Cooma Monaro Railway Explained

Cooma Monaro Railway
Linename:Bombala line
Builtby:New South Wales Government Railways
Originalopen:1889
Closed:1989
Stations:3
Length:18km (11miles)
Headquarters:Cooma
Years1:1992
Events1:Founded
Years2:1998
Events2:Services to Snowy Junction commenced
Years3:1999
Events3:Services to Chakola commenced
Website:www.cmrailway.org.au

The Cooma Monaro Railway (CMR) is a heritage railway museum in Cooma, New South Wales, Australia. It is based at Cooma railway station on the Bombala line. It previously operated services on a 18 kilometre section of the line.

History

Regular services on the Bombala line ceased south of Queanbeyan with the withdrawal of the Canberra Monaro Express in September 1988.[1] Following a bridge carrying the line over the Numeralla River at Chakola being declared unsafe, freight services south of Queanbeyan ceased in May 1989.[2] However a steam special did operate through to Cooma a few weeks later, albeit without passengers over the bridge in question.[3]

In 1992, the Cooma Monaro Railway was formed with the aim of establishing a tourist railway. It set about negotiating a lease on the Bombala line from Cooma to Chakola with the State Rail Authority. In 1994, it purchased three CPH railmotors and an accompanying trailer from the Mountain High Railway, Tumut, and restoration at the former locomotive shed at Cooma commenced.[4] After the line and railmotors were refurbished, northbound operations commenced on 5 December 1998 on a three kilometre section between Cooma station and Snowy Junction opposite Cooma Racecourse.[5] [6] In June 1999, the line was opened to Chakola, 18 kilometres from Cooma.[7]

Trains ceased operating in January 2014, with major repairs required to the line.[8] [9] [10]

In December 2022, the museum officially reopened, showcasing a "Travel for Pleasure" exhibit, [11] showcasing the past history of the line. In May 2024, maintenance vehicles resumed operating to Snowy Junction as a precursor to passenger operations resuming.[12]

Rolling Stock

Current

Former

Notes and References

  1. Cooma Railway Digest February 1989 page 55
  2. Last Cooma Freight Railway Digest July 1989 page 237
  3. High Drama or Farce and Tragedy Railway Digest August 1989 page 261
  4. Still standing… Track & Signal issue 17/1 February 2013 page 85
  5. https://web.archive.org/web/20130122061338/http://www.cmrailway.org.au/history.htm History
  6. Rail Returns to Snowy Mountains Railway Digest January 1999 page 42
  7. Cooma News Railway Digest July 1999 page 44
  8. https://web.archive.org/web/20160408110752/http://blogs.abc.net.au/nsw/2014/02/cooma-monaro-railway-closed-and-in-need-of-community-mussle.html Cooma Monaro Railway closed and in need of community muscle
  9. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304030355/http://www.coomaexpress.com.au/story/2084231/railway-stopped/ Railway stopped
  10. https://web.archive.org/web/20160424100857/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/canberra-life/efforts-to-get-the-cooma-railway-back-on-track-20141219-12aq5z.html Efforts to get the Cooma Railway back on track
  11. https://web.archive.org/web/20231207232638/https://cmrailway.org.au/2022/12/11/and-just-like-that-were-open/ And just like that....We're open!
  12. https://web.archive.org/web/20240528202937/https://www.cmrailway.org.au/2024/05/25/rail-operations-commence-2/ Rail Operations Commence
  13. https://cmrailway.org.au/2023/04/19/steam-locomotive-3203-coming-to-cooma/ Steam locomotive 3203 coming to Cooma
  14. https://web.archive.org/web/20231017125525/https://www.cmrailway.org.au/2023/09/25/paybus-fp11-roars-back-to-life/ Rolling Stock
  15. https://cmrailway.org.au/2022/03/05/new-arrivals-%f0%9f%9a%83-s-trucks-%f0%9f%9a%83/ S-Trucks
  16. https://web.archive.org/web/20231207225329/https://cmrailway.org.au/2022/08/21/new-arrivals-mbc-refrigeration-van-l-truck/ New Arrivals - MBC Refrigeration Van & L-Truck
  17. https://web.archive.org/web/20231017130622/https://cmrailway.org.au/2023/04/05/new-rolling-stock-restoration-projects/ New Rolling Stock Restoration Projects
  18. https://web.archive.org/web/20231017131601/https://cmrailway.org.au/2022/07/23/new-arrivals-mb-timber-box-van/ New Arrivals MB Timber Box Van
  19. https://web.archive.org/web/20230513112601/https://www.cmrailway.org.au/projects/ Projects
  20. https://web.archive.org/web/20231021001204/https://cmrailway.org.au/2022/01/03/new-arrivals/ New Arrivals

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