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NZ | Rail + Freight

207K views 900 replies 65 participants last post by  Miramar Dave 
#1 ·
Rather than dragging the NZ Public Transport thread further off topic, I think it's time for a new thread. News, discussion, etc of rail related stuff that doesn't fit in the PT threads.

Here is something to start it off that I recently read in the National Freight Demands Study
Developments in improving the infrastructure can be grouped as follows:

  • transit time reliability
  • clearances
  • load capacity (axle loads)
  • line capacity
  • extensions.
5.3.3 Transit time and reliability

A large number of the maintenance-risk issues are managed by reducing speeds (temporary speed restrictions). As a result, required work on track, sleepers and formation and structures (bridges and tunnels) may build up as limited funds are prioritised elsewhere, and overall transit time on a particular line may then increase. Increased expenditure by ONTRACK on maintenance on key lines is reducing speed restrictions and improving transit times. Further investment in formation maintenance and bridge upgrading is planned. ONTRACK has also invested in new major, railmaintenance machinery, including 40 new ballast wagons, a „dynamic track stabiliser', a ballast cleaner and a tamper, which will increase the length of line maintained in a year and speed its return to normal traffic transit times.

Much of the country's rail network runs on its original alignment. Some routes were realigned throughout the last century (eg, in the 1930s, 1950s and 1980s) but nowhere near as much as has been done on the highway network. Many lines still suffer from speed restrictions on tight curves and steep grades. Improvements to many of these are
quite feasible, given funding. Current thinking includes improvements on the alignment of the Otaki-Manakau section, a deviation from Kakariki to Porewa to avoid the steep grades into Marton, and easing a sharp, slow-speed curve north of Taihape. Longer term, and on a larger scale, grades on the coal route between the West Coast and Canterbury at Reefton, Cass and near Springfield could be eased, as could other curves on the Taihape - Taumarunui section.

Transit time also interacts with line capacity in terms of signalling and crossing loops. Signalling on the Rolleston - Arthur's Pass route is currently planned for upgrading to centralised traffic control and motorised points, which will improve speed, capacity and safety.

5.3.4 Clearances

A legacy of the nineteenth century construction is limited clearances, mainly through tunnels. The principal restriction is height rather than width, although height and width interact in the area of the curved roof of tight tunnels. Some usually less-used lines cannot take 9ft 6in-high containers, the modern „hi-cube' standard. Most principal lines can take these containers, albeit in some cases with limitations on the wagons that can be used, or with speed restrictions. The most important exceptions are Greymouth - Christchurch and North Auckland.

Currently, the line through the Manawatu Gorge to Napier, and the Marton-New Plymouth line are also restricted. A major project to remove the restrictive tunnel on the New Plymouth line has just been completed, and removal of the restrictive tunnels in the Manawatu Gorge will be completed this year.

On the Auckland-Tauranga and Invercargill-Port Chalmers routes, even higher containers, up to 10ft (3.05m), are allowed. These are special containers for internal use only, as they are also too large for export use. They are used mainly for dairy products as their size permits double stacking of product on pallets, and thus greater
efficiency. Double-stacking of standard pallet sizes is not possible in a 9ft 6in international container, a problem overcome for that journey by using slipsheets. Further work to extend the use of 3.05m containers throughout the network is feasible but is not currently planned.

In the longer term, clearances on the North Auckland line would need to be improved if Marsden Point becomes a major container port, but would require significant expenditure on a replacement for the Makarau tunnel, and as much again to improve many of the other 12 tunnels on the route between Auckland and Whangarei.

There are also plans to remove the first tunnel on the Rolleston - Arthur's Pass route, which is part of the Midland Line between Christchurch and the West Coast. This will improve speeds over that section but, because there are other restrictive tunnels further west, it will not improve clearances on the route as a whole.

5.3.5 Load capacity

Most of the network is capable of carrying 18-tonne axle loads. A 6-axle locomotive can therefore weigh a maximum of 108 tonnes and a 4-axle wagon a maximum of 72 tonnes. The most efficiently constructed wagon on the system at present has a tare weight of 15.5 tonnes, which means that it can carry 56.5 tonnes of freight (including containers).

Modern diesel-electric locomotives including most locomotives built for New Zealand's 1067mm gauge, weigh much more than 108 tonnes. Examples include Queensland's newest diesel-electrics at 119 and 120 tonnes. Given that the hauling power of a locomotive is at least partly related to the weight available for adhesion, an 18-tonne axle load is a limiting factor.

A target for the New Zealand rail network is therefore a 25-tonne axle load, a 39 percent increase on the 18-tonne load.

Both track and bridges are impacted by axle loads, and current track and bridges limit the ability to improve beyond 18 tonnes. It costs relatively little to design and build bridges for heavier loads, so code reviews are currently taking place so that new bridges will be built to carry 25-tonne axle loads. For some years, track has been built for a 22.5-tonne capability. But many bridges and much track remain from times before these standards were introduced, so a focused investment plan for a particular route is necessary before more than 18 tonnes is allowed. Bridges are the critical issue. An accelerated programme to replace the 2,900 wooden piers (521 bridges) is underway and 562m of bridge were replaced or upgraded in 2006-07.

