Regular services on the
Bombala line ceased south of
Queanbeyan with the withdrawal of the
Canberra Monaro Express in September 1988. Following a bridge carrying the line over the
Numeralla River at Chakola being declared unsafe, freight services south of Queanbeyan ceased in May 1989. However a steam special did operate through to Cooma a few weeks later, albeit without passengers over the bridge in question. In 1992, the Cooma Monaro Railway was formed with the aim of establishing a tourist railway. It set about negotiating a lease on the Bombala line from Cooma to Chakola with the
State Rail Authority. In 1994, it purchased three
CPH railmotors and an accompanying trailer from the Mountain High Railway,
Tumut, and restoration at the former locomotive shed at Cooma commenced. After the line and railmotors were refurbished, northbound operations commenced on 5 December 1998 on a section between Cooma station and Snowy Junction opposite Cooma Racecourse. In June 1999, the line was opened to
Chakola, from Cooma. Trains ceased operating in January 2014, with major repairs required to the line. In December 2022, the museum officially reopened, showcasing a "Travel for Pleasure" exhibit, showcasing the past history of the line. In May 2024, maintenance vehicles resumed operating to Snowy Junction as a precursor to passenger operations resuming. ==Rolling Stock==