Re: auckland, christchurch rail

[Peter McCallum <pmccall-nospam-@es.co.nz>]

When the Addington workshops closed the land freed allowed the junction 
between the South and north lines to be reversed so that freight trains 
from the south and from the ChCh marshalling yards could go straight 
through to Picton without reversing. (They could have retained the old 
line as a triangle but didn't.) This posed problems for the Picton 
passenger trains from the old station and they would then have had to 
reverse at the junction. 

Shifting the station meant:-
* Picton passenger trains didn't have to reverse.
* Most of the yard at the old station could be sold as no rail access is 
required to the old station.
* The Addington - Lyttleton line could be downgraded as it no longer 
regularly carries pasenger trains.

The only problem is that the station was built for the traffic levels of 
the time and has trouble coping with the increase that has taken place 
since then.

In article <OzkO5.8$KQ6.2525@nsw.nnrp.telstra.net>, 
geoffrey.dawson@aph.gov.au says...
> Re recent comments whose thread I have lost:
> 
> 1. It would be simple to convert Auckland suburban rail to light rail style
> operation. Restore the route to the old central city station, turn left into
> Queen St, straight up to rejoin the Waitakere and Porirua lines somewhere
> near Mt Eden & Newmarket respectively. (Apologies if these details are wrong
> as I don't have the street directory in front of me).
> 
> 2. Dare one ask why Christchurch rail station was moved out of town? For the
> greater good of some worthwhile civic improvement? Or becaue someone figured
> they could make most money from the site by selling it to McDonalds?
> 
> Geoff
> 
> 
>