this post was submitted on 04 Mar 2024
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I always thought it was interesting that we have these two power systems for trains, and Wellington over the last 5-10 years invested huge amounts of money in upgrading the lines and the trains. With some planning we could have had the government step in to help change them over to heavy freight suitable lines and get the Auckland to Wellington route electrified for heavy freight and passenger. Currently we have neither!
Yeah its just a lack of political will and a belief that road is the answer really. Bear in mind I think you have to extend Te Rapa to Auckland and Palmerston North to Wellington as well. For mine I think it would be a great investment.
Even if we didn't do those extra bits, when the Wellington work was being done they could have converted to heavy freight suitable lines. I guess one issue is you can't keep running the old trains as the track is upgraded bit by bit, but I think it would have been worth it to do.
Was doing some googling on whether the Matangi could do both the Wellington DC & Main Trunk AC, and found there was actually a business case prepared by Waka Kotahi a couple years ago that would have run electric units all the way to Palmerston North; just using batteries after Waikanae. Which is a fairly elegant and flexible solution to the problem.
Oh now you mention it, I remember that being mentioned.
Doing the total conversion is more of a long term view and batteries are more of a short term view, in my mind.
I'd love if we did great long term investment projects.
I should have a dig to see if I can find it, I have this vague idea in my head that possibly when the new electric units were built a decade or so ago that they might have made provision in them for the different systems - but whether that's real or a false memory I don't know.
And provision could just mean can be converted, rather than can work right now.