Victorian Coalition unveils $178m plan to increase regional rail services

The Victorian government has committed almost $180 million to introduce extra V/Line services on most regional lines from 2016.

The project includes plans to duplicate the Gippsland line between Bunyip and Longwarry.

"This will include 79 additional weekly long distance passenger services," Premier Denis Napthine said.

Buried in today's announcement was a pledge to bring a 77-year-old train out of retirement and return it to V/Line's long-distance fleet.

News of the refurbishment was a surprise to Dr Napthine, who said "I'm not aware of that".

Mothballed in 2006, the five S-Class carriages first took to Victorian tracks in 1937.

The Public Transport Users Association said it was a reasonable stop-gap measure "as long as the train is in working order".