Yass railway

Somebody in the WWW · Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2008 12:34 pm

5814 · Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2008 1:22 pm

Can someone in the know tell us, is there a current or likely proposal to reinstitute the Yass Tram as a tourist railway?

Nice if that's the case and it might well serve as an attraction for the town.

But otherwise I have to agree with the last post that it is very very hard to see how much use the continued existence of the line would be - even if it were somehow decreed that taxpayers' money should be spent on reopening a line that couldn't survive when there were far fewer cars and trucks to compete with it. If the line continued on to Canerra that might be different, but are VFTs really likely to run down the main street anyway?

Maybe I'm missing something as a city dweller, but let's dwell for a moment on the facts that Whitton (having lost the argument about the main south railway being forced to take an inferior route, to service Picton, that we are all still paying for) was not prepared to lose the argument this time and accept the railway being forced to go through Yass Town; and it was politicians in Sydney who decided to give Yass Town a branchline anyway? If Yass Council wants to give it back I think it's just possible they know what they are talking about.

8041 · Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2008 6:49 pm

fjdave · Beginner Joined: Oct 14, 2008 Last Visited: Oct 26, 2008

Hi
I stumbled across this site on the internet.
I read with interest the discussions you guys are having regarding our little tramway.
I am a resident of Yass, and even live along the now disused tracks. I, and just about every other local I have talked to are totally against this proposal. All jokes aside this has been brought upon when the local catholic school recieved its new principal last year. He is the biggest opponent of the tramline, as the school which also shares the street, has a chronic lack of parking. All the rubbish about safety has come up in the last few months, as locals started to get a bit cheesed at his idea of ripping up the line to simply create additional parking spaces for the school.
in the 25 years I have lived here, I have seen the line go from operational, to its current neglected state. The school and the line, used to work hand in hand, with trains operating down the street, and the usual amount of school traffic. No accidents happened with moving trains, so how can it be so dangerous now its unoperational? In anycase, dutton street is on the eastern side of the track, with a lane for residents only on the western side, begging the question as to why children need to cross the track in this area.
Most residents of the town are very very keen to see the line reopen as a tourist line, however severe lack of funds hamper this. (the major problem being the river bridge, that would cost unknown amounts to fix) It is certainly something the town is eventaully looking forward too. The tracks were actaully left under the surface of the hume highway on the north side of town for this purpose. Living along the tracks actually creates a special touch to our homes, adding to the feeling of living with the past, rather then it being a hinderence for residents, even though it is riddled with termites.
Several years ago, council came up with the grand plan to force all the biuldings in the street to pull down all their verandahs, to avoid any legal action cuased by injury. Council and shopkeepers have recently spent thousands to reverse this stupid decision and try rebuild what was sadly lost. The grand lattice verandahs on the two corner pubs are unfortunealty lost for good. It would be extremely unfortuneate for the fate of the tramline to be another example of a poor council decision.
I urge all you train buffs to get behind this. A petition has been signed by a couple of thousand residents objecting it, I would hope some of you guys can sign it too, and eventually see steam travel bought back to Yass
Thanks
Dave

5814 · Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2008 10:47 pm

there's nothing like some local knowledge, thank for that information fjdave

8041 · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 1:17 am

Those damn micks. Very Happy

Looks like the council report is one big snow job driven by a powerful vested interest. I shoulda known Embarassed

I hope Yass can get its heritage railway up and running one day and maybe you can get all the locals to add to their signature on the petition a note that they will be remembering the councillers who support this and not supporting them at the next election.
Good luck against the school youll need it.

drwaddles · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 7:44 am

Thanks for the support dave!.

Do you know where the petition is available for signing in Yass? I should be down there again within a month and will gladly sign it.

People who talk out their asre usually have bad breath.

neety · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 8:12 am

wurx · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 9:46 am

wurx · Wycheproof, August 1, 2004

Warks · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 2:35 pm

Rockhampton also has regular trains down the streets. Can be quite unnerving to see a 50 000 tonne 'tram' coming at you!

Nice little museum at Yass. Model layout inside as well.

Am glad to see locals still support the tracks. I think they realise once they're gone there's no chance of return. Not there's much of a chance now.

... and loving it!

4426_No_2_end · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 5:33 pm

Thanks for the lovely photo Neety Smile

I now feel bad for forgetting Denison St in Rockhampton with the Mainline down the street Confused

2008 BOGIE AWARD WINNER - BEST CONTRIBUTION TO PRESERVATION

SUPPORT YOUR RAIL PRESERVATION VOLUNTEERS!

Donations of Alcohol and Labour Willing Accepted at Any Rail Preservation Group.

oldrailfan · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 6:03 pm

Here is a VERY simple solution, have everyone go to Yass council webpage and click their email link and send a submsission to them to save the rail line in town ...

I spent 5mins and wrote a clear and tourist view as to why they shouldnt remove it.

Cant be that hard.. have say 100 railfans do this and they may have to seriously rethink removing the line.

Here is their email..for those less eager.

Council@yass.nsw.gov.au

Get to work and help save Yass's railway!!!

fjdave · Beginner Joined: Oct 14, 2008 Last Visited: Oct 26, 2008

Thanks for getting behind us on this.
Thanks to oldrailfan for showing some initiative and emailing the council.
So many people have signed the petition now, I would find it hard to believe council would set about ripping it up. But then again councils are councils, and are prone to do crazy things!

To all those interested, the petition can be signed at

Yass Station museum
Yass Newsagency
Martins General Store
Kelly and Co Rural

Im sure its at more places, but these are the only ones ive been to lately.
Better yet email the council or the local newspaper the Yass Tribune.

Does anyone on this site have any photos of the line in action? Its so hard to find any great info about it on the net.

Thanks
Dave

a6et · Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2008 9:27 pm

I too will send an email to the council.

I was interested in your post about the lattice work on hotels, & the demand to remove verandahs along the streets. Some years back, this became a law brought into operation by insistence of the then Department of Main Roads.

The law was enacted upon across the state, that reequired the removal of posts from the footpaths of all buildings fronting main roads. This included, posts that supported hotel verandahs, & shop awnings, a reason that you could drive through towns, & see a corner hotel with no verandah fronting the main street, but still having one on the side street.

The reason was that several fatal accidents were attributed to cars hitting the posts, causing awnings & in a couple of cases, the hotel verandah coming down on the car. The facts were that in one case the driver was drunk, & had just left the hotel he had been drinking in, & instead of reversing out of the angle parking, he was in first gear, & put his foot down on the accelerator & drove the car into the post.

Idiots cause all types of problem actions that have adverse affects in so many areas.