Editing Rail transport in Victoria (section)

== History ==
The first railway lines in Victoria were built in the 1850s, and were privately owned and operated. These started having financial problems and were taken over by the Government Railway Department ([[Victorian Railways]]), which was established by the Colonial Government and became a [[Vertical integration|vertically integrated]] government service. This structure remained until [[Corporatization|corporatisation]] began in the 1970s, followed by [[Privatization|privatisation]] in the 1990s. 

The rail network reached a peak in 1942 but steadily declined, as branch and cross country lines were closed until the 1980s.<ref name="rtsa"/>

===First lines===
[[File:Old Flinders Street Station.jpg|thumb|Pre 1910 [[Flinders Street railway station|Flinders Street station]] building]]
Australia's first steam-operated railway was a {{convert|4|km|mi|abbr=on}} [[5 ft 3 in gauge railways#Installations|broad gauge]] line between the [[Melbourne]] (or City) Terminus (on the site of modern-day [[Flinders Street railway station|Flinders Street station]]) and Sandridge (now [[Port Melbourne]]). It was constructed by the [[Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company]] and opened in September 1854.<ref name="arhs1">{{cite web | title = ARHS Railway Museum: History 1839–1900 | work = ARHS Railway Museum | url = http://www.railwaymuseum.org.au/history.html | access-date = 5 February 2008 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090929200801/http://www.railwaymuseum.org.au/history.html | archive-date = 29 September 2009}}</ref> The first country line in Victoria was from Melbourne to [[Geelong railway station|Geelong]],<ref>'''''The Greenwich Railway – 1857''''' Clark, Allan [[Australian Railway History]], June/July/August 2007 pp. 234–245; 260–279; 308–323</ref> which was opened in 1857 by the [[Geelong and Melbourne Railway Company]].<ref name="rg">{{cite web | title = Geelong Line | work = Rail Geelong | publisher = Marcus Wong | url = http://www.railgeelong.com/lineguide.php?line=geelong | access-date = 5 February 2008 | archive-date = 11 February 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080211201225/http://www.railgeelong.com/lineguide.php?line=geelong | url-status = live }}</ref> In the early years, the lines were constructed by private companies.

The suburban network expanded to the east from [[Princes Bridge railway station|Princes Bridge]] to [[Richmond railway station, Melbourne|Richmond]] in 1859, then later to [[Brighton, Victoria|Brighton]] and [[Hawthorn railway station, Melbourne|Hawthorn]] by the early 1860s. The initial suburban lines were all built by different private companies centred on Flinders Street, which amalgamated into the [[Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company|Melbourne and Hobson's Bay United Railway Company]] by 1865;<ref name="awaugh" /> public ownership did not occur until 1878.<ref name="vrhist">{{cite web|title=VR timeline |work=victorianrailways.net/ |publisher=Mark Bau |url=http://www.victorianrailways.net/vr%20history/history.html |access-date=5 February 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080530050949/http://www.victorianrailways.net/vr%20history/history.html |archive-date=30 May 2008}}</ref> In 1862, [[Victorian Railways]] lines had reached the great [[Victorian gold rush|gold rush]] towns of [[Bendigo]] and [[Ballarat]], and in 1864, railways were extended to the [[Murray River]] port of [[Echuca]].<ref name="vrhist" /> In the 1870s, the Government Railway Department ([[Victorian Railways]]) started to build its own lines.<ref name="awaugh"/>

In 1883, the first connection to another colony's rail system was made, when the [[North East railway line|Albury-Wodonga line]] was completed to join the [[New South Wales Government Railways]] network at [[Albury railway station|Albury]], requiring a [[break-of-gauge]] to New South Wales' {{RailGauge|1435mm}} ([[standard gauge]]).<ref name="newsrail-line">{{Victorian Rail-Newsrail|title=Tracks Across the State|author=Sid Brown|month=3|year=1990|pages=71–76}}</ref> It was then followed in 1887 by a connection with the broad gauge [[South Australian Railways]] at [[Serviceton railway station|Serviceton]], with the ''Intercolonial Express'' (now ''[[The Overland]]'') to Adelaide running between the capitals.<ref name="arhs1" /> Additional trunk lines were also built though the 1870s, with rails extended to [[Sale railway station, Victoria|Sale]], [[Portland, Victoria|Portland]] and [[Colac railway station|Colac]]; and the first branch lines built.<ref name="awaugh" /> It was a time of improved train safety, with the first [[interlocking]] of [[railway signalling]] to protect trains provided in 1874,<ref name="vrhist" /> and tests of [[Brake (railway)|continuous train brakes]] carried out in 1884.<ref name="vrhist" />

