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76-421: Auckland railway electrification occurred in phases as part of investment in a new infrastructure for Auckland's urban railway network. Electrification of the network had been proposed for several decades. Installation started in the late 2000s after funds were approved from a combination of regional ( Auckland Regional Council , later Auckland Council ) and central government ( NZ Transport Agency ) budgets. In
152-528: A day by 2016. The Onehunga Line was the first to be upgraded as part of the Auckland railway electrification programme. Installation of overhead wires was completed during the summer shut down from 2011—2012, stopping just short of Penrose. Electric services began running between Britomart and Onehunga on 28 April 2014. Extension of the line to Auckland Airport has been proposed. The main barrier has been crossing Manukau Harbour between Onehunga and
228-466: A lack of funds and disputes between the government and the contractors building the line, construction stalled two years later. The line featured in Julius Vogel 's 1870 Great Public Works programme and construction resumed in 1872, to New Zealand's new narrow gauge of 3 ft 6 in ( 1,067 mm ). With the dissolution of the provinces of New Zealand , the line was integrated into
304-468: A number of cross-tie substations, which do not feed electricity into the lines but perform switching functions. In 2008, a paper was produced by former New Zealand Rail senior managers Murray King and Francis Small , on the extension of the NIMT 25 kV electrification from Te Rapa to Papakura and Hamilton to Tauranga. The report put the total cost of electrification at $ 860 million, with $ 433 million for
380-613: A shortage of coal for locomotives, and also to replace commuter steam trains with EMUs, as the Hutt Valley was now largely residential with new state housing replacing market gardens. When the extra EMUs arrived in 1949, they were initially used for the Kapiti Line to Paekakariki while the Hutt Valley lines to Upper Hutt and Melling were electrified. So in the Hutt Valley, EMUs were supplemented in peak periods by older carriages hauled by electric locomotives until they were replaced by
456-547: A significant drop in passenger patronage on the branch line. Also, Auckland and Wellington were directly connected by rail with the first scheduled services in February 1909 on the North Island Main Trunk line. The boat trains finished in the 1920s and the through service from Auckland to Onehunga in 1950, but passenger services from Penrose ran until April 1973. The line then served local industries until it
532-433: A wheel lathe. There are an automatic train wash and covered platforms to facilitate cleaning of the inside of the trains. The facility has been future proofed to maintain a fleet of up to 109 electric trains. The ground floor offices house CAF and the first floor Transdev and staff amenities. The Transdev offices include the depot control office and driver training facilities, which include two train simulators. Each simulator
608-550: Is a section of the Onehunga Line in Auckland , New Zealand. It was constructed by the Auckland Provincial Government and opened from Penrose to Onehunga on 24 December 1873, and extended to Onehunga Wharf on 28 November 1878. It is 3.6 kilometres (2.2 mi) in length and is single-track only. After being closed to passenger traffic on 19 January 1973 and mothballed in 2007, the line
684-464: Is laid out exactly like the driver's cab with a large flat screen display in place of the windscreen that displays the view that the driver would see from the cab. The display is programmed with the Auckland railway network, filmed in 2012 and converted into video graphics. The simulator can be set to simulate daytime or night-time and includes a range of weather conditions, and it can simulate faults in
760-602: Is likely that any future expansions of the rail network within Auckland would be electrified from the outset. The section of the Western Line between Swanson and Waitakere . Electrification was not carried out due to the low roof height of the Waitakere Tunnel and because enlarging it was considered to be an unjustified expense considering the low passenger numbers to Waitakere Station. Rail services to Waitakere were withdrawn when electric services commenced on
836-560: The 2007 budget , the government announced that Auckland suburban railway lines from Swanson in the west to Papakura in the south and including the Manukau and Onehunga branch lines would be electrified at 25 kV 50 Hz AC . Diesel DMU services would remain for Waitakere and perhaps Huapai and Pukekohe. A 2013 announcement said that because of cost, bus services would remain between Waitakere and Swanson, and did not mention an extension to Huapai. The $ 80 million contract for