Much of what is carried on New Zealand's rail and road networks is not dense enough to use more than 18-tonne axle loads and relatively few commodities would benefit from heavier axle loads. These include steel, coal, limestone, cement and bulk liquids such as wine in containers. International containers of some exports, such as some dairy
products, may also benefit. Import containers are usually lighter. Note though, that the trend to using 40-ft containers limits the usefulness of higher axle loads – the weight in a 40-ft container is limited by the structural strength of the container and the lifting capability of wharf cranes, which is usually less than 40 tonnes. This is well within the current 18-tonne axle load. Twenty-foot containers could well weigh in excess of 18.8 tonnes each; the practical limit for three of them on a wagon with an 18-tonne axle load. If 20-ft containers continue to be in common use, heavier axle loads may be beneficial.

KiwiRail is buying 100 new container wagons, mainly for Metroport traffic between Tauranga and Auckland. These are capable of an 80-tonne gross weight or 20-tonne axle load. With the tare weight of the wagon subtracted, it can carry nearly 62 tonnes of freight or three 20.5-tonne, 20-ft containers. Some older wagons could also have bogies
upgraded to 20-tonne axle load. These are both interim solutions, and further new container wagons could carry up to 65-tonne loads, still with a 20-tonne axle load. ONTRACK is actively looking at improving the Auckland-Hamilton line to carry 20-tonne axle loads as an early step on the way to 22.5 tonnes. Hamilton-Tauranga will be the next to follow.

Extending this to other routes would require significant expenditure.

5.3.6 Line capacity

Double-track sections of track have very high capacity in terms of the number of trains, depending on signal spacing. The main double-tracked routes outside suburban passenger areas are Papakura-Hamilton (90 km) and Heathcote-Islington in Christchurch (18km). The effective capacity of the Papakura-Hamilton line is limited by two singletracked sections (13km) from Auckland to Te Kauwhata and across the Waikato river at Ngaruawahia between Huntly and Hamilton. At present, they pose no real restriction on capacity.

Double track is being extended in West Auckland and Wellington, primarily for passenger trains. The freight network outside these routes is single tracked. The capacity of single-track routes is influenced by the number and length of crossing (passing) loops, and signalling systems. In much of the country these are appropriate to the traffic
demands on them. Most routes have relatively low-density traffic in terms of number of trains that are run.

When traffic is denser, lines can reach capacity constraints. On the Hamilton-Tauranga route the extension of crossing loops to 900 metres long and the construction of two new crossing loops, is underway at a cost of about $10 million. With the extension of a further loop east of the Kaimai tunnel, this expenditure will double the capacity of the line.

Replacing the signalling on the Midland line between Christchurch and the West Coast, noted above, will also increase the capacity of that line. Further improvements to crossing loops would benefit the North Island Main Trunk line (NIMT) in the central North Island and between Palmerston North and Waikanae.

5.3.7 Line extensions

The rail freight network reaches all significant parts of New Zealand, except Nelson. It also reaches all ports except Nelson and Marsden Point. A line is planned to connect Marsden Point to the network and work is underway to designate the route.

Further short extensions are likely to connect particular industrial plants directly to the network. The three currently under consideration are to a proposed cement works at Weston, near Oamaru (under action for designation), to a coal-loading facility (to be built this year) at Ikamatua, and a line to the dairy plant at Clandeboye.

The Onehunga branch is being reopened for passenger use. Part of the Rotorua branch near Putaruru is being reopened to serve a water-bottling plant. The remainder of the Rotorua branch may be reopened for passenger use if local plans to run passenger trains come to fruition.

While a number of parts of the network carry very light traffic, there are no current plans to close any of them.

5.3.8 Operations

Rail use is hampered by a lack of wagons and locomotives. As noted above, new container wagons have been purchased and a number of moth-balled wagons have been restored to service. With the return of rail freight to the government, the purchase of further new wagons is now being planned.

At present, there is heavy demand on the locomotive fleet at certain times of the year and the needs of freight have to compete with the growing demands for locomotives for passenger services, particularly in Auckland. Consequently, at these times there are no spare locomotives available for freight. Previously spare lower-powered locomotives have been refurbished and put into passenger service in Auckland. The purchase of new locomotives has been planned for some time, but not proceeded with because of the issues between Toll and ONTRACK. These issues have been resolved with the repurchase of the transport system, and the purchase of locomotives is now also planned. Meanwhile, some of the existing locomotive fleet has been improved, with larger engines and traction-control systems, significantly increasing the load the locomotives can haul up grades.

