V/Line - Regional Rail Link
November 17, 2018
V/Line trains using the new Regional Rail Link tracks that have progressively come into use since December 2013.
Metro Trains Melbourne - Northern group
November 17, 2018
Metro Trains Melbourne services on the Werribee, Altona, Williamstown, Sunbury, Craigieburn and Upfield lines that make up the Northern group.
Metro Trains Melbourne trackwork and works trains
November 17, 2018
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.
Failing infrastructure at Southern Cross Station
November 17, 2018
Southern Cross Station was only finished a decade ago, but the building is already starting to fall apart
Failing rail infrastructure of Melbourne
November 17, 2018
Melbourne's railway network is held together with bubblegum and duct tape - here are examples of the way that it is falling apart.
Commercialising commuters
November 17, 2018
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.
Melbourne suburban passenger information displays
November 17, 2018
Next train displays at Melbourne suburban railway stations.
Melbourne Metro Rail Tunnel preliminary work
November 17, 2018
Preliminary geotechnical investigation work on the Melbourne Metro Rail Tunnel commenced in 2015.
Melbourne Underground Rail Loop Upgrade Project
November 17, 2018
The Melbourne Underground Rail Loop Upgrade Project includes the installation of new platform smoke extraction systems, upgraded station sprinklers and alarm system at Parliament, Melbourne Central and Flagstaff stations.
City Loop
November 17, 2018
Stations and trains around the Melbourne Underground Rail Loop (Parliament, Melbourne Central, and Flagstaff stations)
Melbourne stations and infrastructure
November 17, 2018
Photos of railway infrastructure in suburban Melbourne - stations, signals, and such
V/Line workshops, yards and shunting
November 15, 2018
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.
Special trains to Flemington Racecourse and Melbourne Showgrounds
November 15, 2018
Additional train services are run for major events at Flemington Racecourse and the Melbourne Showgrounds.
Metro Trains Melbourne - inner suburban
November 15, 2018
Metro Trains Melbourne services in the inner suburban area, covering Flinders Street Station, Southern Cross Station, the City Loop, North Melbourne and Richmond.
Manildra sugar train
November 15, 2018
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.
Qube Logistics Apex quarry train
November 14, 2018
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.
Pacific National - Melbourne standard gauge freight
November 12, 2018
Pacific National standard gauge intermodal services from Adelaide and New South Wales meet at Melbourne, running via the western suburbs into the Melbourne Freight Terminal at South Dynon.
V/Line around Melbourne
November 12, 2018
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.
Southern Cross Station
November 08, 2018
Southern Cross Station is the main interstate and regional station for Melbourne. The full set of photos is at my other site, Rail Geelong.
V/Line at Southern Cross Station
November 08, 2018
Southern Cross Station is the main hub of V/Line passenger services from around the state
Melbourne suburban bits and pieces
November 06, 2018
Photos of bits and pieces on and around Melbourne's suburban trains
Poor service from Metro Trains Melbourne
November 05, 2018
Woeful service from Metro Trains Melbourne is a running joke - here are some examples.
Myki
November 04, 2018
Photos of bits and pieces to do with Melbourne's 'Myki' smartcard ticketing system
Blackburn Road level crossing removal project
November 04, 2018
The railway line at Blackburn will be sunk beneath Blackburn Road, but the existing station is not being rebuilt.
Metro Trains Melbourne - Burnley group
November 04, 2018
Metro Trains Melbourne services on the Belgrave, Lilydale, Alamein and Glen Waverley lines that make up the Burnley group.
Richmond station
November 04, 2018
A windblown concrete monolith from the 1950s with inadequate passenger interchange passageways and narrow platforms
Melbourne rail replacement buses
November 04, 2018
When the *%@! hits the fan on Melbourne's rail network, buses have to be caleld in to operate a replacement service for passengers.
High Capacity Metro Trains at Newport Workshops
October 30, 2018
The new High Capacity Metro Train (HCMT) fleet is being assembled by Downer at the Newport Workshops in Melbourne's west, with the body shells assembled by CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles in China.
Newport Workshops
October 27, 2018
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.
Bikes at Melbourne stations
October 27, 2018
Bike parking or lack thereof at Melbourne railway stations
Newport Workshops: Steamrail and 707 Operations
October 27, 2018
Steamrail Victoria and 707 Operations have a large rolling stock fleet based at the West Block of Newport Workshops in Melbourne
Long Island steel train
October 27, 2018
The Long Island steel train serves the BHP mill at Hastings, south of Frankston. The steel is transferred from broad to standard gauge trains at the Melbourne Freight Terminal at South Dynon. In 2016 this facility replaced the Melbourne Steel Terminal, just west of North Melbourne station.
Myki failures and breakdowns
October 26, 2018
A galley of the many ways that Melbourne's 'Myki' smartcard ticketing system can let passengers down.
V/Line to Bacchus Marsh
October 21, 2018
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.
IEV100 track evaluation vehicle
October 21, 2018
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.
Metro Trains Melbourne - Caulfield group
October 13, 2018
Metro Trains Melbourne services on the Pakenham, Cranbourne, Frankston and Sandringham lines that make up the Caulfield group.
Flinders Street Station
October 11, 2018
Flinders Street Station is the main suburban train station for Melbourne, Victoria
Sadleirs Logistics
September 25, 2018
Sadleirs Logistics move freight by rail with their fleet of RLSY louvre vans, attached to Pacific National intermodal services.
Furlong Main level crossing removal project
September 22, 2018
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.
Poor service from V/Line
September 14, 2018
Clutching failure from the jaws of success - that's the V/Line way.
Melton Highway level crossing removal project
September 08, 2018
A road over rail bridge is building built in two stages over the Sunbury line at Sydenham
Stony Point line
August 26, 2018
The Stony Point line is an orphan on the Melbourne suburban network, being an isolated shuttle service without electrification. A class diesel locomotives hauling MTH carriages were the usual consist for a decade, until replaced by Sprinter railcars in 2008. Trains running the service run empty cars between Frankston and Southern Cross for maintenance
Melbourne tramway squares
August 26, 2018
Melbourne has four 'tramway squares' where 1500 V DC powered trains cross the tracks of 600 V DC powered trams on the level. They are located at Glenhuntly, Riversdale, Kooyong and Gardiner stations
Cranbourne Pakenham Line Upgrade project
August 26, 2018
The Cranbourne Pakenham Line Upgrade project is being delivered by the Level Crossing Removal Authority to support the new High Capacity Metro Train (HCMT) fleet. The work includes track duplication on the Cranbourne line at Dandenong South, minor platform extensions, and the replacement of signalling, overhead wires and traction substations along the Cranbourne and Pakenham railway lines.
Metro Trains Melbourne - Infrastructure Evaluation Vehicle IEV102
August 17, 2018
Converted from carriage MTH102 by SSR Bendigo in 2010, as of March 2011 this inspection carriage has been used to check up of the status of the overhead wiring along Melbourne's suburban railway network.
Car parking at Melbourne stations
August 15, 2018
Axle counter overlays at Melbourne level crossings
August 15, 2018
Following issues with VLocity trains being detected by track circuits in suburban Melbourne, in 2016 axle counters have been installed at level crossings to ensure they are reliably activated.
Puffing Billy
August 11, 2018
Photos of the popular narrow gauge heritage railway in the Dandenong Ranges near Melbourne
Metcard
July 27, 2018
Equipment and infrastructure for the Metcard automated ticketing system used throughout Melbourne
Pacifc National grain trains
July 08, 2018
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