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#1732786810077912-647: The Johnsonville Line ; and from 1940, the Kapiti Line section of the NIMT north of Wellington to Paekakariki through the two Tawa Tunnels which were part of the Tawa Flat Deviation . This line also had steep gradients (1 in 57) on the bank from Paremata up to Pukerua Bay. In February 1946, it was decided to electrify the remaining Wellington suburban lines to the Hutt Valley as there was
988-731: The Lyttelton Line through the Lyttelton Rail Tunnel was electrified. This tunnel (opened in 1867) was short and had a lesser gradient than the Otira (0.3%) but replacement of steam operation was desirable. Electrification of this and other lines was being studied by the Public Works Department as early as 1911. The 1925 report by the English consulting firm of Merz & McLellan was commissioned by
1064-700: The North Island Main Trunk (NIMT) dates from 1986. New long tunnels, for example the Rimutaka Tunnel and the Kaimai Tunnel , were operated by diesels, and the Otira and Lyttelton Tunnels have converted to diesel operation. From 1908 to 1953, there was an electrified mine railway from the Stockton mine on the West Coast of the South Island . Earlier NZR electrified routes from 1923 to
1140-589: The Ports of Auckland on the Waitematā Harbour . Currently the freight is carried by road to the port, leading to delays due to traffic. A full freight service reopening could potentially remove around 200 containers to and 250 containers from the port per week from the local streets. In 2009, the locations of stations on the branch were still to be determined by ARTA and ONTRACK. It was also unclear in May 2009 whether
1216-671: The Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company 's railway line in 1886, passengers from Auckland to Wellington rode a "Boat Train" from Auckland to Onehunga, connected with a steamer to New Plymouth, then the New Plymouth Express to Wellington. The boat trains ran to the wharf and in 1878 a small station was sited there and remained in use until 1927. By 1897 there were 14 trains daily, both passenger and mixed trains . In 1903, electric trams were introduced between Auckland and Onehunga, running along Manukau Road, resulting in
1292-497: The "negative" 25 kV feeder line. The system is fed at four traction substations, taking power from Transpower 's 220 kV national grid. All electrified lines in the Wellington metro area use the 1700 V DC system. The Wellington metro system is fed by 18 traction substations, taking power from Wellington Electricity 's (Wellington metro) or Electra's (Kapiti Coast) 11 kV distribution networks. There are also
1368-497: The 1940s operated at 1,500 V DC , but the NIMT (1986) and Auckland suburban services (from 2014) use 25 kV 50 Hz AC ; all with overhead catenary supply. The use of 16 kV 16.7 Hz AC for the NIMT was proposed in 1950. The Stockton mine railway was, in 1908, New Zealand's first electric railway. It carried coal from the Westport-Stockton Coal Companies mine to
1444-552: The 1950s; possibly using 50 Hz AC instead of DC). In 1950, electrification of the entire North Island Main Trunk (NIMT) from Auckland to Paekakariki (the terminus of the Wellington electrification) was proposed by the General Manager Frank Aickin ; the system comprised 657 route miles or 1,000 km (620 mi) of track. Operation at 16 kV 16.7 Hz AC was proposed, so would have been similar to
1520-535: The 412 km (256 mi) centre section of the NIMT was one of the Think Big projects. The project was approved in December 1981; specifications were prepared in 1982 and tenders let in 1982–83. Other works improved the line by easing curves and gradients and replacing signalling. Work started in late 1984 and was completed in 1988 though on 24 June rather than March as planned, with an official train traversing
1596-559: The Auckland Regional Transport Authority established that electric trains would be cheaper to run long term. Around the world, cities with high-frequency metropolitan passenger rail services use electric trains, partly because of their quieter operation, faster travel between stations and greater environmental benefits. After electrification a small number of diesel trains were retained to provide shuttle services between Papakura and Pukekohe. In May 2012,
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#17327868100771672-404: The Auckland metro area uses the 25 kV 50 Hz AC system. The system is fed from Transpower 's 220 kV grid at two locations: Penrose and Southdown The North Island Main Trunk uses 25 kV 50 Hz AC. The system used is a 25-0-25 kV auto-transformer system, with autotransformers spaced along the line interconnecting the "positive" 25 kV contact line, earth , and
