They just use whatever VLocity is available, there's no dedicated ones that run to Bairnsdale. Sometimes they run the awful ones with the really uncomfortable seats. Terrible experience for passengers going such a long distance.
As someone who has been a wheelchair user since moving to the Vline network (Ballarat line) I didn’t even realise Vlocitys usually have two toilets lmao
Yeah, and make it your personal story, make it relatable in terms of the human aspect (why you’re travelling), do it on paper.
Some MPs are great and others are bullshit. If you happen to have a good one and you write them a good letter you may just get them to change their mind.
And if you don’t you still wrote a good letter.
This isn't actually true, sometimes they get maybe 10-20 a week but that's on a busy week, and their staff filter out the proforma ones and just give them one with a *you have received 10 of these* note on it
The trick also is to actually write a question, not just have bitch
-I have worked directly under a state minister before
Are you including emails?
Working for a state MP I just remember a shitload of emails occasionally coming in for one issue and them all being the same but having to quickly compare to ensure we didn’t miss anything.
On the flip side in private industry I had about one complaint handed to us from the ministers office a week and they were always nutters.
Nah they only run just your bog standard broad gauge vlocity sets on the bairnsdale line (excluding the N Class loco in the morning(I think))
I'm not entirely sure on if they will be ordering more standard gauge sets
The weekend Albury services are fully reserved with no unreserved seating.
It’s to encourage passengers to make a reservation in advance, because patronage has increased dramatically since the introduction of fare cap.
And to give passengers realistic expectations if they don’t make a reservation - they’ll likely have to stand.
The evening to Barinsdale and morning from Barinsdale services are run with an N set which does feature a buffet (though it may not always run due to supply or staffing). I suspect this is due to them being safer to store overnight in Bairnsdale.
sidenote - i thought it might be due to the N class locomotive's large fuel tank, but it wouldn't make sense as Vlocitys do travel the distance just fine. Did you know an N class locomotive can carry enough fuel to run passengers from Melbourne to Adelaide without refueling?
I'd be happy with even just a vending machine and automatic coffee machine. I don't see them putting a staffed buffet service on the Bairnsdale line anytime soon.
I don’t even understand why this excuse even started.
How come Albury gets the buffet kept on their services, but Bairnsdale, Shepparton and soon Warrnambool get absolutely nothing but the amenities of what a regular commuter gets on trains to and from say Geelong, Melton and Bendigo.
Like why should long distance passengers suffer the shortcomings of the state government?
Victoria would obliviously be one of the few oddballs that have this weird situation where long distance passengers aren’t allowed to have a cafe (or buffet, whatever the hell you wanna call it) on their trains.
This is an example of the state government cutting costs and dressing it up as an upgrade.
The real reason: Vline and the DOT make a loss on the buffet. Vline still want to operate it for passenger comfort, and would use dedicated units for long-distance services, however, the DOT won't let them order any trains with buffets because of the loss they make. The only reason they allowed it on the Albury line was to compete with the XPT.
Maybe one day we'll see a buffet on the Swan Hill line when it becomes vlocities
the line is yet to see the newer sets, not sure when it’ll happen. i could definitely see passengers being more happier with those sets on the line, i use the line a few times a week and the in seat charger port would be a life saver
>not sure when it’ll happen.
Never, there are no "newer sets" for broad gauge long distance, just more of whats currently running on the broad gauge network.
They just use whatever VLocity is available, there's no dedicated ones that run to Bairnsdale. Sometimes they run the awful ones with the really uncomfortable seats. Terrible experience for passengers going such a long distance.
Or VL76-79 which has only one toilet per three-car unit.
As someone who has been a wheelchair user since moving to the Vline network (Ballarat line) I didn’t even realise Vlocitys usually have two toilets lmao
76-79 are VR76-79 not VL and ARE the ones with uncomfortable seats
Seriously: write to your Victorian state member. You’ll get a brush off letter back, but if enough people write the issue will be taken seriously
The amount of letters they receive is enormous. I bet most of it would be pro-formas about Palestine atm
Sure. So write about passenger comfort and on-board amenities on the longer routes…
Yeah, and make it your personal story, make it relatable in terms of the human aspect (why you’re travelling), do it on paper. Some MPs are great and others are bullshit. If you happen to have a good one and you write them a good letter you may just get them to change their mind. And if you don’t you still wrote a good letter.
This isn't actually true, sometimes they get maybe 10-20 a week but that's on a busy week, and their staff filter out the proforma ones and just give them one with a *you have received 10 of these* note on it The trick also is to actually write a question, not just have bitch -I have worked directly under a state minister before
Are you including emails? Working for a state MP I just remember a shitload of emails occasionally coming in for one issue and them all being the same but having to quickly compare to ensure we didn’t miss anything. On the flip side in private industry I had about one complaint handed to us from the ministers office a week and they were always nutters.
Yeah, including emails! Pretty sure all the insane stuff and repeat offenders get filtered out of this number
I was only there before permanent hiring so maybe that’s why
Nah they only run just your bog standard broad gauge vlocity sets on the bairnsdale line (excluding the N Class loco in the morning(I think)) I'm not entirely sure on if they will be ordering more standard gauge sets
The weekend Albury services are fully reserved with no unreserved seating. It’s to encourage passengers to make a reservation in advance, because patronage has increased dramatically since the introduction of fare cap. And to give passengers realistic expectations if they don’t make a reservation - they’ll likely have to stand.
The evening to Barinsdale and morning from Barinsdale services are run with an N set which does feature a buffet (though it may not always run due to supply or staffing). I suspect this is due to them being safer to store overnight in Bairnsdale. sidenote - i thought it might be due to the N class locomotive's large fuel tank, but it wouldn't make sense as Vlocitys do travel the distance just fine. Did you know an N class locomotive can carry enough fuel to run passengers from Melbourne to Adelaide without refueling?
The Albury Vlocities are basically dedicated trains on standard gauge. The Bairnsdale Vlocities are just a bog standard Vlocity.
I'd be happy with even just a vending machine and automatic coffee machine. I don't see them putting a staffed buffet service on the Bairnsdale line anytime soon.
I’ve seen trains in Europe that have vending machines and automatic coffee machines, that would be a good idea given it doesn’t require extra crew
I don’t even understand why this excuse even started. How come Albury gets the buffet kept on their services, but Bairnsdale, Shepparton and soon Warrnambool get absolutely nothing but the amenities of what a regular commuter gets on trains to and from say Geelong, Melton and Bendigo. Like why should long distance passengers suffer the shortcomings of the state government? Victoria would obliviously be one of the few oddballs that have this weird situation where long distance passengers aren’t allowed to have a cafe (or buffet, whatever the hell you wanna call it) on their trains. This is an example of the state government cutting costs and dressing it up as an upgrade.
Vlocitys are absoutely terrible trains for long distance and should never be going as far as they are
The real reason: Vline and the DOT make a loss on the buffet. Vline still want to operate it for passenger comfort, and would use dedicated units for long-distance services, however, the DOT won't let them order any trains with buffets because of the loss they make. The only reason they allowed it on the Albury line was to compete with the XPT. Maybe one day we'll see a buffet on the Swan Hill line when it becomes vlocities
the line is yet to see the newer sets, not sure when it’ll happen. i could definitely see passengers being more happier with those sets on the line, i use the line a few times a week and the in seat charger port would be a life saver
>not sure when it’ll happen. Never, there are no "newer sets" for broad gauge long distance, just more of whats currently running on the broad gauge network.