Tram for Nambour project

[ozbob]

From the Sunshine Coast Daily click here!

Push to get Nambour tram on track

Push to get Nambour tram on track
Lauren Grounsell
27th Feb 2013 6:00 AM

A DEDICATED committee of business owners and Nambour residents has formed to push forward the Tram for Nambour project.

The project was part of the original Nambour Structure Plan but the idea lost traction.

Division 10 councillor Greg Rogerson said a community based committee would have a better chance of getting financial support to fund the project.

"The council has a responsibility because the railway line is situated in our road reserve," he said.

"If council was to take this responsibility totally, we would be hard pressed to gain financial grants from State and Federal governments.

The tram would run every 15 minutes and one option is for it to run on solar power.

"There will be various options in light of our clean, green, environmentally friendly and sustainable image we are putting on our region and we have looked at solar power," Cr Rogerson said.

"It's impractical to run steam and diesel. The alternative would be electric and if we can go solar then that would be great."

Nambour resident and committee chairman Paul Moriarty said the tram would revitalise Nambour.

"It will put colour and movement into the heart of the town, utilising existing heritage listed infrastructure," Mr Moriarty said.

"It achieves what most business communities are trying to achieve, that is reactivate the centre of town and reactivate the Main St.

"It also addresses the issue of parking that exists in Nambour, you could park at one end and ride to the other."

[Gazza]

LOL 

[somebody]

 

[Gazza]

Maroon Glider: Nambour Edition.

[Arnz]

The 639 (the local town service) carries air more often than not. 

A tram every 15 mins replacing the 639, this surely has to be a April Fools joke? 

[SurfRail]

It will put colour and movement into the heart of the town, utilising existing heritage listed infrastructure.

It'll put them on the map!

[Gazza]

^ Just like the Springfield monorail it will be solar powered.

[BrizCommuter]

Is it a Maglev tram?

[Stillwater]

Only hopes are elevated.

[Fares_Fair]

Only hopes are elevated.

[Fares_Fair]

Personally I'd love to see it, and I miss the old cane train locos through the center of Nambour.
It isn't foam and worth a try I reckon.

It'd be better than a bus (open air feel) and unique to the region.
No foam here.

I hope they get to trial it, especially once the Mill Street Redevelopment comes on line. 

[Gazza]

^Fine, so long as its a privately funded tourist enterprise like the puffing billy.

But if is being pushed as a pubic transport service you would have your other SC residents to answer to as to why the money is not being spent on more frequent buses, getting the nambour station DDA upgrade happening etc etc

[SurfRail]

I certainly wouldn't mind seeing it happen, but given it won't be heading near major attractors like the TAFE or the hospitals up the hill, it's going to have a limited function outside the tourist market.

[Stillwater]

I think that is why the council doesn't want to touch it, or spend its transport levy money on it.  Tram buffs probably would operate, for the tourists.

[Arnz]

I'd have to agree with the others, provided the tram is being pushed as a 'Tourist service' like the Valley Rattler, then I'd wouldn't mind.

If it's being pushed as a replacement for the bus services, then I'd definitely dismiss it as  .  If they were pushing for better local PT options in Nambour, I'd would suggest lobbying for either 639 improvements in a attempt to attract patronage to the current air parcels (or failing that) a 'FlexiLink' service to areas where the line-haul routes (602, 610) doesn't go.

[Gazza]

^It's such an Australian thing to consider a tram a tourist attraction though. Why?

It's like, you can propose the crappiest tram around, and ignore the needs of daily travelers, but so long as it appeals to tourists then apparently its all ok 

[Arnz]

^It's such an Australian thing to consider a tram a tourist attraction though. Why?

It's like, you can propose the crappiest tram around, and ignore the needs of daily travelers, but so long as it appeals to tourists then apparently its all ok 

Only if it's funded through private enterprise .   I certainly wouldn't want to pay for it through taxpayer dollars however. 

[ozbob]

I think they want to use the line in Howard St ....  not much else left ....  is an appealing notion, but that's all it is realistically ..

Lunch at the Royal George watching the cane trains, and the odd occassion when the ANGRMS Bundy was out and about, were great times, despite the toilet problems heading back to Brisbane .. lol

[HappyTrainGuy]

^It's such an Australian thing to consider a tram a tourist attraction though. Why?

