Cranbourne railway line, Melbourne
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Cranbourne railway line, Melbourne | |
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| Line details | |
| Completed | 1886 |
| Tracks | Single track with crossing loops |
| Used by | Connex Melbourne, Pacific National cement trains |
| Rolling stock | Hitachi, Comeng, Siemens |
| Connections | Pakenham |
| Former connections | South Gippsland |
| Railways in Melbourne | |
| List of stations Freight railways Closed railways Proposed railways |
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The Cranbourne railway line is a suburban electric railway service operated by Connex Melbourne in the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. It operates along the inner section of the former South Gippsland line.
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[edit] Description
The line traverses flat country and there is little in the way of earthworks. There are several level crossings along the line. The area around Cranbourne is one of Melbourne's main growth areas, giving the line considerable potential for growing patronage.
[edit] Infrastructure
The line, which branches from the Pakenham line at Dandenong, is single track throughout, with a crossing loop towards the Cranbourne end of the line. Trains can also cross at Cranbourne itself, which has two platforms. Power signalling is provided throughout, being controlled from Dandenong. There are no intermediate terminating facilities, and no stabling sidings on the line.
Beyond Cranbourne there is a siding between Cameron Street and Berwick-Cranbourne Road near the Cranbourne "Shed" and the new Hunt Club Estate. The line then continues to Leongatha, but between Cranbourne and Loch the line is unserviceable. Government plans have the line to Leongatha being rebuilt and reopened, but there appears to be little happening in this regard.
[edit] History
The Cranbourne line opened in December 1886 as part of the section to Tooradin. This was the first section of the South Gippsland Railway, with passenger services to Leongatha withdrawn on July 21, 1993.[1]
In November 1993 Train Order Working replaced Electric Staff safeworking to Cranbourne, then on Friday, 24th March 1995 the electrification and power signalling on the Cranbourne line was commissioned. It was a $27 million Federal Government funded project that included an upgraded Dandenong station and a new Merinda Park station.[2] (the line had previously been electrified for a short distance to the Commonwealth Engineering siding).
The last regular train running though and beyond Cranbourne was on January 15, 1998, when the Koala Siding (near Nyora) to Spotswood station sand train ceased operation.[3]
In 2008 work started on the construction of six train stabling sidings at Cranbourne station at a cost of $37 million, to enable more trains to run on the line at peak times without duplicating the line.[4][5]
[edit] Line guide
Bold stations are termini, where some train services terminate; italic stations are staffed.
Branches from the Pakenham line at Dandenong.
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[edit] References
- ^ Chris Banger (March 1997). "Rail Passenger Service Withdrawals Since 1960". Newsrail: pages 77 - 82. Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division).
- ^ Fiddian, Mark (1997). Trains, Tracks, Travelers. A history of the Victorian Railways. South Eastern Independent Newspapers, page 154. ISBN 1 875475 12 5.
- ^ "Farewell - The Sand Train" (February 1998). Newsrail: pages 71-76. Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division).
- ^ Media Release: CRANBOURNE STATION TRAIN STABLING PROJECT ON TRACK. www.dpc.vic.gov.au. Retrieved on 2008-04-24.
- ^ VICSIG - Infrastructure - Cranbourne Sidings and Station. www.vicsig.net. Retrieved on 2008-04-24.
[edit] External links
- Timetables
- Official line map
- Network map
- Statistics and detailed schematic map at the VicSig enthusiast website
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