Daytime freight trains will run for the first time in two years between Blenheim and Christchurch on New Zealand’s Main North Line next week, marking a milestone in the rebuilding effort after the Kaikoura earthquake in late 2016.
Intense repair works allowed an initial restricted re-opening of the line in September 2017 for low-frequency freight services running five nights a week to allow repair and rebuilding work to continue.
While freight trains have only run at night over the last 13 months, KiwiRail’s acting chief executive Todd Moyle said that strong support from customers meant that more than 480,000 tonnes of freight have been moved since September 2017.
“That has meant at least 34,000 fewer trucks travelling on the earthquake-damaged roads or smaller inland roads during that time,” Moyle said.
“KiwiRail teams and our partners at the North Canterbury Transport Infrastructure Recovery (NCTIR) agency have been making fantastic progress on repairs to the Main North Line over the past few months.”
The Main North Line, which runs between Picton and Christchurch, is a major link in New Zealand’s transport supply network, with over 1 million tonnes of freight travelling between the North and South islands every year before the earthquake left over 150 kilometres of its length damaged.
KiwiRail is also planning to bring back its Great Journeys of New Zealand Coastal Pacific service from Christchurch to Picton in December, which has not operated since the quake.
“We’ve been getting a lot of interest and strong bookings for this award-winning scenic rail journey and already have days completely sold out months before we begin,” said Moyle.
With trains soon to run again during the day, KiwiRail is warning the community to expect a lot more activity at level crossings alone the Main North Line.
“While there have been some work trains and other rail vehicles using the line during the day, we are conscious that many people who regularly use level crossings along the line may have become used to the lighter levels of rail activity and need to be aware of this change,” Moyle said.
“As the rail line will now be busier during the day, we urge everyone to always obey the signs and signals and look both ways before crossing railway tracks.”