de ▁Engineering ▁has ▁had ▁a ▁mon opol y ▁on ▁Victor ian ▁dies el - elect ric ▁loc os . ▁as ▁the ▁Australian ▁license e ▁of ▁General ▁Mot ors ▁E MD ▁engines ▁and ▁tra ction ▁mot ors , ▁fitting ▁them ▁into ▁locally ▁designed ▁bodies . ▁By ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁the ▁first ▁generation ▁locomot ives ▁were ▁approaching ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁their ▁lives , ▁with ▁the ▁electric ▁locomot ives ▁with dra wn ▁by ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁and ▁the ▁modern ▁N ▁and ▁G ▁classes ▁allowing ▁the ▁withdraw al ▁of ▁lower ▁power ▁T ▁and ▁Y ▁classes . ▁ ▁Today ▁the ▁former ▁Victor ian ▁Rail ways ▁locomot ive ▁fleet ▁has ▁been ▁split ▁into ▁two , ▁with ▁the ▁N , ▁A ▁and ▁P ▁classes ▁util ised ▁by ▁V / Line ▁on ▁passenger ▁services , ▁with ▁the ▁remainder ▁with ▁Pacific ▁National ▁or ▁other ▁private ▁operators ▁in ▁fre ight ▁use . ▁No ▁new ▁passenger ▁locomot ives ▁have ▁been ▁built ▁since ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s , ▁with ▁Dies el ▁Multiple ▁Units ▁being ▁acquired ▁instead . ▁Fre ight ▁operations ▁have ▁seen ▁the ▁re - power ing ▁of ▁the ▁G ▁and ▁X ▁classes , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁rest oration ▁to ▁service ▁of ▁stored ▁locomot ives , ▁now ▁up ▁to ▁ 5 0 ▁years ▁old . ▁ ▁Pass enger ▁ ▁Early ▁passenger ▁services ▁were ▁operated ▁with ▁ 4 ▁and ▁ 6 ▁whe e led ▁" dog box " ▁passenger ▁carriage ▁with ▁small ▁compart ments ▁and ▁no ▁side ▁cor rid ors . ▁Later ▁years ▁saw ▁the