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All this line needs is a couple of 2 car DMU. Second hand non aircon ones will do. charge a very low fare for this line as its going to be a slower way to get to Mildura. This track can sustain a 20 to 30 kph line speed in a small DMU. If you charge only $15 to $30 per trip. People will use it as its the cheapest way. Why would someone pay 3 or 4 time more to drive the trip when they can take a slow train and save a lot of cash. Plus the train would be more fun anyway even if it takes all day to get into Melbourne. Driving on the expressway is boring and rather stressful. i much rather the train any day.
Otherwise extend the swan hill line to Mildura and build this line to 160kph standards. so the whole trip is less than 6 hours. This will be cheaper than upgrading the old line as its a much shorter section of track to build.
These are the only possiable choices for this area.
admin
A rail car like this is all thats needed for the mildura line
Cheap and simple with plenty of ventilation. These DMUs can take some really bad track and still keep to a timetable year in year out. they are japanese DMUs from the 1970's and 1980's
admin
for everyone's interest these DMUs are used on the nong khai line often with a full standing load from end to end. this line is 12 hours long and the DMUs are the same as pictured. if they can do it then mildura can do it just as well. as I doubt it would get as overcrowded as the nong khai line which runs 15 car sets of these.
Plus the average temp on the nong khai line is around 35 C in the day and 27 C at night. ie similar to the mildura line.
