Editing Gippsland line

{{Short description|Passenger rail service in Victoria, Australia}}
{{About|the V/Line service|the physical railway|Gippsland railway line}}
{{Use Australian English|date=May 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox rail service
| box_width          = 300px
| name               = Gippsland
| color              = {{rcr|V/Line|Bendigo}}
| logo               = Victoria train logo.svg <!-- Do not use a non-free image here, per WP:NFCC #8 -->
| logo_width         = 100px
| image              = Traralgon station entrance — April 2022.jpg
| image_width        = 
| caption            = Traralgon railway station entrance
| type               = [[Regional rail]]
| status             = Operational
| locale             = [[Victoria, Australia]]
| predecessor        = 
| first              = <!-- {{Start date and age|yyyy|mm|dd|df=y}} -->
| last               = <!-- {{End date and age|yyyy|mm|dd|df=y}} -->
| successor          = 
| operator           = [[V/Line]]
| formeroperator     = 
| ridership          = 
| ridership2         = 
| website            = 
| start              = {{stnlnk|Southern Cross}}
| stops              = 23
| end                = [[Traralgon railway station|Traralgon]]<br>
[[Bairnsdale railway station|Bairnsdale]]
| distance           = {{Convert|276.80|km|abbr=on}}
| journeytime        = 
| frequency          = 
| trainnumber        = 
| line_used          = [[Gippsland railway line|Gippsland]]
| class              = Economy
| access             = 
| seating            = 
| sleeping           = 
| autorack           = 
| catering           = None
| observation        = 
| entertainment      = 
| baggage            = 
| otherfacilities    = 
| stock              = {{plainlist|
*[[V/Line VLocity|VLocity]]
}}
| gauge              = {{Track gauge|1600 mm}}
| el                 = None
| speed              = 
| owners             = [[VicTrack]]
| routenumber        = 
| map                = {{Gippsland V/Line rail service}}
| map_state          = collapsed
}}

The '''Gippsland line''' is a regional passenger rail service operated by [[V/Line]] in [[Victoria, Australia]]. It serves 23 stations towards [[Bairnsdale railway station|its terminus]] in the regional city of [[Bairnsdale]], however most services terminate at [[Traralgon railway station|Traralgon]]. 

==History==
{{See also|Gippsland railway line#History}}
Although the Gippsland line was extended to [[Orbost railway station|Orbost]] in 1916, passenger services along the line extended only as far as [[Bairnsdale railway station|Bairnsdale]] beginning in the 1930s. In 1954 the line beyond [[Dandenong railway station|Dandenong]] was [[Electrified railway|electrified]] as far as [[Traralgon railway station|Traralgon]], with services from this time provided by the [[Victorian Railways L class (electric)|L class electric locomotives]].

In 1975 suburban services were extended from Dandenong to [[Pakenham railway station|Pakenham]], on what is known as the [[Pakenham line]]. By the 1980s, the [[Power (physics)|motive power]] of trains reverted to [[diesel locomotive]]s, with electrification cut back to [[Warragul railway station|Warragul]] in 1987, and to [[Bunyip railway station|Bunyip]] in 1998. Suburban [[Comeng (train)|Comeng trains]] were used by [[V/Line]] to provide services from Melbourne to Warragul in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

In 1993, passenger services from Sale to Bairnsdale were withdrawn, leading to massive protests. They were reinstated in 2004 as part of the [[Linking Victoria]] program. The line was upgraded as part of the [[Regional Fast Rail project]] in 2005 and the last of the [[overhead wires]] were removed, except for a short section to the Melbourne side of Bunyip station.

In March 2013 the service was suspended east of [[Traralgon railway station|Traralgon]] because of safety problems with level crossings.<ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/gippsland-trains-halted-over-safety-fears-20130321-2gh9n.html Gippsland trains halted over safety fears] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409051345/http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/gippsland-trains-halted-over-safety-fears-20130321-2gh9n.html |date=9 April 2016 }} ''The Age'' 21 March 2013</ref><ref>[https://archive.today/20130410013033/http://www.gippslandtimes.com.au/story/1382056/trains-services-between-traralgon-and-bairnsdale/ Train services between Traralgon and Bairnsdale] ''Gippsland Times'' 22 March 2013</ref> Rail services resumed in October 2013.<ref>[http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/images/stories/documents/mediareleases/2013/October/131029_Mulder_-_VLine_passenger_trains_return_to_Bairnsdale.pdf V/Line passengers train return to Bairnsdale]{{Dead link|date=May 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Minister for Public Transport 29 October 2013</ref>

==Services==
Services to Traralgon operate approximately hourly every day, with a higher frequency during the weekday peak periods. Between {{stnlnk|Southern Cross}} and [[Pakenham railway station|Pakenham]], services generally stop at {{stnlnk|Flinders Street}}, {{stnlnk|Richmond|Melbourne}}, {{stnlnk|Caulfield}}, {{stnlnk|Clayton|Melbourne}} and {{stnlnk|Dandenong}}. One service during the weekday peak also stops at {{stnlnk|Berwick|Melbourne}}. At metropolitan stations, trains running towards Traralgon and Bairnsdale only pick up passengers, and trains running towards Southern Cross only set down passengers. 