1748-570: The Ganz-Mavag EMUs from 1986. The Johnsonville and Melling lines were short branch lines which were originally part of the main line (NIMT) north and the Hutt Valley line to the Wairarapa, until the lines were replaced by deviations. The sections of these lines that were retained were mainly used for suburban commuter services, with initially some stock traffic to Johnsonville (later to Raroa). For two new long tunnels, diesel operation
1824-652: The Minister of Railways Gordon Coates to investigate electrification of suburban services in the four main centres of Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. For Christchurch it recommended electrification of the Lyttelton Line but not the main lines north and south. Now only Auckland and Wellington have suburban passenger services. The firm's partner Charles Merz of Newcastle upon Tyne had reported on Melbourne suburban electrification in 1908 and 1912. Several Wellington lines were then electrified: in 1938,
1900-619: The NZR railhead at Ngakawau on the West Coast of the South Island from 1908 to 1953, when it was replaced by an aerial cableway. The line was 10.5 km (6.5 mi) long, with 2.4 km (1.5 mi) in two long tunnels. The system used 275 V DC from a low overhead line via trolley poles, and 915 mm ( 3 ft ) gauge track. The seven locos were of low built "mine" type. The first NZR line to be electrified in New Zealand
1976-640: The North Island. Electrification was initially adopted by the New Zealand Railways for long tunnels; the Otira Tunnel , the Lyttelton Rail Tunnel and the two Tawa Tunnels of the Tawa Flat Deviation . Electrification of Wellington suburban services started with the Johnsonville Line and Kapiti Line out of Wellington from the 1930s. Auckland suburban services were electrified in 2014–2015. Electrification of long-distance services on
2052-661: The Papakura-Te Rapa section. It concluded that money would be better spent on grade and curvature easements, removing speed restrictions and increasing the length of passing loops. The 2023 New Zealand budget set aside $ 369.2 million for 4 years between 2023 and 2026 for the Rail Network Improvement Programme, which included funding for a detailed business case for the electrification of the North Island Main Trunk . Onehunga Branch The Onehunga Branch railway line
2128-458: The branch – Mount Smart, Te Papapa and Onehunga (on the site of the ITM, 109–113 Onehunga Mall). NZTA was to pay 60% of the $ 3.9 million cost of building the stations. The proposed station at Mount Smart was later dropped from the project. In mid-2010, construction started on the terminal station at Onehunga, and its opening was delayed past its intended date to September 2010. Concern was raised that
2204-496: The catenary into Wellington. On two existing electrified tunnels, the electrified section was only a small part of the total line. Hence, the Lyttelton Rail Tunnel was operated by diesel locomotives from 19 September 1970. The Otira Tunnel was long and steep, so for dieselisation from 1997, a door and special ventilation fans were fitted (electrification of the whole 100 km (62 mi) Springfield to Jackson section with its steep gradients had been considered in 1906 and in
2280-688: The corridor, which leaves the North Auckland Line east of Avondale and follows Oakley Creek and the SH20 Waterview Connection motorway corridor (construction of which has made provision for the rail line's construction). Another proposal is to connect the Onehunga Branch at Galway Street to the Avondale—Southdown line by building a tunnel under Onehunga Mall to meet Hugh Watt Drive (SH 20), connecting to
2356-647: The duplication of the Western Line. The new European Train Control System (ETCS, Mark II) uses train detection by axle counters. The planning of the Parnell station and upgrades to existing stations at Ellerslie (in combination with motorway works), Onehunga (lengthening for 3-car units) and Mount Albert (amenity upgrades), took into consideration the electrification of the network, so that modifications were not needed later. Funding arrangements for
Auckland railway electrification - Misplaced Pages Continue
2432-400: The electrification infrastructure was awarded on 14 January 2010 to an Australian and New Zealand consortium (HILOR); Hawkins Infrastructure of Parnell and Laing O'Rourke of Australia. Between Papakura, Newmarket, Britomart and Swanson there were 196 single-track kilometres. The overhead infrastructure design was to be based on Balfour Beatty 's 3B English design. The contract for 57 3-car EMUs
2508-612: The entire network if the other one fails, creating a high level of redundancy. KiwiRail said electrification would use less than 1% of Auckland's electricity capacity. In conjunction with the electrification to Pukekohe, a third connection for the system is planned, supplied from Transpower's Drury substation. The decision to electrify was partly prompted by the ageing diesel train fleet becoming unreliable. The fleet comprised diesel multiple units (DMUs) bought second-hand from Perth, Australia, and rebuilt British Rail Mark II carriages in push/pull configuration with DC and DFT locomotives;
