Fat Controller Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 Sure, but to quote a Hawkes Bay local just after it stopped : "You kind of get used to them around here. It's just one of those things that happens around here. You just carry on." On the other hand Fukushima in Japan has been hit by a 7.4 plus a tsunami just a few hours ago. So let's keep things in perspective. NZ will recover from last weeks quake. Whales are already being spotted off Kaikoura again, a positive sign for the people of that area. My wife got back from Japan a week last Sunday; she forgot to remove the earthquake-warning App from her phone, so got rudely awakened in the small hours today. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pacific231G Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 I'd understood that, apart from tourist and commuter trains, passenger rail travel in NZ had effectively closed down. Is that in fact the situation or has there been a revival in recent years? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Gwiwer Posted November 22, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 22, 2016 Passenger rail outside Auckland and Wellington is effectively confined to tourist operations but I suspect there are a few locals who use the trains (few though there are) for travel between the NI two major cities and to reach Christchurch. I managed a trip to Rotorua some years ago now unaware that it was about to close. I wondered at the time how long it might hang on offering a once-daily service to a station some way outside the town and which offered no option for day-out sightseeing at either end. It was an out-and-back working from Auckland with just three passengers including myself. I was also surprised at how lightly loaded the Overlander was; not even a dozen boarding the southbound train which didn't bode well for its long-term future. At least it still runs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium kevinlms Posted November 22, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 22, 2016 Sure, but to quote a Hawkes Bay local just after it stopped : "You kind of get used to them around here. It's just one of those things that happens around here. You just carry on." On the other hand Fukushima in Japan has been hit by a 7.4 plus a tsunami just a few hours ago. So let's keep things in perspective. NZ will recover from last weeks quake. Whales are already being spotted off Kaikoura again, a positive sign for the people of that area. I guess the proposed rail tunnel from Japan to New Zealand, has been put on hold again! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted November 22, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 22, 2016 (edited) I guess the proposed rail tunnel from Japan to New Zealand, has been put on hold again! We travelled to Invercargill before the line shut (not knowing that it would) then drove to Greymouth to pick up the train to Christchurch then to Picton. We spent a few days doing the Wellington suburban system before taking the train to Hamilton then on the Silver Ferns to Tauranga, Then we went by train to Rotorua before heading to Auckland. This was back in 1994. Just iwsh that we had time to do the other lines that were still open on Norht Island but at least we did most of the countrys rail system. Just hope that they can reopen the line to Picton Edited November 22, 2016 by roundhouse Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Gwiwer Posted November 22, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 22, 2016 Just hope that they can reopen the line to Picton All passenger services cancelled for the remainder of 2016 / 2017 season. That allows almost a full year for recovery before the 2017/8 season is due to start. Currently all other NZ passenger trains are said to be running normally including the Christchurch - Greymouth "TranzAlpine" Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 I guess the proposed rail tunnel from Japan to New Zealand, has been put on hold again!Without a doubt. But the alternative "swing bridge" should work fine. :-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted December 2, 2016 Author Share Posted December 2, 2016 Any update on works to repair/rebuild SH1 and the railway? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted December 2, 2016 Share Posted December 2, 2016 Any update on works to repair/rebuild SH1 and the railway?Lots of "news", but not much of it factual yet. This report from about a week ago gives a general flavor of the issues and progress:http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/nz-earthquake/86758216/crews-working-to-clear-slips-on-sh1-restoring-access-for-local-residents It still appears likely SH1 will be repaired, but not clear yet when or in what capacity. Some talk of a new road further inland for direct access, with the old coastal route fixed but downgraded. The main problems currently are ongoing after shocks (>7000 so far) that make working on existing slips dangerous. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John M Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 The coast road from the south into Kaikoura SH1 was recently re-opened and the train stranded by the quake unloaded http://www.kiwirail.co.nz/media/news-and-press-releases. The Government and Kiwirail have committed to re-opening the railway which reinforces it position as part of the Auckland-Cristchurch rail-sea route, at one stage Toll Rail had considered replacing the railway with a direct Wellington-Christchurch shipping service. There has been considerable earthquake damage in Wellington which effectively put the port out of commission and structural damage requiring the emergency demolition of several modern office blocks http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/321127/wellington-cordon-to-extend-ahead-of-quake-demolition. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted December 23, 2016 Author Share Posted December 23, 2016 Good to hear that there's full commitment to rebuilding the line and the highway. I have also seen reports that there are proposals to operate the Coastal Pacific tourist service south from Christchurch to Dunedin until the line north to Picton is rebuilt. http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/87775565/passenger-train-service-between-christchurch-and-dunedin-a-possibility-kiwirail-says Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted January 12, 2017 Author Share Posted January 12, 2017 A report online reporting that trains will recommence between Picton and Lake Grassmere which, whilst having presumably suffered less damage than the section around Kaikoura, does show a commitment to repair the line in some form. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/nz-earthquake/88307994/kiwirail-repairs-first-section-of-main-north-line-south-of-picton-to-lake-grassmere Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted January 16, 2017 Author Share Posted January 16, 2017 Nice little timelapse 'cab' video from the first train to Lake Grassmere from Picton and a report on the event. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/nz-earthquake/88441088/first-train-south-to-lake-grassmere-a-milestone-for-main-north-line-repairs Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 Just watching tonight's NZ news. A train had just completed the first run from Picton to Christchurch since the quake !!! Amazing job by everyone involved in the repairs. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John M Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 Just watching tonight's NZ news. A train had just completed the first run from Picton to Christchurch since the quake !!! Amazing job by everyone involved in the repairs. Report in the Malborough Express 1st works train to work through to Kaikoura since the November earthquake. The 40km section north from Kaikoura to Clarence has to be repaired before through services to Picton can resume. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/93513630/first-train-since-the-earthquake-made-its-way-into-kaikoura-today https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L14RVCj2Lew Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John M Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 With 10 Km of railway to be re-instated Kiwirail have not yet committed to a re-opening date with some major work required to divert the road and railway around some of the worst of the slips https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFEBag6XkUw https://www.nzta.govt.nz/assets/projects/kaikoura-earthquake-response/kaikoura-earthquake-update-20170728.pdf Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted August 2, 2017 Author Share Posted August 2, 2017 Seems there's a definite maybe on a partial re-opening to through freight from Picton to Christchurch. https://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/national/95374850/South-Island-rail-line-could-open-for-freight-within-the-month Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted August 8, 2017 Author Share Posted August 8, 2017 A big moment in the rebuilding of the Main North Line following last November's earthquake. https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/final-link-welded-main-north-line-rebuild Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted September 6, 2017 Author Share Posted September 6, 2017 An amazing achievement considering the amount of damage. http://www.kiwirail.co.nz/news/497/78/First-post-quake-freight-services-announced/d,news.html 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John M Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 Through freight services between Christchurch and Picton to resume on 15th September 10 months after the Nov 2016 North Canterbury Earthquake http://www.kiwirail.co.nz/news/497/78/First-post-quake-freight-services-announced/d,news.html. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted September 12, 2017 Author Share Posted September 12, 2017 Through freight services between Christchurch and Picton to resume on 15th September 10 months after the Nov 2016 North Canterbury Earthquake http://www.kiwirail.co.nz/news/497/78/First-post-quake-freight-services-announced/d,news.html. Yep, that was the link I posted in the previous post lol Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted September 12, 2017 Author Share Posted September 12, 2017 Seems services have started early. Reported on a facebook page that Train G36 was the first through freight North from Christchurch to Picton today, including wagons being transferred to Hutt workshops for maintenance. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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