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The Richmond railway line is a railway line in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is a branch of the Main Western line. Cityrail operates electric passenger train services over the line and markets these as part of the Western Line. The line is owned and maintained by RailCorp.
[edit] Description of route
The railway commences between Seven Hills and Blacktown station on the western line in Sydney's western suburbs. This section of the western line consists of four tracks- two "up" tracks (meaning the direction towards Sydney) and two "down" tracks (meaning the direction away from Sydney). A flyover branches off the two "down western" line tracks and passes over the top of the two "up western" tracks to form the "down Richmond line". The "up Richmond track" connects to the two "up Western tracks" at the same point. The line then parallels the Main Western line to Blacktown station. The line branches off in a northerly direction from the Main Western Line at Blacktown station, and Blacktown platforms 1 and 2 (an island platform) serve the Richmond Line tracks. The line then heads north as a double track electrified line, passing the Blacktown Control Box and Blacktown train sidings to Maryong station, which has an island platform. The line continues north to Quakers Hill (island platform) where the double track currently ends. Two sets of points at Quakers Hill allows trains to terminate on either platform. The line continues north-west through Schofields (single side platform) to Riverstone where a passing loop and island platform are provided. Riverstone was the extent of electrification until the early 1990s when electrification was extended to Richmond. The line continues north as a single track through Vineyard station, Mulgrave station (where another passing loop and island platform are provided), Windsor station (single side platform) to Clarendon station. At Clarendon, another passing loop and island platform are located. From Clarendon the line heads north as a single track on its final leg through East Richmond (single side platform) to its terminus at Richmond station. At Richmond, 2 platforms (as a single island) are provided. There is an adjacent storage siding.
[edit] History
The line opened to Richmond in 1864. In 1926, an extension was opened to Kurrajong, closing in 1926[1]. Electrifiction from Riverstone to Richmond commenced in 1987 but was suspended in 1988 due to lack of funds, restarting in 1990 and opening in August 1991[2]. Initially electric trains operated as 2-car shuttles between Riverstone to Richmond until the electric power supply was upgraded to allow through running to and from Sydney in 1992. As part of the Rail Clearways programme, there are currently plans to duplicate the track between Quakers Hill and Schofields to expand capacity. On 20th November 2006, Railcorp announced plans to extend duplication further along the line to Vineyard station[3]. There are also long term plans to link the proposed North Western railway line to join the Richmond line at Vineyard.
[edit] Richmond Line stations
[edit] See also
- CityRail, the organisation that operates passenger services over the line.
[edit] Notes and References
- ^ Richmond Line. Nswrail.net. Retrieved on 3 January 2007.
- ^ The Times Oct 1998. AATC. Retrieved on 3 January 2007.
- ^ Rail projects fast-tracked and enhanced. CityRail. Retrieved on 17 January 2007.
