Eighteen years after financial trouble took Melbourne's red rattlers off the rails, the historic electric trains are back on track and available for the public.
Today's launch marks the first time the Tait train has been certified to carry passengers on Melbourne's suburban railway network while operating under its own power since 2004.
Steamrail volunteer Alex McLennan said they had been through some "devastating" times trying to get the trains up and running, so today was "exciting" for everyone involved.
"When you've been working on the trains for so long and doing so many long dirty days crawling underneath them, it's very special just to see all the smiling faces," he said.
"People going, 'I remember these' and little kids looking inside saying it is 'so cool'.
Fire, financial trouble derail the Tait
Steamrail Victoria had been successfully operating tours and public shuttle trips of the Tait trains from the mid-1980s until 2004 when their operator West Coast Rail folded.
The volunteer organisation struggled to find another operator.
Then in the early hours of the morning on March 4, 2015, a fire was lit at the Newport Railyards destroying a newly restored swing door train as well as damaging the workshop and other carriages.
"Fortunately, this train did survive the fire, and we just decided, 'Right, we're going to make this happen.'"
With the help of federal MP Jason Wood, Steamrail Victoria was able to secure an Australian government grant of $1 million in 2017 to return a Tait train to service.
The money was used for a fresh coat of paint and to upgrade the train's safety features, so it complies with modern regulations.
Steamrail volunteer Craig Soden says without the grant money, the Tait train wouldn't be up and running today.
"There was a lot of safety enhancements that we needed to get done, which we wouldn't have been able to afford," he said.
After years working to restore and modify the Tait, the train went through a rigorous accreditation process – with testing starting in January 2020.
The final step was a "load test run" with Steamrail volunteers as passengers on February 26.
"It's a great satisfaction to have passengers on board again," Mr Soden said,
Getting the Tait back on track
As well as dozens of volunteers, other organisations have helped Steamrail Victoria to get the red rattlers running.
V/Line has agreed to be the accredited operator. Metro Trains has given them access to the tracks, the Department of Transport has provided safety advice and the Rail Tram and Bus Union has provided drivers.
In the next few months, they hope to have their first ticketed tours for the public.
"There'll be a combination of special events and shorter shuttles where families can come on board," Mr McLennan said.
"It's just surreal.
