Dunedin To Have Commuter Trains - For A Day

[geoff_184]

Otago Daily Times

By Bill Campbell on Mon, 23 Feb 2009

Suburban trains will run from Waitati and Mosgiel to Dunedin on
Wednesday, March 18, when commuters will be encouraged to walk or take
public transport to work.

A fare of $5 per train journey would be charged, Dunedin City Council
events and sustainable travel co-ordinator Charlotte Flaherty said
recently.

People would be encouraged to travel by bus to work from other parts
of Dunedin, she said.

Normal bus fares and Go card concessions would apply.

A North Line passenger train will leave Waitati at 7.45am and stop, if
required, for passengers at Purakaunui, Sawyers Bay and St Leonards,
Taieri Gorge Railway operations manager Grant Craig said.

The train from Mosgiel, departing at 8am, would stop at Wingatui,
before running to the Dunedin Railway Station. The return trains to
Waitati and Mosgiel will leave the Dunedin Railway Station at 5pm,
with similar stops to the morning services.

Car pooling is being arranged for Palmerston and Waikouaiti commuters.

[jarbury]

Awesome. Hopefully it's popular enough to become a permanent fixture

[Jonthekiwi]

Dunedin has the perfect layout for an excellent suburban rail system..... this city should start rail services as soon as possible.

Only problem is the city council and central govt have sunk, or wasted, hundreds of millions of dollars over the past 20 years building the expressway and upgrading roads. Probably 1/2 that investment would not have been needed if they had continued with rail services, which were run down and canned in 1982.

[Jonthekiwi]

Dunedin has the perfect layout for an excellent suburban rail system..... this city should start rail services as soon as possible.

Only problem is the city council and central govt have sunk, or wasted, hundreds of millions of dollars over the past 20 years building the expressway and upgrading roads. Probably 1/2 that investment would not have been needed if they had continued with rail services, which were run down and canned in 1982.

[john-ston]

If Dunedin got a rail system, I would hate to see the reaction of Cantabrians. They have missed out on a motorway system, and now a smaller centre is getting a rail system.

[jarbury]

Nobody is saying Dunedin should have a full rail system with trains at half-hour intervals throughout the day. Just maybe a few services at peak hour if the demand justifies them.

What rolling stock is going to be used?

[doloras]

If the ARC run short of money for buying the EMUs, they should sell the ADKs to Dunedin, being careful not to giggle openly.

[jarbury]

Oops I giggled. Maybe the ADLs could be more realistic. Considering that it appears that no infrastructure upgrades are necessary to run a few commuter trains in Dunedin I can easily see how it could be viable. What are the stations like?

[move4auckland]

I'm originally from Dunedin. Mosgiel Station isn't too bad, and is better than a lot of the stations in Auckland. Dunedin station is one of the best looking buildings in New Zealand, but i'm not sure how the platforms are doing. Dunedin does have a good layout for rail, but unfortunately the small population might not justify it. Also with Dunedin, there's really no such thing as 'rush hour traffic', so bus and car can easily beat rail. Dunedin rail station is in a great central location tho.

[jarbury]

I'm guessing people may choose trains over bus/car though due to the more relaxing ride.... that is if most other things are similar (time, cost, reliability etc.)

[move4auckland]

If Dunedin got a rail system, I would hate to see the reaction of Cantabrians. They have missed out on a motorway system, and now a smaller centre is getting a rail system.

Dunedin is far more progressive than Christchurch in most aspects, especially considering it's a third of the size. Better roading system, better urban layout, motorways etc.

[matthew25187]

What rolling stock is going to be used?

Most likely refurbished diesel multiple units or railcars.

http://www.odt.co.nz/your-town/dunedin/ ... sure-grows

[matthew25187]

If Dunedin got a rail system, I would hate to see the reaction of Cantabrians. They have missed out on a motorway system, and now a smaller centre is getting a rail system.

At least Christchurch currently has more train services than Dunedin: TranzAlpine, TranzCoastal, and summer time Tranz Scenic special charters out of Lyttelton, compared to Taieri Gorge Railway and Seasider.

[nzqf182]

Whats a ADK worth these days ? $200,000 ?

[idiot]

Whats a ADK worth these days ? $200,000 ?

At the moment - priceless

We need everything with wheels on at the moment, however I don't go along with the need to have maintenance spares at Westfield if they aren't actually being maintained.

I hate to think what the 0722, 0725, 0738 from Manurewa are going to be like next week......

[nzqf182]

Whats a ADK worth these days ? $200,000 ?

I hate to think what the 0722, 0725, 0738 from Manurewa are going to be like next week......

Sorry to go off topic i haven't been taking the train this week whats happening next week ?

[john-ston]

Sorry to go off topic i haven't been taking the train this week whats happening next week ?

Uni starts back on Monday.

[nzqf182]

Uni starts back on Monday.

Good thing that i Graudated last week then.


Where DUD get these talked about 2nd Railcars/DMU's from not the Faits i hope

[idiot]

What rolling stock is going to be used?

Most likely refurbished diesel multiple units or railcars.

http://www.odt.co.nz/your-town/dunedin/ ... sure-grows

More likely to be TGR stock/locos

[john-ston]

Where DUD get these talked about 2nd Railcars/DMU's from not the Faits i hope

I propose that Dunedin get as many of these as possible