Currently Browsing: Development
Govt Report Acknowleges Locomotives Are ‘Old”
Posted by Jon C in DevelopmentMar 2nd, 2010 | 7 Comments
This afternoon’s government infrastructure plan says further KiwiRail rolling stock investment may be looming – but this is “subject to policy decisions about the size of the rail network and level of service the Government wishes to support.”
The plan lists, as an example, that the current locomotive and wagon fleet is old (average age is 30 years for locomotives and 25 years for wagons) and prone to structural failure, and thus allows little or no room for revenue growth.
In addition, a new interisland rail ferry is likely to be needed by 2016 to replace the ageing vessel Arahura.
This...
Govt: More Rail Announcements Coming This Year
Posted by Jon C in CBD rail loop, Development, harbour crossingMar 2nd, 2010 | 10 Comments
New Lynn's rail trench opened this week
The government this afternoon gave a commitment to more investment in commuter rail.
Finance Minister, Bill English, unveiling the government’s infrastructure plan in a speech in Auckland at lunchtime, said: “We have also begun investing in key parts of the rail network and you can expect further announcements in this area throughout the year.”
The plan emphasises “a need to replace some of the rail fleet to boost revenue growth on some routes. There is also likely to be increased demand for further investment in the Auckland and Wellington...
More Disruptions Are On The Way
Posted by Jon C in DevelopmentJan 21st, 2010 | 2 Comments
More rail work is to be done over the Auckland anniversary weekend (late this year at the very end of the month) – and this will mean the return of the railbuses over that time.
Here are the details, if you haven’t seen the signs yet:
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Train Work Clutter Or Is It Art? – Photos
Posted by Jon C in DevelopmentJan 1st, 2010 | 2 Comments
Rail development workers, some of whom are up for several weeks from other parts of the country, deserved an early knock off yesterday and a day off for some.
A quick tour around some of the key locations didn’t spot the usual workers but there’s plenty of interesting equipment lying around, ready for when they arrive on the job.
You can imagine some of it being offered to galleries as pieces of interesting arty sculpture!
Here is some of the stuff I came across in my morning travels:
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Exciting New Year For Auckland Trains
Posted by Jon C in DevelopmentJan 1st, 2010 | 13 Comments
Happy New Year! ..,,
and it’s AKT – this Auckland Trains’ site’s first birthday too!
Thanks for all your support, contributions to debate and your feedback. Always appreciated.
We’re in for an exciting year with so much improved development around us.
Wellington rail is also in for improvements.
Auckland’s highlights will include:
The new Newmarket station opening January 18
New bigger platforms and an underpass at Kingsland
Other improvements around Eden Park
A new New Lynn station and transport hub opening September
A new Grafton station opening April
A...
Graffiti Is Ruining Our Shiny New Rail Works (Photos)
Posted by Jon C in DevelopmentDec 23rd, 2009 | 12 Comments
What can we do about the graffiti curse that’s starting to appear all over our shiny new rail projects?
It can be covered over when new stations get built but what how do we stop those new platforms and stations from being attacked constantly? Kingsland’s development and the new Grafton’s retaining walls are constant targets, often by the same taggers:
I try to avoid showing it but it’s impossible to show the construction without getting the long trail of tagging in any of the pictures – and I won’t Photoshop images as I want to show the way it is.
CCTV cameras...
2009 Auckland Train Development in Photos (Part 1): The Early Months
Posted by Jon C in DevelopmentDec 21st, 2009 | No Comments
We began the year, with a new government and , especially thanks to the ditching of the Auckland regional petrol tax plan, uncertainty about the future of planned Auckland public transport projects.
We end the year with the much welcome green light for two of the biggest leaps we could hope for - integrated ticketing and funding for electric trains.
And all around us, there is a frenzy of development going on including a new Newmarket station opening on January 18, upgrades to other stations and work to prepare Auckland for electric rail.
Here are random photo glimpses of how the landscape has...
New Arahura Bridge Opens – Separates Road & Rail
Posted by Jon C in DevelopmentDec 11th, 2009 | 3 Comments
It’s been one of the largest and complex bridge projects on the New Zealand rail network in recent times.
And the new replacement South Island road – rail bridge, which opened today, has three excellent approaches going for it:
It removes the railway line from vehicle traffic by separating road, rail and pedestrian/ cycle traffic. The new structure has two lanes with separate road and rail bridge spans next to each other. The new design will also have a combined footpath cycle way.