In 1884, [[Parliament of Victoria|Colonial Parliament]] passed ''[[Railway Construction Act 1884|The Railway Construction Act]]'', which authorised fifty-nine new lines to almost every corner of the colony, and thus became known as the ''Octopus Act''. The proposed lines would serve both new agricultural towns and support suburban land speculation.<ref name="awaugh" /><ref name=Speight>{{Australian Dictionary of Biography|last= Venn |first= Michael|year= 1976|id= A060189b|title= Speight, Richard (1838–1901) |access-date= 17 February 2008 }}</ref> It was also this decade that the first [[Narrow gauge lines of the Victorian Railways|narrow gauge line]] was opened from Wangaratta to Whitfield, with three other lines following by 1910.<ref name="vrhist" /> The [[South Gippsland railway line|South Gippsland line]] was also opened from Dandenong to [[Leongatha, Victoria|Leongatha]] by 1891.<ref name="newsrail-line" /> However, by the late 1890s, the majority of the colony was now covered in railways, with the exception of the [[The Mallee|Mallee country]] in the north west of the colony which saw further line openings,<ref name="awaugh" /> such as the [[Mildura railway line|Mildura line]] in 1903.<ref name="newsrail-line" />

===A new century===
[[File:Spirit of Progress c1938.jpg|thumb|The ''[[Spirit of Progress]]'' headed by locomotive [[Victorian Railways S class|S301]] ''Sir Thomas Mitchell'' near [[Kilmore East railway station|Kilmore East]] in 1938]]

In 1907, the [[Victorian Railways A2 class|A2 class]] steam locomotive was introduced. There were 185 locomotives in this class, and they were Victorian Railway's main passenger locomotive until the arrival of the diesel-electric [[Victorian Railways B class (diesel)|B class]] in 1952.<ref name="vrhist" /> On 20 April 1908, the [[Sunshine train disaster]] occurred, killing 44 passengers in the worst Victorian railway accident.<ref name="vrhist" />

Electrification of the [[Railways in Melbourne|Melbourne suburban network]] was also carried out, with the first train running in 1919.<ref name="arhs2">{{cite web | title = ARHS Railway Museum: History 1900–1950 | work = ARHS Railway Museum | url = http://www.railwaymuseum.org.au/history2.html | access-date = 5 February 2008 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070927142351/http://www.railwaymuseum.org.au/history2.html | archive-date = 27 September 2007}}</ref> By 1924, 210,000 passengers passed through the main city terminal of Flinders Street station per weekday.<ref name="vrhist" /> [[St Kilda railway station|St Kilda]] was Melbourne's busiest suburban station with 4½ million journeys, followed by [[Footscray railway station|Footscray]] with almost 4 million, then [[Elsternwick railway station|Elsternwick]], [[Ascot Vale railway station|Ascot Vale]], [[Essendon railway station|Essendon]] and [[Balaclava railway station, Melbourne|Balaclava]].<ref name="vrhist" /> Technology advancements continued, with 3 position automatic signals introduced in 1915,<ref name="sig">{{Harvnb|Fisher|2007}}</ref>{{page needed|date=April 2020}} the conversion of [[Railway coupling#Buffers and chain|screw couplings]] to [[Railway coupling#AAR coupler|knuckle couplers]] from 1924,<ref name="wagons">{{cite magazine | title = Four wheeled open wagons of the Victorian Railways |magazine= Notes from the Victorian Model Railway Society Prototype Modellers Meet 2007 | author = Mark Bau }}</ref> and the first remote controlled signalling provided in 1925.<ref name="vrhist" /> The first [[level crossing]] flashing lights were installed at [[Mentone, Victoria|Mentone]] on Moorabin Road in 1932.<ref name="vrhist" />

Despite [[World War I]], significant extensions of rail lines were carried out, particularly in the wheat-growing areas in the north-west and west. The new lengthy parallel lines were considered to be cheaper to operate than the numerous short spurs such as those in the [[Goulburn Valley]].<ref name="awaugh" /> By 1930, the railway map of Victoria was largely complete, with the best land settled and the remaining land marginal for agriculture, with several lines built across the state border into the [[Riverina]] of NSW.<ref name="awaugh" /> In November 1937, the first run of the ''[[Spirit of Progress]]'' was made, a [[Streamliner|streamlined]] all air-conditioned train run between Melbourne and Albury, led by the matching [[Victorian Railways S class|S class]] steam locomotives.<ref name="arhs2" />

From 1924 to 1935, the [[Better Farming Train (Victoria)|Better Farming Train]] made 38 tours promoting improved [[agriculture|agricultural]] practices.

