Initial Service
The line opened on 23 February 2009 as a shuttle service between Epping and Chatswood. The launch was moved from 22 February due to a National Day of Mourning for the victims of Victoria's Black Saturday bushfires. The line operated free of charge until 8 June 2009. Initially passengers could use a blue Complementary Pass, or buy a ticket to either Chatswood or Epping if coming from outside the new link. Later on, the automatic gates at the new stations were switched on and passengers were required to "buy" a ticket as usual. A portion of the fare was automatically deducted for passengers travelling to or from stations beyond the new link.
The newest trains in the fleet, OSCARS (Outer Suburban Cars), were used on the shuttle service, running as four-car sets. The OSCARS are intended for longer journeys out of the Sydney basin but were used on the ECRL due to the steepness and noisiness of the tunnel. Other types maintained at Hornsby maintenance depot were not used during the shuttle phase, though tests with K sets proved successful. Trains operated at 15 minute intervals, with the last service departing Epping at 9.31pm The line was coloured black on CityRail maps and publicity materials during the shuttle period, which ended on 11 October 2009 when a new timetable was introduced. The link then became part of the Northern Line.
Read more about this topic: Epping To Chatswood Railway Line
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