REVEALED: Return of the Rattler, what was known and when
With the Rattler's return finally on the horizon, reporter Scott Kovacevic investigates how the popular icon became a lighting rod of council controversy.
INFORMATION was obtained through sources and Right to Information. Gympie Regional Council did not object to the state releasing any information.
2012
January - Rail regulator notes report that minimum 8000 sleepers need replacing, plus 4000 more per year for two years.
June 29 - Rattler derails while hauling coal.
August 10 - Rattler returns to track.
October 2 - Rattler derails again.
November 5 - Rattler Suspended: Rattler suspended indefinitely by safety regulator, notes track needs major upgrade.
2013
March - Cost to return put at $7.15m over five years: GHD (independent consultant) report to recommission Rattler puts price to go back to Imbil at $7.15m over five years; "physical examination by walking length of railway from Gympie to Imbil"; 1-in-3 sleeper replacement suggested (20,500 out of 62,000 [to Imbil]); "May be better" to use timber sleepers due to low upfront cost; obvious some vegetation not cleared in certain areas for some time; $2.4m to get running from Gympie to Imbil, $978,000 per year ongoing maintenance ($1.3m from Gympie to Amamoor).
2014
February 19 - Council companies created: Mary Valley Rattler Holding Company and Rattler Railway Company created.
June 25 - Locomotive rebuild tentatively set at $600,000.
August 21 - State commits $2.6m: LNP's Jeff Seeney announces $2.6m funding; includes $600,000 Royalties for Regions funding for the Rattler, gets accused of pork barrelling by Labor Opposition; $2m for track repair.
2015
January 31 - Labor wins Government at state election.
May - State Labor Government reconfirms $2.6m funding subject to "robust business case".
May 1 - Email from CEO Bernard Smith to MP Tony Perrett, Mayor Mick Curran about holding companies: "council's commitment to the Rattler has been unwavering" with $200,000 in funding to "ensure appropriate operations continue whilst awaiting a government decision"; "Since Christmas council has expended considerable funds on weed control as well as pest/termite control on bridge structures".
September - GHD says tracks, bridges cost $7.89m: GHD engineering says return to Amamoor will cost $7.89m for tracks, bridges: does "walking visual inspection" - reported track repair Gympie to Amamoor was $7m, $897,000 for bridge repair; "Overall, the bridges appear to be in good condition and several are maintained by Gympie Regional Council" (unknown when report issued, but formed basis of business case).
November 18 - QR puts cost of tracks, bridges at $9.6m Queensland Rail report puts track, bridges cost at $9.6m; "inspection of all timber, steel and concrete bridges" carried out Oct 26-29; says vegetation control needed to improve access to bridges; notes stage examination needs to be done on 15 bridges; underwater examination needed for two; "All structures inspected will require major maintenance before any rail traffic can resume"; inspections "preliminary only, more comprehensive inspections would be required before re-opening the line"; girder on John St needs "urgent action", is safety risk to public; flood debris on Mary River bridge needs to be removed; bridges to cost $1.3m, track $8.38m - $6.13m for sleepers (at $400 each) installed in 1-in-2 replacement pattern (15,328 in total).
2016
February 16 - TOD consulting report notes "preliminary issue (Deep Creek bridge) for discussion".
March 9 - Mayor promises "Rattler will run": Mayor Mick Curran promises Rattler "will run", says will cost about $10m to get to Amamoor.
March 19 - Council elections: Elections held, six of nine seats have new faces.
March 23 - Mayor Curran reaffirms Rattler commitment.
March 24 - Business case unveiled, trip will be to Amamoor: Business case completed and published; trip from Gympie to Amamoor costed at $10.6m, can be reduced to $7.25m with timber sleepers; locomotive "best refurbished by QR at cost of $785,000", but will not be complete until early 2018; this option "requires" steel sleepers to reduce cost; can be reduced with timber sleepers but ongoing maintenance costs "too great a risk"; "The business case creates a cash-positive operating model where the base infrastructure has the lowest ongoing maintenance (i.e. steel sleepers)"; business case developed in close consultation with MVRHC, RRC, GRC, supported by advice from GHD, DTMR, QR and DSD.
