Drivers eye view, Don River Railway, Tasmania, July 2023

Travel with the train driver as we journey from Don Junction to Don Village on the Don River Railway (tourist railway) in the North of Tasmania, Australia in a DP Railcar. July 2023
donriverrailwa...
#train #driverseyeview #driversview #traindriversview #heritagerailway

[@tasmanianmapping]

Just rode this today, I got the chance to ride in the cab, and it was amazing! Very wet day and my camera footage isn't the greatest bcuz of that, but still an amazing experience!

[@driver667]

@@tasmanianmapping a great tourist railway well worth the visit. Very happy to hear you had a very memorable trip on the railway and enjoyed the video 👍 😀

[@jammuna1]

This is wonderful. I wish the Tasmanian government brought back the trains

[@driver667]

@@jammuna1 it would be nice to see, at least heritage trains on the main line. 👍😀

[@robinmathews2446]

Great video... I enjoyed the driver's view as much (or better) than riding in a coach? Thank you... I reckon a video screen in a coach, with a view along the track would be very interesting for patrons on board? Just a thought?

[@driver667]

@@robinmathews2446 maybe a suggestion to the Don River railway? Depends on their equipment and policies I guess. Very happy you enjoyed the video 👍 😀

[@tasmanianmapping]

they wouldnt bcuz wanting to keep it like it has been historically

[@driver667]

@@tasmanianmapping 👍😀

[@roaming-aus]

Is Don, is good 😬

[@peterrobinson6872]

😄😄😄

[@driver667]

@@peterrobinson6872 it is 😀😀😀👍

[@brucemclaren6384]

Thanks Colin and great to see, even if they still cant access the main line!

[@driver667]

Hopefully one day maybe. Glad you enjoyed the video 👍😊

[@RichardFelstead1949]

Thanks for sharing. I wasn't aware that this railway existed.

[@driver667]

Glad to be able to bring it to you. Happy to hear you enjoyed it 👍 😀

[@noelroberts8199]

Nice video of a line in Tassie, have you got any other Drivers view of Tasmanian lines?.......

[@driver667]

Still working on getting some. Definitely want some, see how I go... 👍😀

[@noelroberts8199]

@@driver667 👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@robinmathews2446]

driver667 has some nice ones on the EBR line available now, in 2024

[@peterredfern1174]

Very interesting ,the only place I haven’t been to,Tassie.Great to see the Don still operating,👏👏👋👋👍

[@driver667]

Yes it is good it is still going. I am led to believe they are working toward main line access but still a lot of hurdles to get over. 👍😊

[@peterredfern1174]

As long as their abtly qualified should be not many problems to overcome.

[@driver667]

@@peterredfern1174 👍😊

[@rsinclair6560]

Walk the North East Line from Tunnel to Wyena

[@driver667]

@@rsinclair6560 👍😊

[@chuckmaurice3646]

Putty Cat you have done it again and I see that this one must be diesel, Great view by far.

[@driver667]

Very glad to hear you enjoyed it, meooww 👍😊

[@Bushkid11]

8:07 do you happen to know if they are planning to restore Y-8?!

[@driver667]

Sorry, no I don't know what the plan is for Y-8. 🤔🤔👍

[@Bushkid11]

Ok thanks!, I love ur content BTW!!!

[@driver667]

@@Bushkid11 thank you. Very happy you enjoy the videos 👍😀

[@golden.lights.twinkle2329]

The Don River Railway has an interesting website. It would have been useful to post the link in this video. The website gives the complete history of the railway. Unfortunately, links can't be posted in comments.

[@driver667]

I'll have to make you my honorary secretary 🤣🤣 The link has been added 👍 😊

[@mattk183]

From Don, the line continued to a remote town called Barrington

[@driver667]

Yes it did. 👍😊

[@robinmathews2446]

Limestone was hauled from there (Barrington) to the wharf bins at Devonport until about 1948? (I think)?

[@margaretcampbell2681]

I see they run steam trains. ❤

[@driver667]

Yes but I think steam is out of action at the time of filming for some maintenance that needed to be done 👍😊

[@rileycummaudo8612]

What track gauge is it because it looks a lot wider than 3ft 6

[@hughjonner]

It is just 3ft 6.

[@driver667]

Yes, it is 3ft 6in. 👍😊

[@johnmc703]

In October 30 years ago I had the pleasure of visiting the Don River Railway and travelled on the special steam hauled shuttle that ran between Penguin and Bernie as part of Penguin's celebrations. I see that the Don Junction is no longer connected to the main line. How long has this been the case and are there plans to repair the connection? I was signalman in Victoria at the time and we had just resumed steam hauled services to Geelong for school holidays but especially to train up new drivers and fireman. It was commented on as there was a need for drivers qualified for steam and running on the Tasmanian main lines.

[@driver667]

That's a while ago now. Don junction to Bernie is the only stretch of Tasmania main line I have travelled on, on a Don River train. I hope they succeed in getting out onto the main line again. 👍😊

[@jamescoombes6576]

When I visited the railway 10 years ago, I was told that the Tasmanian government controlled the main line and were responsible for the permanent removal of the connection for safety reasons, so no reconnection is expected to ever happen

[@driver667]

@@jamescoombes6576 I am told that it is down to finding the money for a set of points to connect to the main line again but there is positive feedback from the government toward achieving it in the future. Probably not about to happen soon though. 👍😊

[@rsinclair6560]

It is now very very unlikely the Don track will ever ever be connected onto the Tasrail system. First up, brake and couplers are not compatible. In the past steam excursions blocked sections while million of dollars worth of export freight could not meet the Bass Strait Shipping connection. Not possible to issue driver relief notice or train authority as the freight engines cannot couple and clear stranded passengers out of the section. Stuck out marooned for hours.The crossing loops are gone.. Steam excursions became a shambles and unreliable chaos. The local coal is so poor quality, low volatile and very high ash. Not like NSW coal used on the 38 class which is almost fool proof. Also the State Government , well your taxes, subsidises the loss making extreme high maintenance West Coast Wilderness Railway $4 million each year and they want tourist to travel on this. It runs at a loss but that is Tasmanian politics.

[@driver667]

@@rsinclair6560 👍😊

[@margaretcampbell2681]

Was this a small train?

[@driver667]

It is a full size train in Tasmania. A rail car that used to run on passenger services until they finished passenger services in the late 1970's. Now it runs tourist services on the heritage railway. 👍😊