West Coast Wilderness Railway

7467 Queenstown, Australia (Tasmania)

Museum

Experience firsthand what it was like to live and work along the line on a visit to the Abt Railway Museum. Listen to the stories of yesterday and discover the history and feats of our forebears.
 

The Journey

Enjoy a half-day return trip from Queenstown to Dubbil Barril, stopping at the outlying stations of Lynchford and Rinadeena.
 

Trains

Listen to the hissing of steam and the shrill of the whistle of the original ABT Locomotives. Authentically restored in the Queenstown Workshops, Abt 1 dates back to 1896, Abt 3 1898 and Abt 5 1938. Pose with a Driver and explore the cab, as the magnificent steamer hauls you along the track.
 

Track

Travel from the heart of Queenstown deep into the West Coast mountains to the beginning of the iconic ABT Rack and Pinion section of track. The first of its kind in Australia, the system enables the locomotive to traverse the steep slopes. The Rack and Pinion is a must see for all who travel to Queenstown.
 

Stations

Lynchford – Step back in time as you immerse yourself in the rich history.

Rinadeena - Feeling peckish? Refuel yourself with a Tasmanian treat from the Rinadeena Café.

Dubbil Barril - All the action happens at Dubbil Barril Station.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
The West Coast Wilderness Railway, Tasmania is a reconstruction of the Mount Lyell Mining and Railway Company railway between Queenstown and Regatta Point, Strahan. The railway is significant because of its Abt system to conquer the mountainous terrain through rainforest, with original locomotives still operating on the railway today. Now operating as a tourist experience with a focus on sharing the history of the Tasmania's West Coast, the original railway began operations in 1897 as the only link between Queenstown and the port of Strahan.
 

New railway

The restored railway commenced operations on 27 December 2002 as the Abt Wilderness Railway, and was officially re-opened by the Prime Minister of Australia John Howard and the Premier of Tasmania Jim Bacon in 2003.

The new terminus in Queenstown is on the site of the original station yard. The station at Regatta Point terminus has been renovated.

The railway follows its original alignment except for the 'Quarter Mile Bridge' near Teepookana. The old bridge was washed away in the floods of 1974, and the new bridge is just south of the original.

Of the five original steam locomotives, ABT 1 and ABT 3 were restored in 2001 and ABT 5 in 2005; ABT 2 is on display at the Tasmanian Transport Museum, Glenorchy, Hobart; and ABT 4 was scrapped to provide parts for the other locomotives. The passenger carriages are new, providing passenger comfort for year-round operation.
 

• Imprint
• Privacy
• Terms of Use
• Copyright
• FAQ

• About Radiomuseum.org
• Contact
• Press
• Logos
• send2friend