The Victorian Transport Plan released in December 2008 proposed the progressive upgrade of the Melton line to support future urban development in the corridor. The Regional Fast Rail project to Ballarat has been completed. The construction of the new Caroline Springs railway station (Ravenhall) commenced in August 2015, and has now been completed with the first trains running on 29 January 2017. Another new station was constructed for the new outer suburb of Cobblebank, between the existing Rockbank and Melton station stations, services having commenced on 2 December 2019.[1] The PTV Network Development Plan published in 2013 advocates for the electrification of the line and duplication between Sunshine and Deer Park in order to incorporate it into the electrified metropolitan network, joining the Sunbury line and running via the Metro Tunnel.
The line was formerly constrained by a single bi-directional track section between Caroline Springs railway station and Melton station, having only a small stretch of double track close to Rockbank railway station to facilitate the passing of trains. As part of Ballarat Line Upgrade, the 17 kilometres of single track were duplicated with stabling facilities provided at Melton, as well as Rockbank Station being rebuilt and the construction of a new station at Cobblebank.[2] This was designed to increase reliability and capacity on the line, as well as facilitate electrification.
There are a variety of trains on the line including Sprinter and VLocity type DMUs, as well as older locomotive-hauled carriages. All trains continue on to Bacchus Marsh, Ballarat or Ararat.
