Re: [NSW] Dorrigo (was: 6042 in south australia?)

["Trevor Edmonds" <tedmonds@tmx.com.au>]

chris@enet21.com.au wrote...

>Has Dorrigo ever considered runing main line steam trains from Sydney as a
"off
>shoot" operation. Say with a 59 class or 50 - a 3801 Ltd type operation. I
would
>have though it would have been rather lucrative. (especialy this year) It
>certainly would quiten a lot of citics.
>Or do finances prevent this.?


When DSRM first formed (and based in the Hunter Valley), there was the
intention to run some main line tours, and some of the rolling stock we have
was purchased with that in mind. Since the dispute over control of the
Dorrigo branch with the SRA started in 1988 (recently resolved in our
favour), no work has been possible on the line, and it has deteriorated to
the point that another huge effort will be required to reopen it. This
effectively means we are isolated form the main line, and all locomotives
and rolling stock being moved to Dorrigo have to be moved by road.

A second issue is one of priorities. We plan to open a sizeable static
display before starting work on the line. Before we moved to Dorrigo, a
detail study of the viability of the plan was carried out by the University
of New England. It showed that running trains on the Dorrigo Branch would
run at a loss, but the static display would be sufficiently profitable to
support the whole project. Running trains would draw all our resources,
without creating the income stream needed to keep developing.

Trevor