We’re excited to be looking ahead to phase three of the line reopening on 24 September 2024 with Rinadeena, Rack and Rainforest journeys. This marks more than 50% of the line reopened and delivers a 3km section of the Abt rack and pinion section of the line for passengers to experience this coming visitor season.
Whilst all of our teams have contributed to this exciting step, our infrastructure team have really shone, delivering some outstanding work which has enabled us to deliver this next phase in our upgrades.
Led by our Infrastructure Manager, Dave Tonash, the team have replaced bridge transoms on one of the bridges between Lynchford and Rinadeena, as well as replacing bridge fastenings.
They have cleared a huge number of culverts, ensuring water and rainforest debris can be cleared out of the rail corridor following rain. This helps to protect the railway from wash outs and water damage, especially during periods of high rainfall or flash flooding.
The team have also installed survey monitoring technology at two high risk geological sites along the six kilometre stretch. This equipment is used to report ground movement in real time and allows us to monitor normal earth movement. It is an early warning system in case of any major earth movement, such as movement that occurs after a major weather event.
Qualified arborists inspected the rail corridor, and our team consequently remedied forty-four (44) tree sites. This required the removal of dead or dying trees that may have damaged the rail corridor if they fell in their own time. Once cleared, the wood is removed for drying and will be used to fuel our wood fires at Tracks Café in Queenstown and at Rinadeena Station.
The rack railway entry was fully replaced at Hall’s Creek, and turnout assemblies (points) at Rinadeena Station serviced. A set of refurbished points was also installed at one end of Rinadeena Station.
Last, but definitely not least, almost 100 tons of ballast was delivered along the corridor in one ton bags and tamped by the infrastructure team.
Meanwhile, our management team have procured and tested the technology required for the geological risk sites, working with an external provider to design the testing and reporting documentation and delivering training internally. Our workshop team have converted our Abt locomotives back to oil-fuelled, which recycles automotive oil, waste transformer oil and TasRail engine oil to power our steam engines. In addition, we are training the next generation of Abt steam drivers, developing new and improved interpretation at Rinadeena Station, researching and writing up new stories to share with passengers onboard, coming up with new menus for the wilderness carriage and our maintenance team are undertaking improvements at Rinadeena Station.
We’re so excited to share this new experience with passengers in Summer… We hope you’ll join us onboard the Rinadeena, Rack and Rainforest experience!