2584-659: The favoured Onehunga to airport rail corridor was blocked by AT when it demolished the Neilson Street overbridge immediately to the south of the Onehunga train station, putting the road straight across the rail corridor. This has effectively stymied any plan to extend the Onehunga Branch to the airport. There is a proposal to build an Avondale–Southdown line , connecting the portion of the North Auckland Line on which Western Line services run, from near Avondale to Auckland Freight Centre at Southdown. KiwiRail owns most of
2660-682: The first of about 40 structures that needed modification before electric trains could run. Tracks were lowered in Purewa Tunnel on the Eastern Line. The electrification was completed in conjunction with a NZ$ 90 million upgrade to the signalling system. As the AC return current is through the rails, insulated rail joints had to be removed (or circumvented by joining rails with a bond wire). The old signalling system used track circuits with insulated rail joints; these had to be installed initially for
2736-441: The government announced $ 371 million in funding to extend electrification from Papakura to Pukekohe, with the upgrade expected to take two to three years (see also New Zealand Upgrade Programme ). There was criticism that KiwiRail was negotiating with two overseas-owned companies ( McConnell Dowell , South Africa and John Holland , China) to carry out the contract, which is expected to provide over 200 jobs. Work commenced in 2022 and
2812-695: The government announced funding to extend electrification from Papakura to Pukekohe. In 2021, New Zealand rail operator KiwiRail secured independent panel approval of the resource consents for the main works related to its electrification project in South Auckland. The sanction for the electrification of the rail line between Papakura and Pukekohe has been given as per the COVID-19 fast-track legislation. Electrification works between Papakura and Pukekohe were completed in August 2024. All electrified lines in
2888-417: The government confirmed that NZ$ 500 million in loans would be extended to KiwiRail to enable it to proceed with tendering for the rolling stock , a process that the cancellation of the fuel tax had interrupted by at least half a year. The fact that the money was only a loan, with no means provided for Auckland or KiwiRail to raise extra funds to repay it (as was intended to be done with the regional fuel tax),
2964-554: The interim, Auckland Council intended to buy trains equipped with batteries (BEMU) that would have extended electric unit services to Pukekohe. However this plan was abandoned following the 2017 general election . The rationale for this became clear in late April 2018 when electrification between Papakura and Pukekohe was announced as part of the $ 28 billion Auckland Transport Alignment Project. The New Zealand Upgrade Programme announced on 30 January 2020 included $ 371 million for Papakura to Pukekohe electrification. Work began in 2022 and
3040-515: The line for passengers and freight. As part of the rehabilitation work a private siding was built at the Owens truck depot. In August 2007, coastal shipping firm Pacifica Shipping called for the section of the line between Onehunga Wharf and the end of the line at the Port of Onehunga to be reopened, to allow for export freight from the South Island to be unloaded at the wharf and transferred by rail to
3116-469: The line was about $ 21.6 million, of which KiwiRail contributed $ 10 million for track work and ARTA $ 3.6 million for three stations. The ARC also used $ 8 million to buy the site for the Onehunga station, where a 60-space park and ride facility was to open one week after the train services began. Patronage on the line quickly grew to respectable levels, 1200 passengers a day in mid-2011, far exceeding computer transport modelling predicting only 340 passengers
Auckland railway electrification - Misplaced Pages Continue
3192-605: The line was launched by Auckland Regional Council (ARC) councillor Mike Lee in mid-2002. The cause was taken up by Campaign for Better Transport . Lee and CBT's concept was to rebuild the line, with new stations at Mount Smart, Te Papapa and Onehunga, and in mid-2006 CBT had received 8,000 signatures on a petition to reopen the line. The petition was presented to the ARC, which formally endorsed it and passed it to its subsidiary, ARTA , recommending that passenger services should be started to both Onehunga and to Helensville. The petition
3268-585: The looming problem of "traffic saturation" on the mountainous central section, particularly the Raurimu Spiral . In 1975, the study recommended electrification using 25 kV 50 Hz AC ; but with a decline in traffic the proposal was dropped. In the late 1970s with the "oil shocks" of 1973 and 1979, the Third National Government embarked on several projects to reduce dependence on imported oil. Electrification of
