Blue Mountains railway line, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
The Blue Mountains Line is a section of the Main Western railway line
in New South Wales
, Australia
. The line is part of the 'inter-urban' region of CityRail
, the operator of urban passenger services in New South Wales. It serves the Blue Mountains region to the west of Sydney
, including its primary centre of Katoomba
, and as far west as Lithgow
on the western foothills of the mountains. The line is also traversed by CountryLink
and Indian Pacific services as part of longer journeys to far-western New South Wales
and interstate, respectively.
The line is primarily operated by CityRail's older V set
trains, however outer suburban Tangara (G set) carriages, and CityRail's new OSCAR's (H set) also operate on the line as far as Springwood
.
Most Blue Mountains line services start and terminate from the intercity platforms (4-15) of Central
(Sydney Terminal) station. However, a small number of special commuter services exist during weekday peak periods: one morning city-bound and two evening out-bound services to and from Springwood arrive on the suburban platforms of Central (platforms 16 and 18 respectively). These trains run via the North Shore Line between Central and Hornsby station, where these trains terminate.
which opened in 1868. The line originally ascended the eastern and descended the western sides of the Blue Mountains via a series of zig-zag track sections. The eastern zig zag was by passed by a tunnel in 1892 and the western zig zag (now in use as a Tourist Railway
) was bypassed in 1910 with ten rail tunnels.
In the 1950s, the line was electrified
primarily as a means of easing the haulage of coal freight from the western coalfields to the coastal ports, but a by-product of this programme was the introduction of electric interurban passenger services as far west as Bowenfels, later cut back to the current terminus of Lithgow. Goods trains are now exclusively diesel hauled. Electric passenger services were originally provided by a combination of electric locomotive hauled carriages and single deck electric multiple unit
sets (known as U sets), both of which have now been withdrawn and replaced by a combination of double deck electric interurban cars (V sets) and OSCAR trains.
(Continues from CityRail Western Line
)
CityRail train services end here. Continues to CountryLink
services to Dubbo and Broken Hill
, and Indian Pacific services to Perth
. CityRail bus services also run from Lithgow to Bathurst.
Main Western railway line, New South Wales
The Main Western Railway is a major railway in New South Wales, Australia. It runs through the Blue Mountains, Central West, North West Slopes and the Far West regions.- Description of route :...
in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The line is part of the 'inter-urban' region of CityRail
CityRail
CityRail is an operating brand of RailCorp, a corporation owned by the state government of New South Wales, Australia. It is responsible for providing commuter rail services, and some coach services, in and around Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, the three largest cities of New South Wales. It is...
, the operator of urban passenger services in New South Wales. It serves the Blue Mountains region to the west of Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, including its primary centre of Katoomba
Katoomba, New South Wales
Katoomba is the chief town of the City of Blue Mountains in New South Wales, Australia and the administrative headquarters of Blue Mountains City Council. It is on the Great Western Highway 110 kilometres west of Sydney and 39 kilometres south-east of Lithgow. Katoomba railway station is on the...
, and as far west as Lithgow
Lithgow, New South Wales
Lithgow is a city in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia and is the centre of the local political division City of Lithgow. It is located in a mountain valley named Lithgow's Valley by John Oxley in honour of William Lithgow, the first Auditor-General of New South Wales.Lithgow is...
on the western foothills of the mountains. The line is also traversed by CountryLink
CountryLink
CountryLink is the operator of passenger rail services in country New South Wales, Australia and into Queensland and Victoria. It is an operating brand of the Rail Corporation New South Wales, a government-owned entity...
and Indian Pacific services as part of longer journeys to far-western New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
and interstate, respectively.
The line is primarily operated by CityRail's older V set
V set (CityRail)
The V set or DDIU is a class of electric multiple unit operated by CityRail in New South Wales, Australia. These stainless steel double deck trains operate on the Interurban lines of the CityRail network, serving the Blue Mountains, South Coast and the Central Coast to Newcastle.-First batch :In...
trains, however outer suburban Tangara (G set) carriages, and CityRail's new OSCAR's (H set) also operate on the line as far as Springwood
Springwood, New South Wales
Springwood is a town in the Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australia. Springwood is located 72 kilometres west of Sydney in the local government area of the City of Blue Mountains. At the 2006 census, Springwood had a population of 8,210 people. It is largely Anglo-Celtic.Springwood is near the...
.
