Comments on: Riding the Wellington Peak Time Trains

By: Jon C

Jon C — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 04:05:14 +0000

Nice to hear from you Nigel and thanks for the update and the great work being done by staff to make Wellington a modern rail city. I had a great time riding the trains and everyone was so friendly.

By: Nigel Parry

Nigel Parry — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:03:01 +0000

Hi Jon C, thanks for the interesting post. Nigel from KiwiRail here.

Yes, there is a lot of investment going into the Wellington rail network. Here’s some info;
http://www.kiwirail.co.nz/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=25&cntnt01dateformat=%25d%20-%20%25m%20-%20%25Y&cntnt01returnid=55.

Here’s some more general info;
http://www.ontrack.govt.nz/ourprojects/WRRP/Pages/Wellington%20Region%20Rail%20Programme.aspx

Thanks also for your comments about our staff.

Incidentally, one of the items being addressed by the upgrade is a new ‘vehicle wash’, currently being installed. Our old wash has been removed to make way and until it is finished trains are not cleaned are regularly as they normally would. The view from the window should be clearer the next time you visit, which is good as the Johnsonville Line is an inner city rail scenic delight as you travel up through the Ngaio Gorge.

By: Jon C

Jon C — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:28:21 +0000

@Brent C Good luck with that proposal.Excellement initiative on your part.
@Ian Hope the improvements come soon for you
@ Jeremy I have had nothing but good experiences on Wellington buses

By: Ian

Ian — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:52:27 +0000

Go the English Electric. I would like to think that the last revenue runs by these old war horses will be on the J’ville line but I suspect that this line will be fully Rotemised pretty quickly. There is something about the sound of the sturdy EE traction motors powering up the hill to Crofton Downs and the familiar bang of the line contactors dropping out as the driver brings the controller back to coast.

By: Brent C

Brent C — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:50:19 +0000

The railway station at Johnsonville is a shocker! WCC has plans to significantly upgrade the town centre area and have more mixed use development so there is more density around the transport nodes. I’m hoping an upgraded station with a decent bus interchange can be established.

After reading your post several months ago about rail to St Lukes, I submitted on the Johnsonville mall redevelopment. I said that the station should be incorporated into the mall development, like what happens in Singapore (stations are effectively shopping malls as well). I also said the mall should have real time information so shoppers can know when the next train/bus is.

I don’t think anything has been made of it just yet.

By: Jeremy Harris

Jeremy Harris — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:20:13 +0000

I only rode the Johnsonville line when I was down there last time, I hope to go down before New Years and will ride another line…

Ride a trolley bus when yours down there, I rode one to the zoo, more reasons for Aucklanders to be jealous…

I’ve always said if I get fed up with Auckland’s situation at least I don’t have to move overseas to live in a city with a good public transport system…

By: Jon C

Jon C — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 05:17:05 +0000

Thanks for the info dsadas

By: dsadas

dsadas — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 04:54:34 +0000

They do allow bikes onboard but not in passenger areas. There is a small door which needs to be opened by hand with a small area for placing bikes in with no seats thats seperated from the passenger area.

The new overhead structures are the all metal silver coloured ones.