V/Line to Bacchus Marsh
July 26, 2017
Photos of the V/Line services that run to Bacchus Marsh, taken between there and the end of the wires back at Sunshine. As well as boring old VLocities and Sprinters, loco hauled trains with A, P and N classes are also used in peak times.
Failing infrastructure at Southern Cross Station
July 25, 2017
Southern Cross Station was only finished a decade ago, but the building is already starting to fall apart
V/Line at Southern Cross Station
July 25, 2017
Southern Cross Station is the main hub of V/Line passenger services from around the state
Metro Trains Melbourne - inner suburban
July 25, 2017
Metro Trains Melbourne services in the inner suburban area, covering Flinders Street Station, Southern Cross Station, the City Loop, North Melbourne and Richmond.
V/Line workshops, yards and shunting
July 25, 2017
Pictures of V/Line trains and carriages at the West Melbourne Depot and Dudley Street carriage yards next to Southern Cross Station, Melbourne Yard, and South Dynon.
V/Line - Regional Rail Link
July 25, 2017
V/Line trains using the new Regional Rail Link tracks that have progressively come into use since December 2013.
Failing rail infrastructure of Melbourne
July 25, 2017
Melbourne's railway network is held together with bubblegum and duct tape - here are examples of the way that it is falling apart.
Metro Trains Melbourne - Northern group
July 25, 2017
Metro Trains Melbourne services on the Werribee, Altona, Williamstown, Sunbury, Craigieburn and Upfield lines that make up the Northern group.
Apex quarry train
July 23, 2017
The Apex train carries gravel and other quarry products from Kilmore East on the North East line, to Westall in south-eastern Melbourne, Brooklyn in western Melbourne, and North Shore in Geelong. Originally operated by Freight Australia then Pacific National, in 2016 Qube Logistics won the contract.
Melbourne broad gauge freight
July 23, 2017
Miscellaneous broad gauge freight traffic through Melbourne - there isn't much these days...
Long Island steel train
July 23, 2017
The Long Island steel train serves the BHP mill at Hastings, south of Frankston. Steel is transferred from standard gauge trains at the Melbourne Steel Terminal, just west of North Melbourne station
Melbourne Metro Rail Tunnel preliminary work
July 22, 2017
Preliminary geotechnical investigation work on the Melbourne Metro Rail Tunnel commenced in 2015.
Melbourne suburban bits and pieces
July 22, 2017
Photos of bits and pieces on and around Melbourne's suburban trains
Metro Trains Melbourne trackwork
July 21, 2017
Trackwork on the Melbourne suburban rail network. Since taking over the contract to operate and maintain the system, Metro Trains Melbourne have hired wagons and locomotives from CFCLA to operate works trains. Three types of train operate: open top containers mounted to miscellaneous flat wagons for the carriage of spoil, CHOY hoppers to carry ballast, and flat wagons fitted with stanchions to carry rail or concrete sleepers.
Melbourne standard gauge freight
July 20, 2017
Standard gauge lines from Adelaide and New South Wales meet at Melbourne, running via the western suburbs right into the main freight terminals near the Port of Melbourne
X'Trapolis transfer, July 2017
July 20, 2017
On 20 July 2017 brand new X'Trapolis train 234M-1417T-233M+236M-1418T-235M was transferred from the Alstom factory at Ballarat North to Epping Workshops, behind T373 and T376
Metro Trains Melbourne - Clifton Hill group
July 20, 2017
Metro Trains Melbourne services on the South Morang and Hurstbridge lines that make up the Clifton Hill group.
Melbourne stations and infrastructure
July 20, 2017
Photos of railway infrastructure in suburban Melbourne - stations, signals, and such
SCT Logistics trains
July 20, 2017
SCT Logistics got their start running east-west freight trains between Melbourne and Perth via Adelaide, with services to Parkes later added. SCT wagons were also attached to Melbourne-Brisbane QRNational/Aurizon services, until the commencement of their own services on the north-south route. SCT has also operated shorter trains to a logistics facility at Barnawartha near Wodonga, and container trains to Dooen near Horsham.
Pacifc National grain trains
July 20, 2017
Grain is a major freight traffic in Victoria, but drought has cut the level of traffic in recent years. Trains operate on both broad and standard gauges, with the main destinations being export terminals at Melbourne and Geelong, as well as Portland, and a number of domestic flour mills
V/Line around Melbourne
July 18, 2017
Pictures of V/line trains 'under the wires' around Melbourne and surrounding suburbs. V/line has a mix of loco-hauled and DMU-run services.
Commercialising commuters
July 14, 2017
For Melbourne's privatised public transport operators, they don't make money by moving people - they make money selling their captive audiences to advertisers and other commercial outfits.
Manildra sugar train
July 14, 2017
Manildra Group moves sugar by rail from their plant in Grafton in NSW to their sidings at North Dynon in Melbourne. NGGF hopper wagons are used, which are attached to Pacific National intermodal or steel services.
