Or… So much for Promising Signs!
On Friday 26 March, the second Kuranda Tourist Train of the day rounded a sharp curve on the range, just before No 1 tunnel, and found the tracks obstructed by a recent landslide. With very little time to react, let alone stop, the lead locomotive struck the spill and derailed. The train was propelled back down the range by the second loco to Redlynch, where light engines were attached to the rear and brought back to Cairns. There were a couple of minor injuries and five passengers were transferred to hospital during the recovery phase – they were release by later that evening.
While this was happening, the boys were fighting their way out of the Delaney Gorge on our beloved Savannahander – there will be a separate post about this soon. So while the Savannahlander is remote from its servicing depot, it is on the other side of the landslide and able to do the run from Kuranda. So while we are waiting for the line to reopen, we will arrange for bus transfers to and from Cairns at each end of the trip. Continue reading “Another Landslide – Another Challenge”
Tags: Kuranda Range, Landslide, Savannahlander
The Savannahlander in Forsayth
It looks like our finger crossing worked and the lucky travellers on the Savannahlander will get to have a Guinness or two in Chillagoe for St Patrick’s day. What that really means is this week (trip departing 17th of March) the Savannahlander will travel all the way to Forsayth.
Tags: Forsayth, Savannahlander, Track
You too will be able to take photos at this location real soon now
Word from the Infrastructure people is that kind weather, and less than expected damage means that the Savannahlander should get right through to Forsayth next week (Trip Departing 17 March). Fingers crossed than any rain that comes through from now on, is only moderate, and only enough to keep the country green and the rivers flowing.
Tags: Forsayth, Savannahlander, Track
As mentioned in the previous post, we only had track as far as Almaden this week, and Mike and Matt crewed the first train for the truncated journey. The trip was shortened to a two day journey, with an overnight stop at Almaden for the train, and Chillagoe for the crew. The first part of the trip was purely a staff run, where our ‘occasional’ drivers came along to re-familiarise themselves with operations and procedures. At Mareeba, we got rid of the surplus staff, and picked up our first passengers for the year, a local couple taking advantage of the short trip for a quick overnighter to Almaden. There was also a group of senior citizens out for a day excursion and luncheon at Almaden. For this, they took advantage of our DDA Facilities in car 2053. Matt was interviewed by a local reporter, as this was being done as a low cost community service for the old people. We’ve not seen the article yet, but it must have been published, because we received a query from an Atherton based aged care centre for a similar trip for their residents, on the morning of publication.
Continue reading “2010 First Trip – We’re Back Early!”
Tags: Almaden, chillagoe, Lappa, Savannahlander
On Friday 26 March, the second Kuranda Tourist Train of the day rounded a sharp curve on the range, just before No 1 tunnel, and found the tracks obstructed by a recent landslide. With very little time to react, let alone stop, the lead locomotive struck the spill and derailed. The train was propelled back down the range by the second loco to Redlynch, where light engines were attached to the rear and brought back to Cairns. There were a couple of minor injuries and five passengers were transferred to hospital during the recovery phase – they were release by later that evening.
