Abt full steam ahead

["Bill McNiven" <wmcniven@gunzel.ozemail.com.au>]

Is this the most expensive government-funded tourist railway in Australia?

>From http://www.news.com.au today ...

Abt full steam ahead
By SUE BAILEY
26oct99
A 24-YEAR dream to restore Tasmania's historic Abt Railway was realised
yesterday when tourism entrepreneur Roger Smith was named the operator for
the $25 million world-class tourism project.
A relieved Mr Smith promised to have part of the 35km railway between
Queenstown and Strahan open on June 15 next year in time for the Olympic
Games.
"After nearly 25 years of bitter disappointments and setbacks, at long last
victory," Mr Smith said.
About 100 people will be employed in constructing the railway and 48
permanent and part-time staff will be employed when it is up and running.
Work will start on the construction in early December and the entire project
will take 92 weeks to finish.
As well as providing a huge boost to economically depressed Queenstown, the
project will have tourism spin-offs for the rest of Tasmania.
Mr Smith said: "We will have a powerful marketing campaign, using the
Internet, to sell this project across the world and our ticket prices will
be very, very inexpensive and lower than other parts of the world.
"I have travelled on many historic tourist railways throughout the world and
know that the Abt railway will achieve the standard of a world-class tourist
attraction."
Premier Jim Bacon and Tasmanian Liberal senator Eric Abetz, representing
Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson, announced that Mr Smith's Abt
Wilderness Railway Pty Ltd and Hazell Brothers were the preferred operator
and builder for the Centenary of Federation Fund project.
Mr Smith, who was recovering from a serious bout of food poisoning, was
optimistic that in the peak summer tourist season 1500 people would travel
the railway every day.
He has spent 35 years in Tasmania developing tourist operations including
the Penny Royal World complex and the Aquarius Roman Baths in Launceston.
<big snip>
Mr Smith hopes to have the first trains operating between Queenstown and
Rinadeena by June 15.
The Abt Railway will have two separate train systems with one operating from
Queenstown and the other from Regatta Point. They will combine near the
half-way point in the wilderness area at Dubbil Barril on the King River.
There will be five stations, including one at Queenstown.
Mr Smith has already decided ticket prices, including the GST, will be about
$39 return for second class and up to $60 for first class. Children and
senior citizens will attract discounts.
There will be an up-market Pullman class.