A campaign by the Southern F Locomotive Trust to buy the Kingston Flyer will be making a new push to raise funds to secure the vintage steam train.
The trust has been collecting funds for its bid to buy the train since January, after the owner Kingston Acquisitions Ltd went into receivership in November last year.
Trust spokesman Karl Barkley said the "Save the Kingston Flyer" campaign had so far raised more than $30,000.
In the attempt to secure enough money for a deposit, the trust is now seeking pledges for donations to be made if it is chosen as the buyer.
"The average pledges we are getting have been well over $128. We are looking for $25 from 100,000 Kiwi mums and dads. We are not asking for their life savings," Mr Barkley said.
Mr Barkley said the receiver had indicated it was interested in seeing what results the trust could come up with over the next three to four weeks.
However, receiver Lindsay McClean, of Malloch McClean, Queenstown, told the Otago Daily Times this week he had no update on the tender process.
Mr Barkley said he had been looking into future options for the operation of the railway.
"I have been seeking pricing for a return bus service from Queenstown, as a very cost-effective way of lifting the numbers on the train," he said.
The trust has plans to build a new station and museum closer to the main road, with buildings to house the locomotive and carriages along with a workshop, designed to allow tourists to view the train