Local services stop at all stations between Pakenham and Traralgon, but services during peak periods run express from Pakenham to {{stnlnk|Garfield}}, Garfield to {{stnlnk|Drouin}}, and through {{stnlnk|Warragul}} and {{stnlnk|Moe}}. One morning peak service terminates and originates at Flinders Street instead of Southern Cross. During weekdays off-peak, Traralgon services only stop at Richmond in the afternoon and evening.<ref>{{cite web |title=Traralgon – Melbourne via Morwell & Moe & Pakenham – Public Transport Victoria |url=https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/route/timetable/1824/traralgon-melbourne-via-morwell-and-moe-and-pakenham/ |website=Public Transport Victoria |publisher=Public Transport Victoria |access-date=15 October 2022 |archive-date=15 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221015050942/https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/route/timetable/1824/traralgon-melbourne-via-morwell-and-moe-and-pakenham/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

From Monday to Saturday there are three daily return services to Bairnsdale. Two return services operate to Bairnsdale and one return service operates to Sale on Sunday.<ref>[http://www.vline.com.au/pdf/timetables/bairnsdale.pdf Bairnsdale – Melbourne timetable] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070829141721/http://www.vline.com.au/pdf/timetables/bairnsdale.pdf |date=29 August 2007 }} V/Line</ref> At Bairnsdale, trains connect with road coach services to [[Orbost]], [[Batemans Bay]] and [[Canberra]]. All Bairnsdale services as of September 2024 are operated by [[V/Line VLocity]] [[diesel multiple-unit]] trains, with the last [[V/Line N class|N class]] locomotive-hauled service operating on 14 September 2024.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bairnsdale – Melbourne via Sale & Traralgon – Public Transport Victoria |url=https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/route/timetable/1823/bairnsdale-melbourne-via-sale-and-traralgon/ |website=Public Transport Victoria |publisher=Public Transport Victoria |access-date=15 October 2022 |archive-date=4 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221104154623/https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/route/timetable/1823/bairnsdale-melbourne-via-sale-and-traralgon |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Gallery ==
{{Gallery|File:Yarragon_railway_station_platform_sign_-_June_2021.jpg|Platform sign at Yarragon|File:VLine_VL87_Traralgon.jpg|A V/Line VLocity arriving at Traralgon|File:Bairnsdale_railway_station.jpg|Bairnsdale railway station, the current terminus of the line|File:Bunyip_station_substation_and_overhead.jpg|Heritage-listed overhead wiring and electrical substation at Bunyip, a remnant of when the line was electrified as far as Traralgon|||title=|align=center|footer=|style=|state=|height=|width=|perrow=|mode=|whitebg=|noborder=|captionstyle=|alt1=|alt2=|alt3=|alt4=|alt5=}}

==Line guide ==
{{Gippsland railway line}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}
* {{cite book | last = Churchman | first = Geoffrey B. | authorlink = | title = Railway Electrification in Australia and New Zealand | publisher = IPL Books | date = 1995 | location = Sydney & Wellington  | page = | pages = 70-77 | url = | doi = | id = | isbn = 0-908876-79-3 }}

==External links==
*[http://www.vline.com.au http://www.vline.com.au]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080721172023/http://www.vline.com.au/maps/maps/east.html Official map]
*[http://www.vicsig.net/index.php?page=infrastructure&section=lineguide&line=Bairnsdale Statistics and detailed schematic map] at the [http://www.vicsig.net/ vicsig] enthusiast website
{{Victorian Railway Lines|vline}}
{{Regional Victoria public transport}}

[[Category:V/Line rail services]]
[[Category:Traralgon]]
[[Category:Transport in Gippsland (region)]]
[[Category:Shire of Baw Baw]]
[[Category:Public transport routes in the City of Melbourne (LGA)]]
[[Category:Transport in the City of Yarra]]
[[Category:Transport in the City of Glen Eira]]
[[Category:Transport in the City of Monash]]
[[Category:Transport in the Shire of Cardinia]]
[[Category:Transport in the City of Greater Dandenong]]