In recent years, container-transfer centres have been developed to expedite the movement of freight from road to rail. These are confined largely to main and secondary centres. Some expansion of this concept to other places is possible. Previous management linked the development of these sites to a reduction in direct access to industry via private sidings. This has reversed recently, but there are still issues with the availability of local train services to serve private sidings.

A similar concept ("inland ports") has been developed with the Metroport operation between Tauranga and South Auckland. The government is reported as having offered to contribute $6 million to the cost of providing rail access to the terminal, allowing the operation of shuttle trains from the port and taking heavy-vehicle traffic off the Auckland motorway network. This proposal is likely to go ahead.
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Developments in improving the infrastructure can be grouped as follows:

  • transit time reliability
  • clearances
  • load capacity (axle loads)
  • line capacity
  • extensions.
5.3.3 Transit time and reliability

A large number of the maintenance-risk issues are managed by reducing speeds (temporary speed restrictions). As a result, required work on track, sleepers and formation and structures (bridges and tunnels) may build up as limited funds are prioritised elsewhere, and overall transit time on a particular line may then increase. Increased expenditure by ONTRACK on maintenance on key lines is reducing speed restrictions and improving transit times. Further investment in formation maintenance and bridge upgrading is planned. ONTRACK has also invested in new major, railmaintenance machinery, including 40 new ballast wagons, a „dynamic track stabiliser', a ballast cleaner and a tamper, which will increase the length of line maintained in a year and speed its return to normal traffic transit times.

Much of the country's rail network runs on its original alignment. Some routes were realigned throughout the last century (eg, in the 1930s, 1950s and 1980s) but nowhere near as much as has been done on the highway network. Many lines still suffer from speed restrictions on tight curves and steep grades. Improvements to many of these are
quite feasible, given funding. Current thinking includes improvements on the alignment of the Otaki-Manakau section, a deviation from Kakariki to Porewa to avoid the steep grades into Marton, and easing a sharp, slow-speed curve north of Taihape. Longer term, and on a larger scale, grades on the coal route between the West Coast and Canterbury at Reefton, Cass and near Springfield could be eased, as could other curves on the Taihape - Taumarunui section.

Transit time also interacts with line capacity in terms of signalling and crossing loops. Signalling on the Rolleston - Arthur's Pass route is currently planned for upgrading to centralised traffic control and motorised points, which will improve speed, capacity and safety.

5.3.4 Clearances

A legacy of the nineteenth century construction is limited clearances, mainly through tunnels. The principal restriction is height rather than width, although height and width interact in the area of the curved roof of tight tunnels. Some usually less-used lines cannot take 9ft 6in-high containers, the modern „hi-cube' standard. Most principal lines can take these containers, albeit in some cases with limitations on the wagons that can be used, or with speed restrictions. The most important exceptions are Greymouth - Christchurch and North Auckland.

Currently, the line through the Manawatu Gorge to Napier, and the Marton-New Plymouth line are also restricted. A major project to remove the restrictive tunnel on the New Plymouth line has just been completed, and removal of the restrictive tunnels in the Manawatu Gorge will be completed this year.

On the Auckland-Tauranga and Invercargill-Port Chalmers routes, even higher containers, up to 10ft (3.05m), are allowed. These are special containers for internal use only, as they are also too large for export use. They are used mainly for dairy products as their size permits double stacking of product on pallets, and thus greater
efficiency. Double-stacking of standard pallet sizes is not possible in a 9ft 6in international container, a problem overcome for that journey by using slipsheets. Further work to extend the use of 3.05m containers throughout the network is feasible but is not currently planned.

In the longer term, clearances on the North Auckland line would need to be improved if Marsden Point becomes a major container port, but would require significant expenditure on a replacement for the Makarau tunnel, and as much again to improve many of the other 12 tunnels on the route between Auckland and Whangarei.

There are also plans to remove the first tunnel on the Rolleston - Arthur's Pass route, which is part of the Midland Line between Christchurch and the West Coast. This will improve speeds over that section but, because there are other restrictive tunnels further west, it will not improve clearances on the route as a whole.

5.3.5 Load capacity

Most of the network is capable of carrying 18-tonne axle loads. A 6-axle locomotive can therefore weigh a maximum of 108 tonnes and a 4-axle wagon a maximum of 72 tonnes. The most efficiently constructed wagon on the system at present has a tare weight of 15.5 tonnes, which means that it can carry 56.5 tonnes of freight (including containers).

Modern diesel-electric locomotives including most locomotives built for New Zealand's 1067mm gauge, weigh much more than 108 tonnes. Examples include Queensland's newest diesel-electrics at 119 and 120 tonnes. Given that the hauling power of a locomotive is at least partly related to the weight available for adhesion, an 18-tonne axle load is a limiting factor.

A target for the New Zealand rail network is therefore a 25-tonne axle load, a 39 percent increase on the 18-tonne load.

