Sounds like I got some good options. I rather go normal train. 
Iām not really a first class person.
Factor im on a limited budget for the two day trip. Sorry I forgot to mention im in Melbourne for 7 days and during those 7 days going to Portland.
First class on V/Line isnāt as fancy as it sounds just a more comfortable trip
On which routes is 1st class available? Here in NSW we only have 1st class for long distance NSW Trainlink services (Xplorers/XPT). Interurban trains to the Hunter, Bathurst/Lithgow, Goulburn, and Kiama/Nowra are all standard seating.
I know that short distance V-Line trains (Ballarat, Seymour) are standard seating only. Iām guessing the Bairnsdale, Albury, Ararat trains have 1st class too?
Shepparton, Albury, Bairnsdale, Warrnambool and Swan Hill I believe, basically where they run N sets.
Ararat (and Maryborough) is operated by VLocity sets.
Presumably the few VLos that run out to Bairnsdale are also without first class
Thatās correct the vlocity trains are economy only, thatās why Echuca doesnāt have first class
Thought as such - Iāve only had one outing on the VLocities to compare to!
and so is ballarat
Iād take a standard Vlocity train over the first class on those relics.
They really need to electrify the V/Line network. Itās a great service but diesel is not great environmentally.
I would love the V/Line network to be electrified to Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Seymour and Traralgon to encourage more people to those regions. However this also means some sections will have to be duplicated to cater for more trains.
From an environmental standpoint, electrification is only the first half of the problem. Second half is ensuring that the electricity comes from renewable resources otherwise thereās not much difference.
electrification is expensive, it may not be a justified cost for some lines
They pulled down the wires to Traralgon in the early 2000s during the Regional Fast Rail upgrades
Those wires to Traralgon were never intended for passenger trains.
But they were used for passenger trains, the Electric L Class would haul the Gippslander out to Traralgon where steam and then later diesel electric locomotives took over. The L Class were decommissioned in 1987 and V/line used Comengs to Warragul until the mud 90s.
I think youād be better off trying to reach net-zero emissions, rather than try and fully electrify - at least as an interim measure, so we donāt need to then later upgrade it all again for proper fast rail.
I think that could be a combination of a supercapacitor/(bio)diesel hybrid system and carbon offsets.
You could charge at stations and waypoints (particularly where thereās passing loops) - and have regenerative braking - while having the diesel engine as a backup power source, with emissions offsets for that and any fossil fuel generated electricity.
Probably between Melbourne and Geelong would be justifiable. Maybe even Ballarat and Bendigoā¦beyond that, I doubt it.
True, but electric is standard nowadays and can be entirely green off the back of renewables being pumped into the grid. Even Queenslandās network is electrified as far north as Rockhampton.
Diesel has served the VLine well but for a government which spruiks its green credentials, the Andrews Govt seems to be ignoring regional trains.
For those who are/are not aware that this week is Rail Safety Week, so be safe around trains.
For more info:https://tracksafefoundation.com.au/rail-safety-week/