Re: Abt full steam ahead

["Jim Leppitt" <leppijlk@virtual.net.au>]

Track laying as a demonstration sport at the Olympics?

Jim

Bill McNiven wrote in message ...
>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.
>
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