The V/line Fleet // Regional Passenger Rail In Victoria!

A look at Victoria's regional rail fleet operated by V/line. V/line operates an extensive network centered around Melbourne, using a variety of diesel locomotive hauled trains and DMUs.

All photographs and video are taken by Martin Bennet (me). The network maps are the official ones from PTV and V/line.

Chapters:

00:00 - What is V/line anyway?
01:00 - Some general stuff about trains
02:28 - The carriages: H sets & N sets & bonus Z cars
06:00 - East end and West end
06:27 - The N class
07:44 - The Y class
08:04 - Vans
08:44 - Sprinter DMUs
10:06 - VLocity DMUs
11:33 - Fleet use in Jan 2024
12:41 - VLocity creep
14:19 - Bye Bye Buffet
15:32 - Multi-gauge drifting
15:53 - Heritage operations
16:33 - The end

#trains #transport #australia #melbourne #transit

[Taitset]

A little update: As predicted in this video, the H sets have now been withdrawn, with the last one running an evening service to Waurn Ponds on 2/2/24. Some H cars have been transferred to heritage groups for preservation, so it will still be possible to ride them in the future.

[liammatthews]

1:01 Love the derailed XPT in the background of the shot representing Pacific National

[Thetiersofmadness]

The gods have blessed us once again with a new Taitset video, keep up the great stuff Martin!

[tomjenkins]

I’ll never forget googling v line on the school computers to show my teacher my favourite loco and getting a very very different set of search results 😂

[lauriewhite]

YAY!! V/Line content!!! I totally agree about the Buffets needed for long distance services.

Whenever my train (Echuca resident here) arrives into Bendigo, there are always people waiting to get off the very first car to try and get a drink in the 5 or so minutes it takes the drivers to get everybody off the Echuca originated service, couple the 2 sets together and get everybody BACK onto the train before it leaves.

I also think it must be MANDATORY for every single service going beyond to have 2 sets together, because everybody may not get on at SCS, but get on further down the line and cramming more people onto an already full 3-car seat is not only stupid, it's also very dangerous.

[Rheilffordd]

I assume I collect my Free Coffee (For being a Taitset Subscriber) in that BRN Buffet car there? I'll give it to that kid giving you the friendly finger gesture 😜
(Every Taitset video has Easter Eggs in them, look for them folks!)

Great video and a great summary of the V/Line operation and services, quite an extensive operation in the scheme of things! My first ever trip on V/Line was visiting Melbourne from Wagga Wagga in 2007, and it was aboard the Albury locomotive hauled V/Line service with the N Class locomotive and N Cars. It was something very novel to me at the time to travel on a locomotive hauled train in revenue service, but those journeys, like for me, have made up the memories and experiences of many Victorians who've travelled on them over the decades. Sad to see them ceasing progressively this year, but they have served the state well!

The V/Locities, although not as charming as a locomotive hauled N Class set, really brought ridership back onto the rails particularly for regional customers and in conjunction with the RFR upgrade project, they're a great train for what they've been designed to do and continue serving the legacy of the locomotive hauled trains they've replaced. I do agree with the video's sentiments that they're probably not best for those longer 3-4hr trips without some food onboard! Still the real winner at the end of the day is the Victorian taxpayer and ridership who have economic and comfortable transport to get them to the big end of town, and back home again.

(Btw.... I ecnourage you all to become a Patreon peoples! It's a great way to view these videos in advance and have your say to the creator in advance before it gets released to the masses)

[mallenwho]

I remember reading a press release from Cummins last year (the people who made the engines on the Vlocity) bragging about how those engines have made the Vlocity the most reliable DMU in the world (in terms of mean kms between failures). We do actually have a very nice, very modern and very efficient train in our state! There is also a white paper to replace those power units with electric battery or hydrogen (if they ever become proven in use or economically viable)

[curiositykilledthecat]

Being a diesel mechanic, I like the N class locomotives. Turbocharged EMD engines sound great. They also have a decent horn. The railcars have wimpy horns. I guess the locos are the "tough guys" of the fleet. 100 tonnes of presence.

[drslime]

I'm so glad you coverd the country trains as I'm a weekly travler on them. I realy miss the N sets that ran on my line with the comfy plush seats and bufete car that served useful when you got hungry. I've been disapointed with how thing the seats are on the VLocity trains and the 2+2 seats can be anoying when traveling with a large grpup also the horn is nowhere near as good as the mighty n class locomotive. I love your work Martin keep it up.

[hades]

A66 in the orange and grey scheme, brings back so many memories of catching the train to Melbourne as a child

[paul-morgan]

That restored A66 orange and grey V/Line is beautiful. I remember taking that exact loco on the Stony Point line when I was a kid. I would nag my mum to sit in the first car, just so I could watch the loco leading the way. I reckon I was about 5-6 years old then, I am 32 now. Great memories ❤ great video mate.

[klebdotio]

As someone who has travelled long distance routes to both Bairnsdale and Swan Hill, I can confirm the N class loco hauled services with N/Z sets are far more comfortable for long distance routes. The thin seats coupled with lack of buffet car make the VLocity very uncomfortable for 4/5 hour train journeys.

[TheLostProbe]

babe wake up new taitset video just dropped

[kineticdeath]

I remember the old wobbly and rough ride from melbourne to lara when going to the airshow back in the early 2000's. The vlocity trains and the improved trackwork made a big difference. Also, from experience going down to sydney on the xpt's having the buffet car is always a nice thing - made even better when i could snag the 1 row that was just a single seat. Never had to worry about being leant on, or stuck in my seat but still had the window view!

[the_idiot_destroyer]

Hey Martin! Love the videos, you actually convinced me to go to Melbourne during Christmas and it was amazing! (Of course i took a lot of picture of trains😂) Anyway, thanks for making these lovely videos.

[FarangBish]

As a teen I caught a refurbished red rattler from Bittern to Frankston on the stony point line. Most comfortable seats and was so cozy. Never knew at the time that we'd miss it so much now.

[steadilyebbing]

VLocity are fine if you're in them for about 90 minutes tops. Sitting in them for the 3+ hours from Albury is just awful and makes you seriously consider getting a coach or paying more for the XPT. No curtains on the massive blazing windows, cant even rest an elbow on the window ledge to prop your head up. The seats have clearly been designed for eventual repurposing as car jack stands. In the six car sets usually only one buffet is open and if you're in the wrong three car set tough luck. I really, really miss the N class locos and carriages.

[Itz_YoshiMelon]

14:36 Thank god I’m a taitset subscriber, I need that free coffee!

[clawscrab]

I always liked the Sprinters, ever since they were rolled out. The interesting thing about that is that they initially had TheMet livery, at least the one I rode did.

[aidrianrichards]

I love your videos they started my love for trains and love for learning the history about the melbourne network thank you for making such informitive and interesting videos.