Echuca Line

The railway to Echuca was one of the first built in Victoria to link the capital city and port with the expansive Murray River trade and riverina district. The line was built to a high standard with double track as far as Bendigo and many stone bridges, viaducts and tunnels. The line takes a substantially straight alignment except for a detour via Clarkefield due to political influence of wealthy land speculators.

Retained as a broad guage main line, the Echuca Line serves both freight and passenger services. Regular passenger services operated by V/Line Passenger run as far as Bendigo. Passenger Trains did operate to Echuca on weekends during the late 1990s and early 2000s but have stopped running due to the deterioration of the track standard beyond Bendigo. It is rumoured that this service may recommence in late 2006.

Electrified suburban trains run along the Echuca Line as far as Watergardens following extension of the overhead from St Albans in 2002.

The track and signalling between Watergardens and Bendigo was recently 'upgraded' as part of the Regional Fast Rail Program which involved a shut down of this section of the line for a period of over 12 months during 2005 and early 2006. The 'upgrade' involved the removal of the second track between Kyneton and Bendigo. Since reopening the passenger service has been plagued by delays caused in part by the single track section.