MAROONA

Maroona is the junction of the Portland 'branch' from the main line between Geelong and Ararat. No passenger or regular goods trains serivce this location, although there is a small grain silo complex, and a number of sidings that are occasionally used to stable works trains. This is an unattended station that has recently been updated to CTC control, reducing the need for a signalman to attend when trains enter or leave the Portland branch.

Ararat is a former major railway centre that is now only a shadow of its former importance. It is now only an intermediate siding in the Pyrenees Loop - Maroona section, and is the junction for the line to Maryborough and Dunolly, although operations on this line are currently suspended.

Train Services

Passenger

Ararat is serviced by the standard gauge Overland three days per week in each direction, and by broad gauge services from Melbourne via Ballarat operated by V/Locity railcars - there are no locomotive hauled broad gauge trains to Ararat due to a lack of run-around facilities.

Freight

Interstate goods services pass through here mainly during darkness, although an NR steel service heads west early in the morning, with an opposing one due through around midday, and another Westbound one during mid afternoon.

Items of Interest...

• Old signal box which has been re-positioned in the old dock platform road.
• At the old loco depot off Alfred Street
  • Three stall round house
  • Turntable
  • Two old elevated water tanks
  • Assorted trackwork, still in broad gauge
• Pyrenees Loop 3 km North-West of Ararat

Murtoa is the junction of the main Melbourne to Adelaide line and the Hopetoun branch. Just to the South of the town is the Marmalake grain complex, that is also served by rail. A number of grain trains operate between this location and the export terminal at Portland.

Horsham remains the main traffic source for intra-state freight on this line and a crossing location on the ARTC network, although at one time it was the junction for both the branch line to Natimuk East and beyond to Hamilton and Carpolac, and the McKenzie Creek Tramway.

Train Services

Passenger

Horsham is still serviced by the Overland three days per week in each direction.

Freight

Along with the ubiquitous GrainCorp silo complex, there is a Freight Australia (FA) 'Freightgate' siding and a container loading area for Wimmera Container Lines. The latter two sidings are services by the Dimboola goods, 9791 and 9792, operated by FA.

Items of Interest...

• Station - now used by an Adult education group
• Original goods shed - still in use by FA
• Road overpass - good view of yards
• Remains of old turntable on Up side of overpass

DIMBOOLA

Dimboola remains a strategic railway location, playing its part as a junction for the grain only Yaapeet branch, and a driver change over point for most operators on the Melbourne to Adelaide corridor. The yard includes a number of storage sidings and still retains a servicable turntable.

Train Services

Passenger

Dimboola is serviced by the Overland three days per week in each direction.

Freight

Much of the rail action here occurrs between around mid-night and 3 a.m., with most of trains pausing here to change crews.

Items of Interest...

• Station used by Pacific National
• Two pedestrian bridges spanning the yard - good vantage points for photographs
• Turntable - still in use
• Remains of broad gauge track in old locomotive depot
• Dimboola Loop and AWB Grain Centre 3 km North-West of Dimboola off Rainbow Road

This is the location of ARTC's 'Dimboola Loop', which is situated on the North side of the main line, and the siding serviceing AWB Limited's Dimboola Grain Centre, which is situated on the South side of the line.

The crossing loop is obviously used to cross trains, but sees most of its use during the night, just after mid-night. Some trains are scheduled to have extra locomotives either added or removed at this location, but again usually in the middle of the night.

The Dimboola Grain Centre siding is currently serviced by both El Zorro and ARG as requirerd.

Access to this location, for the railfan, is via a 'dry weather only' dirt road that branches off the left of the Dimboola-Rainbow road, just to the North of the level crossing, or via following Ellerman Street past the cemetary, under the highway overpass and over the level crossing on the branch line. From this road, the entire crossing loop and grain siding can be seen, and includes a number of good locations for photos.

YAAPEET BRANCH

To Dimboola	Arkona	Antwerp	Tarranyurk
Jeparit	Ellam	Pullut	Rainbow
Albacutya	Yaapeet

This branch stretches 83 kilometres North from Dimboola on the main Melbourne to Adelaide line to the terminus at Yaapeet. There are eight intermediate locations along the line, with all but Jeparit and Rainbow featuring a single loop servicing a grain silo. Yaapeet also has a single silo loop, and the line terminates with a simple dead-end beyond the siding.

Jeparit was once the junction station for the Yanac line, and thus boasts a larger three road yard, and Rainbow once had the features of a terminus, including a turn table and larger yard. These two locations also have larger grain complexes.

Operations

This line has not seen a train since June 2007.

The Dimboola - Rainbow Road follows the line as far as Jeparit, making train chasing easy, but beyond Jeparit and Rainbow the road and rail separate except for the first ten kilometres after Rainbow. The slow line speed limit also makes following trains very easy.

HOPETOUN BRANCH

To Murtoa	Coromby	Minyip	Nullan
Sheep Hills	Warracknabeal / Warrackside	Batchica	Lah
Brim	Gulaquil	Beulah	Beulah Silos
Roseberry	Goyura	Hopetoun

Like the Yaapeet branch, this line is also grain only with trains operated as required. Single or double G's are the most common motive power. Major grain complexes are located at Warracknabeal, Beulah and Hopetoun.

Warracknabeal still boasts a brick station albeit currently un-used. A Geelong type silo is served by a loop near the station, but the major grain facilities are to be found at Warrackside, a kilometre North of the station. This location boasts a large 'jumbo' silo, along with the old distillery grain storage. The track layout includes on of the few turning triangles in the state that is still used.