DBM Engineering's freight train

Quite neat to see a non-KiwiRail "freight train", operating under an independent licence, on the national network.  With thanks to Alex Burgess, who filmed the move.

DBM own quite a collection of locomotives and rolling stock, which until now have been based at their Otahuhu depot, but are in need of relocation due to proposed development of the depot site for a new freight forwarding depot.

With thanks to Alex Burgess, who filmed the move.

Gisborne rail service viable and essential

(reproduced from "Hawke's Bay Today", 20th October 2015 edition)


Talking Point – Rail Service Viable and Essential

By Alan Dick - 

 “The immediate challenge however is how to handle the “wall of wood” from the Wairoa forest” 

In your article “Nash talks up re-opening of rail link” (Monday, October 19), MP Craig Foss, as a determined opponent of rail, is quoted: “The evidence was that the line was hardly being used before the washout.” He added: “Businesses were choosing not to use the line and had been choosing not to for many years.” He is wrong. 

In fact, in the immediate period leading up to the washouts, three or more fully loaded trains were moving squash and other products from Gisborne to Napier Port – and demand was such that double the number of trains could have been running except that KiwiRail could not provide the required locos, wagons and drivers. 

What had happened? From 2010, all Hawke’s Bay and East Coast MP’s, with the exception of minister Foss, had been urging businesses to use rail. Correctly sensing demand, KiwiRail spent $300,000 to lower the bed of three tunnels, to finally enable full capacity 40ft high-cube containers to be carried on the line.

Brand new high-cube curtainsider wagons, for palletised traffic, in Gisborne in 2012

Then entrepreneurial Gisborne-based transport operator Steve Weatherell (running 80 trucks nationally) took the opportunity as a freight forwarder to shift his customers’ product from road to rail. 

For his customers, a smooth, damage-free ride for their sensitive product and direct movement of full containers from packhouse to portside without repacking or double handling. 

For Weatherell Transport, better service for their customers and avoiding a difficult road. For Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne, dual transport mode choice, reduced heavy traffic congestion on a difficult route, and consequently safety and environmental benefits. 

Weatherell Transport tripled tonnage on the Gisborne railway in early 2012, demonstrating how effective other operators can be at securing freight contracts for the rail network

What a tragedy when the washouts struck in March, 2012. Avoidable with proper attention to culvert and drainage maintenance, had the line remained intact KiwiRail would have now had a fully viable rail business with all the resultant environmental and economic benefits for our region. 

 

High-cube containers enroute from Napier to Gisborne, 2012

That takes us to today. 

The Gisborne container freight market potential remains and, in fact, will grow with a wood processing hub to be established. 

Gisborne Port is a specialised log exporter but is unlikely to ever attract export container ship calls. Napier is the logical container destination, being closer than Tauranga. 

The immediate challenge, however, is how to handle the “wall of wood” from the Wairoa forest harvests, which will ramp up dramatically over the next few years. Not including logs, which will continue to move by road to processors like Pan Pac, Wairoa export log harvests will move from 323,000 tonnes next year to a million tonnes and more from 2020. 

Forest managers believe that conservatively half of that volume can, and should, move by rail from a log hub at Wairoa to Napier Port. there will still be plenty of work for truckers, moving logs on short trips from the harvest sites to the log hub and carrying extra volumes direct to the port.

High-cube containers being transferred from road to rail in Gisborne. Rail is the only transport mode able to move these fully loaded from Gisborne to Napier, and without it, growth of the local economy is hampered

There is a viable business for a rail operator on the East Coast line, based initially just on Wairoa logs alone but with heritage steam tourism and Gisborne container potential. KiwiRail have at least two such proposals on their desk. 

 

New Zealand's newest shortline operator, the Gisborne City Vintage Railway, is set to commence operations between Gisborne Port and Muriwai from November 2015

And the worst case outcome? KiwiRail rejects the rail freight proposals in favour of a lease to cycle or golf cart tourism promoters.

