A NZ Rail Renaissance?

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Linuxluver

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#1858507 4-Sep-2017 21:45

Sidestep:

....

I reckon there's a case to do this, and move the Ro-ro auto imports up there as well as long as there's a viable way of moving the cars South.
I can't see the cost of moving the container port being justified, but something will need to be done long term.

Assuming that's all correct, that's an impressive post! What's your background in shipping?

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I've been on Geekzone over 16 years..... Time flies....

old3eyes

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#1858674 5-Sep-2017 09:25

KiwiSurfer:

wellygary:

Get ready for a shock, The Northern Explorer's Auckland Terminus is the Strand, (so its not even possible to catch a local EMU, or bus to Britomart,)

You can still catch a local EMU or bus to Middlemore(?) and Papakura. Not ideal for people travelling from stations on the Western Line though I'll admit.

- James

It would have to be Papakura as it's the only other Auckland stop. Crazy though AT throwing out Kiwi Rail from it's Britomart terminal.

Regards,

Old3eyes

MikeAqua

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#1858691 5-Sep-2017 09:51

old3eyes:

KiwiSurfer:

wellygary:

Get ready for a shock, The Northern Explorer's Auckland Terminus is the Strand, (so its not even possible to catch a local EMU, or bus to Britomart,)

You can still catch a local EMU or bus to Middlemore(?) and Papakura. Not ideal for people travelling from stations on the Western Line though I'll admit.

- James

It would have to be Papakura as it's the only other Auckland stop. Crazy though AT throwing out Kiwi Rail from it's Britomart terminal.

Not being very familiar with Auckland beyond the motorway and CBD I hadn't picked up on this. But no drama, easy enough to get a taxi.

Mike

Sidestep

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#1859122 5-Sep-2017 17:05

Linuxluver:

I had done sleepers on Canadian trains and really enjoyed them.

...The NZ trains, however, have a much narrower gauge and the cars are not as wide and spacious as the Canadian trains. We had cabins....and the beds on the NZ trains were across the path of travel.....and too short for tall me. It was basically a leather couch with a sheet on it. Not comfortable at all....

But the daytime train is still there and popular with tourists....and much better than taking the bus. Note that in Auckland, it currently leaves from the Strand Station...well outside and away from Britomart.

As a kid I rode one of the the last overnight VIA Rail trains from Calgary to Vancouver.
I can still remember the excitement of climbing into bed with high mountain peaks - illuminated by the setting sun - rolling past the train window.

I still get a thrill when I pull up at a prairie rail crossing and one of those huge CPR transcontinental freight train rolls past, 3 km's long, with it's double-stacked containers and distributed power controlled A.C. locomotives, front, center and rear. (I'm the guy leaning out the pickup window doing the 'toot toot' arm thing at the manned lead loco)

In NZ I've ridden the trains both North and South.

I can see they're tourist trains that - while scenic - aren't providing New Zealanders in any way with practical rail service between major cities.
In fact I think the days of a viable inter-city rail passenger service in New Zealand are past (as opposed to urban light rail transit, which I support).

For passenger services only a massive build of new, fast track - and integrated urban transit services at each end - will overcome the deficits of decades of deferred maintenance and missed re-construction.
And it would require huge social change as Kiwis who've given up, and grown completely reliant on cars re-learnt to use rail.

Freight's another story. A rebuild/extension of some existing rail for non-time-sensitive freight might still be viable as long as it's properly planned.
One of those might be for a carefully targeted market of bulk goods such as logs to, and cars from, Northport.

Sidestep

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#1859130 5-Sep-2017 17:17

Linuxluver:

What's your background in shipping?

Only that I import containers from Canada/US.

Moving back to NZ, I noted that some gear here was more expensive than the addition of exchange rates, GST, shipping costs – and a margin- should suggest.
Looking closer, some sectors were obviously very competitive, but I spotted there was probably a niche in importing light machinery & vehicles.

So I started bringing in a few loads in my own 40' containers each year as a sideline.

Importing stuff sheeted home to me that we're the most remote developed country in the world.. and began an interest in local logistics..
Because it turns out that an unexpectedly expensive part of the overall logistics chain is the onshore component - road or rail transport.

I'd forgotten that in NZ Road & Rail transport is crap.

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