Subscribe to RSSWaikanae Goes Electric
KiwiRail’s work is going well in extending duplicated tracks and electrification so regular commuter services can reach Waikanae, north of Wellington early next year.
At Waikanae Station, a 200 metre platform is being built at the current station location.
The station remains where it is in the interim to enable regular Tranz Metro services to reach the town by that date but it may move location in the future. The Greater Wellington Regional Council, says it’s working closely with NZTA, KiwiRail and Kapiti Coast District Council on how future roading developments might interact with possible future station locations. Meanwhile car park modifications are being made in anticipation of the new Kapiti train commuters from after Christmas.
The new station building at Waikanae will have toilets, a waiting room and ticket office.
A pedestrian level crossing to the north of the station will provide access to a second car park on the eastern side of the railway tracks. There’s a stabling siding under construction north of the station and works at the junction site south of the bridge.
Still north, sections of a new subway are being installed under the North Island Main Trunk line at Paraparaumu Station.
In Paraparaumu a new underpass will connect the existing road subway with a second platform to the east of the tracks, replacing the current overbridge.
A station building similar to the one for Waikanae is going on the northern end of the new platform.
This is the recently re- laid Kapiti Rd level crossing.
Below is double track at the Otaihanga Rd level crossing.
Still unresolved is the future of the Palmerston North Capital Connection train - that decision will be made by KiwiRail six months after the start of the Waikanae Tranz Metro service. One suggestion has been replacing it with a Palmy to Waikanae run terminating at Waikanae.
Photo credit: Thanks to Kegan S for kindly supplying his photos for us to enjoy.
5 Comments
nice photos
Thanks Kegan S. Nice update
Surely a premium express service from Waikanae to Welly and a couple of stops in between (The Capital Connection) has a place as part of services for the Kapiti Coast and beyond.
@Paul, Not really , the problem is that the “express-ness” of the service is not a great saving in time,
The current CConnection has a timetabled 46 minute service to Welly from PPumu, ( Waikane 55 minutes)
The express EMU services from PPumu do the trip in around 50 mins, ( expected Waikanae time of 59 minutes)- although possible slightly less
So you are saving 4-5 minutes only.
A large chunk of the capital connection’s patronage is from Waikanae, and this will likely get consumed by the EMU service, as it will have much more convenient times ( as opposed to the single daily CCconnection service)
they should put in more stations a Palmerston Nth as well as more advertisments to attract some of the loss of customers. :-/
also im glad that they put the toliets at Waikanae, it would help avoid a uncomfortable nightmare onboard. and as anyone noticed the length of the platform?