The then consequence of State Highway 2 having to handle quadrupled log volumes will be heavy traffic congestion from a road transport industry with insufficient capacity to cope, the road being wrecked, tragic deaths and injuries from accidents, and game-changing opportunity for the economic and social development of northern Hawke’s Bay lost forever. It can’t be allowed to happen. 

High-cube containers travelling south from Gisborne by rail, 2012

* Alan Dick is a Hawke’s Bay regional councillor, former Napier mayor and is chairman of the Hawke’s Bay regional transport committee. 

(All photos courtesy Napier-Gisborne Railway Ltd)

More cash for KiwiRail?

One of the main concerns held by interested observers of KiwiRail's Turnaround Plan has been its ability to fund the necessary capital works required of the plan. 

The Turnaround Plan - known as TAP for short - is KiwiRail's long term plan to create a business capable
of standing on its own two feet financially.  It's a ten year plan for the period 2010 to 2020, and is estimated to ultimately cost $3.1b, in the form of government cash injections and reinvestment of income from the business.

Back in 2010, the government initially stated that it would provide three grants of $250 million each over the first three years of the plan (i.e., $750 million total for 2010-2012 inclusive), after which KiwiRail would need to continue funding the task from its own income.

2013/2014 was to be the first "self funding" year, but numerous observers were skepical of whether or not KiwiRail would be in a position to go it totally alone that soon - and with just cause.  The first three cash injections were spent very quickly, on track work, new locomotives, rolling stock and track maintenance machines, new IT systems and an upgrade of the Aratere rail ferry.  Meanwhile, economic conditions and unforseen natural events resulted in income not rising as much as anticipated.

Earlier this year the government surprised many by announcing a fourth cash injection, this time of $94 million, bringing the total to $844 million.  This wasn't a surprise to KiwiRail though, as the additional funding had been sought, and was granted in response to a request for additional funding.

This begged the question, will the government provide any further funding beyond the current financial year?

Information has now come to light that negotiations for further funding have been taking place over the past few months between KiwiRail management and central government officials.  KiwiRail is seeking $203 million, broken down into two payments, of $81 million for the 2014/2015 financial year, and $122 million for the 2015/2016 financial year.  If these sums are agreed to, it will bring the total cash injection amount to $1.046 billion since 2010.

Photo by Steve McElney, courtesy KiwiRail

As to what it will be spent on, it would seem "more of the same" applies.  Beyond the current eight DL locomotives on order from CNR in China, a further ten are planned to be purchased in 2015.  Then there's yet more flat top container wagons planned, including 175 in 2015, and 200 in 2016.  No doubt the continuing network upgrade will feature in this funding as well.

Sunday trains come to Swanson

It's been a very long time coming, but Sunday 3rd November 2013 finally saw the commencement of permanently scheduled suburban passenger trains to Swanson, on Auckland's "Western Line".

To the best of my knowledge, this is the first time suburban passenger trains have operated on a regular basis to Swanson on Sundays.  There has of course been many occasions in recent years when trains have operated to Swanson and Waitakere on Sundays for special events, and during the Rugby World Cup they operated every Sunday for several consecutive weeks, but they have never been permanently scheduled.

Swanson Railway Station

The new services are being provided by a mix of ADL class DMU's, and 4-car SA sets.

In the more distant past, it has been possible to travel by train this far west on Sundays, but I'm not sure one could describe it as a proper suburban service.

In 1947, there were four trains that you could travel on from Waitakere to Auckland.

0630hrs - Passenger train ex Waitakere.
0739hrs - Passenger train ex Helensville.
1542hrs - Express train ex Whangarei.
2136hrs - Mixed train ex Whangarei.

In the opposite direction, you had three choices from Auckland:

0651hrs - Mixed train to Maungaturoto.
0915hrs - Express train to Whangarei.
1000hrs - Goods train with Carriage attached, to Whangarei.

Travel options by train may have improved in the 1950's, but certainly by the mid 1970's, there were no longer any rail travel options on Sundays west of Newmarket.

Over the past decade, since Britomart opened, there have been many improvements made to the Western Line timetable, but these have focussed on weekdays, with weekends being largely ignored. The same Saturday hourly service that existed at the time Britomart opened (in 2003) was continued right through to November 2013.  Sunday services on the Western Line commenced between Britomart and New Lynn several years ago, and these were extended to Henderson in 2010, but despite completion of the double track project, service remained non-existant to Swanson and Waitakere.