It's like, you can propose the crappiest tram around, and ignore the needs of daily travelers, but so long as it appeals to tourists then apparently its all ok 

Only if it's funded through private enterprise .   I certainly wouldn't want to pay for it through taxpayer dollars however. 

This is Queensland. SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!

[Gazza]

So just looked, but isn't the on street segment only 800m long or so?
Even as a tourist attraction, that would be a pretty short ride?

[ozbob]

As much as I like the group photograph in the lead article, sad to say a short section of 2' gauge tramway in Howard St is not the basis of a tram system in Nambour Gazza indeed...  2' gauge electric trams are rarer than 15 minutes off peak west of Darra ...

Here is a nice tram picture, Belgium coastal tram ..

[SurfRail]

^ I've been thinking about how you could get light rail into Coolangatta, and I have concluded that it's probably easiest to do just that - use the old rail cutting to get in via the back way, then right along the foreshore to Twin Towns.  (Obviously won't be quite as long as those coastal routes though...)

[Stillwater]

Apparently the track has to remain in the road, as it (the track) is heritage listed.

[ozbob]

Twitter

Jeff Addison ‏@Jeffrey_Addison

Trams will make Nambour special. #Nambour Weekly, p5. http://t.co/evCAVyMtNz

[ozbob]

From the Sunshine Coast Daily 28th February 2014 page 7

Nambour tram part of a bigger tourism picture

[Stillwater]

The council is to undertake a feasibility study, which is appropriate.  It will test the theory.

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> Crunch time for Nambour tram plan


FUTURE VISION: What the Nambour Heritage Tram could look like. Contributed
NAMBOUR'S heritage-listed cane train tracks could be in use once again if the town's tram proposal gets the nod at a council meeting next week.

Nambour Retailers Group chairwoman Rhonda Billett-Haire said April 23 was "D-Day" for the Nambour Heritage Tram.

If the tram project is approved, Nambour will be the only place in the world where a two-foot (600mm) gauge, battery-packed, solar-replenished tram will operate.

Division 10 councillor Greg Rogerson has been an avid supporter of the project.

"This is probably the biggest project I have been involved in for my community, not in monetary terms but in importance," he said.

"The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

"The tram is the point of difference Nambour has been seeking since the closure of the Moreton Sugar Mill."

Councillors unanimously agreed in March last year to give "in principle support" for the reactivation of the heritage-listed tracks on Howard St.

WHAT'S MAKING NEWS ON THE COAST TODAY

An in-depth feasibility study was also ordered.

Nambour Heritage Tramway Group chairman Paul Moriarty said the study, carried out last October, affirmed the project for a passenger tram was possible.

It would involve three stages.

Stage one would see the tram carrying up to 28 passengers on a 30-minute return journey from the old mill site (Coles supermarket) to the marshalling yards site (in the vicinity of Aldi) at the end of Howard St.

In stages two and three the tramway would continue on to the Nambour Showgrounds before finally linking with a proposed 21km "walk-cycle route" from Nambour through canefields to Coolum.

[Stillwater]

The tracks are heritage listed and must stay where they are, even if nothing runs on the rails.

[ozbob]

As it was 1954 ...



Photograph P G Dow 1954

[Stillwater]

Back then, the road being crossed by the cane train was the Bruce Highway!

[ozbob]

Ding ding!

=============

Twitter

SunshineCoastCouncil ‏@CouncilSCC 16 minutes ago

Council has agreed to take the #Nambour #tram project to its 2015/16 budget talks #sunshinecoast

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> Full steam ahead for Nambour tram with council support

[pandmaster]

The Sunshine Coast Council has defied logic and balance sheets and gone with passion and community in supporting a tram proposal.

What a load of rubbish! The Dail should be ashamed. There is absolutely no evidence that the proposal "defies logic": as the article says there will be some sort of feasibility study. As for balance sheets, if it is feasible then it will be a good investment. Being a world first (allegedly) I imagine it would attract a lot of people, much like http://railcruising.com/.

