Branch Line unclosings (cf re-openings)

["David & Jan Winter" <winterd@icenet.com.au>]

Seeing as "NSW Branch line reopenings" attract so much interaction,
hopefully WA's might too. At least, there's one that hasn't closed yet, and
if some energy was applied MIGHT NOT close.

Was at a meeting recently with relevant senior personnel.

Jarrahdale branch, which has NO traffic, will not be closed pre-emptively.
Westrail have undertaken to give min 3 months warning to local authority.
Local shire very active in seeking to keep railway. I'm working with them on
it. Westrail say there's 60kg rail in them thar hills which they would like
to redeploy (as well as 50kg in the less stressed sections). Is this the
heaviest 3'6" track in Oz?

I'd like to have a few more solid rail enthusiasts with practical experience
to support this work. The challange is there. The main task is to devise a
practical plan to develop a Heritage tourism/recreational based business in
conjunction with the Jarrahdale Heritage Society, local Tourist Bureau,
Shire, inbound tour ops, heritage/tour rail ops, etc. Also to somehow work
towards it being part of the WA Rail Heritage Centre and most certainly NOT
competing with it.

Another angle, which I'm carrying mainly, is to see how the line might be
used for a federal funded research trial. R U willing to help?

DW  (08) 9497 2884  winterd(@)icenet(.)com(.)au