The renewed effort to extend Sunday services developed this year as Auckland Transport came under growing political pressure to reverse declining use of the trains that was being experienced region-wide.  The Western Line is very popular on Saturdays in particular, despite the hourly service, and getting more trains on the line throughout the weekend, was the most obvious opportunity for growing patronage on the network.

Video of the very first permanent Sunday service, 0622hrs Sunday 3rd November 2013

The new Sunday timetable has trains departing Swanson, for Britomart, hourly from 0620hrs to 0920hrs, then half-hourly from 0920hrs to 1920hrs (departing at 20 and 50 minutes past the hour), then back to hourly until 2120hrs.

The new timetable has also doubled the Saturday service frequency from hourly, to half-hourly, operating to the same times as the Sunday timetable, but with later evening services, and of course the trains on Saturdays operate to Waitakere.

Swanson, looking west

Interestingly, there is enough time in the Sunday schedule for the trains to operate to Waitakere and back within the period that they will remain parked at Swanson.  However, with Auckland Transport not wishing to grow rail patronage at Waitakere station, in preparation for post-electrification closure, it was decided to terminate the new Sunday services at Swanson.

Meanwhile, Auckland Transport have announced that trains will no longer operate from Helensville for the annual Santa Parade event in the city.  These trains have operated for many years now, but unfortunately, Auckland Transport chose not to promote these services in 2011 and 2012, which saw patronage almost disappear in 2012.  They are now citing this decline as their reason for cancelling these services, along with a rather dubious claim that the railway between Waitakere and Helensville is no longer available for passenger trains, despite the recent operation of several excursions on the line.

Despite the latter, Auckland Transport has done well to improve Western Line frequencies.  Already, there has been a notable increase in patronage on Saturdays, and while Sundays has not been as significant, it is growing as well.  With the advent of electric trains to Swanson from 2015, patronage is sure to skyrocket.

Distributed Power: Has its time come in New Zealand?

Every decade or so, a major operational change tends to take place in global freight railroading, particularly in North America, and New Zealand has generally kept up with these changes.  As an example, in North America in the mid 1980's, technology enabled removal of cabooses from freight trains, leading to a reduction in staff and costs.  New Zealand Railways embraced this revolutionary change without delay, and the final guards vans disappeared from trains in New Zealand even earlier than the final cabooses vanished in the United States.

Another example is with train crewing.  When the United States reduced train crew size from four to three, in conjunction with removal of cabooses, NZR reduced crew size from three to two for the same reason.  Within a further five years, improvements to communication systems enabled the United States to further reduce crew size from three, to just two.  Again, simultaneously, NZR embraced the same technological improvements and reduced its crew size from two, to just one.  In the yards it was similar, with shunting crews being signicantly reduced in size in the US and NZ at much the same time, for the same reason (better radio systems).

In some cases, New Zealand lead the way with these mini revolutions.  Widespread use of remote control shunting came to New Zealand some five to ten years ahead of most of North America.  Removal of flashing lights from level crossing barrier arms, replaced by reflective strips, is only now beginning to occur in North America, close to 20 years behind this change being made in New Zealand.

In other areas we kept up, albeit on a much smaller scale.  When freight train sizes were increased in America in the 1980's, with more motive power being assigned to trains, the same soon happened here.  Many large trial trains were run throughout the country, in aid of setting new load schedules.  Three DX's on a lengthy Murupara log train was a notable trial at the time, even making the 6 o'clock news.  Single headers were replaced with double headers, and triple headers became common.  Fewer, but larger trains was the catch phrase.

But another revolution began to take place in North America in 2007, that to date, has passed us by.  Rolled out over a five year period, and largely fully in place by 2012, has been the change to routine use of Distributed Power (DP).  Once the domain of specific heavy-haul railroads, DP was extended to ordinary freight trains on a trial basis during 2005 and 2006, by most of the class 1 railroads in America.  It quickly took off, and today, most freight trains now operate with locomotives on both the head and rear of the train, and often in the middle as well.

