Re: Abt project on track

["canetram59" <canetram59@hotmail.com>]

Hear! Hear! John - well said.
It is a commercial venture but, strangely, funded by the Australian
taxpayer. The $20m was given by the Federal Govt. as part of a deal to get
their GST legislation through.
Regards
DavidM

John Kerley <deaftech@ozemail.com.au> wrote in message
FRO96.202$cF2.6866@ozemail.com.au">news:FRO96.202$cF2.6866@ozemail.com.au...
>
> <s t u a r t d i x @ h o t m a i l . c o m (S t u a r t D i x)> wrote in
> message 3a660d29.468563@newsroom.tas.gov.au">news:3a660d29.468563@newsroom.tas.gov.au...
> > He was most likely referring to the fact that four of the original
> > Rack tanks survive. Two are to be restored initially, and the other
> > two are still privately owned at railway museums in Tasmania and
> > Victoria.
> >
> > Smith has always said he will eventually have all four steam locos
> > back, but has never made mention of the owners feelings on this
> > matter. Over the past few years Smith has made a number of demands
> > (many publicly) to various museums for locos and rolling-stock, but I
> > believe these have often been unrealistic and unreasonable, leading to
> > a refuasal.
> >
> > Stuart Dix
> > TasTrain web-site
> > http://www.tased.edu.au/tasonline/railtas/
>
> Members of the ARHS(Vic Div) and PBPS have recently been advised that the
> Premier of Tasmania has written to their organizations asking that the Abt
> loco and van currently at the Menzies Creek museum be handed over to the
Abt
> Railway in Queenstown.
>
> As a railway preservationist I would love to see both the loco *and*
> carriages returned to Queenstown provided a commercial price was paid for
> them.  I understand that the cost of replacing the four Mt.Lyell carriages
> presently used as dining cars on Puffing Billy, would be around $600,000.
> My definition of a commercial price is therefore $600,000 plus a
> contribution to the ARHS museum at Williamstown.  The reason why the ARHS
> comes into it, is that the loco was officially given to the ARHS but the
VR
> would not allow it to be displayed at Nth Williamstown because it was not
> Victorian.  Hence it found a home at Menzies Creek and has been looked
after
> for the last forty years or so by the museum volunteers at Puffing Billy,
> including having a special display ramp built for it.
>
> I think there are two important points that have to be born in mind when
> discussing the handing over of assets to this project which have
maintained
> by volunteers for the past forty years.
>
> Firstly, this project has received a $20 million handout from Federal
> taxpayers, i.e. you and me, plus I understand, another $5 million from
> Tasmanian taxpayers.  This, of course, in many many times the grants that
> any other railway presevation project in Australia has received.
>
> Secondly this is a commercial profit making venture, and not a volunteer,
> not for profit undertaking that all other preserved railways in Australia
> are.
>
> Hence it is quite reasonable that a commercial price be demanded for the
> return of these assets.  I also understand that the operator was not
> interested in having the original carriages back as it was believed that
> they would be too costly to maintain and hence preferred to have
"replicas"
> built. This also makes me doubt the credibility of this project as a
genuine
> restoration project, but simply another attempted money making tourist
> venture.  This is fair enough, but again don't expect even more handouts
> from the efforts of volunteers.
>
> Thus my view is all or nothing.  Either part with $600,000 out of the $25
> million for the carriages and loco or leave the loco and van in the museum
> where there they complement the carriage on the track.
>
> Cheers,
>
> John Kerley
>
>
>