Tough job as rail line cleared after landslip

BY NATHAN BEAUMONT

The Wairarapa-Wellington railway line has reopened after a difficult three-day operation to clear the track of mud and a locomotive derailed by a slip.

Service resumed yesterday with the 6.50pm service from Wellington, Tranz Metro said.

KiwiRail staff worked through the weekend and used two massive cranes to lift the locomotive and put it back on the track at the exit of a tunnel at Maymorn, just north of Upper Hutt.

The Wairarapa-bound train, carrying 300 passengers, crashed into the slip, which came down on the track just below Upper Hutt's Mt Marua housing subdivision, on Thursday.

Tranz Metro spokesman Nigel Parry said that, although heavy rain was believed to have caused the slip, an investigation would still be carried out.

The derailment and major highway blockages on Thursday sparked fresh calls for a decision on the proposed Transmission Gully out of Wellington.

Chamber of Commerce president Jo Bransgrove said the slips demonstrated how vulnerable Wellington's access routes were to wild weather.

Transport Minister Steven Joyce agreed yesterday that the city was vulnerable.

"They're right. The question is whether that makes Transmission Gully the answer. But you have to consider route security pretty carefully in the Wellington context."

While that was an important issue, "we've got a particularly under-invested northern exit from our capital city and we do have to get on and nail it, which means balancing that route security issue with the other issues as well".

The Government has put decisions about Transmission Gully on hold until it has reviewed the evidence for and against the route, compared with other options. It is not convinced the cost of the Gully route is justified.

A decision about Transmission Gully is due to be made before the end of the year.

KiwiRail engineer Walter Rushbrook said the project to get the locomotive back on to the rails was one of the most difficult he had faced. Staff had to build about one kilometre of road, mainly by clearing scrub and pouring gravel, so two cranes could reach the site.

They then had to build foundations so the cranes could lift the 85-tonne locomotive back on to the track.

"The road was difficult to make because there was so much water to contend with, but we came up with some cunning drainage systems and used a lot of pumps to make sure the area was clear of water. The sunny weather was a big help.

"There were a few minor hiccups . . . and we had to improvise a few times, but the whole project went extremely well."

Staff could not tell if there was any damage to the locomotive and it had been taken back to Tranz Metro's workshop in Woburn for a check-up.

More than 1000 Wairarapa passengers had to find alternative transport on Friday as buses were not put on till the afternoon.

Mr Parry said compensation for passengers would be considered.

Nothing had been decided yet as commuters were still getting the benefits of a 5 per cent discount on their July tickets, after complaints about frigid temperatures on Wellington's ageing trains.

- © Fairfax NZ News