The obvious change this has lead to is train length.  3000 metre long freights are now in widespread use across America.  America has always had big trains.  100 car, 2000 metre jobs could be seen in the 60's and 70's, but today, 170-180 cars is commonplace.

The advantages with DP are significant.  Having locomotives pushing from the rear, or pushing and pulling in the middle, greatly reduces drawgear stress where it is at its highest, near the front of the train.  Lateral friction is also greatly reduced, meaning less wear on wheels and rails, whilst also reducing fuel consumption of the locomotives.  Slack throughout the train is also better controlled, with fewer run-ins and pull-outs, and instances of train pull-aparts are greatly reduced, to the point of near elimination.  Braking is enhanced significantly, as air pressure changes take effect much sooner when commenced from two or three points along the train, rather than from just the front.

There are also disadvantages however.  Making up and then breaking up a train, takes longer with the need to add locomotives in different sections.  DP technology itself comes with a cost.  Buying it, and then fitting it to the fleet.  But these costs have been found to be more than outweighed by the advantages the technology has to offer.  Overall, costs come down.

To their credit, KiwiRail have pursued a new round of train size increases in recent times, that has largely gone unremarked in railfan circles.  A few years back, NIMT freights were increased from around 35 wagons to around 45 wagons.  1800 tonnes up the spiral was set as a goal, and today, 2000 tonnes is being seriously looked at.  On the Murupara Branch, log trains are being increased from 35 wagons, to 40, then to 45, with 50 rumoured to be a new target.  Metroport trains are getting bigger, and there is the often talked about plan to get Midland Line coal trains up to 45 wagons, and some 3000 odd tonnes, which would make them the heaviest trains to operate in this country.

In some cases the changes are being implemented, but in others, and in particular the Midland Line coal trains changing to 45 wagons, the proposals have stalled.

Is there a place for DP technology to not only provide solutions, but to take our train sizes and weights to even higher levels?   I believe there is.   But it does require some change in thinking on behalf of KiwiRail.  To a degree it makes sense to run smaller, more frequent trains in New Zealand.  The cartage distances are not that great, the terrain can be difficult, and wagon utilisation is at a premium.  But with all the new wagons being purchased by KiwiRail, and higher horse power on offer from the new locomotives, the existing trains on the network are beginning to reach capacity in terms of length and weight.  Adding more and more trains will reduce network timekeeping, so I believe a balance needs to be found between adding more new services, and adding more tonnage to existing trains.

Photo courtesy Phil's Loco Photos

Auckland to Wellington is some 665km by freight train, and while relatively short on an international scale, is still a reasonable distance.  It may be worth spending a bit more time at Southdown or Westfield adding locos to the rear, if it enables say, 3000 tonnes to be pushed up the spiral.  Getting at least 50% more tonnage onto existing trains, with an overall reduction in expenses, may just be worth doing.  Longer make up roads, and longer crossing loops would of course be required, but would enable long term savings that will make rail more competitive than it currently is.  Furthermore, if the same locomotives are left on the train right through, the extra time needed to make up the train in Auckland, may be offset by a faster transit through Hamilton and Palmerston North.  2 DL on the front, and 1 DL on the rear, and just keep going, all the way from Auckland to Wellington.

Down south, DP may just enable those 45 wagon coal trains to operate, without the problem of drawgear breaks.

There is one outstanding challenge to DP in the New Zealand context. The terrain will likely result in some momentary loss of telemetry between leading and rear end locomotives.  But DP technology takes this into account, and is designed to automatically recover from short signal losses.  I'm sure this issue could be managed effectively.

Should KiwiRail consider DP, it will mark a new round of revolution to our train scene.  It will put us back on track with international best practice, and has the potential to help KiwiRail reach its goal of becoming self sufficient through more efficient operations.

