New Zealand Genesis Energy Coal trains running again in the Waikato

[John M]

 

Genesis Energy have resumed importing coal on a temporary basis for Huntly Power Station through the port of Mt Maunganui as a result of low water levels in hydro reservoirs and issues with the availability of natural gas.

 

The traffic in imported coal has been an on and off flow since the trains commenced running in 2004, with rumors of the wagons being transferred to the South Island when regular traffic ceased several years ago when Genesis phased out the use of coal at the Huntly Plant. 

 

The Rotowaro  (literally Coal Lake)  Huntly terminal is unusual as it is capable of both receiving and dispatching coal by rail loading out two trains daily for the Glenbrook Steel Mill.

 

The connection from the main line to the Rotowaro terminal is the surviving section of a  NZR branch line that served a number of coal mines in the Huntly area

 

 

13 years ago empty Genesis Energy Coal Train leaving Rotowaro

 

Empty train crossing State Highway 1 at Huntly. The General Motors diesels have been replaced by the Chinese built DL Class, the section of SH1 through Huntly is due to be replaced by the Waikato Expressway Huntly Bye Pass over Taupiri Summit in 2020.

Edited January 13, 2019 by John M

[br2975]

Very interesting.

.

Thanks for posting.

.

Brian R

[avonside1563]

Looking at maps of the area it seems like a very convoluted method of getting the coal from the trains to the power station. From the rail unloading point via a 4km roadway to a 2km conveyor system that takes it to the power station?

[John M]

Looking at maps of the area it seems like a very convoluted method of getting the coal from the trains to the power station. From the rail unloading point via a 4km roadway to a 2km conveyor system that takes it to the power station?

 

The Rotowaro Terminal was built primarily to load out train load coal for the Glenbrook Steel Mill.

 

The 2km conveyor system linked the abandoned West Mine with the power station.

 

The Rotowaro line originally extended to Glen Afton a small mining settlement, most of the upper section of line above the Rotowaro Open Cast Mine survives a a heritage railway operated by the Bush Tramway Club who have a large collection of former industrial and geared logging locomotives (Bush Lokies).

 

Ex-NZR F Class 185 this loco was sold into industrial service and operated on the original Rotowaro Mine system

 

185 at Pukemiro Junction the head quarters of the present heritage operation.

 

Climax 1650 currently undergoing restoration originally worked on a Bush Tramway in King Country

Pukemiro Coal Company Pecket 1630 has worked at Pukemiro since it introduction in the 1920s.

A. G. Price E Class 111 the loco combines Heisler and Climax design features.

The Bush Tramway also have an operational Price CB which is basically the New Zealand version of a Climax A

A  Bush Tramway Club member has restored a "Bush Jigger" once use to transport workers from the mill to the felling site in the forest.

The Jigger has only 1 reverse gear. The truck is turned by jacking up the front end, then rolling back the bogie to a pivot point under the truck acting as a built in turntable. 

Edited January 17, 2019 by John M

[John M]

I managed to combine work and railfanning in the Waikato today with freight traffic from the Kinleith branch in the South Waikato to the Port of Tauranga and Hamilton. I covered much the same territory more than a decade ago on a Cloudy Day in the Waikato. Motive power at the time was mainly two loco consists of EMD & GE road switchers in a glorious mixture of Toll Rail green & yellow, Tranz Rail Bumble Bee and  Cato Blue schemes and the odd loco still in the NZR red & yellow fruit salad scheme of the 1980s.

 

Today's trains were worked exclusively by single CNR built double cabbed DL units.

 

DL 9066 approaches Tower Road with a train of export logs and paper from Kinleith. 

Running downgrade to cross the Waihou before entering the Kaimai Tunnel.

The train had left the Kinleith Branch at Waharoa and is travelling over the ECMT Kaimai Deviation en-route to the port of Tauranga.

DL9193 passing Waharoa, junction between the Kinleith Branch and the ECMT with a shunting service from Kinleith.

The train conveying traffic from a South Waikato District Council sponsored intermodal terminal near Kinleith and traffic from the Litchfield dairy processing plant.

Used to be classed as M72 a long distance shunt service from Hamilton to Kinleith and return which mainly carried dairy and log traffic.

 

The buildings on the left are a replica of butter factory that once existed on the opposite side of the line and re-used roof vents recovered when the original plant was demolished.

The building on the right is a rail served cold store.

Morrinsville. The train has pulled into the yard to detach wagons with container traffic for Tauranga and allow a westbound Genesis Energy coal train to overtake. The yard is also used for attaching and detaching wagons for two local dairy plants.  Yard tracks are often ballasted to rail level to allow shunters (human) use utes and vans to perform their duties.

9538 passes on the main line as the driver of 9193 and the shunter discuss their next move.

 

Nearing its destination 9193 crosses the peat lands near Eureka. 

Gorse on the left Toetoe on the right. Toetoe was traditionally used as a roof covering similar to straw or rushes in Europe.

[Krusty]

Quote

Toetoe on the right. Toetoe was traditionally used as a roof covering similar to straw or rushes in Europe.

 

<pedant mode> Actually that weed is (mumble, mumble) South American pampas grass (mumble, mumble). Toetoe flowers late in the year (generally November–January), has a different flower form (drooping, rather than pointing straight up) and generally a creamier colour to the flowers. The leaves are also tougher if you have the severe misfortune to get tangled up with them. </pedant mode>

 

But nice photos.

Edited May 10, 2019 by Krusty