The Victorian Railways biggest steam locomotive [[Victorian Railways H class|H 220 ''Heavy Harry'']] entered service in 1941,<ref name="vrhist" /> at a time when the railways were struggling with the needs of the war effort. In 1943, the Victorian Railways employed 25,450, had 577 steam locos and 12 electric locos on register along with 19,823 goods wagons and 1,499 passenger cars, running along {{convert|4758|mi|km}} of lines.<ref name="vrhist" /> The network reached its largest extent in 1942, covering 7668 route kilometres.<ref name="rtsa" />

===Post war rebuilding===

After [[World War II]], the railways were run down, with [[Operation Phoenix (railway)|Operation Phoenix]] unveiled in 1950, involving the expenditure of £80 million over 10 years.<ref name="arhs3">{{cite web | title = ARHS Railway Museum: Victoria 1950 – now | work = ARHS Railway Museum | url = http://www.railwaymuseum.org.au/history3.html | access-date = 5 February 2008 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070208193612/http://www.railwaymuseum.org.au/history3.html | archive-date = 8 February 2007}}</ref> Works included [[Railway electrification system|electrification]] to [[Traralgon, Victoria|Traralgon]], new [[Harris (train)|Harris suburban trains]], the Walker railmotors, and approximately 3,000 new goods wagons.<ref name="vrhist" />

On 14 July 1952, the Victorian Railways (VR) entered the [[dieselisation|diesel era]], with the delivery of the first [[Victorian Railways B class (diesel)|B class]] mainline locomotive,<ref name="arhs3" /> with the commissioning of the first mainline electrification scheme in Australia in July 1954 to [[Warragul railway station|Warragul]].<ref name="vrhist" /> March 1954 saw [[Elizabeth II|Queen Elizabeth II]] tour Victoria by [[Victorian Railways Royal Train|Royal Train]], the first time a reigning monarch had travelled on the VR,<ref name="vrhist" /> 1954 also saw the last steam locomotive to enter service, [[Victorian Railways J class (1954)|J class 559]],<ref name="vrhist" /> as well as the last four wheeled open wagons being built.<ref name="wagons" /> The fifties also saw the loss of a number of short branch lines, particularly country where the only traffic had been timber or livestock.<ref name="awaugh" />

In the 1960s, the [[break of gauge]] at Albury was eliminated, with the opening of the [[North East railway line|North East standard gauge line]] in 1962.<ref name="arhs3" /> The new line aided freight traffic between the state capitals, and enabled through passenger trains, such as the ''[[Southern Aurora]]'' and the ''[[Intercapital Daylight]]''. At the same time, the sixties was also the end of steam, with the demolition of the massive [[North Melbourne Locomotive Depot]] on 20 January 1961.<ref name="vrhist" />

1965 saw the Victorian Railways produce a £193,727 surplus, but by 1973, increasing costs and declining revenue resulted in a $86,086,361 deficit. On 20 July 1976, the Laverton derailment occurred, killing one passenger, in what was the last railway passenger fatality not involving a road vehicle.<ref name="vrhist" /> By the late seventies, roadside goods and country railmotor services had been replaced by road transport, and branch lines outside the grain producing areas were now virtually non-existent.<ref name="awaugh" /> The [[Lonie Report]] delivered in 1980 recommended the closure of all country passenger service except that to Geelong, elimination of a number of suburban railways, and moving small-volume freight from rail to road.

===New deal===
[[File:City-loop-exit-spencer-street.jpg|thumb|Train exiting the [[City Loop|Melbourne underground loop]]]]
[[File:Vline n class train at lara victoria.jpg|thumb|[[V/Line N class|N class]] locomotive with [[N type carriage|N type]] country passenger carriages.]]
The 1980s saw [[Corporatization|corporatisation]] of the [[Victorian Railways]] carried out, with the railway commissioners replaced by [[Victorian Railways|VicRail]] and later government authorities. New liveries on trains were unveiled, as elderly "red rattlers" were replaced by new trains.