October 1983 - A young railfan gets his first camera

It just occured to me that it's been 30 years since I began taking photos of trains.  Well, 30 years and 18  days to be precise, with my first pics being snapped on 11th October 1983.  Mum and Dad had just given me my first camera on my 11th birthday, and I was very excited at the prospect of capturing the trains I see on film.  Up until then, it had always been a case of see it, remember it, and write down the number!

After loading the Kodak 110 film, and possibly taking one or two test shots (I don't remember), I was off on my bike to the Napier Railway Station and of course, the locomotive depot.

And this was my first ever train pic...

Photo of DSG 3264, taken too far to the left

Brand spanking new, DSG 3264.  These locos were the talk of the town at that time.  Cabs were supposed to be near the end of the locomotive, not in the middle!  And engines were supposed to rattle and chug, not hum!  But the crews loved them. Spacious, and reasonably quiet cabs, powerful, and smooth riding.

But I wasn't thinking of all that.  I was onto my second photo.

And this was it...

Photo of DE 1337, taken too far to the left

DE 1337.  One of those things that rattle and chug, with a sharp sounding horn instead of one that echos.

It must have been a Saturday or Sunday, as I obviously didn't have school, and the depot was filled with locos, and free of staff, so we had free reign of the place.  In fact pretty much the whole yard was ours to wander around.  Not that anyone cared about such things in those days.  If you stubbed your toe, you stubbed your toe. Your fault, not anyone elses.

Then it was on to pic three...

Photo of DC 4853, taken too far to the left

Another brand new loco, DC 4853, only two or three weeks after entering service, fresh from Australia.  Although I didn't realise at the time just how new she was.  The higher numbered DC's, especially the 4800's, all looked very bright and shiny at this time, being the newest of their class in the land.

DC's were the biggest locos in the bay at this time, as neither the DF nor the DX classes were allowed to Napier in those days.  We still got the odd DA, but by and large, we were "DC country".

Then along came train 959, the daily express from Gisborne.  A DBR!  None of those in the depot, so off down the yard I went, to snap my fourth ever train photograph, during the few minutes it was in town, so the passengers could use the refreshment rooms...

Photo of DBR 1282, taken too far to the left

Whoops, cut off the nose!  That was an issue with those little 110 film cameras - you had to stand back a million miles to fit anything in the frame.  DBR 1282 was just over a year old at this point, but still looking very tidy.  They washed passenger locos in those days - even the roof and bogies.

Now, see what I was doing?  Three DSG's present, but I photographed just one. Several DE's present, but I photographed just one.  Lots of DC's present, but I photographed just one.  All I had to do was get a single photograph of each class, and my railway photo collection would be complete.  How simple it would be!  Three decades, and tens of thousands of photos later, and I realise how wrong I was.  Oh to be 11 again!

After 959 departed, it was back to the depot. This time I thought I would try my first multi-loco photo.

DC 4093 (still displaying her old number 1560 on the ends) paired with DA 322, DSG 3277, DE 1406, DSG 3304 and, just visible, DSG 3264 again.

I can't stress how odd those DSG's looked!  Nothing like a DE (obviously), and with that grid shaped end, and box-mounted headlights, they were something very different to get used to.  It's hard to think of them in this manner today, being so familiar to us all, for so long, the length and breadth of the country.


Then, it was up onto DE 1337 for a better shot of those DSG's...

Photo of three DSG's, taken too far to the left

And then up the backshunt for a shot of everything...

Then I thought, "I better get a shot of that DA front, to show how a DA looks different from a DC". Goodness, maybe there's more to take pictures of than I thought???

How a DA looks different from a DC

After getting home, I began to think of all the locomotive classes I had missed.  So within days, I was back in the depot.  Just a few more, and my collection will be complete...

Photo of DSA 361, taken too far to the left. Graeme's Raleigh 20, and my BMX, parked/dumped on platform

Photo of EB 1809, taken too far to the left

Photo of TR 494, taken too far to the left

A really old rust bucket in a funny old colour scheme that's different from all the DC's!

Graeme made the DSB look huge!  And yes, photo taken too far to the left

And so welcome to my new blog.  A place for idle thoughts, old pics, and occasionally, if I'm in the mood, an opinion to be offered.  Probably in the form of a rant.

Enjoy!