Community & Business
24 January, 2022
Two new railmotors for DownsSteam
DownsSteam Tourist Railway and Museum based at Drayton has added to its fleet by purchasing the Commissioner for Railways and CEO’s private railmotors.
DownsSteam said these historically significant railmotors were previously overhauled to be the last dedicated network Inspection Railmotors for the Commissioner for Railways, the Queensland Rail CEO and other senior managers.
After 22 years operating in this role with both QR and then Aurizon, RM2032 and RM2004 have retired from commercial service and have been purchased to join DownSteam’s fleet of heritage rollingstock.
A special steam-up was held last Saturday, giving people the first chance to see the additions.
Alongside the new railmotors, there is much to see among the existing
trains and facilities at DownsSteam Tourist Railway and Museum.
Among them is the Dreamtime Journey Coach, which depicts an Aboriginal theme based on ‘Baiami,’ who created the Earth and all the wonderful landscape, mountains, lakes, rivers, billabongs, oceans and islands.
An indigenous inmate from the Westbrook Correctional Centre volunteered to paint one of the carriages as part of his prison rehabilitation program.
Inmate “Domi” commenced painting the carriage in 2012, taking 19 weeks to complete his unique Indigenous Art Gallery on wheels.
DownsSteam has erected a large shadecloth over the carriage and installed two air conditioning units to preserve the integrity of the artwork against humidity and temperature changes.
There is also Toowoomba’s very own built and restored steam locomotive, C16 No. 106, the “Pride of Toowoomba.”
It was built at the Toowoomba Foundry - Southern Cross Works in 1914. In its service with Queensland Rail, it has steamed over 1.3 million miles all around Queensland.
DownsSteam is located at 16 Cambooya Street, Drayton and is open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 9am to 3pm.
