Geelong railway line, Victoria

VictorianRailwayLineInfobox
type = vic
name = Geelong
yearcommenced =
yearopened = 1857
yearcompleted =
yearclosed =
fate =
lengthkm = 81 km
stations = 13
tracks = Double broad gauge track to Geelong, single beyond.
users =
servicepattern = Interurban
RollingStock = Sprinter and VLocity railcars,
locomotive hauled N, S and H type carriages
connections =
formerconnections =

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:"This article is about the V/Line service. For the railway itself see Port Fairy railway line"

The Geelong Line is a regional passenger rail service operated by V/Line in Victoria, Australia. It serves passengers between state capital Melbourne and the regional city of Geelong.

History

V/Line commuter services to Geelong once terminated at Geelong station, being extended to the existing South Geelong station in 1968, [cite web
url=http://railgeelong.com/locations.php?name=South%20Geelong
title=Rail Geelong - South Geelong Station
publisher=railgeelong.com
accessdate=2008-03-28] and to the newly reinstated Marshall station in 2005. [cite web
url=http://railgeelong.com/locations.php?id=32&name=Marshall
title=Rail Geelong - Marshall Station
publisher=railgeelong.com
accessdate=2008-03-28] Train services between Melbourne and Geelong received a government funded upgrade under the Regional Fast Rail project between 2004 and 2005, with new high speed VLocity railcars manufactured by Bombardier in Dandenong entering service to Geelong in early 2006. [cite web|url=http://wongm.fotopic.net/c848826.html|title=V/Line - First VLocity Services to Geelong|date=February 3, 2006|accessdate=2006-12-20] There have been calls to electrify the line, but plans were put on hold by the State Government in 2002, [ [http://www.dtf.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/MediaRelArc02.nsf/4d9fa39283ff510d4a256b36001bd4e0/11b5c8e2c61a8dbaca256b910082752e!OpenDocument&Click= Electrification of the Geelong rail line not to proceed at this stage] ] with diesel powered locomotives and railcars utilised instead.

ervices

V/Line operates hourly passenger services to Melbourne, with travel times from Geelong to Melbourne Southern Cross Station less than 60 minutes, making it a popular alternative to driving for Geelong residents working in the Melbourne area. [cite web
url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/network-hits-50year-high-as-commuters-crowd-on/2007/05/04/1177788401837.html
title=The Age - 'Network hits 50-year high as commuters crowd on'
date=May 5, 2007
accessdate=2007-05-25] Sprinter and VLocity railcars are used, as well as locomotive hauled N, S and H type carriages. A more frequent service operates during rush hours.

The stations between Lara and Marshall also fall into the Geelong Transit System ticketing system. Beyond Marshall thrice daily passenger trains run as the Warrnambool Line. Connex Melbourne services also operate as far as Werribee station as the Werribee Line.

Bold stations are termini, "italic" stations are staffed at least part time.

ee also

* Geelong and Melbourne Railway Company
* V/Line

References

External links

* [http://www.vline.com.au http://www.vline.com.au]
* [http://www.vline.com.au/maps/maps/southwest.html Official map]
* [http://www.railgeelong.com/lineguide.php?line=geelong Rail Geelong: Line History]

Category:V/Line rail services