3344-433: The new station would not be able to take three-car trains due to its short length, but ARTA responded by noting that initial usage predictions did not require three-car trains, and that the length of the platform could be extended later, though new consents would be needed. On Saturday 18 September, reopening ceremonies were held, with Sunday 19 September being the first day of normal passenger services. The cost of reopening
3420-472: The plan, that is by 2030. A petition for the electrification to be undertaken sooner was started by a local resident of Pukekohe, and the matter was discussed by both main parties during campaigning for the 2017 general election . In preparation for future electrification, KiwiRail has been consulting with Transpower about a third power supply for its network from the Drury 220 kV switching station. In 2020,
3496-566: The possibility of extending electrification to Pukekohe was to be investigated by Auckland Transport. The EMUs were delivered from 2013, with the last units in 2016. In June 2013, it was confirmed they would be classified AM class (standing for Auckland Metro), with the motor car classified AMA, trailer car AMT, and motor/pantograph car AMP. In July 2017, Auckland Council's Finance & Performance Committee approved in principle an order from CAF of 17 EMUs equipped with batteries (BEMU) that would extend electric unit services to Pukekohe. The approval
3572-403: The project. The Onehunga Line was the first line to be commissioned. The system is supplied by two connections to Transpower 's 220 kV national grid, one at the former Southdown Power Station and the other at Transpower's Penrose substation. Both connections are duplicated (Penrose has limited duplication due to having only one 220/25 kV transformer), and one connection can supply
3648-478: The reopened line would reach as far as Onehunga Mall (as originally planned) and it was noted that continuation to the port of Onehunga would depend on Ports of Auckland 's willingness to fund a terminal within its land. However, detailed design for Te Papapa and Mount Smart stations was underway. On 24 June 2009, ARTA and the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) agreed to jointly fund three stations on
3724-522: The reopening of the line, before regular passenger services commenced the next day. The original Onehunga Railway Station was on the corner of Princes Street and Onehunga Mall. The old station building has been relocated to 38 Alfred Street, not far away. It is owned by the Railway Enthusiasts Society , and used as their clubrooms and a railway museum. Other stations were at Te Papapa and Onehunga Wharf . The campaign to reopen
3800-479: The rest of the Western Line. Waitakere Village is now served by bus services connecting to Swanson and Henderson. The electrification project and associated works were described in five comprehensive articles by Ken Haydock in the journal New Zealand Railfan: Railway electrification in New Zealand Railway electrification in New Zealand consists of three separate electric systems, all on
3876-576: The rolling stock purchase included the construction of a maintenance depot and stabling facilities. After looking at potential sites, 4.4 hectares of the old Winstone Quarry in Wiri (next to the South-Western Expressway, near the closed Wiri Station, and bordered by Roscommon and Wiri Station Roads) was selected, being large enough to house all the facilities required and adjacent to the NIMT railway line. Significant earthworks to prepare
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#17327868100773952-604: The said Province." Along with a further 10 km north to Auckland (now part of the North Auckland Line and the Newmarket Line ), the Onehunga Branch was the first operating section of the railways in the North Island . Construction began in 1865 under the auspices of Auckland's provincial government , to standard gauge , 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ( 1,435 mm ), but due to
4028-490: The site commenced in January 2011 and in May 2012 a NZ$ 40 million contract to construct the facility was awarded to Downer New Zealand Limited. The facility was officially opened on 5 July 2013 and joint operational control was handed over to the train operator Transdev Auckland Limited and train supplier & maintenance operator CAF on 28 August 2013. The cost of the depot including land, construction and facility equipment
4104-549: The state-run system on the creation of the New Zealand Railways Department . Connecting the Port of Onehunga with Penrose and hence the port of Auckland, the line became a busy link between the two harbours of the rapidly expanding city. Onehunga was a busy port despite its treacherous harbour entrance and was well served by coastal shipping, some of which plied to New Plymouth . With the completion of
