Re: Our nearby neighbours in NZ....

["Tony Gatt" <baulko@tig.com.au>]

Hmmmm, you were with the "tour group" I saw whilst I was over there... had I
recognised you, I would have said hello :)
I also have just come back form  16 days of riding the rails in NZ (we set
our own little tour).

"Craig Haber" <albatross@harnessnet.com.au> wrote in message
3A0697BE.25A3F1EB@harnessnet.com.au">news:3A0697BE.25A3F1EB@harnessnet.com.au...
> Hi, just back from 3 weeks in New Zealand, a few things of interest:

> The Silver Fern railcars are a most impressive conveyance, little wonder
> as they have the same 900hp donk as the Dj loco's (Caterpiller) with
> just 2 cars to move.

The trip from Auckland to Rotorua and Tauranga to Auckland was quite
comfortable, the service was fine and the onboard "history" lesson was
certainly informative and unobtrusive.

> The on-train staff were generally outstanding.  Some of them simply
> could not be more helpful/friendly.  Also found train controllers,
> drivers, signalmen etc to be very approachable.

We didn't go to the signallers / drivers, but you are correct. The onboard
staff were courteous, helpful and almost like they had known you a lifetime.
I must praise "Denis" from the South Island services, the man had a humorous
and all round entertaining nature at ALL times..

> Some lovely steam loco's over there, the J class 4-8-2's particlarly.
> Funny how when I arrived, the 3'6" looks ridiculous.  After 2 weeks it
> starts to look "about right", now 5'3" looks outrageously wide!

Hmmmm, SG looks wide as well, when we first stepped back onto International
station, the comment was "look how wide the track is..". Funny how QLD NG
looks smaller tho..

> There are some good examples in NZ of how rail should and shouldn't be
> done.
> Auckland is how it shouldn't be done - main station out of town, two
> main suburban routes served by ex-Perth railcars, no service after 7pm,
> none on weekends.  Massive traffic congestion.  A pretty ordinary city
> all round really.

Did you see the plans for the new transport interchange? To be located in
the Central Post Office in Queen Street. This will bring the trains right to
the bottom of Auckland, and the interchange with buses (the old bus station
is abismal - right out of the 1940's.. still!)
Although I don't think that will help with the frequency.. Hourly during the
day is no encouragement.. My impression of the railcars were that they
seemed to "labour" wherever they went. Even starting on the flat seemed an
effort.

>
> Wellington on the other hand is much smaller population wide, but very
> spread due to the terrain, and has 3 main electrified routes
> (Johnsonville, Paraparam and Upper Hutt), with 30 min services all day
> till midnight.  Very clever too - all the trains arrive at Wellington
> within a few mins of each other, and depart within a few minutes, so
> there's always neat connections.  Main station on the edge of the CBD,
> good patronage, a really nice city to get around.  Certainly my pick of
> the NZ cities.

I had so much enjoyment at Wellington. My first impression was "harris
cars"! Video, video, video....

>And Christchurch, the extensive late 50's built rail
> station on the edge of the CBD was abandoned in 1993 for a little
> station at Addington, way out of town.  Bad idea.  Of note, NZ metro
> trains all have Conductors.  Good move.

3 Km's out of town is shocking. We stayed nearby, but to get into town
itself.. what a hike... (we beat the bus both times..)

> Some ace rail journies, the Tranzcoastal Picton-Christchurch is my pick
> of them, mile after mile of ocean running, Pacific Ocean on one side,
> snow capped mountains on the other.  Burbling DX up front, 100km/h
> running and just taking it all in from the open observation car, great
> stuff!

We had 4 locos on the way back.. what a bonus!

> The Tranzalpine is also great (Christchurch-Greymouth).
> Southerner between Palmerston and Dunedin also spectacular.

Overwhelmed by the spectacular viewing on the south Island. I don't know why
I paid for a seat, I used the observation car more than I sat..

> If you're thinking of going, now is a good time.  Some pass services are
> looking shaky (Southerner beyond Dunedin and also the Rotorua).  The
> currency is favourable and its quite affordable.

Agreed. Would be a pity to lose the Invercargil connection, and the Rotorua
service, but unfortuantely, the patronage just wasn't there :(

>
> Now all I have to do is get the 18 rolls of film processed!
>

Got mine (16 of them), and now just "tidying up the video"

> Regards,
> Craig.


Tony Gatt.