▁goods ▁and ▁country ▁rail mot or ▁services ▁had ▁been ▁replaced ▁by ▁road ▁transport , ▁and ▁branch ▁lines ▁outside ▁the ▁gra in ▁producing ▁areas ▁were ▁now ▁virt ually ▁non - ex istent . ▁The ▁L onie ▁Report ▁delivered ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁recommended ▁the ▁closure ▁of ▁all ▁country ▁passenger ▁service ▁except ▁that ▁to ▁Ge el ong , ▁elim ination ▁of ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁sub urban ▁rail ways , ▁and ▁moving ▁small - volume ▁fre ight ▁from ▁rail ▁to ▁road . ▁ ▁New ▁deal ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁saw ▁corpor at isation ▁of ▁the ▁Victor ian ▁Rail ways ▁carried ▁out , ▁with ▁the ▁railway ▁commission ers ▁replaced ▁by ▁Vic R ail ▁and ▁later ▁government ▁authorities . ▁New ▁li ver ies ▁on ▁trains ▁were ▁un ve iled , ▁as ▁elder ly ▁" red ▁r att lers " ▁were ▁replaced ▁by ▁new ▁trains . ▁▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁saw ▁the ▁Melbourne ▁under ground ▁loop ▁open ▁in ▁January , ▁followed ▁by ▁the ▁new ▁air ▁condition ed ▁Com eng ▁sub urban ▁trains ▁and ▁" N " ▁type ▁country ▁passenger ▁carri ages ▁in ▁September ▁the ▁same ▁year . ▁Country ▁services ▁were ▁also ▁sp ed ▁up ▁under ▁the ▁New ▁De al ▁by ▁the ▁closure ▁of ▁ 3 5 ▁of ▁small ▁way side ▁stations . ▁Country ▁passenger ▁services ▁saw ▁the ▁last ▁of ▁the ▁non - air - condition ed ▁wooden ▁bod ied ▁passenger ▁cars ▁with dra wn ▁from ▁service ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁replaced ▁by ▁new ▁" H " ▁set ▁carri ages