4180-468: The suburb of Māngere Bridge . In early 2007, NZTA's predecessor Transit New Zealand announced that a project to double the width of the Māngere Bridge across the harbour would accommodate a rail link. The duplicate bridge was built to accommodate the link, and NZTA has provided for a rail corridor near the motorway as far as Walmsley Road. However, in late 2016 soon after the election of Mayor Goff,
4256-648: The systems in Austria, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and Norway; although it has been superseded by 25 kV 50 Hz AC or 25 kV 60 Hz AC for new systems; The NIMT represented only 12% of the network length, but carried 40% of the system tonnage (13% more than the total South Island tonnage). A hundred Bo-Bo locomotives would be required, and in Auckland, there would be suburban electric services to Henderson west of Auckland and to Papakura 34 km (21.1 mi) south of Auckland. A report by two Swedish engineers (Thelander and Edenius)
4332-401: The train and emergency situations. Train movements within the facility are controlled by Transdev staff from the depot control office. The stabling capacity is 28 electric trains. There are other stabling yards at Henderson , The Strand Station , and Papakura . The Auckland Regional Council envisaged that a regional fuel tax of five cents per litre would be required to pay for the trains,
4408-507: The upgrade of other rolling stock, above-track infrastructure development including stations and maintenance facilities, ferry terminal upgrades and other transport infrastructure including integrated smartcard ticketing, and the council was to fund the Auckland Regional Transport Authority to buy electric trains and to operate services, and to provide stabling and maintenance facilities. The infrastructure
4484-603: The whole section. Brush Traction supplied 22 EF class locomotives ; the design was scaled up to the Eurotunnel Class 9 locomotives supplied by Brush for the Channel Tunnel. In December 2016, KiwiRail announced that it proposed to dieselise this section of the NIMT due to the age of the present electric locomotives and the cost and time delays in changing locomotives at each end of the electrified section at Te Rapa and Palmerston North . The decision
4560-462: The winning tenderer is finalised. The section of the Southern Line between Pukekohe and Papakura, was operated as a shuttle service using ADL/ADC class diesel multiple units until 2022. The Draft future urban land supply strategy states that electrification of the network would be extended southwards to Pukekohe once the special housing area at Paerata is opened up in the "second decade" of
4636-421: Was also obtained. Their report said electrification was a matter of necessity and estimated greater capital cost saving with AC electrification instead of DC (1500 V; or 3000 V as proposed by English Electric ) than Aickin had allowed for. But the proposal was dropped in favour of dieselisation, with the first mainline DF class diesel locomotives arriving in 1954. In 1974, a study was undertaken to consider
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#17327868100774712-698: Was announced as part of the $ 28 billion Auckland Transport Alignment Project. There were 31 public level crossings between Swanson and Pukekohe and 8 on the Onehunga Branch . With electrification there is a need to safeguard crossings, since electric trains are quieter and more frequent. This includes bridges or tunnels in some cases, and the closure of small suburban street crossings in others. Height restrictions of 4.25 metres or 5.0 metres were imposed to keep vehicles clear of overhead wires. The Broadway overbridge in Newmarket and Parnell Tunnel were among
4788-412: Was approximately NZ$ 100 million. The facility includes 6 kilometres of sidings and a 7,650 square metre depot building consisting of office facilities and the main workshop where servicing of the 57 electric trains takes place. The workshop has seven maintenance berths and has overhead gantry cranes and jacking systems for lifting the trains, high-level platforms to access train roofs, under-floor pits and
4864-430: Was awarded on 6 October 2011 to Spanish manufacturer CAF . The first public electric service was on 28 April 2014 on the Onehunga Line . Since July 2015, all services have been electric with the exception of Papakura to Pukekohe, which until 2022 ran as a diesel shuttle service, and Swanson to Waitakere, which runs a rail replacement bus service. Electrification from Papakura to Pukekohe has long been proposed, but in
4940-405: Was completed in August 2024. All four suburban lines between Swanson in the west and Papakura in the south are electrified at 25 kV 50 Hz AC , the same voltage as the North Island Main Trunk between Te Rapa and Palmerston North. In contrast, the Wellington suburban network (electrified 1938–55) uses 1,500 V DC . About 3,500 masts were installed as part of
