Capital Connection Under Threat

[geoff_184]

Geoff,

I think you will find the economics of the CC will change with the introduction of Matangis and the extension to Waikanae. This is only natural and furthermore was forecast by KR a long time before the extension of the line opened. To say it is because people wanted a subsidy for a commuter rail service is basically a cop-out to serve you own one-eyed view point on that issue.

The CC was paying its way when patronage was lower than it is today. I wouldn't be too quick to believe KR's line that 630 passengers suddenly becomes viable at 668 passengers.

You shouldn't dismiss my theory so quickly either Jon, as what is happening is exactly as I predicted. Time will tell.

[john-ston]

I can see both points here, although I would question the idea that the Capital Connection was so vulnerable that a loss of revenue of around $400 per day would push it into the red.

[keg]

Another piece:

Otaki commuters fear loss of 'critical' rail link
KAY BLUNDELL
03/11/2011

Otaki rail commuters and community leaders say the town will be isolated if the Capital Connection is axed, with only one public transport service remaining.

The popularity of the extended Kapiti line to Waikanae since February resulted in a 10 per cent drop in patronage of the daily Palmerston North to Wellington Capital Connection service.

KiwiRail has warned that, if patronage does not increase, options including closing it would be considered.
continues

At least Otaki gets the 290 bus as well as the CC, Levin has no other commuter orientated services heading south so would be even worse off if the train is canned.

[keg]

Is this another example of the Ferns being the magic solution to all passenger rail problems

I am puzzled about why running two Ferns coupled together would be economic whereas the S cars plus loco are not.

The CC loco can be used on other services when it is not running the CC. The Ferns would be more or less confined to the CC. The present arrangement therefore gives more efficient use of motive power.

The present service requires a freight driver; the Ferns would require a specially trained driver so there would be less flexibility.

Two Ferns in use and one spare means that 33% of Fern capacity is not used. I am sure this would upset the bean counters.

There are no end doors on the Ferns so presumably an attendant in one Fern and a train manager in the other would be required. In theory the present CC could have just a train manager.

Two Ferns means two engines and two sets of electrical gear to maintain. Would the two Ferns use less fuel than the loco? Would they be cheaper to maintain?

The Ferns are not very flexible when it comes to demand. On the other hand carriages can be added/removed from the existing set to meet demand.

With respect I am not sure if the proposers of the Fern "solution" have thought the issues through. Please convince me otherwise

As for magic solutions there aren't any. Options that should IMO be considered/investigated the CC in (my) order of preference:

1. Loco + S carriages
2. Railcar - direct service
3. Railcar - shuttle service
4. Subsidised versions of the above

Discussion surrounding the proposed (& increasingly unlikely) Waikato service lead me to believe that the railcars were a lot more fuel efficient than loco hauled carriage trains. Unconvinced that the current arrangement necessarily gives a better use of motive power - using railcars the loco is available for freight all the time. Not convinced that having a third spare sitting around is a huge issue either as currently that's what most of them do most of the time. Agree on flexibility.

Something to be considered rather than something to be done necessarily.

[Daniel]

Another piece:

Otaki commuters fear loss of 'critical' rail link
KAY BLUNDELL
03/11/2011

Otaki rail commuters and community leaders say the town will be isolated if the Capital Connection is axed, with only one public transport service remaining.

The popularity of the extended Kapiti line to Waikanae since February resulted in a 10 per cent drop in patronage of the daily Palmerston North to Wellington Capital Connection service.

KiwiRail has warned that, if patronage does not increase, options including closing it would be considered.
continues

At least Otaki gets the 290 bus as well as the CC, Levin has no other commuter orientated services heading south so would be even worse off if the train is canned.

Surely coachline operators are already rubbing their hands in anticipation of meeting this new demand?

[keg]

From the Manawatu Standard:

Capital Connection on time
Train rarely late, commuters say
JIMMY ELLINGHAM
01/12/2011

Despite facing the squeeze from operator KiwiRail, the Capital Connection has been arriving on time this year.

Figures released by the government-owned rail operator show the daily train between Palmerston North and Wellington has mostly hit its performance target this year.

That target is to get 90 per cent of trains to arrive within 10 minutes of their scheduled time.

Since May this has been met, with 98 per cent of trains reaching their target in June and October.
continues

[keg]

Heard it as a rumour on the train the other day, now confirmed. Didn't see anything official about it on the train (first time I've used it for a long time), but some of the passengers were talking about it & the negative effect it'd have on patronage from P'ra'm' & Waikanae ...

Anyway, from KR:

From Monday 9 January 2012 all Capital Connection tickets and passes are only valid for travel on Capital Connection services.

Are they trying to keep it or kill it?

[kaiwhara]

No thats not cool or good value especially on passes. One of the drawcards the Capital had was that if you had a pass for it (10 trip or Monthly) that a) would could actually use the damn train in the first place but b) you were not locked into using that train if for whatever reason one odd day it did not suit (appointments, friday night drinkies etc)...

Heard it as a rumour on the train the other day, now confirmed. Didn't see anything official about it on the train (first time I've used it for a long time), but some of the passengers were talking about it & the negative effect it'd have on patronage from P'ra'm' & Waikanae ...

