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The Connoisseur Car
''The Connoisseur'' cars were special railway carriages that were used in a number of passenger trains in New Zealand. History In 1987, a private tourist firm, Globetrotter Tours New Zealand Ltd leased a New Zealand Railways Corporation single lavatory first-class NZR 56-foot carriage, utilised on the South Island Main Trunk Main South Line's '' Southerner'' express passenger trains for private use as a luxury tourist alternative to the rail services then offered by InterCity Rail. Originally, the car was named the ''Connoisseur's Express'' carriage, and the aim was to attract more wealthy patrons back to rail travel in the South Island. It offered a higher level of service, including public address announcements about key features along the route, pre-packaged meals and refreshments brought to your seat, complimentary newspaper, and a "cabin attendant". It seated 45 passengers in a type of seat designed by staff from Christchurch's Addington Workshops. Unfortunately, in its init ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Railway
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a prepared flat surface, rail vehicles (rolling stock) are directionally guided by the tracks on which they run. Tracks usually consist of steel rails, installed on sleepers (ties) set in ballast, on which the rolling stock, usually fitted with metal wheels, moves. Other variations are also possible, such as "slab track", in which the rails are fastened to a concrete foundation resting on a prepared subsurface. Rolling stock in a rail transport system generally encounters lower frictional resistance than rubber-tyred road vehicles, so passenger and freight cars (carriages and wagons) can be coupled into longer trains. The operation is carried out by a railway company, providing transport between train stations or freight customer facilit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
TranzAlpine
The TranzAlpine is a passenger train operated by The Great Journeys of New Zealand in the South Island of New Zealand over the Midland Line; often regarded to be one of the world's great train journeys for the scenery through which it passes (see famous trains). The journey is one-way, taking almost five hours. There are 16 tunnels and four viaducts, with the Staircase Viaduct elevated as much as . The train has become increasingly popular, and carried 204,000 passengers in the financial year ending 2007. By 2016, passenger numbers were approximately 130,000 a year, but rising again after the setback of the Christchurch earthquake, and were exceeding pre-earthquake levels. The TranzAlpine service was suspended in 2020 and again in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but resumed on 14 January 2022. History The train was introduced on 22 November 1987 to replace the conventional Christchurch-Greymouth express trains and became one of the New Zealand Railways Corporation' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Silver Fern (train)
The NZR RM class Silver Fern was a class of rail motor in New Zealand. The three air-conditioned and sound-proofed 723-kW 96-seater diesel-electric twin-set railcars were built by Kawasaki under contract with Nissho Iwai of Japan. New Zealand Railways (NZR) classified the railcars as RM (Rail Motor), the same as other railcars, using the ''Silver Ferns'' (a national symbol of New Zealand) because of their exterior was made of corrugated stainless steel, like the premier night sleeper train that also ran on the Wellington-Auckland (North Island Main Trunk) route, the ''Silver Star''. The Silver Ferns replaced the three successful ''Blue Streak'' railcars on the service. History The railcars are most well known for their service on the eponymous North Island Main Trunk daylight passenger train between Auckland and Wellington between 14 December 1972 and 8 December 1991. Intermediate stops were at Palmerston North, Marton, Taihape, Waiouru, Ohakune, National Park, Taumarunu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Northerner (train)
The ''Northerner'' was an overnight passenger train between Wellington and Auckland in New Zealand. The train replaced the unnamed and ordinary express trains supplementing the luxury ''Silver Star'', which had replaced the ''Night Limited'' in 1971. The ''Northerner'' operated from 1975 to 2004. History Overnight services between Auckland and Wellington began in 1908 when the line between the two cities was completed. The inaugural trip took Prime Minister Sir Joseph Ward and other Members of Parliament to Auckland to greet the American Pacific Fleet. In March 1973 the Minister of Railways Tom McGuigan announced a new train would be introduced to replaced the unnamed nightly service. In 1976 the Northerner stopped at Wellington, Porirua, Paekakariki, Paraparaumu, Ōtaki, Levin, Palmerston North, Feilding, Marton, Hunterville, Taihape, Waiouru, Ohakune, National Park, Taumarunui, Mangapehi, Te Kuiti, Otorohanga, Te Awamutu, Hamilton, Huntly, Pukekohe, Papakura, Ōtā ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Overlander (train)
The Overlander was a long-distance rail passenger train between Auckland and Wellington in the North Island of New Zealand, along the North Island Main Trunk (NIMT). It was operated by Tranz Scenic. The service was replaced from 25 June 2012, by the ''Northern Explorer''. The Overlander replaced a previous service operated by RM class ''Silver Fern'' railcars on Monday 2 December 1991. Following the withdrawal of the overnight '' Northerner'', it was the only regular passenger train on the NIMT between Pukekohe and Palmerston North. After being threatened with cessation itself in 2006, it gained significantly in popularity, partly because of increased tourism promotion for the service. It was called one of the best-value scenic rail trips in the world by the British ''Guardian''. It is also acknowledged as one of the world's classic scenic rail journeys. Route History Origins The first regular daylight Wellington-Auckland passenger train services, augmenting the older ove ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
North Island Main Trunk
The North Island Main Trunk (NIMT) is the main railway line in the North Island of New Zealand, connecting the capital city Wellington with the country's largest city, Auckland. The line is long, built to the New Zealand rail gauge of and serves the large cities of Palmerston North and Hamilton. Most of the NIMT is single track with frequent passing loops, but has double track - * between Wellington and Waikanae, except for of single-track through tunnels between North Junction ( from Wellington) and South Junction, ( from Wellington), on the Pukerua Bay to Paekakariki section, * between Hamilton and Te Kauwhata (except for the single-track Waikato River Bridge at Ngāruawāhia), and * between Meremere and Auckland Britomart. Around (approximately 65%) of the line is electrified in three separate sections: one section at 1600 V DC between Wellington and Waikanae, and two sections at 25 kV AC: between Palmerston North and Te Rapa (Hamilton) and between Papakura and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kitchenette