5016-460: Was completed in August 2024. KiwiRail announced the works would be implemented in five phases: Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5 During the summer 2011-2012 shutdown, the approaches to Britomart were rebuilt to allow for electrification, masts installed and holes bored, and wiring completed in some areas. During the 2013-2014 shut-down, the complex job of wiring Quay Park Junction, The Strand stabling facility and Britomart
5092-426: Was completed. By January 2014 wires had been installed: Services were planned to start during April 2014 and the first scheduled electric train service (from Britomart to Onehunga) took place on 28 April 2014. The project was completed on 20 July 2015 with full electric train service across the network. The City Rail Link , which is scheduled to open in 2026, will be electrified from the time of its opening, and it
5168-441: Was criticised strongly in Auckland, as it would mean that Auckland would pay for the trains yet not own them. In mid-2011, after long negotiations between Auckland Council / Auckland Transport and the government, it was announced that the trains would be owned by Auckland, with Auckland paying approximately half of the cost from rates, and paying annual track access charges to KiwiRail and any potential purchase price increases as
5244-461: Was later handed back by ARTA to the ARC, with ARTA stating that the track was the responsibility of government track organisation, ONTRACK (now part of KiwiRail ). The petition was presented to Parliament's Transport and Labour Relations Select Committee by Lee as Chairman of the ARC. On 13 March 2007 the Government announced that it had given approval for ONTRACK to spend $ 10 million on reopening
5320-493: Was more economic than a short electrified section; the Rimutaka Tunnel (1955) and the Kaimai Tunnel (1978). The Rimutaka Tunnel required an intermediate ventilation shaft. From 1967, diesel locomotives ( D class ) replaced electric locomotives ( E class ) on freight trains south of Paekakariki on the Kapiti Line after the track in some older tunnels on the North–South Junction were lowered, so diesels could run under
5396-464: Was mothballed. Freight shunts continued to operate as far as Mays Rd until late 2007 and an annual enthusiasts excursion with ADL class DMU ran until 2006. Three visits by Silver Fern railcars occurred in 1996, 1999 and 2000. The last steam trains before closure was a series of excursions over Labour Weekend 1993 with a tank engine and carriages from Glenbrook Vintage Railway . J 1275 ran shuttle trains with DC 4536 on 18 September 2010 to celebrate
5472-580: Was reopened on 18 September 2010 with regular passenger services beginning on 19 September 2010. The Onehunga Branch was part of one of the first government-funded railways in New Zealand. The Auckland and Drury Railway Act 1863 was passed by Parliament "to enable the Superintendent of the Province of Auckland to construct a Railway between the Towns of Auckland and Drury with a Branch to Onehunga in
5548-605: Was reversed in 2018. The extensive suburban rail network around Auckland which had been operated by steam locomotives and then by diesel locomotives and railcars was electrified using 25 kV 50 Hz AC between April 2014 and July 2015. Electrification goes 34 kilometres (21 mi) south to Papakura, and there are no immediate plans to extend further south on the NIMT to Pukekohe or as far as Hamilton (the Waikato Connection and earlier Auckland-Hamilton passenger services have not succeeded). In 2020,
5624-504: Was subject to the New Zealand Transport Agency agreeing to fund at least 50% of the cost of the order and the future operation; the new units were expected to start operating in 2019. In November 2017, it was announced that the proposed BEMU order had been cancelled and another 15 AM class units would be ordered. The rationale for this became clear in late April 2018 when electrification between Papakura and Pukekohe
5700-486: Was the Otira Tunnel in 1923. This long tunnel (8.55 km (5.31 mi)) with a steep gradient (1 in 33) could not have been worked by steam. In 1916, there was consideration of electrification of the entire 100 km (62 mi) section with steep grades from Jackson (West Coast) to Springfield (Canterbury), but in 1923, just the Otira-Arthur's Pass section (14 km (8.7 mi)) was electrified. In 1929,
5776-487: Was to be paid from national funds. However, the Fifth National Government cancelled the proposed tax, with the electrification to be paid for by central government. This move was heavily criticised for leaving the electrification in doubt for a time, for delaying parts of the project, such as train tendering, and for putting control of Auckland public transport into Wellington's hands. In late 2009,
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