The reconstruction of the former Mt Lyell Mining and Railway Company’s ABT Railway was Tasmania’s main Federation Project. The original line, which closed in 1963 after almost 70 years service, transported mine product and supplies between Queenstown and port facilities near Strahan on Tasmania’s rugged west coast. The line, which traverses near-wilderness terrain, was rebuilt as a passenger-carrying heritage railway.
Sinclair Knight Merz was the project manager for the redevelopment. Work included:
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planning and concept design for route; locomotive restoration; carriage construction; and provision of tourist facilities and infrastructure
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public and landowner information and consultation
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preparation of a Development Proposal/Environmental Management Plan
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preparation of tender documents, assessment of tenders, negotiation, preparation of contract documents and contract administration.
The project, which had a strictly constrained budget and timeframe, involved "in character" construction/re-construction of:
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35 km of rail line including 42 bridges and stream crossings (6% of the original railway length was bridges)
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two original steam locomotives (equipped with the patent ABT rack and pinion drive system) and construction of carriages
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maintenance and servicing facilities.
The work of Sinclair Knight Merz and its team of 12 specialist sub-consultants in management of the project demonstrates the firm’s capability to successfully conduct multidisciplinary projects in challenging circumstances and with tight time constraint.