In 2015, state Member for Shepparton Suzanna Sheed and then-mayor Dennis Patterson caught the train to Melbourne in their pyjamas with dozens of Shepparton commuters.
On Monday, some of those same protesters stood on the platform in Shepparton as the first new VLocity train rolled into the city following years of rail and station upgrades along the line from Seymour to the city.
The pyjamas were to represent how early people in Shepparton had to wake in order to be in Melbourne by 9am.
Ms Sheed said it was good to see “the fruits of a strong community campaign”.
“When I was first elected back in 2014, I was determined to replace our old trains and increase the number of daily services to and from Shepparton in line with other major regional centres such as Bendigo, Ballarat and Geelong,” Ms Sheed said.
“We now have five daily weekday return services and VLocity trains have officially replaced our outdated trains.
“Next year, once the final stages of the tracks are finished, we will have nine daily weekday return services to and from Shepparton travelling at 130km per hour.”
Mr Patterson said he was pleased to be able to see the benefits of what he knew would be a long-term change.
“It’s not very often you get to see the results of what you work on,” he said.
“So much had to be done because nothing had been done the previous 30 years, so to get all this done in seven years is just amazing.
“In Bendigo and that, people work in Melbourne but live in Bendigo and everywhere along the train line there, they can travel to Melbourne two or three days a week and live there. We wanted the same here.“
Kyabram resident Samuel Meahanni catches the train to Melbourne every week.
He said the new trains were an improvement, but said the bus network left a lot to be desired.
“My sister lives in Melbourne, and I see her and do some shopping, and just enjoying my life,” he said.
Mr Meahanni said the public transport from Kyabram to Bendigo and Echuca was insufficient for him to catch trains from those locations.