April 29 - Application for $5m Building our Regions funding lodged by council; Total cost now set at $10.8m; "this proposal utilises concrete or steel sleepers which significantly reduces the ongoing maintenance costs associated with timber sleepers"; would have $3.2m contribution from council.
May 4 - Councillors endorse BoR expression of interest for application; State Government rules Rattler is ineligible for BoR due to $600,000 previously granted from a conflicting funding source.
May 5-6 - Council writes to State proposing change to application, removing conflicting $600,000 and increasing council contribution from $3.2m to $3.8m.
May (date unknown) - TOD gives council a report on Deep Creek bridge. Specific contents unknown.
June 6 - State assessor rules application ineligible.
June 16 - Economic Development "Rattler" Levy brought in: Council adopts $65 Economic Development Levy for Rattler in budget, a total $3.8m contribution for Rattler and $250,000 in start-up costs.
July 20 - Rattler pitch for funds fails: State informs council Rattler application is unsuccessful.
2017
January 19 - State Government's Works for Queensland (W4Q) program announced, councils to apply by February 10, 2017 for what they want to spend money on.
January 23 - Council CEO writes to State (Department of Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning), says total spend would be about $10.5m; Business case attached; council negotiating to obtain tenure of sites from QR.
February - Deep Creek Bridge bill put at $855,000 minimum: TOD Consulting engaged by GRC for report into Deep Creek bridge (inspections dated 8 and 17 Feb): total delivery costs range from $855,000 (recommended) to $9.9m (new bridge).
February 9 - State tells council it will be able to release remaining funding from $2.6m (including $600,000 R4R) on confirmation of W4Q funds.
February 18 - CEO says Rattler "close to operational now": Council CEO Bernard Smith writes to State, advising Rattler "close to operational now"; boiler in "better condition than thought"; "extensive investigations undertaken regarding tracks and bridges"; "correct view of DSD" that steel sleepers "need to be used" to "significantly reduce future maintenance costs"; says Aurizon keen for work to happen (noting procurement practices need to be followed) and can be done in 84 calendar days.
February 20 - Rattler gets money, deadline: Preliminary approval of $4.7m W4Q funding to bring train back contingent on rail corridor lease; November 30, 2017 deadline named for projects.
March 14 - Sublease over rail corridor completed between GRC and QR.
March 21 - Final approval of $4.7m W4Q funding given.
March 29 - Rolling stock contract given to RRC: $1.42m rolling stock (locomotive and carriages) restoration contract awarded to RRC; includes costs for a new boiler; Ian McNicol and Garry Davison re-appointed to RRC board.
March 31 - Rail Futures given contract to conduct detailed inspections of track and structures.
April 6 - Pre-start meeting held - Rail Futures advised works to be completed by May 5.
April 10 - Rail Futures begins detailed track, bridge inspections: RF begins detailed track and bridge inspection; council tells State "detailed designs to commence in Apr 2017"; vegetation and clearing operations commence.
Apr 11 - Council requests variations to scope of Deep Creek Bridge (underground and underwater, review of 2017 TOD Consulting report); plus road over rail bridges.
Early May - Track and bridge inspections complete.
May 5 - Rattler gets return date of December 2: Rattler chief Peter Blashki says train will return on December 2.
May 10 - $455,000 specifications, contracts and management tender awarded to Rail Futures; draft RF report tabled for GRC review.
May 12 - Rail Futures delivers report on tracks: Rail Futures report on track conditions: notes "inspections of track and structures was not a detailed inspection due to limited time frames and, in some cases, blocked access or dense vegetation outgrowth"; "inspections have revealed that structures throughout the corridor are in very poor condition", 198 timber components condemned; notes significant deterioration since previous examinations (notes October 2015 QR report); possible replacement of John St, Crescent Rd rail bridges identified; "With respect to the TOD Consulting report delivered to council in May 2016, the condition of the (Deep Creek) bridge, the report's findings and its summary recommendations are supported"; says previous reports "based mainly on visual assessment"; says limited availability of qualified contractors available for the structures in limited time frame is "high risk - with associated high costs"
June (about) 15 - Some job seekers accepted for training for coming Rattler project with Accel (part of Rail Futures).
