- Beechworth Tourist Railway - 05/08/00
- A rail trail has been built by the local municipal council on the crown of the right of way back towards Everton. The railway has been told that
if the Tourist Railway project proceeds, the railway will have to bear the cost of relocating the rail trail.
- Bellarine Peninsula Railway - 05/08/00
- The locomotive,"Klondike," has gone under hire to Tasmania to the Abt Wilderness Railway The engine is on hire for 7 months and has gone
there together with a driver.
The railway appeared on the TV show "Postcard" and this has brought an increase in business. The rail trail is working well and horses are not
allowed on the section of the railway reserve where trains operate. The council is fully responsible for the rail trail.
At Easter, all trains were full and five steam engines were in service. It was the best Easter ever. It showed that additional carriages are needed to
deal with peak times. On Good Friday, 8 trips were run to raise money for the Children's Hospital and were most successful.
- Puffing Billy - Emerald Tourist Railway Board - 05/08/00
- A grant has been received to allow the completion of 6A and work has restarted. Thomas days have been good. Work is continuing to install
level crossing warning signals at Menzies Creek and Belgrave. The Puffing Billy Olde Time Festival is being organised for Sunday 3 December
2000 as part of the Puffing Billy Centenary celebrations.
- Mornington Railway Preservation Society - 05/08/00
- The railway had a good Easter and Queens Birthday with many passengers travelling on the Monday of the holiday. Locomotive No T411
has been painted in blue and gold. Steam locomotive K163 has had some super heater element problems. The free bus that meets all trains at
Mornington station to take people into the heart of Mornington, is proving most successful. An advisory board from various bodies and municipal
councils has been set up to assist in future developments.
- South Gippsland Tourist Railway - 05/08/00
- Charter trips are still proving to be most popular but Sunday numbers are not as good as the weekday charters. A new roof has been put on
Nyora Station and work is starting on reconditioning the track to the east of Nyora. There is a shortage of rolling stock to carry all the passengers
offering.
- The Central Highlands Tourist Railway - 05/08/00
- For the first time the railway has had to suspend operations owing to the weather. On Sunday 28 May there was 2½" of snow at Daylesford
and 4" at Bullarto. The DRC has been restored to silver and the ZL van is being restored to that of a typical Z van.
The Champagne train is receiving good patronage and a grant has been received for the restoration of Daylesford Station building to that of the
mid 1950's condition. The roof will be re-slated.
- Victorian Goldfields Railway - 05/08/00
- The first carriage to be professionally painted has been completed by the Bendigo Training Trust A second carriage is now being repainted.
A meeting has been held with local municipal councillors to explain the benefits to the district of the railway restoring its track back to Castlemaine.
The railway has been recently used for the filming of a movie. Patronage on Sundays and Wednesdays and charters has been very good.
- Walhalla Goldfields Railway - 05/08/00
- April 2000 saw the highest number of passengers ever carried during an April. It was also the second highest number of passengers ever
carried on the railway.
Work is steadily going ahead on the construction of the bridges needed to get back into Walhalla. Bridge 5 will be finished next week. The railway
is seeking a grant to reconstruct Walhalla station. A 0-6-0 steam engine has been found and should be ready for service by the end of the year. A
rail trail is being established back to Platina. Negotiations are going ahead with the Council and DNRE regarding the use of the former State Mill at
Erica for use as a workshop and sheds.
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