Western railway line, Sydney

Public transport infrastructure in Sydney
logo=
name=Western Line
transport_mode=Commuter rail line
line_owner=CityRail
operation_area=Western Sydney
map_colour=Yellow
stations_number=34
interchange_names=Central
Strathfield
Blacktown
Penrith
Parramatta
Richmond
operator_names=CityRail
fleet_names=R, S, T, G, K sets
depot_names=Hornsby
date_1=1855
event_1=Opened

The Western Line is part of the CityRail metropolitan rail network in Sydney. It connects the Sydney CBD to the employment centre of Parramatta and the outer western suburbs, terminating at Emu Plains at the foot of the Blue Mountains. The line physically continues over the mountains but this is known as the Blue Mountains Line. Passengers are able to travel beyond this into western New South Wales via CountryLink as well as interstate to Adelaide, South Australia and Perth, Western Australia with the Indian Pacific. A north-westerly branch also operates to Richmond. Western Line trains are usually fed by the North Shore Line.

History

The Western Line opened to Penrith in 1863 as a double track branch from the junction with the Main South line at Granvillecite web| work=Nswrail.net| title=Main West Line|url=http://www.nswrail.net/lines/show.php?name=NSW:main_west| accessdate=3 January| accessyear=2007] . Electrification reached Parramatta in 1928 and Penrith in 1955cite web| work=Sydney Morning Herald, 9/6/2005 | title=Cheers for rail plan, now let's get it moving|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/cheers-for-rail-plan-now-lets-get-it-moving/2005/06/09/1118123959790.html| accessdate=3 January| accessyear=2007] . In 1980, quadruplication of the track between Blacktown and St Marys was completedcite web| work=ATSC National Symposium| title=The future for rail- a perspective for Australia|url=http://www.atse.org.au/uploads/Thornton.pdf| accessdate=3 January| accessyear=2007] .

The branch line from Blacktown to Richmond opened in 1864. In 1926, an extension was opened to Kurrajong, closing in 1952cite web| work=Nswrail.net| title=Richmond Line|url=http://www.nswrail.net/lines/show.php?name=NSW:richmond| accessdate=3 January| accessyear=2007] . The line was electrified to Riverstone in 1975. 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 1991cite web| work=AATC| title=The Times Oct 1998 |url=http://www.aattc.org.au/timeso98.htm| accessdate=3 January| accessyear=2007] . 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 Clearways Project, 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 stationcite web| work=CityRail| title=Rail projects fast-tracked and enhanced|url=http://www.cityrail.info/news/061120-northwest.jsp| accessdate=17 January| accessyear=2007] . There are also long term plans to link the proposed North Western railway line to join the Richmond line at Vineyard.

Proposed Fast Rail Link

First introduced in 2004 by a consortium of Dutch bank ABN AMRO and developer Leighton Holdings, the project dubbed the Penrith High Speed Link, known officially as Western FastRail, was reproposed in December 2006 and received approving comments by the NSW State Government, and was offered funding by Federal Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd should the Australian Labor Party win the 2007 Federal Election [ [http://www.news.com.au/sundaytelegraph/story/0,,20948422-5007132,00.html News.com.au - Rudd's road and rail cash] ] .

The $2 billion Western FastRail project will involve a tunnel being built between Parramatta and the Sydney CBD. It will shrink times from Penrith to the city to 28 minutes (presently over 55 minutes), Parramatta to City to 11 minutes (presently over 30 minutes) and Blacktown to City to 17 minutes (presently over 40 minutes). The plan would assist the entire Western Suburbs of Sydney (40% of Sydney's population), which as an area, is accursed with longer commute times than any other part of Sydney. It would also reduce the car dependency that is characteristic of this region.

Western Line stations

ee also

*Main Western Line
*Richmond Line

External links

* [http://www.fastrail.com.au Western Fastrail]

Notes and References

Further reading

* "Centenary of the Opening of the Western Line to Penrith" Singleton, C.C. Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, January, 1963