Flinders Street Station
July 08, 2017
Flinders Street Station is the main suburban train station for Melbourne, Victoria
Kensington grain
July 08, 2017
The flour mill Kensington at Kensington is one of the last to be rail served in Victoria, grain wagons are taken there on a regular basis, requiring a convoluted route through the suburban and freight lines, with a reversal in Melbourne Yard
Poor service from V/Line
July 07, 2017
Clutching failure from the jaws of success - that's the V/Line way.
Metro Trains Melbourne - Caulfield group
July 01, 2017
Metro Trains Melbourne services on the Pakenham, Cranbourne, Frankston and Sandringham lines that make up the Caulfield group.
Crumbling station building at Armadale
July 01, 2017
A look at the crumbling citybound station kiosk at Armadale station on the Frankston/Dandenong lines, where everything is falling apart and ready to fall down onto the platform below.
Southern Cross Station
June 26, 2017
Southern Cross Station is the main interstate and regional station for Melbourne. The full set of photos is at my other site, Rail Geelong.
Steamrail - Steam Spectacular 2017
June 24, 2017
On 25 June 2017 Steamrail ran a triple headed steam special from Melbourne to Ballarat with R761, A2 986 and D3 639, returning via Geelong, with a parallel run between Geelong and Little River.
Newport Workshops
June 24, 2017
Newport Workshops is the main railway heavy repair and maintenance facility in Melbourne. The eastern side is occupied by EDI Rail and Siemens, while the older buildings in West Block are occupied by heritage operators Steamrail Victoria and 707 Operations. The East Block is used as storage by VicTrack. Photos include some from a tour of the EDI section featuring the loco, bogie and wheel shops.
Stored trams at Newport Workshops
June 24, 2017
With W class trams heritage listed and unable to be scrapped or exported to tram museums overseas, Newport Workshops has become a dumping ground while they wait a final home.
IEV100 track evaluation vehicle
June 24, 2017
Formerly known as EM100, IEV100 is a track evaluation vehicle that traverses the Victorian railway network to test track quality. Diesel powered, it has both standard and broad gauge bogies.
Great Southern Rail - The Overland
June 24, 2017
Great Southern Rail operates 'The Overland' from Melbourne to Adelaide, via Geelong, Ararat and the Western standard gauge
North Dynon
June 21, 2017
Located between the main passenger lines at South Kensington and Dynon Roads, along with Moonee Ponds Creek and the Maribyrnong River, the North Dynon precinct includes the Agency Sidings and the P&O Trans Australia container terminal at 'T' gate.
City Loop
June 16, 2017
Stations and trains around the Melbourne Underground Rail Loop (Parliament, Melbourne Central, and Flagstaff stations)
Furlong Main level crossing removal project
June 12, 2017
In 2014 work commenced on the grade separation of the Main Road level crossing at St Albans station, with the Ginifer Road level crossing at Ginifer station later being added to the project scope.
Steamrail - Northern Weekender, 2017
June 12, 2017
Over the June long weekend Steamrail Victoria ran their 'Northern Weekender' tour to Swan Hill and Echuca, with R711, K190, T365 and T364
R707 Seymour transfer, June 2017
June 08, 2017
On June 08, 2017 steam locomotive R707 headed light engine from Newport to Seymour via Southern Cross Station, on loan from 707 Operations to run an upcoming Seymour Railway Heritage Centre tour.
Poor service from Metro Trains Melbourne
June 05, 2017
Woeful service from Metro Trains Melbourne is a running joke - here are some examples.
Heatherdale grade separation project
June 03, 2017
The railway line at Heatherdale will be sunk beneath Heatherdale Road, but the existing station is not being rebuilt.
Sadleirs Logistics
June 01, 2017
Sadleirs Logistics move freight by rail with their fleet of RLSY louvre vans, attached to Pacific National intermodal services.
Accident damaged SW6.866
May 24, 2017
On 24 May 2017 a truck collided with tram SW6.866 at the corner of Flinders and Spencer Street.
Steamrail - Rail and Sail to Geelong May 2017
May 21, 2017
K190 led 7 carriages to Geelong and back on 21 May 2017, with passenger having the option to travel one way to/from by boat.
Hurstbridge Rail Line Upgrade
May 20, 2017
The Hurstbridge Rail Line Upgrade is duplicating the section of single track between Heidelberg and Rosanna, raising the railway line over Lower Plenty Road, and rebuilding Rosanna station.
Tottenham Yard
May 15, 2017
All sorts of stored and damaged wagons clogging up Tottenham Yard in Melbourne's west, with a few operational ones thrown in for good measure
PTV Night Network launch and promotions
May 09, 2017
On October 30, 2015 the politicians visited Federation Square to launch PTV' new 'Night Network' - all night trains and trams, as well as a rejigged Nightrider bus service.
Tocumwal freight
April 30, 2017
Container service between Appleton Dock in Melbourne and Tocumwal, loading also being attached / removed at Mooroopna (Shepparton). Originally operated by Pacific National / Patrick PortLink, in recent years Qube Logistics have also operated a parallel service.
South Dynon
April 20, 2017
Located between Dynon and Footscray Roads, along with Moonee Ponds Creek and the Maribyrnong River, the South Dynon precinct includes the Pacific National operated Melbourne Freight Terminal and Melbourne Operations Terminal, plus the South Dynon Locomotive Depot.