1981 saw the [[City Loop|Melbourne underground loop]] open in January, followed by the new air conditioned [[Comeng (train)|Comeng suburban trains]] and [[N type carriage|"N" type]] country passenger carriages in September the same year.<ref name="vrhist" /> Country services were also sped up under the ''[[New Deal for Country Passengers|New Deal]]'' by the closure of 35 of small wayside stations.<ref name="nrnd">{{cite magazine |date=October 2006 | title = 'New Deal' for County Passengers – 25 years on | author = Scott Martin and Chris Banger |magazine= Newsrail | publisher = Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division) |page=319 }}</ref> Country passenger services saw the last of the non-air-conditioned wooden bodied passenger cars withdrawn from service in 1986, replaced by new [[H type carriage|"H" set]] carriages. Trials were also carried out for further upgrades, with locomotive [[V/Line A class (diesel)|A85]] re-geared for 160&nbsp;km/h operation in a series of test runs between [[Glenorchy, Victoria|Glenorchy]] and [[Lubeck, Victoria|Lubeck]] in the state's west in July 1986.<ref name="newsrails86">{{Victorian Rail-Newsrail|title=News|month=9|year=1986|pages=24–27}}</ref>	

It was also the end of an era, with freight trains having their [[Caboose|guards van]]s and guards abolished from 1985, and the carriage of livestock ended in 1986.<ref name="vrhist" /> The last run of the ''[[Spirit of Progress]]'' and ''[[Southern Aurora]]'' passenger trains were also made in 1986, on 3 August.<ref name="newsrails86sp">{{Victorian Rail-Newsrail|title=Aurora and Spirit of Progress depart|author=G. Carmichael|month=9|year=1986}}</ref> Working practices were also altered, with through working of [[Victorian Railways C class (diesel)|C class]] locomotives introduced between Melbourne and Adelaide in 1982.<ref name="arhs3" /> Previously Victorian locomotives were detached at the state borders, and replaced by locomotives from the next state. New locomotive were also introduced, with the [[V/Line G class|G]] and [[V/Line N class|N class]]es enabling the retirement of many of the 1st generation diesels.<ref name="railmac" >{{cite book
  | author = Railmac Publications
  | title = Australian Fleetbooks: V/Line locomotives
  | publisher = Kitchner Press
  | year = 1992
  | isbn = 0-949817-76-7}}</ref> 
 
Cuts continued to the rail network, with larger centralised silos in the north western area of the state, and replacement of traditional [[railway signalling|safeworking systems]] by systems that required no local staff caused further stations to be subsequently de-staffed.<ref name="awaugh" />

===Privatisation===
The 1990s saw costs further reduced on the rail network. Guards were removed from passenger trains in 1989, and driver only suburban trains commenced running in 1993, with the last suburban train crewed by a guard running in November 1995.<ref name="vrhist" /> In 1994, the [[National Rail Corporation]] was established,<ref>See the National Rail Corporation (Victoria) Act 1991.</ref> taking profitable steel, and intermodal trafficks from [[Public Transport Corporation|V/Line]];<ref name="bogie" >{{cite book
  | author = Norm Bray and Peter J Vincent
  | title = Bogie Freight Wagons of Victoria
  | publisher = Brief History Books
  | year = 2006
  | isbn = 0-9775056-0-X }}</ref> and the [[Western standard gauge line|Melbourne to Adelaide standard gauge line]] was opened in 1995, removing the break of gauge.<ref name="artc">{{cite web
 |title       = ARTC History
 |work        = Australian Rail Track Corporation
 |url         = http://www.artc.com.au/Content.aspx?p=32
 |access-date  = 5 February 2008
|url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20080123015700/http://www.artc.com.au/Content.aspx?p=32
 |archive-date = 23 January 2008
|df          = dmy-all
}}</ref>
	
Moves towards privatisation began in 1997, with V/Line split into [[V/Line|V/Line Passenger]] and [[Public Transport Corporation|V/Line Freight]] and in 1998 Melbourne services operated by the [[Public Transport Corporation]] split into [[Connex Melbourne|Bayside Trains]] and [[M-Train|Hillside Trains]].<ref name="vrhist" /> V/Line Freight was sold to [[Freight Australia|Freight Victoria]] in 1999, followed by [[National Express]] taking over Bayside Trains and V/Line Passenger in 2000, with [[Connex Melbourne]] taking over Hillside Trains.

===End of private lease===
Victorian Premier [[Steve Bracks]] negotiated a premature end to the "under-rail" Victorian country Broad Gauge network lease just minutes before the caretaker mode began before the state election of November 2006. This cost around $125 million. In May 2008, Premier [[John Brumby]] arranged a 45-year lease to the [[Australian Rail Track Corporation]] of the single track Seymour-Albury section. Part of the negotiation involved Victoria contributing money for the track to be upgraded and standardised and for Wodonga to be bypassed.

Today, the state consists of four networks: the [[Railways in Melbourne|electrified metropolitan system]] operated by [[Metro Trains Melbourne]], the [[List of regional railway stations in Victoria|country passenger network]] operated by [[V/Line]] and upgraded as part of the [[Regional Fast Rail project]], the standard gauge interstate lines to Adelaide and Sydney, and the grain network in the north west of the state, connected to the ports at Geelong and Portland.<ref name="awaugh" />