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> Tramfest seeks tax-deductible status (Nambour)

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> Tramfest brings Saturday afternoon to life in Nambour

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> Another big announcement for Nambour's tram project

A VISION to return a tram to the streets of Nambour has become a whole lot clearer, thanks to another large donation to the Nambour Heritage Tramway Co.

Nambour Alliance president Tony Vella, earlier today presented a cheque for $38,000 to Sunshine Coast Division 10 Councillor Greg Rogerson.

Last month organisers announced they had surpassed $50,000 funds raised through the monthly Tramfest street parties and private business donations.

With another Tramfest penned for this Saturday night on Howard St, funds raised by the community could surpass $100,000 shortly.

The tram is a key project outlined in the Sunshine Coast Council endorsed Nambour Activation Plan, developed with help from the Alliance early last year.

Alliance president Tony Vella said the project had been in the town's vision since 2011 and this was only the start of more fundraising efforts.

In total, $600,000 must be raised by the community to match the Council's commitment of $1.5 million over three years.

"There's a lot more to come. There's more funding and an awful lot more money to be raised," Mr Vella said.

"It's certainly a nice day for us to see how the community has been digging into their pockets just by virtue of coming along to one event.

"That is essentially Tramfest. It's not just about Nambout, it's about how we contribute to the Sunshine Coast economy. That Nambour Tram could just be the thing that brings people to the Coast for a holiday."

Some residents have voiced concerns in recent months about the tram causing traffic congestion.

Most agreed Tramfest was a great initiative, but said additional parking and beautification should be the priority.

Cr Rogerson down-played the concerns and said the Tram wasn't the be-all and end-all.

"There was some negativity about the tram and what it would do for Nambour...it's not the silver bullet," he said.

He said Tramfest had brought the community closer together.

"It's about raising money for the tram, but it's a humongous event for Nambour," he said.

"It's a socialising event where people can come out, have fun, eat good food and be entertained by really good musicians. It's been exceptional the whole way through."

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> Nambour tram steaming ahead after $500k windfall

Nambour's Heritage Tramway project could be under construction within four months after the Federal Government this morning announced $500,000 would be given to the project.

Nambour Alliance Inc and The Nambour Tramway Company jointly applied earlier this year for $500,000 to construct the heritage tramway depot under the third round of the National Stronger Regions Fund.

That application was successful, delivering funding to begin construction of the 'Western Terminus'.

Member for Fairfax Ted O'Brien and Minister for Energy Josh Frydenberg were on-hand to make the announcement this morning.

"This project is so exciting for Nambour and I am extremely pleased it is receiving the full $500,000 applied for under the National Stronger Regions Fund ," Mr O'Brien said.

"Utilising the historic sugar cane rail tracks to connect the town with a solar-powered, battery-regenerated passenger tram is such a great fusion of old heritage infrastructure and new technology.

"I believe this project will be the single most important catalyst to reactivate Nambour."

The Commonwealth grant will help build the depot building with ticketing office, workshop and garage, with solar panels to be installed, ultimately linking to a battery unit that will power the depot and recharge the tram, combining new energy with the heritage infrastructure.

"Of course connecting Nambour's two shopping precincts is only stage one, extending the tramway to the showgrounds forms stage two, with re-activating the former cane train tracks that remain in place between Nambour and Coolum the ultimate goal," Mr O'Brien said.

The entire project requires $2.1 million to get the tram running with community fundraising efforts through regular live music street festivals in Nambour (Tramfest) helping contribute to the war chest needed to get the project off the ground.

The council voted to consider a $500,000 grant as part of its 2015/16 budget and a further $500,000 in the next two financial years was also being considered, the council announced in April last year.

The Tramway is a key component of a massive re-activation of Nambour with a push to deliver louder live music to the CBD also ongoing.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/1010260572678418432

Bit of a difference between 2' and 4'8.5 inch gauge ... but hey no worries!

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) June 22, 2018

[Stillwater]

The cane tram tracks at Nambour are heritage listed.  That means they stay at the current gauge.  They can't be widened.  Melbourne trams are somewhat heavier than cane train locos.

[red dragin]

The article states that the Melbourne trams would be stationery, no gauge issues.

I'd like to see it running, Bundy No 5 could have another outing in Nambour from time to time.