Historic rail motor damaged after prime mover rolls 5km from it's new home at the Atherton-Herberton Railway Station

Thee prime mover rolled on the Kennedy Highway approximately 1km south of Longlands Gap Road, near Herberton.

According to reports, the road was narrow and it had just rained just before the rollover, causing the road to be slippery.

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The driver of the truck suffered non-life threatening injuries.

Atherton-Herberton Historic Railway Incorprated purchased two heritage listed rail motors from Queensland Rail in Ipswich back in August 2019.

Bob Slater is president of the Atherton-Herberton Historic Railway and he said it was heartbreaking when they found the rail motor was involved in a rollover, just kilometres from home.

"I can't speculate on how the prime mover rolled. There was an expert driver behind the wheel and it was latched down properly, but I would say the road conditions may have played a part," Mr Slater said.

"Fortunately the driver wasn't injured and nobody else was hurt, which is the main thing.

"The motor and prime mover were successfully recovered on Monday night and lifted up by a crane onto the road."

Mr Slater said it was important for the historic railway to retain and preserve these railway motors due to their significance to North Queensland.

"The silver bullet rail motors were important to us because they were the last forms of transport between Cairns and Herberton," he said.

"We believe they were the last rail motors available to purchase as the others had already been secured and leased out to Longreach.

"It's important to us to retain and preserve Queensland Rail history here on the Atherton Tablelands."

Mr Slater he said they intend to restore the rail motors to their original condition.

"(This) includes the Rolls Royce motors which are currently installed in them, as they require considerable work, something we are used to undertaking, to bring them in to operational condition," he said.

"We would appreciate any help from other groups who have had experience with rail motors, particularly 2000 class as we do not have any workshop manuals.

"As you can see from the photos we are missing many parts.

"We are very fortunate to have Mike and Aaron at the Savannahlander who are always willing to assist but any further help would be appreciated.

Mr Slater acknowledged the support from Transport Minister Mark Bailey, QR regional manager Jim Benstead and QR heritage manager Paul Slater for their assistance over the long period it has taken them to get rail motors from Ipswich to Herberton.

Transport of the rail way motors were undertaken by Pattels Heavy Haulage, Townsville, Crane Hotline, Ipswich and on the Tablelands Dempsey Cranes and Advanced Civil Earthworks.

The Atherton-Herberton Historic Railway is a not-for-profit organisation run by volunteers.

There have been several attempts over the years to run a regular tourist service, initially between Atherton and Ravenshoe until the removal of the rail bridge at Wondecla dashed any hopes of the journey coming to life.

The division of the line also created two separate interest groups, with the Atherton group folding in 2000 only to be revived with the formation of the current organisation in 2013, motivated to establish a tourist railway experience between Atherton and Herberton on the 112-year-old track.