OPERATIONS

Note that the CMR will not operate on the weekend 18 / 19 February due to necessary trackwork taking place.

The Cooma Monaro Railway runs services from Cooma station on the following basis:-

Summer (October-June)- Saturday/Sunday at 11am, 1pm and 2pm

Winter (June 14th - end September) - Sunday at 1pm and 2pm only

Public Holidays - each day (except Christmas Day).

The CMR runs numerous charters on weekdays, sometimes as many as 4 days a week. So if you are going to be in Cooma on a weekday and would like to take a ride on the CMR, call or e-mail our manager (02 6452 7791 or manager@cmrailway.org.au) and check if and when the train is running. Most charters can and will make allowance for people who just want to come along for the ride.

CMR trains are also available for hire. If you have a party which would like to avail itself of this option, please contact the CMR Manager on (02) 6452 7791 (and see the 'Group Tours' link above).

To get to Cooma Station, turn into Bradley Street past McDonald's.

Late morning at Cooma Station - a beautiful day, with autumn colours evident in the trees. Railmotor 6 has been brought over from the shed (far right of photo) to the station. The duty crew of four in their bright orange safety vests stand in front of the signal box enjoying the sun whilst waiting for the first passengers of the day.

Currently, journeys are from Cooma station to either Bunyan or Chakola on the banks of the Numeralla river, and return. Chakola (an aboriginal word meaning 'Lyre Bird') offers the opportunity for picnics and swimming.

Number 6 leads 22 and trailer 55 at Chakola

The 11 AM and 2 PM services run to Chakola, with the 1 PM service going to Bunyan. This schedule will allow people interested in the longer Chakola run to have a choice of times. It means that those who have to travel beyond Cooma on any particular day can undertake the trip to Chakola and still have time to reach their destination (eg Sydney) before sunset. It also means that the prospect mentioned originally in these pages, that of having a picnic by the Numeralla river and return on a later train, can now be fulfilled.

On the Chakola services, light refreshments will be available, and our unique dining/lounge trailer car No 55 will be in use where there are sufficient passengers.

Current (return) fares are:

Snowy Jct - Single $6, Senior/Concession $5, Child (4 to 18 Years) $4, Family $12

Bunyan - Single $12, Senior/Concession $10, Child (4 to 18 Years) $8, Family $24

Chakola - Single $18, Senior/Concession $15, Child (4 to 18 Years) $12, Family $36

(Children under 4 years old travel free.)

Charters:

Bunyan - Adult $10, Child $5 (Minimum charge $100)

Chakola - Adult $15, Child $10 (Minimum charge $120)

A Passenger's Eye View

The following photographs were taken by David Jones, a colleague of our webmaster from Sydney. David took his family for a ride on the railway recently and allowed us to use the photos he took along the way.

The most interesting photo is that of our greatest fan. This lady lives on a property immediately beside the railway line at Bunyan. All CMR train crew know that from the very beginning of our operations, she has come out of her house to wave at the passing train, and we usually alert our passengers to give her a wave back. She has been outstandingly loyal to this self imposed routine and we are grateful for her dedication. Her dog is aware of our presence even before she is, and marks our arrival by racing up and down the wire fence bordering the line.

The next photo of the set shows part of the panorama from Chakola Station, the subject of so many happy snaps over the years.

The following group of David's images are typical of those taken by many passengers during a CMR experience.

Our sincere thanks go to David for allowing CMR to use his photos.

Cooma Cup Race Day 2010

The statistics of the Annual Cooma Race Day tell the tale - 8 drivers and 10 safe workers crewed 17 round trips, with 300 return tickets sold by Gaye Speldewinde and Jean Wynes, and Christa Harlander providing morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea as usual. (I take my hat off to the ladies – great work)!

The photos below were kindly provided by member Don Mills, who came down with his wife from Sydney for the day. Thanks Don, the photos show just how well Alan Ward and his son maintained order among the patrons waiting at the tiny Snowy Junction platform for the return train trip after the event.