International Railroad Discussion > One Month Ago: Part One - The Melbourne Rail Viewing Platform

Friday was allocated entirely to railfanning and I lucked out with a mostly sunny day with temperatures in the 70s. And, yes, Melbourne has a rail viewing platform. It is located north of the tracks near the North Melbourne Metro station and alongside the dual-gauge flyover from Southern Cross over the Metro lines. It is even shaded by trees. And in the summer, the lighting is good in both directions all morning long. No other railfan was there while I was but two V/Line employees used it to survey the massive infrastructure construction going on related to the new Metro tunnel under the central business district. And one dog walker said her dog really likes to visit the platform.

1. An outbound Vlocity DMU navigates the flyover. I like the arrows on the signals. The signals look like searchlight signals but are modern LEDs.

2. The first surprise of the day was a late-running (by two hours) Sydney XPT, train 624.

3. The XPTs aren't quite 90 years old but they are long in the tooth.

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4. An inbound two three-car set of Vlocity DMUs.

5. A pair of two-car Sprinter DMUs meet while a Metro train passes the background. One of the Sprinters still wears the prior V/Line paint scheme.

6. An outbound Metro train to Craigieburn with a signal set on the left for an inbound train on the flyover.

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7. An inbound double set of three-car Vlocity DMUs uses the dual-gauge crossover. I regret not taking a photo of the crossover when it was thrown for that movement.

8. An outbound three-car Vlocity DMU approaches the flyover.

9. A view towards the North Melbourne Metro station and storage yard.

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10. An outbound three-car Vlocity DMU. Just look at all those red signals.

11. The second surprise of the day was a freight train amid all the passenger traffic. Two ex-CFCLA Rail First VL-class locomotives pass with an empty steel train. Those are covered coil steel cars. Assuming these locos are leased, I do not know who is operating this train, perhaps QUBE.

12. One of the newer electric Metro trainsets departs from Southern Cross.

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13. A beautiful V/Line N-class N453 arrives with a train that includes a power car behind the locomotive.

14. A Metro EMU set in the no-stainless-steel paint scheme departs the North Melbourne station.

15. My last shot from the platform was this two-car set of Sprinters approaching the flyover with a Metro train in the background. Time for lunch!

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Just love those arrows on the signals.  Even I can figure 'em out.  Thanks for the photos.

-John

Interesting dual gauge trackage. What gauge are the outside rails and what gauge is the inside one?

Inside is standard gauge, 4' 8 1/2"
Outside is broad gauge, 5' 3"
Most of Victoria is still broad gauge but the freight mainlines from Sydney and Adelaide have both been converted to standard gauge.

Well, I do not understand the signals with the arrows.  I notice in one picture the arrow points to the right one would  assume the track on the right and their is a train on it with the signal being green.

So please explain the arrow signals.

They definitely only govern the left track. I would guess that the track splits to two different routes ahead and the arrows are a friendly reminder, but you would need an actual Australian to explain it for real. Neither can I explain the two letters below the color signals, normally a "V" but I think one time the other one showed "S" although I don't have a picture of that.

Very interesting series!

Larry