A kitchenette is a small cooking area, which usually has a refrigerator and a microwave, but may have other appliances. In some motel and hotel rooms, small apartments, college dormitories, or office buildings, a kitchenette consists of a small refrigerator, a microwave oven, and sometimes a sink. New York City building code defines a kitchenette as a kitchen of less than 7.4 m2 (80 ft2) of floor space. In hotels and motels Kitchenettes are a common feature in hotel and motel guest rooms and often contain a coffeemaker, a bar refrigerator, commonly called a mini-bar. Some hotel kitchenettes have provisioned refrigerators that have an interior sensor feature used by management to monitor guest use of the refrigerator's contents and thus charge for the consumables, which typically include soda, beer, and liquor. In Britain In British English, the term kitchenette also refers to a small secondary kitchen in a house. Often it is found on the same floor as the children's bedrooms, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bay Express
The ''Bay Express'' was a passenger train between Wellington and Napier in New Zealand's North Island, operating from Monday, 11 December 1989 until Sunday, 7 October 2001. It was operated by New Zealand Railways Corporation's InterCity Rail division, later known as Tranz Scenic. History Introduction The ''Bay Express'' was preceded by the '' Endeavour'', which ran the same route from 1972 until 1989. The ''Endeavour'' started service with upgraded carriages and a buffet car, but in August 1981 these were diverted to the North Island Main Trunk as the ''Blue Fern'' and replaced by carriages of lesser quality without a buffet car. The introduction of the ''Bay Express'' was intended to return the standard of Hawkes Bay passenger services back to their former level. Rolling stock The trains consisted of two modular guards vans converted into power-luggage vans with 11 kW petrol generators at the handbrake ends (one from Mitsubishi, Japan, the other from Daewoo, Korea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Endeavour (train)
The ''Endeavour'' was a long-distance passenger train service between Wellington and Napier (and for part of its history, Gisborne) in the North Island of New Zealand. The service was modelled on the '' Southerner'' service in the South Island, and operated from 1972 to 1989. History Introduction The ''Endeavour'' was introduced on Sunday, 6 November 1972 as a carriage train to replace the morning railcar service between Wellington and Napier. The 88-seater railcars used on this route were deteriorating due to age and were unreliable, and the success of the '' Southerner'' inspired the creation of the ''Endeavour''. In its first incarnation, it was hauled by a DA class diesel electric locomotive and had a consist of a guard's van, five passenger carriages and a buffet car. The ''Endeavour''s carriages were painted in a distinctive blue livery rather than the red scheme usual at the time, and the locomotive carried a headboard, the only instance of regular headboard us ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Main North Line, New Zealand
The Main North Line, sometimes referred to as part of the South Island Main Trunk railway, is a railway line that runs north from Christchurch in New Zealand up the east coast of the South Island through Kaikōura and Blenheim to Picton. It is a major link in New Zealand's national rail network and offers a connection with roll-on roll-off ferries from Picton to Wellington. It was also the longest railway construction project in New Zealand's history, with the first stages built in the 1870s and not completed until 1945. Construction The first proposal for a line resembling the present day Main North Line was made in 1861. A proposal for a line linking Christchurch and Blenheim was put before the Marlborough Provincial Council in April 1861. Later that year, the national government passed the Picton Railway Act in October, approving a line from Picton to the Wairau River under the auspices of the Marlborough Provincial Council.General Assembly of New Zealand"The Picto ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Midland Line, New Zealand
The Midland line is a 212 km section of railway between Rolleston and Greymouth in the South Island of New Zealand. The line features five major bridges, five viaducts and 17 tunnels, the longest of which is the Otira tunnel. It is the route of the popular TranzAlpine passenger train. History Railway development in the South Island in the 1870s was concentrated on a main line linking the established centres of Christchurch, Timaru, Dunedin and Invercargill and light, easily constructed branch lines serving the arable plains; (see Vogel Era). These later included a branch to Springfield which was reached by January 1880. In 1882 the East and West Coast Railway League was formed and in 1884 a Royal Commission, although fully aware of the construction difficulties of the Waimakariri Valley-Arthurs Pass route, as compared with the somewhat easier but longer Hurunui Valley-Harpers Pass route, chose the more direct route. The construction of the line was rejected in 1883 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Coastal Pacific
The ''Coastal Pacific'' is a long-distance passenger train that runs between Picton and Christchurch in the South Island of New Zealand. It is operated by The Great Journeys of New Zealand division of KiwiRail. It was called the ''TranzCoastal'' from May 2000 until temporarily withdrawn in February 2011. It was the first train to use the new AK class carriages. The service was suspended after 14 November 2016 due to damage to the rail line from the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake, but, in 2018-19 ran from Saturday 1 December to Sunday 28 April. In November 2018 Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced $40 million for KiwiRail from the Provincial Growth Fund, to provide year-round service and to upgrade the Kaikoura, Blenheim and Picton stations. The service was again suspended on 23 March 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions. The ''Coastal Pacific'' long distance passenger service was suspended once more in December 2021. There were plans to replace it with a multi-day rail tour. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