Anyway, from KR:

From Monday 9 January 2012 all Capital Connection tickets and passes are only valid for travel on Capital Connection services.

Are they trying to keep it or kill it?

[john-ston]

To be honest, that is the height of stupidity - perhaps it is time for Geoff to repeat his conspiracy theory...

[Matt L]

Most likely it is a sign of the changing nature of how PT services are provided these days. Remember that in the past everything was done by Kiwirail and its successors but now the way the council is required to contract things out they wouldn't want to provide cross subsidised services. Basically Wellington is being forced to adopt the Auckland model with each part of the process of delivering the service divided up and contracted out separately in the name of getting better value for money. I would suggest it will take 5-10 years for the GWRC to get their head around impacts and in that time it will only result in costs increasing for both the GWRC and passengers which will keep patronage growth low at best and will likely see many things scaled back.

After that 5-10 years there will probably need to be a huge amount of money invested to bring back the attractiveness of rail so patronage can be rebuilt but basically they are going to have many of the same service issues that Auckland has had over the last decade and that we only now seem to be starting to solve.

[john-ston]

Reconsidering this from a more positive angle, might this mean that we could see the Ferns on the Capital Connection at some time soon? If you took away the Paraparaumu and Waikanae patronage, then you would have about 180 or 190 passengers - which could fit into a double Fern.

[c46andc47]

Most likely it is a sign of the changing nature of how PT services are provided these days. Remember that in the past everything was done by Kiwirail and its successors but now the way the council is required to contract things out they wouldn't want to provide cross subsidised services. Basically Wellington is being forced to adopt the Auckland model with each part of the process of delivering the service divided up and contracted out separately in the name of getting better value for money.

I suspect that this is a GWRC decision. The CC is not subsidised so all fare revenue goes to KiwiRail. If a passenger with a CC monthly ticket uses it on an electric service from Waikanae then AFAIK the GWRC, which is subsidising the electric services, does not get any fare money from the passenger.

On the subject of Tranz Metro/GWRC I believe that tomorrow will be the first Christmas for many years that Tranz Metro has not provided free services on Christmas day. The report I read said that the GWRC had "discovered" the free services and was not happy about them.

[grunter]

[quote="c46andc47]

I suspect that this is a GWRC decision. The CC is not subsidised so all fare revenue goes to KiwiRail. If a passenger with a CC monthly ticket uses it on an electric service from Waikanae then AFAIK the GWRC, which is subsidising the electric services, does not get any fare money from the passenger.

On the subject of Tranz Metro/GWRC I believe that tomorrow will be the first Christmas for many years that Tranz Metro has not provided free services on Christmas day. The report I read said that the GWRC had "discovered" the free services and was not happy about them.[/quote]


GWRC "input" to the CC decision is I belive as you have decsribed.

On the other matter, tommorrow's train replacement buses are free.

[kaiwhara]

I'm not sure that is correct, as for the last few years with trains being free, GWRC's own publicity via Metlink had actively emphisised that they would be free, and I cannot see how 400,000 Wellingtonians could know a secret that the few at GWRC didn't know...

Most likely it is a sign of the changing nature of how PT services are provided these days. Remember that in the past everything was done by Kiwirail and its successors but now the way the council is required to contract things out they wouldn't want to provide cross subsidised services. Basically Wellington is being forced to adopt the Auckland model with each part of the process of delivering the service divided up and contracted out separately in the name of getting better value for money.

I suspect that this is a GWRC decision. The CC is not subsidised so all fare revenue goes to KiwiRail. If a passenger with a CC monthly ticket uses it on an electric service from Waikanae then AFAIK the GWRC, which is subsidising the electric services, does not get any fare money from the passenger.

On the subject of Tranz Metro/GWRC I believe that tomorrow will be the first Christmas for many years that Tranz Metro has not provided free services on Christmas day. The report I read said that the GWRC had "discovered" the free services and was not happy about them.

[eurokiwi78]

The timetable says 'no charge' for xmas day.

[Matt L]

I'm not sure that is correct, as for the last few years with trains being free, GWRC's own publicity via Metlink had actively emphisised that they would be free, and I cannot see how 400,000 Wellingtonians could know a secret that the few at GWRC didn't know...

I read it last year as that they knew they were free but didn't know they were paying for it.

[royce]

Maybe vthe GWRC should buy the capital connection it would sit better with them than Tranz Scenic. There could be a joint veture with the Manawatu people.

[scooter]

Maybe vthe GWRC should buy the capital connection it would sit better with them than Tranz Scenic. There could be a joint veture with the Manawatu people.

There would definitely need to be some form of partnership. No way would GWRC go beyond their boundaries without it. And amongst the things the stillborn Auckland-Hamilton idea taught us was that getting councils to agree on supporting anything outside their borders is a difficult thing indeed

[DFT7008]

I WENT ON THIS YESTERDAY WITH DXB 5097 as the loco

[kaiwhara]

Thats nice, any particular reason that the post had to be written in capitals? And what does this have to do with the subject at hand?

I WENT ON THIS YESTERDAY WITH DXB 5097 as the loco