ FA Locomotives" (HTML). Locopage. Retrieved 2008-02-05.
- ^ Railmac Publications (1992). Australian Fleetbooks: V/Line locomotives. Kitchner Press. p. page 12. ISBN 0 949817 76 7.
{{cite book}}
:|page=
has extra text (help) - ^ "Mainline Locomotives" (HTML). Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia. Retrieved 2008-02-05.
- ^ a b c d e "Victorian Railways - Loco hauled Passenger Carriages" (HTML). Peter J. Vincent's Website. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
- ^ "V&SAR Joint Stock Sleeping Cars" (HTML). Peter J. Vincent's Website. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
- ^ Mark Bau. "AE 1st class wooden compartment pass. cars" (HTML). Retrieved 2008-02-08.
- ^ a b c "ARHS Railway Museum: History 1900 - 1950" (HTML). ARHS Railway Museum. Retrieved 2008-02-05.
- ^ a b c d Norm Bray and Peter J Vincent (2006). Bogie Freight Wagons of Victoria. Brief History Books. ISBN 0 9775056 0 X.
- ^ a b "V/Line Freight Rollingstock Fleet - 1 July 1987". Newsrail. 15 (10). Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division): page 303. 1987.
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ignored (help) - ^ a b c Peter Foote (1987). "V/Line Grain Handling". Newsrail. 15 (10). Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division): pages 292 - 297.
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ignored (help) - ^ "Goodbye to Victorian Louver Vans" (HTML). Railpage Australia forums. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
- ^ a b c "ARHS Railway Museum: Victoria 1839 - 1900" (HTML). ARHS Railway Museum. Retrieved 2008-02-05. Cite error: The named reference "arhs1" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ a b c d e f g h "ARHS Railway Museum: Victoria 1950 - now" (HTML). ARHS Railway Museum. Retrieved 2008-02-05.
- ^ Philip Hopkins (2004-07-19). "End of the line for West Coast Rail". The Age. Retrieved 2008-02-05.
- ^ a b "ARTC History" (HTML). Australian Rail Track Corporation. Retrieved 2008-02-05.
- ^ "V/Line Background" (HTML). V/Line. Retrieved 2008-02-05.
- ^ "Toll sells rail lease". Canberra Times. 2 November 2006. p. 17.
- ^ "RAIL BUY BACK DEAL COMPLETE" (HTML). MINISTER FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT (Media Release). May 7, 2007. Retrieved 2008-02-05.
- ^ "Pacific National to sell or close rail freight business". ABC News website. December 12, 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-17.
- ^ "Asciano delivers grain haulage shock to farmers". Herald and Weekly Times website. December 12, 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-17.
- ^ "Loco Lines" (PDF). Newsletter for Locomotive Enginemen of the Rail, Tram & Bus Union – Victoria. May 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-17.
- ^ "Freight Australia Exiting". Railpage Australia forums. December 12, 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-17.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Victorian Railway Maps 1860 - 2000" (HTML). Victorian Railways Resources. Andrew Waugh. Retrieved 2008-02-05.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Sid Brown (1990). "Tracks Across the State". Newsrail. 18 (3). Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division): pages 71-76.
{{cite journal}}
:|pages=
has extra text (help); Unknown parameter|month=
ignored (help) - ^ Fisher, Peter (2007). Victorian Signalling: by Accident or Design?. Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division). ISBN 978 1 92089 250 0.
- ^ "News". Newsrail. 14 (9). Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division): pages 24-27. 1986.
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ignored (help) - ^ G. Carmichael (1986). "Aurora and Spirt of Progress depart". Newsrail. 14 (9). Australian Railway Heritage Society.
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ignored (help) - ^ Railmac Publications (1992). Australian Fleetbooks: V/Line locomotives. Kitchner Press. ISBN 0 949817 76 7.
External links
History:
- Mark Bau's Victorian Railways - History of rolling stock, locomotives, and signalling
- Peter J. Vincent - History of rolling stock and wagons of the Victorian Railways
- Victorian Railways Resources - Network maps and analysis at ten year intervals, and histories of stations
- Signal Diagrams - Digitised copies of Victorian Railways and V/Line signalling diagrams
- Rail Geelong - History of the railways of the Geelong region
Today:
- Victorian Railway Stations - photographs of stations of the Victorian network
- Vicsig - Information on present infrastructure, operations, signalling, and locomotives
- V/Linecars - V/Line carriages and operations website