Both track and bridges are impacted by axle loads, and current track and bridges limit the ability to improve beyond 18 tonnes. It costs relatively little to design and build bridges for heavier loads, so code reviews are currently taking place so that new bridges will be built to carry 25-tonne axle loads. For some years, track has been built for a 22.5-tonne capability. But many bridges and much track remain from times before these standards were introduced, so a focused investment plan for a particular route is necessary before more than 18 tonnes is allowed. Bridges are the critical issue. An accelerated programme to replace the 2,900 wooden piers (521 bridges) is underway and 562m of bridge were replaced or upgraded in 2006-07.

Much of what is carried on New Zealand's rail and road networks is not dense enough to use more than 18-tonne axle loads and relatively few commodities would benefit from heavier axle loads. These include steel, coal, limestone, cement and bulk liquids such as wine in containers. International containers of some exports, such as some dairy
products, may also benefit. Import containers are usually lighter. Note though, that the trend to using 40-ft containers limits the usefulness of higher axle loads – the weight in a 40-ft container is limited by the structural strength of the container and the lifting capability of wharf cranes, which is usually less than 40 tonnes. This is well within the current 18-tonne axle load. Twenty-foot containers could well weigh in excess of 18.8 tonnes each; the practical limit for three of them on a wagon with an 18-tonne axle load. If 20-ft containers continue to be in common use, heavier axle loads may be beneficial.

KiwiRail is buying 100 new container wagons, mainly for Metroport traffic between Tauranga and Auckland. These are capable of an 80-tonne gross weight or 20-tonne axle load. With the tare weight of the wagon subtracted, it can carry nearly 62 tonnes of freight or three 20.5-tonne, 20-ft containers. Some older wagons could also have bogies
upgraded to 20-tonne axle load. These are both interim solutions, and further new container wagons could carry up to 65-tonne loads, still with a 20-tonne axle load. ONTRACK is actively looking at improving the Auckland-Hamilton line to carry 20-tonne axle loads as an early step on the way to 22.5 tonnes. Hamilton-Tauranga will be the next to follow.

Extending this to other routes would require significant expenditure.

5.3.6 Line capacity

Double-track sections of track have very high capacity in terms of the number of trains, depending on signal spacing. The main double-tracked routes outside suburban passenger areas are Papakura-Hamilton (90 km) and Heathcote-Islington in Christchurch (18km). The effective capacity of the Papakura-Hamilton line is limited by two singletracked sections (13km) from Auckland to Te Kauwhata and across the Waikato river at Ngaruawahia between Huntly and Hamilton. At present, they pose no real restriction on capacity.

Double track is being extended in West Auckland and Wellington, primarily for passenger trains. The freight network outside these routes is single tracked. The capacity of single-track routes is influenced by the number and length of crossing (passing) loops, and signalling systems. In much of the country these are appropriate to the traffic
demands on them. Most routes have relatively low-density traffic in terms of number of trains that are run.

When traffic is denser, lines can reach capacity constraints. On the Hamilton-Tauranga route the extension of crossing loops to 900 metres long and the construction of two new crossing loops, is underway at a cost of about $10 million. With the extension of a further loop east of the Kaimai tunnel, this expenditure will double the capacity of the line.

Replacing the signalling on the Midland line between Christchurch and the West Coast, noted above, will also increase the capacity of that line. Further improvements to crossing loops would benefit the North Island Main Trunk line (NIMT) in the central North Island and between Palmerston North and Waikanae.

5.3.7 Line extensions

The rail freight network reaches all significant parts of New Zealand, except Nelson. It also reaches all ports except Nelson and Marsden Point. A line is planned to connect Marsden Point to the network and work is underway to designate the route.

Further short extensions are likely to connect particular industrial plants directly to the network. The three currently under consideration are to a proposed cement works at Weston, near Oamaru (under action for designation), to a coal-loading facility (to be built this year) at Ikamatua, and a line to the dairy plant at Clandeboye.

The Onehunga branch is being reopened for passenger use. Part of the Rotorua branch near Putaruru is being reopened to serve a water-bottling plant. The remainder of the Rotorua branch may be reopened for passenger use if local plans to run passenger trains come to fruition.

While a number of parts of the network carry very light traffic, there are no current plans to close any of them.

5.3.8 Operations

Rail use is hampered by a lack of wagons and locomotives. As noted above, new container wagons have been purchased and a number of moth-balled wagons have been restored to service. With the return of rail freight to the government, the purchase of further new wagons is now being planned.

At present, there is heavy demand on the locomotive fleet at certain times of the year and the needs of freight have to compete with the growing demands for locomotives for passenger services, particularly in Auckland. Consequently, at these times there are no spare locomotives available for freight. Previously spare lower-powered locomotives have been refurbished and put into passenger service in Auckland. The purchase of new locomotives has been planned for some time, but not proceeded with because of the issues between Toll and ONTRACK. These issues have been resolved with the repurchase of the transport system, and the purchase of locomotives is now also planned. Meanwhile, some of the existing locomotive fleet has been improved, with larger engines and traction-control systems, significantly increasing the load the locomotives can haul up grades.

