Zig Zag Railway back on track from this weekend

26 May 2023

The historic Zig Zag Railway returns to life this weekend as passenger services resume following a joint volunteer and NSW Government effort to restore the Blue Mountains icon from fire and flood damage.

For years, volunteers have toiled to restore the railway and the NSW Government provided more than $5.9 million through Crown Lands and the Department of Regional NSW to rebuild the locomotive workshop, construct a car park, pedestrian crossing and amenities block.

Zig Zag Railway also rebuilt its safety management system, network rules, procedures and rail policies after a decade out of operation to be granted accreditation to resume passenger services by the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator.

Passengers on the Zig Zag train — Some happy Zig Zag Railway passengers on the first run after more than a decade closed

Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said the reopening this weekend was another historic milestone in the railway’s ongoing journey.

“Zig Zag Railway is a tourist and heritage icon for our state attracting up to 80,000 visitors a year so the NSW Government investment to support the volunteers to get it back on the tracks will be great for tourism, business and jobs in the Lithgow and Blue Mountains regions,” Mr Kamper said.

Zig Zag Railway Acting Chief Executive Officer Daniel Zolfel said the community-wide effort to restore the railway had been heart-warming.

“It’s been 10 plus years of blood, sweat and tears so this weekend’s reopening brings overwhelming relief and will be very emotional for all those involved,” Mr Zolfel said.

“We couldn’t have done it without the dedicated volunteers and also financial support of the NSW Government to restore the workshop which is the heart and soul, car park, repair viaducts and tunnels, tracks, locomotives, carriages and platform precincts at Clarence, Top Point and Bottom Point stations.”

The Zig Zag Railway cross a viaduct in the Blue Mountains

The 154-year-old railway dates back to 1869 when it was first opened as part of the Main Western rail line serving mountain runs until 1910 when a track deviation was installed.

The not-for-profit Zig Zag Railway Co-op resurrected the heritage-listed railway in 1975 but was stalled from 2012 by accreditation issues followed by bushfire and storm damage, and then further wiped out by the 2019-2020 bushfires.

Visitors will again experience the sights, sounds and smells of the steam train era from this weekend with the Zig Zag Railway to run three 90-minute trips at 10.30 am, 12.30 pm and 2.30pm each fortnight on Saturdays and Sundays on its 7.5 kilometre track.

For more information visit zigzagrailway.au