Melbourne–Adelaide rail corridor#History
{{short description|Melbourne–Adelaide, Australia railway and associated lines}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2012}}
{{Infobox
|image={{switcher
|Image: Route map -- Melbourne-Adelaide rail corridor.png |Melbourne–Adelaide rail corridor.
|Image: Route map -- inter-capital rail corridors, Australia.png | Australia's inter-capital rail corridors.
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{{Infobox rail
| gauge = {{Track gauge|1435mm|comma=off|allk=on}} since 1995
| railroad_name = Melbourne–Adelaide rail corridor
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| locale = Victoria and South Australia
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| old_gauge = {{Track gauge|1600mm|comma=off}} from 1887 to 1995
| predecessor_line = Victorian Railways and South Australian Railways
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| routemap = {{Melbourne-Adelaide corridor |inline=1}}
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The Melbourne–Adelaide rail corridor consists of the {{convert|828|km|mi|0|adj=on|abbr=off}} long {{Track gauge|1435mm|lk=on|comma=off}} standard-gauge main line between the Australian state capitals of Melbourne, Victoria and Adelaide, South Australia, and the lines immediately connected to it.{{cite web |url=http://www.auslink.gov.au/whatis/network/corridors/AusLink_Corridors.aspx |title=AusLink Network Corridors |publisher=auslink.gov.au |access-date=2008-03-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080719153251/http://www.auslink.gov.au/whatis/network/corridors/AusLink_Corridors.aspx |archive-date=19 July 2008 |url-status=dead }} Most of its traffic is freight; the only passenger train along the entire route is the twice-weekly passenger service The Overland, operated by Journey Beyond.
History
File:Melbourne - Adelaide railway near Sheoak Road in Belair National Park, Adelaide.jpg, Adelaide Hills, South Australia]]
From the 1850s, the Victorian Railways and South Australian Railways {{Track gauge|1600mm|comma=off}} broad-gauge networks were established and expanded. The South Australian main line – the Adelaide-Wolseley line – was connected to the Victorian system at Serviceton in 1887. This was the first single-gauge link between two Australian colonies{{spaces|hair}};{{cite web |url=http://www.railwaymuseum.org.au/history.html |title=ARHS Railway Museum: History 1839 – 1900 |publisher=railwaymuseum.org.au |access-date=2008-03-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090929200801/http://www.railwaymuseum.org.au/history.html |archive-date=29 September 2009}} other connections were only constructed after another 50 years because of the failure of the colonies (later, states) to agree on a uniform gauge.
Conversion to standard gauge and rerouting
In 1983, studies by the Victorian Railways and Australian National Railways Commission indicated that about $400 million would be required to construct a standard-gauge link between Melbourne and Adelaide. Various routes were considered, including via Pinnaroo, Ouyen and Maryborough, and the existing route via Ballarat, Ararat, Horsham, Bordertown and Murray Bridge.{{cite magazine|date=February 1983|title=General News|magazine=Newsrail|publisher=Australian Railway Historical Society|page=19}} The route eventually chosen avoided the steep grades of the Ballarat line by going via North Shore"Geelong standard gauge platform opens, Overland accelerated but stations bypassed" Railway Digest July 1999 page 17{{Google maps |url=https://www.google.com.au/maps/place/North+Geelong+VIC+3215/@-38.1134278,144.3500081,16z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x6ad4119bf19c567d:0x5045675218ce9e0!8m2!3d-38.1112212!4d144.3502279!16zL20vMDU1Xzd4?entry=ttu |title=North Geelong|access-date=11 September 2023}} (near North Geelong) and Cressy, joining the old route at Ararat to continue to Adelaide.{{cite web|url=https://railmaps.com.au/routedetails.php?TableSelect=52 |title=The Overland |author= |date=April 2023 |website=Australian Rail Maps |access-date=11 September 2023 }} The line was converted to standard gauge in 1995 under a federal infrastructure program.{{cite web |url=http://www.railwaymuseum.org.au/history3.html |title=ARHS Railway Museum: History 1950 – now |publisher=railwaymuseum.org.au |access-date=2008-03-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070208193612/http://www.railwaymuseum.org.au/history3.html |archive-date=8 February 2007 }}
Track and gauge
The line is single track for the entire route with the exception of a short dual-gauge section near Melbourne and a number of {{convert|1500|–|1600|m|ft|abbr=off|comma=off}} passing loops every {{convert|15|–|45|km|mi|abbr=off}}. Some branch lines were also converted to standard gauge.
References
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Sources
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- {{Avery-Freight}}
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{{AustralianInterstateRail}}
{{coord|36.373951|S|140.965087|E|format=dms|display=title}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Melbourne-Adelaide rail corridor}}
Category:Railway lines in South Australia
Category:Railway lines in Victoria (state)
Category:5 ft 3 in gauge railways in Australia
Category:Standard-gauge railways in Australia
Category:Rail infrastructure in Australia
Category:Interstate rail in Australia