Warrnambool railway line

Warrnambool railway line
Warrnambool railway line
	The twin broad gauge and single standard gauge tracks near Lara, 2006
Overview
Other name(s)	Port Fairy railway line; Dennington railway line; South West railway line;
Status	Operational with passenger services from Flinders Street to Warrnambool; Dismantled beyond Warrnambool – Port Fairy to Warrnambool Rail Trail;
Owner	Geelong and Melbourne Railway (G&MR) (1857–1860); Victorian Railways (VR) (1860–1974); VR as VicRail (1974–1983); MTA (The Met) (1983–1989); STA (V/Line) (1983–1989); PTC (The Met) (1989–1997); PTC (V/Line) (1989–1995); West Coast Railway (1993–2004); PTC (V/Line Passenger) (1995–1997); VicTrack (1997–Current);
Locale	Victoria, Australia
Termini	Southern Cross; Port Fairy;
Connecting lines	All metropolitan, regional, and interstate; Deer Park–West Werribee; Geelong–Ballarat; Newport–Sunshine;
Former connections	Alvie; Colac–Ballarat; Crowes; Forrest; Gheringhap–Maroona; Hamilton–Koroit; Queenscliff; Maribyrnong; Mortlake; Timboon; Wensleydale;
Stations	29 current stations; 41 former stations; 8 sidings; 15 former sidings;
Service
Type	Former Victorian regional service
Services	Geelong Warrnambool Werribee Williamstown
Operator(s)	Geelong and Melbourne Railway (G&MR) (1857–1860); Victorian Railways (VR) (1860–1974); VR as VicRail (1974–1983); MTA (The Met) (1983–1989); STA (V/Line) (1983–1989); PTC (The Met) (1989–1998); PTC (V/Line) (1989–1995); West Coast Railway (1993–2004); PTC (V/Line Passenger) (1995–1998); Bayside Trains (1998–2000); V/Line Passenger (1998–2010); M>Train (2000–2004); Connex Melbourne (2004–2009); V/Line (2010–Current);
History
Commenced	25 June 1857
Opened	Greenwich to Geelong on 25 June 1857; Southern Cross to Newport on 17 January 1859; Geelong to Winchelsea on 25 November 1876; Winchelsea to Birregurra on 13 March 1877; Birregurra to Colac on 27 July 1877; Colac to Camperdown on 2 July 1883; Camperdown to Terang on 23 April 1887; Terang to Port Fairy on 4 February 1890;
Completed	4 February 1890
Electrified	Flinders Street to North Melbourne on 28 May 1919; North Melbourne to Altona junction on 2 August 1920; Altona junction to Werribee on 27 November 1983;
Closed	Newport to Greenwich on 18 July 1857; Dennington to Port Fairy on 12 September 1977;
Technical
Line length	298.486 km (185.471 mi)
Number of tracks	Six tracks – Flinders Street to Footscray; Double track: Footscray to Geelong; Single track: Geelong to Warrnambool;
Track gauge	1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Electrification	1500 V DC overhead Southern Cross to Werribee
Operating speed	160 km/h (99 mph)
Signalling	Automatic block signaling: Southern Cross to Altona Junction; Automatic and Track Control: Altona Junction to North Geelong; Automatic block signaling: North Geelong to Geelong; Track Block: Geelong to Waurn Ponds; Automatic and Track Control: Waurn Ponds to Warrnambool;
Route map
Route map
	Legend
	Multiple lines
	via Richmond or Jolimont
	Albury, North East & Western lines
	to Albury, Sydney & Adelaide
	Upfield line
	to Upfield
	Craigieburn, Seymour & Shepparton lines
	via Essendon
	Flemington Racecourse line
	to Flemington Racecourse
	South Kensington–West Footscray line
	to West Footscray
Metro section (Werribee Line)
	Melbourne Metro Tunnel
	to Caulfield
	Maribyrnong line
	to Maribyrnong River Terminal
	South Kensington–West Footscray, North East SG & Western SG lines
	to Albury, Sydney & Adelaide or Southern Cross
	Multiple lines
	via Sunshine
	Newport–Sunshine & Western SG lines
	to Sunshine & Southern Cross
	Williamstown lines
	to Williamstown
	Altona line
	to Laverton
	Maidstone Street
	(Removing by 2030)
	Altona line
	to Newport
	Deer Park–West Werribee line
	to Deer Park
Geelong section
Manor (demolished)
	Western SG line to Adelaide &
	Geelong–Ballarat line to Ballarat
	Geelong–Ballarat line to Ballarat &
	Fyansford line to APC Fyansford (dismantled)
	Queenscliff line
	to Queenscliff
Warrnambool section
Pettavel (demolished)

The Warrnambool railway line is a railway serving the south west of Victoria, Australia. Running from the western Melbourne suburb of Newport through the cities of Geelong and Warrnambool, the line once terminated at the coastal town of Port Fairy before being truncated to Dennington (just west of Warrnambool). This closed section of line has been converted into the 37 km long Port Fairy to Warrnambool Rail Trail. The line continues to see both passenger and freight services today.