Two of the railway's original five Abt locomotives operate on the restored railway.

Abt locomotives No. 1 and No. 3 are believed to be the oldest, fully restored working locomotives in the world. Loco. No.1 is the railway veteran, steaming into Queenstown for the railway's official opening on 18 March 1897.

The sturdy locomotives were purpose-built to operate on the revolutionary Abt rack and pinion system designed by Swiss engineer Dr Roman Abt.

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