A number of special commemorative runs of the Spirit of Progress have operated since the end of the regular train service.

To mark the 50th anniversary of the first train, a commemorative train organised by the Australian Railway Historical Society ran on 14 November 1987.
With the original 1937 S type carriages still in regular service with V/Line (and painted in V/Line's tangerine livery) the 50th anniversary train instead consisted of the last remaining set of air-conditioned blue and gold E type carriages then operated by V/Line, hauled by R707, with Parlor Car Norman the only vehicle in the train from the original Spirit of Progress consist.

For the 60th anniversary, on 22 November 1997 a commemorative service ran, running in a mix of liveries with nine S type carriages from West Coast Railway and V/Line, and two S class diesels hauling the train.

For the 70th anniversary VicTrack, the Department of Infrastructure, and the Victorian Government funded the restoration of the remaining carriages for use on a special train.
Eight original carriages were assembled; and Parlor Car, Dining Car, brake van 1 CS, and diesel locomotives B74 and S303 were repainted into VR livery.
The Seymour Railway Heritage Centre operated train ran from Melbourne to Albury on 25 November 2007.

For the first time in 33 years, the Spirit of Progress will travel from Melbourne to Sydney departing on 31 March 2020.
The train arrives into Sydney station on the evening of 1 April 2020.
This run is being organised by Cruise Express.
A number of special commemorative runs of the Spirit of Progress have operated since the end of the regular train service.
To mark the 50th anniversary of the first train, a commemorative train organised by the Australian Railway Historical Society ran on 14 November 1987. With the original 1937 S type carriages still in regular service with V/Line (and painted in V/Line's tangerine livery) the 50th anniversary train instead consisted of the last remaining set of air-conditioned blue and gold E type carriages then operated by V/Line, hauled by R707, with Parlor Car Norman the only vehicle in the train from the original Spirit of Progress consist.
For the 60th anniversary, on 22 November 1997 a commemorative service ran, running in a mix of liveries with nine S type carriages from West Coast Railway and V/Line, and two S class diesels hauling the train.
For the 70th anniversary VicTrack, the Department of Infrastructure, and the Victorian Government funded the restoration of the remaining carriages for use on a special train. Eight original carriages were assembled; and Parlor Car, Dining Car, brake van 1 CS, and diesel locomotives B74 and S303 were repainted into VR livery. The Seymour Railway Heritage Centre operated train ran from Melbourne to Albury on 25 November 2007.
For the first time in 33 years, the Spirit of Progress will travel from Melbourne to Sydney departing on 31 March 2020. The train arrives into Sydney station on the evening of 1 April 2020. This run is being organised by Cruise Express.
Spirit of Progress