In recent years, container-transfer centres have been developed to expedite the movement of freight from road to rail. These are confined largely to main and secondary centres. Some expansion of this concept to other places is possible. Previous management linked the development of these sites to a reduction in direct access to industry via private sidings. This has reversed recently, but there are still issues with the availability of local train services to serve private sidings.

A similar concept ("inland ports") has been developed with the Metroport operation between Tauranga and South Auckland. The government is reported as having offered to contribute $6 million to the cost of providing rail access to the terminal, allowing the operation of shuttle trains from the port and taking heavy-vehicle traffic off the Auckland motorway network. This proposal is likely to go ahead.
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#139 ·
It was back in the 90's when Wisconsin central bought kiwirail that they mooted closing the DUD-IVC line, I'm glad they didn't. they were to focus on Auckland-Dunedin as the main bussiness model. they brought in 24 hour service from AKL-CHC which was one of the best things they did to speed up the freight delivery. also there was talk of using the Gisborne line to carry logs from the vast plantations in the area what happened to that plan.
 
#141 ·
I can't see how the govt expects KiwiRail to operate as a financially viable business when it will have to pick up the tab for all the years of under-investment and deferred maintenance.

To make the playing field truly level, then the government should pay KiwiRail for 100% of the costs to get the WHOLE rail network, including little used lines, back to a normal operational standard capable of taking passenger services on all but the industrial lines and sidings.

After that, THEN the government should tell Kiwirail to run as a business like any other transport operator.

The big issue going forward is that while KiwiRail can operate profitably as far as "running trains" goes. Can it operate profitably if it has to pay for the full cost of (a) bringing the rail network up to normal standards and (b) continue to renew and improve the network such as bridge replacement when needed etc?... I suspect probably not.

So as a result, the likely casualties will be closure of lines as KiwiRail struggle to pay for the upkeep of all but the most important bits of track - a sad moment for NZ when this happens because as we can see from past history, once a line closes and the track is lifted, it is almost certain that trains will never ever run again to that area again.

The lines I suspect will go will be:
1) Napier to Gisborne (I think this has only one train return per week)
2) Stratford-Ohura? (One return train each day)
3) Wairio Branch in Southland (I think there is one coal train per day)
4) Hokitika Branch (1 return train each day)
5) Rotorua Branch will never get reinstated
 
#145 ·
Also take into account that we are currently $10.5 billion in debt and the fact that the government is busy with "Higher Priorities" i.e Rugby World Cup, National Cycle Way etc. is why the government is reluctant to develop the railways. It will probably come to the point where we have the trains to run, but no tracks to run them on.
 
#148 ·
^^ Interesting point...

I think that up until about the year 2000, it was just commonly accepted that the "Main Centres" referred to AKL,WGN, CHC and DUD. This was despite the fact that the Hamilton Urban Area has been somewhat larger than Dunedin's for a number of years.

Most of the reasons for this would be purely historical, since up until Hamilton's growth spurt in the 1970-80's, the Traditional Four were way ahead of the rest in population. Also, the fact they were evenly spread down the country meant they were the primary economic centre(s) for the whole region each was located in.

But now that Hamilton has 160k people, Tauranga has 110k-odd, Napier-Hastings combined population has 120k and even Palmerston North is closing in on 80k or so, and are growing rapidly, there is probably a reasonably fair expectation that these cities get more exposure.

The only thing that I'd say is that Dunedin still seems to feel much larger when driving trough it than do the cities of Hamilton, Tauranga or Napier-Hastings. Some of this will be the fact that Dunedin has a lot of larger bulky buildings, (though probably many with high vacancy rates), has a couple of motorways, and is home to a sizable university.

Hamilton has a university and some big buildings, though the university is on the edge of town (like Palmy), and neither has motorways. Tauranga has motorways (well expressways) and feels big as it's spread out, but is all suburbia, little commercial highrises and no university. It does have a big port though. Napier/Hastings have a mini-motorway, but little highrises and since they are still 15km apart, they still feel like individual cities in their own right - and at 50-60k each, thats much the same as the small town feel you get from Nelson, Whangarei, Invercargill etc.
 
#149 ·
Well Nelson's sort of a mini Napier-Hastings itself, as it's two smaller urban areas joined together (Nelson and Richmond) which probably accounts for some of it's feel. As for Nelson, appropriate to this thread is that it's the only city in NZ with no rail connection. Which I suppose makes it special.
 
#152 ·
Why o Why has rail been abandoned in New Zealand? If initial plans had gone ahead from the nineteenth century, we would have a well connected rail system and a far more industrialized nation. New Zealand was eyed by the English as the Britain of the South. What are the chances of New Zealand getting quality rail infrastructure in the future as it is imperative for our economic growth and future prosperity.
 