Most Blue Mountains line services start and terminate from the intercity platforms (4-15) of Central
Central railway station, Sydney
Central Railway Station, the largest railway station in Australia, is at the southern end of the Sydney CBD. It services almost all the lines on the CityRail network, and is the major terminus for interurban and interstate rail services...
(Sydney Terminal) station. However, a small number of special commuter services exist during weekday peak periods: one morning city-bound and two evening out-bound services to and from Springwood arrive on the suburban platforms of Central (platforms 16 and 18 respectively). These trains run via the North Shore Line between Central and Hornsby station, where these trains terminate.
History
The Blue Mountains line is a section of the Main Western LineMain Western railway line, New South Wales
The Main Western Railway is a major railway in New South Wales, Australia. It runs through the Blue Mountains, Central West, North West Slopes and the Far West regions.- Description of route :...
which opened in 1868. The line originally ascended the eastern and descended the western sides of the Blue Mountains via a series of zig-zag track sections. The eastern zig zag was by passed by a tunnel in 1892 and the western zig zag (now in use as a Tourist Railway
Zig Zag Railway
The Zig Zag Railway is a heritage railway at Lithgow in New South Wales, Australia on the site of the famous Great or Lithgow Zig Zag which operated between 1869 and 1910. As built, the line formed part of the Main West line from Sydney across the Blue Mountains and served to lower the line from...
) was bypassed in 1910 with ten rail tunnels.
In the 1950s, the line was electrified
Railway electrification system
A railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units as well as trams so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...
primarily as a means of easing the haulage of coal freight from the western coalfields to the coastal ports, but a by-product of this programme was the introduction of electric interurban passenger services as far west as Bowenfels, later cut back to the current terminus of Lithgow. Goods trains are now exclusively diesel hauled. Electric passenger services were originally provided by a combination of electric locomotive hauled carriages and single deck electric multiple unit
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
sets (known as U sets), both of which have now been withdrawn and replaced by a combination of double deck electric interurban cars (V sets) and OSCAR trains.
Curves and Gradients
The line was built with gradients as steep as 1 in 33 (3%) and curves as sharp as 8 chains (160m). Most of the curves were eased to 12 chains (240m) with duplication.Blue Mountains line stations
(Continues from CityRail Western Line
Western railway line, Sydney
The Western Line is part of the CityRail metropolitan rail network in Sydney, and is the suburban section of the Main West line which connects Sydney with the west of New South Wales. It connects the Sydney CBD to the employment centre of Parramatta and the outer western suburbs, terminating at Emu...
)
- Lapstone
- Glenbrook
- Blaxland
- Warrimoo
- Valley Heights
- Springwood - intermediate terminus, primarily during peak hours Tangara G sets terminate here, new OSCAR H sets terminate here also in peak periods
- Faulconbridge
- LindenLinden Railway StationLinden Railway Station is located on the North Island Main Trunk Railway in Linden, New Zealand and is part of the suburban rail network of Wellington...
- Woodford
- Hazelbrook
- Lawson
- Bullaburra
- Wentworth Falls
- Leura
- Katoomba - intermediate terminus
- Medlow Bath
- BlackheathBlackheath railway station, New South Wales-Transport links:Blue Mountains Bus Company runs one route via Blackheath railway station:*Route 698 - Between Mount Victoria and Katoomba.-Neighbouring stations:...
- Mount Victoria - intermediate terminus
- BellBell railway station, New South Wales-Neighbouring stations:The next outbound station is the now-closed Newnes Junction station.- References :...
- Newnes Junction- closed
- Zig Zag - for Zig Zag RailwayZig Zag RailwayThe Zig Zag Railway is a heritage railway at Lithgow in New South Wales, Australia on the site of the famous Great or Lithgow Zig Zag which operated between 1869 and 1910. As built, the line formed part of the Main West line from Sydney across the Blue Mountains and served to lower the line from...
museum. - Lithgow - westernmost terminus for Blue Mountains line services
CityRail train services end here. Continues to CountryLink
CountryLink
CountryLink is the operator of passenger rail services in country New South Wales, Australia and into Queensland and Victoria. It is an operating brand of the Rail Corporation New South Wales, a government-owned entity...
services to Dubbo and Broken Hill
Broken Hill, New South Wales
-Geology:Broken Hill's massive orebody, which formed about 1,800 million years ago, has proved to be among the world's largest silver-lead-zinc mineral deposits. The orebody is shaped like a boomerang plunging into the earth at its ends and outcropping in the centre. The protruding tip of the...
, and Indian Pacific services to Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
. CityRail bus services also run from Lithgow to Bathurst.