8 7 8 . ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 2 ▁Victor ian ▁Rail ways ▁lines ▁had ▁reached ▁the ▁great ▁gold ▁r ush ▁towns ▁of ▁B end igo ▁and ▁Ball ar at , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 4 ▁rail ways ▁were ▁extended ▁to ▁the ▁Murray ▁River ▁port ▁of ▁E ch uca . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 8 7 0 s ▁the ▁Government ▁Railway ▁Department ▁( V ict or ian ▁Rail ways ) ▁started ▁to ▁build ▁its ▁own ▁lines . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 3 ▁the ▁first ▁connection ▁to ▁another ▁col ony ' s ▁rail ▁system ▁was ▁made , ▁when ▁the ▁Al bury - W od ong a ▁line ▁was ▁completed ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁New ▁South ▁Wales ▁Government ▁Rail ways ▁network ▁at ▁Al bury , ▁requiring ▁a ▁break - of - g au ge ▁to ▁New ▁South ▁Wales ' ▁ ▁( standard ▁gauge ). ▁It ▁was ▁then ▁followed ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 7 ▁by ▁a ▁connection ▁with ▁the ▁broad ▁gauge ▁South ▁Australian ▁Rail ways ▁at ▁Serv ic eton , ▁with ▁the ▁Inter colon ial ▁Express ▁( now ▁The ▁Over land ) ▁to ▁Ad ela ide ▁running ▁between ▁the ▁capit als . ▁Add itional ▁tr unk ▁lines ▁were ▁also ▁built ▁though ▁the ▁ 1 8 7 0 s , ▁with ▁rails ▁extended ▁to ▁S ale , ▁Port land ▁and ▁Col ac ; ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁branch ▁lines ▁built . ▁It ▁was ▁a ▁time ▁of ▁improved ▁train ▁safety , ▁with ▁the ▁first ▁inter lock ing ▁of ▁railway ▁sign alling ▁to ▁protect ▁trains