#159 ·
If the mining industry is to ramp up its operations particularly in Otago/Southland which is very likely, then it is likely that rail coverage of that area will improve. More mining on the West Coast possibly could, although it is a long way off. In saying that modern rail networks are different and probably wouldn't require large numbers of staff like in the past. I still think rail is due to play a more significant role in New Zealand, it is probably more in the long term.
 
#162 ·
NZ needs more people. But it is a leaky bucket at the moment - pour them in the front end, they leak out the bottom, hence my call to shut the Australian door to NZ - for your own good.

New Zealand wouldn't have been much use as the England of the South. One England is enough.

Something very different, more like Japan would have been the go. You can keep the existing people in mining and agriculture while bringing more in to create services or industry.
 
#164 ·
England of the South is merely an analogy expressed in the later 19th century by politicians who could see the potential of New Zealand's iron ore industry. While New Zealand maybe geographically isolated it does sit at the doorway of Asia which is much larger than the EU and growing at a much faster rate. So comparisons to Ireland to some degree may not be so rediculous. New Zealand does need to grow its population at a faster rate. 5 millon in the next decade and a half is too small. It really needs to increase at a faster rate possibly at a similar rate to Australia which is not unrealistic if attempts by Key to increase economic growth are realised.
 
#170 ·
The closest two points in the urban areas of Wellington and Lower Hutt by road I've measured to be exactly 5km (Start of Ngauranga Northbound on-ramp to Hutt Road finishing at the roundabout at Petone which is the end of the Petone northbound off-ramp)

The two closest points between Napier and Hastings is 10.6km (Evenden/Papakowhai Rd in Hastings to Meeanee/Guppy Rd corner in Napier).

Yes, it is just over double the distance though there isn't really much real development in the Ngauranga interchange area, you have to go another 1-2km further into wellington.

Once Napier and Hastings both reach say 100,000 each, then urban sprawl would probably see the two significantly closer together. I can eventually see Napier becoming more like what Mt Maunganui is now with its shoreline apartments, sprawling coastal suburban areas. Only the beach at Napier is pretty average if I recall.
 
#171 ·
With the growth rates in Napier and Hastings its gonna take a hell of a long time for the population to increase that much and I dont think there will be much rail development over there. The golden triangle will be the main growth area in the country for the foreseeable future and thanks to the development money government is pushing into the region thats not going to change for a long time.
 
#172 ·
It's unlikely Napier and Hastings will ever merge, not just because of a pretty low growth rate currently but also the plains between the two are the engine that powers the region. That said however, KaneD has hit it on the head I think. Statistics NZ considers them a single urban area and fair enough. You live in either Napier or Hastings and you go looking for a job, you don't really care which city it's in. Commute is short and 1000's of people make the jump every day.
 
#173 ·
Mainfreight frustrated by attitude to rail services
Thursday November 19, 01:38 PM



Mainfreight continues to be disappointed at the Government's attitude and commitment to rail freight services in this country.

The logistics company believes it is among Kiwirail's top five customers and would double its spend if it got the right rate and services.

"We don't seem to have a lot of dialogue with (Transport Minister Steven) Mr Joyce on what our thoughts are on rail and would like to have more," Mainfreight managing director Don Braid said.

Mainfreight and other logistics companies have always suspected that Toll NZ, which is the rebuilt former land transport business of Tranz Rail, gets a better deal on rail even after rail was sold back to the Government.

Mr Braid said some ground had been made on the issue but the truth would probably never be known.

Mainfreight today reported a 36.5 percent fall in half year profit to $10.9 million, even as conditions in all markets where the company operates were "much improved" in the second quarter.

For the six months to the end of September, Mainfreight's trading revenue fell 14.3 percent from a year earlier to $535.8m, while net profit before abnormals dropped 29.3 percent to $12.2m.

"Importantly, second quarter performance saw revenues and profitability improve markedly from our first quarter's results," Mainfreight said.

Direct comparisons showed revenues up 4.8 percent and ebitda (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) up 50.5 percent.

While seasonality of freight volumes was a contributor, trading during the second quarter had seen a general improvement which continued into the third quarter, the company said.

"We welcome the upturn but remain cautious about overall economic conditions in each country where we are located."

Trading during October and November indicated further improvements likely for the third quarter, Mainfreight said.

"We believe that the market will be fragile for the first quarter of calendar 2010, therefore we remain focused on improving margins and sales growth with strong sales campaigns."

An interim dividend of 8.5c per share is to be paid.

In the New Zealand domestic division, ebitda declined 14.5 percent to $14.5m compared with the same period last year, but September 2009 month ebitda exceeded that of September 2008 by 9.8 percent. Sales revenues fell 16.4 percent to $128.4m, down $25.2m from a year earlier.

Domestic freight volumes were rising with increased market share assisting revenues.

In the Australian domestic division ebitda was up 41.5 percent to $6m, while sales revenues fell 4.7 percent to $90.6m.

Warehousing volumes had been strong through September and October as suppliers to retail built stock volumes for Christmas, Mainfreight said.

