A versatile and useful piece of railway track equipment has been repaired by Cooma Monaro Railway (CMR) members and is back in action.

The Suzuki Sierra hi-rail vehicle replaced the four-wheel track trolleys that were previously used by track workers. The advantage of the hi-rail is that it can travel on both road and rail.

The hi-rail is used to inspect sections of track, transport workers and tools to locations on track that are difficult to access using a road vehicle, and assist with maintenance tasks like weed spraying.

These vehicles were purchased by the NSW government railways and were in active service across NSW in the 1980s and 1990s.

The CMR hi-rail is the only one on NSW currently in operation.

CMR president, Gordon Strachan, and treasurer, Dave Rolfe, took the vehicle out on the tracks last week.

Mr Strachan said the vehicle hasn’t been in operation for quite a few years. It was delivered to Cooma Monaro Railway about 15 years ago where it underwent an overhaul of its mechanical systems, engine hydraulics and drivetrain over several years.

“It’s been sitting in the yard waiting to be re-activated, and it’s just been re-certified to go back on the rail,” he said.

“It’s been a long term plan to get it back on the rails and help with the vegetation management along the 20 kilometres of track between Cooma and Chakola.

“So coming into spring and summer it’s an ideal time to have it back on the rails to maintain the vegetation and get on top of the weeds.”

The vehicle makes this process significantly quicker and less labour intensive than previous years, allowing members to maintain control of the vegetation and ensure it doesn’t get out of control over spring.

The hi-rail will be extensively used by CMR for weed spraying along the railway corridor and throughout the Cooma railway precinct, regular inspection of track on the sections it operates on, and transporting workers, materials and tools to locations to affect repairs on the track and railway infrastructure.

Over the next four-six weeks, the hi-rail will be completing an extensive weed spraying program across the Cooma railway precinct and north along the rail corridor to Snowy Junction and beyond.

“It really is a valuable piece of kit for track maintenance,” Mr Strachan said.

It’s versatility is in the design, as the vehicle’s rail wheels can be hydraulically raised allowing the vehicle to also travel on roads.

“It’s the only operational vehicle in NSW that is currently being utilised. Lachlan Valley Railway does have one, but it has engine problems,” Mr Strachan said.

Hi-rail vehicles are still used on commercial railways to this day for a variety of tasks and in a variety of formats, such as 4WD road vehicles, excavators and small trucks.

This hi-rail was used by the Australian Railway Historical Society (ARHS) ACT Division to support tourist train operations on the section of the Bombala line between Canberra and Michelago.

The Cooma Monaro Railway volunteers have been busy during 2025 with precinct upgrades, the opening of the refurbished tennis courts and holding monthly fresh produce markets.