Another instalment in my photos from ten years ago series – this time December 2005.
Southern Cross Station was still a construction site, with platforms yet to be finished.
However the Collins Street concourse was virtually complete – and a lot cleaner looking than it is today!
December 22 saw the launch of the Regional Fast Rail project, with brand new VLocity trains entering service at 160 km/h on the upgraded Ballarat line.
I travelled out to Ballarat that day and found a shunting locomotive sitting in the goods yard – since then freight trains no longer stop at Ballarat.
The same month I also visited Swan Hill, where I found a number of boxvans sitting at the freight terminal beside the station. Again, Swan Hill is another location where freight trains no longer run.
I also headed down to the Breakwater in Geelong, and captured a V/Line service on the way to Warrnambool crossing the Barwon River bridge.
And finally – the beginning of the end for manually operated doors on V/Line trains, when a prototype power operated door system was fitted to a set of N type carriages.
Once the door motors and locks were proven in service, the system was rolled out to the rest of the V/Line fleet that featured ‘swing’ doors, with the last train with manual doors running in March 2009.
Further reading
The full photos from ten years ago series.
I wonder which kilometre of the journey to Ballarat is when the VLocity hits 160 km/h?
The Ballarat line has plenty of opportunity to have the trains running at 160km/h. Between Melton and Ballarat there are only 2 intermediate stations but over 80km of track and most of that allows 160km/h. Express trains between Melton and Sunshine would also be able to get to 160km/h.
The curves and grades either side of Bacchus Marsh slow down trains, but elsewhere there is plenty of opportunity for high speed running.
https://www.railpage.com.au/f-p1949258.htm#1949258