In the United States , trading continued to be difficult in both the domestic and export sectors. Even with a weak US dollar, export volumes had declined from their peaks at this time last year.

Total revenues fell 24.7 percent to $164.7m, while ebitda for the region was $3m down from $8.4m in the year prior.
 
#174 · (Edited)
Fonterra plans new rail spur

Dairy giant Fonterra is proposing to build a railway spur across State Highway 1, north of its Edendale dairy factory, as it plans for a major increase in production and transporting most of it off-site by rail.

Fonterra has lodged a land use consent application with the Southland District Council for the new railway line, which would run from the new dry store, at the northern end of the plant, through company-owned farmland and across the state highway, about 650m north, to join with the main south trunk line.

There would also be a new sidings yard 100m north of the dry store, for marshalling wagons.

Fonterra wants permission to use the line 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It estimates that initially there would be six trains a day. Each train movement would involve 16 wagons and take between three and four minutes to cross the state highway.

In its application, Fonterra states there were about 4000 vehicles a day over the section of road. However, traffic volumes were expected to substantially reduce in a couple of years when it was expected a new state highway bypass would be completed, it says.

The new railway crossing was needed to enable the company to cope with the estimated 135,000-tonne increase in production delivered by its new milk powder plant expansion.

In the year ended July 2009, almost 250,000 tonnes of product were moved off the Edendale site, about 75 per cent of it by rail.

Fonterra's objective was to increase the percentage of product shifted by rail to 95 per cent. It would go to a new storage and distribution centre in Mosgiel then on to Port Otago.

The plant was at present serviced by a line at the southern end, which crosses state highway 1 at the south-east corner of the site. There were 24 train movements a day and these were restricted to between four and eight wagons, because of the size of the shunters and grade of the line.

Continued use of this line was not considered suitable because it was too close to Edendale township. However, it would still be used about 12 times a day to move cheese and some packaging.

The public can make submissions on the application until February 3.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/3252264/Fonterra-plans-new-rail-spur
 
#175 ·
Port profit up 50%, rail operation improves efficiency



Published 19 February 2010

Ports of Auckland Ltd improved its net profit after tax from $9.3 million to $13.9 million in the December half and will pay the region a $9.9 million dividend.



The port company is owned by Auckland Regional Holdings, a subsidiary of the Auckland Regional Council, and will fall under the wing of the new Auckland Council at the end of the year.



Managing director Jens Madsen was pleased at the result, achieved during a period of lower trade volumes as a result of the global economic recession.



Port operations ebit improved by 4.6% to $27.4 million although revenue fell 6.8% to $82 million. That took the port operations ebit margin to its best level since 2006 – a 33.4% margin compared to 26.3% in the June half.



Mr Madsen said the overall improvement in result was also due to a number of long-term initiatives starting to pay off, among them the growth in business at the Wiri Inland Port, which received its first train on 3 February.



While rail will become more important – and, in time, transfer of containers from ship directly to rail, bypassing the wharf storage phase – Mr Madsen said road freight would continue to dominate for the foreseeable future.



The inland port’s capacity is far above what it’s handling at the moment – capacity of 500,000 teus (20ft-equivalent container units), 80,000 handled last year. The joint company with the NZL Group Ltd, CONLINXX Ltd, has a target of getting 25% of containers to & from Wiri by rail. Mr Madsen said that rail service would probably deliver 16-17% of containers on an annualised basis in the next year.



One feature of the rail service is that it provides a more consistent flow of freight. But even with the rail service and an improvement in the region’s arterial road network, Mr Madsen said a recent study indicated the growth in traffic would keep congestion in a decade about the same as it is now.
 
#176 ·
KiwiRail positive despite missing targets
5:46 PM Tuesday Mar 2, 2010



Jim Bolger said KiwiRail was making good progress towards a sustainable future. Photo / Paul EstcourtKiwiRail is behind its revenue and profit targets for the half year to December but says it is "making good progress towards a sustainable future".

The state owned enterprise, which owns the rail companies, Interislander ferries and Dunedin's Hillside Engineering, today released its financial results for the six months ended December 2, 2009.

Chairman Jim Bolger said comparisons with the half year to December 2008 were difficult because the Government took over the business during that period.

Comparison with targets set for the year in KiwiRail's Statement of Corporate Intent (SCI) were more valid, he said.

KiwiRail said revenue of $299.7 million was just over 8 per cent below the SCI target of $327.8m, but earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (ebitda) of $16.1m were almost 12 per cent up on target of $14.4m.

The net profit after tax figure of $125.6m was 66 per cent below the SCI target.


For 2010 KiwiRail budgeted a profit of $348.3m.

However, that includes a government grant of $500m for new Auckland trains and without that it is forecasting a loss of $151.7m.

The full half year accounts will be tabled in Parliament tomorrow.

Despite difficult trading conditions over the first six months of the 2009-10 financial year, KiwiRail was making good progress towards a sustainable future, Mr Bolger said.

