Subscribe to RSS1st Matangi Train Arrives
Wellington’s first Matangi electric train has arrived in New Zealand.
The ship carrying the first train arrived in Auckland this morning and was leaving at about 4.30pm, arriving in Wellington early Saturday morning.
The train will be taken from CentrePort to KiwiRail’s depot at Kaiwharawhara where it will undergo rigorous testing, as part of the commissioning process.
Over the next few months it will be able to be seen along the Hutt Valley and Kapiti lines. It is expected to begin revenue service by December.
The new trains will begin arriving regularly from October.
The first trains will run on the Upper Hutt Line, followed by Johnsonville from April then Kapiti from July 2011.
The Matangi trains have a modern, stainless steel exterior. Inside, they are air-conditioned, spacious, and are equipped with high quality passenger information systems.
The trailer car of each two-car unit has a low floor area designed especially to give greater access to people in wheelchairs and passengers with buggies.
6 Comments
Fantastic! i can’t wait to see them on the lines the next time im in wellington.
I hope they’re not being trucked down to Wellington… oh hang on, they’re being shipped aren’t they?
^ who honestly cares what way the get there, the point is they are in NZ and this is a great step forward for PT.
all the best with the testing, hopefully they get it over and done with and get these up and running.
at least wellington will be on the ball for the world cup next year… new trains in all.
My first thought was, how are they getting to Wellington?
@Paul The ship left Auckland last night for Wellington where it arrives in port early tomorrow
Arrived in wellington this morning ..came off the vessel no hassle, Coupled the two coaches together and shunted across aotea quay into the rail yard and up into Wellington depot..
Testing and commissioning next ..