Somehow my chase down a rabbit-hole has ended up with me reading about the South Australian Railways “Redhen” DMU railcars, which I took from Gawler to school or uni every weekday for six or seven years. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Australian_Railways_Redhen_railcar

This is the 400-class with driving cabs both ends.

Usually, though, they were three-car sets like this: a single-ended 300-class at each and, and a weird multi-door 860-class trailer in the middle. At peak times two of these would for a six-car set. https://www.comrails.com/pic_common/b13-54.html

Weirdly, though, for quite some years into the 1970s the middle car could be one of the ancient 820-class wooden cars with boarding and a goods section in the middle, “constructed between 1912 and 1924 for steam train services”. https://www.comrails.com/sar_carriages/b_820.html

Here’s another photo of an 820-class. https://www.comrails.com/pic_gr/gr_scan_0252.html

“Only 13 cars converted and they featured a noticeable lack of draughts in comparison with the 300, 400 and 860 class cars.” Yes, they were quite comfortable, and the end platforms provided a place for a quick ciggy.

No air conditioning, of course, but these were the days when you could just leave the doors open. The windows opened too, but keeping the sliding door propped open with your foot was the way to go. Or you’d stand in the 820-class goods section and leave that big door open.

When they introduced the raised-cab 2000-class etc railcars to replace the Redhen stock, for some reason in 1830 they decided to refurbish one Redhen set in a similar style. This was the Super Chook.

Anyway, I can see this thread has triggered a few people’s memories so I’ll leave you to it.

Meanwhile, “Japan's New Luxury Train Redefines Travelling in Style” (14 May 2017) https://concreteplayground.com/brisbane/travel-leisure/travel/japans-new-luxury-train-redefines-travelling-in-style

Gosh. “Broad Gauge Rolling Stock Plans of the former South Australian Railways”. https://sarplans.steam4me.net  So old these are posted as GIFs lol.