"During the half year, we made considerable progress towards improving relationships with key customers and we took significant steps towards improving the reliability of the business. However, there is a lot more to do as highlighted by the recent issues in Wellington that affected our customers," he said.

Freight carried on rail during the first six months of the financial year was only marginally down on the same period the year before, despite industrial action which reduced coal volumes.

During the half year KiwiRail signed an agreement with Fonterra to move greater volumes of dairy produce by rail, committed to buying 20 new diesel electric locomotives and the commissioned the Arahura Road-Rail bridge on the West Coast.

"Our work on the Auckland and Wellington urban rail projects represents the biggest upgrades since the networks were first established."

Over the next six months, KiwiRail was looking to increase revenue and manage operating and capital expenditure, Mr Bolger said.

The ebitda target of $59.6m for the 2010 financial year of $59.6 remained the company's objective.

The Government paid Australia's Toll Holdings for $690m in July 2008 for the rail company. The price was widely criticised and less than a year later the rail assets were valued at just $349 million.

KiwiRail receives $90m a year from the Government.

- NZPA
 
#177 · (Edited)
Choo-choos potentially go bye-bye for Gisborne, northern Wairarapa

Provincial rail lines could close as the government moves to get KiwiRail back on track financially.

Bought with great fanfare for $690 million, KiwiRail is now worth about half that much and National wants the rail company back on its financial feet.

Transport Minister Steven Joyce told ONE News political editor Guyon Espiner that one of the options being talked about is closing down parts of the network that aren't going to be commercially viable.

"It has been talked about...probably the most likely option would be a few of the really small lines," says Joyce.

"There's very little business currently on the Gisborne line and there's virtually no business on the northern Wairarapa line."

KiwiRail is now working through its options with the government.

But Joyce says closing some lines which don't have enough revenue just lifts the fixed costs on every other line and he says such a move "would have to be done very carefully".
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KiwiRail has given the government a business plan to map out how it can become viable without taxpayer subsidies. The exact details of that plan remain secret but its latest financial result has been tabled in parliament and the numbers are not good.

The company did declare a $125 million profit - 34% below its target - but without public funding of $260 million KiwiRail would have made a loss of about $135 million.

However Labour says National is taking a shortsighted view.

"It seems crazy to me that we're going to see a doubling in the amount of freight moving around New Zealand in the next two decades and the government is seriously considering closing off options for rail," transport spokesman Darren Hughes says.

And National is promising careful consideration of the situation, acknowledging that once a rail line is closed, it's gone for good.

High class rail network needed

A transport expert says it would be a mistake to get rid of New Zealand's rail corridor. But Chris Kissling says the country needs a higher class main trunk system.

The Professor Emeritus of Transport at Lincoln University told TVNZ News at 8 that our rail network is incomplete and a lot of money would be needed to bring it up to scratch.

"Patronage on any transport system relies upon the quality and level of services provided," says Kissling, adding that other forms of transport are beating rail hands down including on frequency and price.

He says it is ludicrous that rail is slower than road in New Zealand which doesn't happen in any other country. Kissling says speeds need to be higher so rail traffic can reach further in 24 hours and compete with other modes of transport.

If you close a railway it's very hard to get back again, says Kissling who believes rail is necessary to move around heavy bulk commodities. But he says coastal shipping, which is also "in a pretty sad state", could provide the backbone of NZ's transport system.

Kissling says other modes of transport can substitute for rail but the electrification of the rail network using renewable sources would also have environmental benefits and would ensure security of supply as energy gets scarce.

http://tvnz.co.nz/politics-news/end-line-some-rail-services-3393178
I'd love ACTUAL passenger train services in the South Island, ie not just tourist ones. A service like the Southerner would be really useful for me. Anyone know how fast that train actually went?
 
#178 ·
I'd love ACTUAL passenger train services in the South Island, ie not just tourist ones. A service like the Southerner would be really useful for me. Anyone know how fast that train actually went?
From http://www.med.govt.nz/templates/MultipageDocumentTOC____3403.aspx

4.2 Situation
The Current Service

The Southerner rail service runs daily from Christchurch to Invercargill and from Invercargill to Christchurch. The south-bound service leaves Christchurch at 8:15am, arriving in Dunedin at 2:01pm (5 hours, 45 minutes) and Invercargill at 5:15pm (9 hours total). The north-bound services leave Invercargill at 8:25am, arriving in Christchurch at 5:15pm (8 hours 50 minutes).

Between Christchurch and Dunedin, stops are made at Ashburton, Timaru, Oamaru and Palmerston. Between Dunedin and Invercargill, stops are made at Mosgiel, Milton, Balclutha, Gore, Mataura and Edendale. No stops of any significant duration are made en route. The longest stop made is in Dunedin (10-15 minutes).
Google Maps says CHC-DUN is 350 odd KM, so the average speed is around 60km/h for that section, CHC-INV is 560 km, and again the average speed is just over 60km/h
 
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