Re: Portland (Vic) Cable Tram

["Bob Merchant" <bob.merchant@bigpond.com>]

Chris Brownbill <cbrnbill@enternet.com.au> wrote in message
37A3F3E2.44FEF3BC@enternet.com.au">news:37A3F3E2.44FEF3BC@enternet.com.au...
Does anyone have some information on this tourist tram project?

Bob Merchant <bob.merchant@bigpond.com> responded in message
news:_Gop3.17704$yD2.38590@newsfeeds.bigpond.com...
| The cable trams will be operated by diesel power, not electricity or
| underground cables.
|
| Rolling stock in 1996 consisted of a replica Melbourne cable grip car 495
| fitted with a diesel engine and mechanical drive, Melbourne cable trailer
| 594 and the saloon from Adelaide C type electric car 179 to be
reconstructed
| to resemble a cable trailer.  A second replica grip car to be fitted with
| hydraulic drive was under construction in 1996.
|
| Regards,
| Bob Merchant

I left out some vital information!

The proposal initiated by the group is a tram route of 4.5 km which passes
through or by specific tourist destinations within the town.  The proposed
tram route will operate from the Power House museum, along the Portland
canal, through the Botanical Gardens, along the Portland foreshore, past the
proposed maritime Heritage Centre, to finally reach its destination at the
Australia Remembers water tower lookout.  The route links existing tourist
attraction in the town.  The single track line will have two sidings (their
term), actually loops, over one it is proposed to build a storage shed.  A
map courtesy of the Glenelg (Victoria, not South Aust) Shire Council showing
the route appeared in the November 1996 issue of Trolley Wire.

I don't know about a six-figure grant, but Portland Cable Trams Inc.
received a $21,043 Centenary of Federation grant towards the project.

Regards,
Bob Merchant