Choo-Tjoe saga continues
Since the devastating floods in 2007, which washed part of the railway track away, the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe has been struggling to get back on track.
“The transfer of ownership of the train is a priority issue that needs to be addressed quickly if we are to preserve the train as a heritage icon. The longer it lies idle, the harder it will be to get it back on the tracks,” Western Cape Finance and Tourism Minister, Alan Winde said back in January 2011.
He is still awaiting a decision by Transnet whether it would consider transferring the assets of the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe to the Western Cape Government, and now it seems as if Transnet has not yet made up its mind as to what it would like to do with this Garden Route icon.
A Transnet task team was reportedly investigating various operational models, including forming partnerships during September 2011 and it was reported that Transnet CEO Brian Molefe had promised to give Winde an answer by November 2011.
Now, nine months later, Minister Winde was informed that Transnet wants to see a business case study from the Western Cape Government which will assist Transnet in making a decision on whether it can transfer the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe rolling stock to a successful operator. Minister Winde said that the estimated cost implications of such a venture would need to be finalised.
“We are in discussion with the IDC [Industrial Development Corporation] and the National Department of Tourism to seek a multiple-party partnership agreement with Transnet and local government,” said the Minister.
In the meantime the Garden Route Cycleway Association (GRCA) feels that the conversion of the 67km railway track to a cycle track would be beneficial to the communities along the track.
Source: Knysna-Plett Herald