$26m to renew Tranz Alpine

This investment is timely and desperately needed. All other first world countries are investing in passenger rail, and extending it. Even in the home of the car, the USA, congress recently provided huundreds of millions of dollars for more passenger carriages and service extensions.

It was clear that the NATIONAL experiment of privatised railways failed badly. Thank god we have a future thinking government to have obtained the railways back at a small price. Even if we spend $1.2B on our railways, cheaper than the roads which have a massive decline in usage. $1.2 will build just 18 kms of motorway, or we have 4000kms of railways, 300 locos, 4000 freight wagons etc... Good value for New Zealand.

And trucks? Well, they never have paid their own way, so we ALL subsidise the massive trucking mogals making millions in profit.

$26 million!! $26 million!! How many hot meals for hungry people could that buy? At least 2.6 million!

...whereas CJH wants to save rail by destorying it.....

Ripping up all the tracks....

A true fan of Richard Prebble.

Renationalizing the railways was a necessary thing, and I'm glad that the government had the guts to do it.

We taxpayers subsidize a lot of services that we may never use, but that's the price of living in a civilized society.

Poor, deprived, sad CJH! Buy a ticket, ride the rails from Picton to Christchurch! Next day, ride the Midland Line and see the other side of the Torlesse Range, the side you can't see unless you are a climber or a very skilled airplane pilot. Spend a few minutes in that open car, feel the rush of the wind and smell the diesel smoke, all at no extra cost. Spend a few seconds on the rocking plate between the cars and experience the little thrill. Get a life.

Due to the high cost of oil, wouldit not be wise to complete the electrification of the main trunk line from Hamilton to Auckland?

Another country on the same track gauge recently bought a power car and three coaches, a one off for $2.6 million NZD, off China to a Western spec (nice seats, air suspension, DVD players, etc.). Based on the recent coach contracts I assume this contract for Hillside is for 18 coaches.

So off China for the Tranz Alpine we could get 12 more coaches and the 10 diesel power cars to pull the coaches for the same money.

For a saving of $21 million we could replace all the long distance coaches in the country and get the locos for free. Are the extra jobs at Hillside in Dunedin worth $21 million ? Too many decisions with heart not head ? .... because similar arguments can be made for the new locos too !

CJH- I fully support this plan. Pecause of National selling off the rail, its fallen to pieces. Now Labour has to clean up Nationals mess. Again. Without the Senic Rail, what would happen to most of the tourism related jobs in the area? With a decent upgrade, think how many more tourists, and kiwis, will use the rail, providing more jobs and making it more affordable. If the rail was in better condition, and safer, a lot more 'kiwis' would use it.

New Zealanders dont care what the rail network is called, its changed so many times over the years and is not 'wool over our eyes' - it's a name that tourists can relate to... have you heard of 'eurail'?

We don't need more tax cuts, we need to properly invest in our tourism industry, among other things, without it New Zealand is screwed.

I feel sorry for you Kiwi taxpayers who are paying and subsidising a service most of you will not ever use. Does anybody remember when the Green Party campaigned to "save the rail" and yet none of them actually used the trains to get around.

Labour are screwing you all, naming it "Kiwirail" is just a sad attempt to pull the wool over your eyes. Vote them out and stop encouraging politicans wasting your money when it is safer in your own pockets!