For the first time in the southern hemisphere, a rubber panel system was used in the roundabout...
Ellerslie’s Station Upgrade A Blueprint For Others (Photos)
Posted by Jon C in Development, EllerslieDec 4th, 2009 | 5 Comments
Ellerslie’s station upgrade, with the pedestrian bridge canopy works well – and shows what can be done with a small but busy suburban train station to make it more sheltered and pleasant for commuters.
The station, on the south-western side of the Southern Motorway, is accessible by a pedestrian overbridge crossing the motorway between the town’s Main Highway and Kalmia St. That overbridge has been decorated with murals relevant to the town’s history and has been covered with a canopy.
Sadly, as part of an epidemic in Auckland, the canvas has already been attacked by taggers...
New Lynn Project Ahead Of Schedule (Latest Photos)
Posted by Jon C in Development, New LynnDec 1st, 2009 | 4 Comments
New Lynn’s train station and transport interchange project gets more exciting by the week.
The trench walls are complete, and the concrete base slabs for the floor of the trench are steadily being laid as excavation continues. Work has begun on the cantilever walkway which will run along the southern side of the trench from the Clark St / Rankin Ave intersection to Hetana Street. Construction is also happening inside the trench to build the station.
The track that is currently running along the top of the finished northern trench wall is scheduled to be moved into the trench around April....
Onehunga’s Missing Link: Penrose II Emerges (Photos)
Posted by Jon C in Development, OnehungaNov 16th, 2009 | 10 Comments
Work has begin on building a second Penrose railway station, in preparation for the Onehunga line. Here’s an aucklandtrains close-up look at progress so far:
PENROSE II:A The platform has already begun construction
TWOSOME: Penrose II seen from the roof of the present station
POINTS: Britomart or Onehunga?
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Trifecta At Kingsland Today (Photos)
Posted by Jon C in DevelopmentNov 15th, 2009 | 4 Comments
Motorists around the Sandringham Rd Eden Park area have no escape this weekend as three developments are full on – the Kingsland station platform extension, the trench digging to prepare the nearby bridges for electrification and stormwater pipe replacement.
Here are photos of what’s happening today:
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Len Brown Asks: Do We Still Need Airport Rail?
Posted by Jon C in DevelopmentNov 11th, 2009 | 5 Comments
Manukau’s Mayor, attending this week’s official launch of a 24/7 direct bus service from the airport to the CBD , pondered: do we need both rail and bus to the airport, especially in view of this development. And his answer is yes.
Johnsons Coach Lines, the providers of the bus service and the owners of Airbus Express, representatives of ARTA and representatives of the Auckland International Airport were present to celebrate the Airbus Express expanding its timetable to run around the clock.
The seven day a week service connects a new large bus fleet direct for visitors from the airport...
Busy Weekend for Rail Development- Final Roundup (Photos)
Posted by Jon C in DevelopmentNov 9th, 2009 | No Comments
TIRING: Hard out work for the rail workers during the weekend
Trains return to the Western line today after a busy weekend of interesting looking work.
Here’s the last roundup of photos:
NEWMARKET: Work for as far as you can see
NEWMARKET: Getting the Remuera Rd entrance finished
BUSY: Boston Rd, Park Rd and the new Grafton station work
Mt Eden overbridge
If you missed the rest of the weekend photos:
Saturday – Kingsland
Saturday - electrification work
Sunday – Sandringham Rd
Sunday- Kingsland overbridge
Sunday – Mt Eden overbridge Page 1 and Page 2
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Reinforcing Mt Eden Rd Overbridge (Photos – Part 1)
Posted by Jon C in DevelopmentNov 8th, 2009 | No Comments
At Mt Eden Rd today, reinforcement beams for the Mt Eden overbridge as part of the electrification project carries on to take advantage of no trains on the Western line this weekend. Here are today’s photos:
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Reinforcing Mt Eden – (Photos – Part 2)
Posted by Jon C in DevelopmentNov 8th, 2009 | No Comments
More photos from today’s work at the Mt Eden Rd overbridge
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Workers Get Inside Sandringham Bridge Tunnel Today (Photos)
Posted by Jon C in DevelopmentNov 8th, 2009 | No Comments
Work today at the Onslow Rd end of the bridge
As hectic work continues today around the Kingsland area, workers move under the Sandringham Rd overbridge as part of the necessary preparation for electrification continues.