June 28 - Councillors commit to $2.3m agreement with State, $10.8m total project cost: Councillors endorse Rattler Project State Funding agreement for "total project cost $10.8m", CEO authorised to enter funding agreement with State; MVHRC wound up and assets transferred to RRC.
July 1 - CR Rail (who will later be awarded Rattler tracks and structures contract) advertises in Gympie Times for "various positions for short-term contract starting possibly July. Rail labourers, loader and excavator operators".
July 4 - Track and bridges tender closes.
July 5 - Council tells State tracks and bridges to be voted on at next meeting (July 19); state internal discussion says tenders will total $7m; State says minister's office "keeping an eye on it"; notes meeting with GRC in early June "determined to have first train running December 2 with a few practice runs under their belt beforehand".
July 19 - Rattler structures on agenda, unable to be held due to technical issues with the system and documents.
July 28 - Rattler's first blowout, now $12.5m: Special meeting held, budget blows out by $1.69m: $9m tender (w/GST) awarded to CR Rail in alliance with Aurizon to repair tracks and bridges ($8.6m for track and bridges, $437k for tamping - packing ballast around sleepers and aligning them to improve durability); accepted tender includes alternative 1-in-3 timber sleeper replacement plan to reduce cost.
August 29 - CR Rail confirmed to have started work on sleepers "in workshop and yards"; CR Rail work plan puts completion at mid-November.
September 20 - Six members appointed to RRC board.
September 20-21 - Complaint lodged with State over track tenders: State receives complaint about council allowing Rail Futures to tender for work given they were awarded the tender contracts and specifications work in May; State questions council over its compliance with procurement process, council says the decision did comply.
October 25 - Rattler gets delayed: Councillors informed of delays at workshop; Council tells public Rattler has been delayed as more work needed, opening delayed until "early March 2018".
October 26 - Council has detailed conversation over delays with State; says the extra work identified "in the last couple of weeks"; completion expected February 28, 2018.
November 7 - State told March 28, 2018 now completion date.
November 9 - 20 more girders need replacing on Deep Creek bridge, expect completion of bridge and tracks by Feb 28, 2018; tenders for two steel bridges and footbridges received, but "unfavourable" so re-tendered, due to close next week $5.05m spent to date.
December 13 - Blow out number 2, now $14.5m: Budget blows out to $14.5m, up a further $2m; tamping of track removed; $500,000 loan to RRC due to delayed start-up; "sole invitation" contract to RoadTek South of $300,000 to provide labour and equipment to complete Dagun Rail Bridge, scope of CR Rail contract reduced.
2018
January 18 - Locomotive still under construction, boiler to be complete by end of February, due to be delivered in May 2018; seeking advice on ballast and tamping to ensure certification; full bridge inspection on all bridges now complete and "significant number of defective components identified"; 10 bridges still under repair or yet to start; track expected to be open to Monkland by Apr 1 for driver training, limited service; completion of track now May 15, 2018, but another 20 days could be added to that (so really June 8-9, 2018); $10.1m spent to date; works as originally funded "nearing completion".
February 15 - Train on track for April delivery Project on schedule for April delivery (weather excepted); locomotive expected to be complete and in service in June 2018; limited service run to Monkland anticipated; sleeper replacement works complete (17,902 sleepers received on site); another 1500 sleepers need to be replaced in first year; 590m of track found defective and needs replacement; sustainable sleeper options being investigated to be "readily incorporated into the predominately timber track"
March 14 - Bridge works delayed by rain, still expected for late-April/mid-May completion; locomotive still expected to be finished in May.
March 29 - Council misses deadline State discovers Rattler W4Q extension only approved to Feb 28, 2018, new completion extension needed with June 30 date; 85 per cent of project completed; council "confident" all works complete by June 30.
April 26 - Third blow out brings Rattler to $17.5mAnother blow out brings project to expected $17.5m cost; tamping reinstated; council to review project, report to be given to council in July; loan to RRC increased to $1.1m; contract for Crescent Rd rail bridge replacement awarded to VEC Civil engineering; rolling stock restoration budget increased $328,000.
June 15 - Delayed again, no return date set Start date delayed again as more sleepers need to be replaced; no increased cost as already included in 2018-19 budget; no start date for train given.