Here are the latest photos of the weekend work on the corner of Sandringham / New North and Onslow Rds:
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Work At Top of Sandringham Rd Bridge Continues (Photos)
Posted by Jon C in DevelopmentNov 8th, 2009 | 2 Comments
A look at the work today at the top of the Sandringham Rd bridge near the corner of New North Rd, just along from Eden Park and the Kingsland station.
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Hijinks At Kingsland
Posted by Jon C in DevelopmentNov 7th, 2009 | 1 Comment
If you’re driving (!) near Eden park / Kowhai school this weekend, it would be best to avoid the area.
Work at Kingsland’s station is full on today – and traffic is slow around the area.
Slow traffic as it's down to one lane
Work is also going on around the corner from the station with the Sandringham Rd overbridge.
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What Kingsland’s Swept Up Station Will Look Like & Timetable
Posted by Jon C in DevelopmentNov 5th, 2009 | 5 Comments
Picture on display of "aerial view" of completed Kingsland station
Kiwirail, ARTA, Auckland city council and other involved parties are showing off their plans for Kingsland at a public information day until 7pm tonight.
People who have been there, tell me there were no surprises in what the public saw at the display, at Kingsland’s old Trinity Methodist Church in New North Rd – but it was good to be able to be kept informed.
They said that on a rainy day, there seemed to be only a few locals and representatives standing around waiting to engage in conversations. Apparently...
Avondale Station 8 Months Away (Photos)
Posted by Jon C in DevelopmentOct 31st, 2009 | 4 Comments
Work at Avondale for the new station and double track work continues at a pace – but it’s eight months away from finishing.
Retaining walls to support the new platforms are appearing and construction of the platforms will continue for about another two months.
The new station itself will open next June, hopefully at the same time as New Lynn’s new station.
Part of the work also involves a new stormwater pipe and improvements to level crossings.
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ARC Advocates $46b, Mostly For Public Transport – But Where’s Money?
Posted by Jon C in Development, GeneralOct 29th, 2009 | 3 Comments
ARC: Move away from cars to public transport
ARC’s draft 30 year transport strategy, out tomorrow and ready for public for consultation until December 18, advocates a $46m spend mostly on public transport as the preferred option but warns that funding over the next 30 years “is likely to be insufficient to implement the strategy.”
That is an understatement.
The report explains that while the level of funding available beyond the next ten years cannot be confidently predicted, over the 30-year period of this strategy, a range of $33b to $47b will be available. But the strategy cost totals...
Ask Officials Your Kingsland Development Queries
Posted by Jon C in DevelopmentOct 27th, 2009 | No Comments
Kiwirail, ARTA and the Auckland City Council are having an “information day” about the developments in the Eden Park / Kingsland region.
Metrowater and Vector will also be present.
The “public information session” enables you to find out about the projects leading up to the RWC, including the Kingsland rail developments that began a new wave of work last weekend .
They offer to answer questions.
Date: Nov 5
Time: 2pm-7pm
Venue: Trinity Methodist Church, 400 New North Rd, Kingsland (near the corner of Sandringham and New North, by Atomic Cafe)
SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title:...
Weekend Rail Work- Last Day (Photos)
Posted by Jon C in DevelopmentOct 26th, 2009 | 1 Comment
The rain mainly held off for the last day of the long Labour Weekend rail development.
Here are the latest photos:
We don't want tagging at the new Newmarket station
Prison escape getaway vehicle?
Interesting shapes inside the new Newmarket station as interior work starts
Motorists will be pleased when the Park Rd disruption is over
Boston Rd
Track lowering at Mt Eden
Mt Eden track work
SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Weekend Rail Work- Last Day (Photos)", url: "http://www.aucklandtrains.co.nz/2009/10/26/weekend-rail-work-last-day-photos/" });
Kingsland Station Development – Last Long Weekend Day (Photos)
Posted by Jon C in DevelopmentOct 26th, 2009 | No Comments
Kingsland was the centre of attention in the long weekend of rail development with the start of a subway under the tracks and extended platforms, work that will continue until April. It’s also been revealed a second “emergency” footbridge will now be built at the eastern end but used only if needed to cope with safety issues with the expected numbers using the RWC trains to Eden Park.
Here are the latest photos:
All there is to show of a weekend starting a Kingsland underpass and wider platform
SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Kingsland Station Development – Last Long Weekend...
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I began this as a diary about catching an Auckland train & to create an online record of rail & motorway development. Now it's called AKT as it covers news & views from rail to motorways, the Auckland harbour crossing debate & cycle trails.
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