Tranz Metro

Tranz Metro is an S -Bahn -like commuter rail network in the region of Wellington, the capital of New Zealand. It will be operated five lines which open up the Wellington region. On the web, largely operate electric railcars, on some sections and diesel vehicles. Tranz Metro is a corporate part of Kiwi Rail, a subsidiary of the New Zealand Railways Corporation.

The operation is performed on the basis of a contract with the regional administration Greater Wellington Regional Council, which subsidizes the operation and maintenance of the equipment and rolling stock. Since 1 July 2011, the regional government is also in possession of all stations except the station Wellington, the depots, sidings and all trains. Kiwi Rail continues to be responsible for the operation and has the rail facilities.

Tranz Metro is a member of the transport association Metlink. Monthly average of 800,000 trips are made ​​.

Tranz Metro until 2004, was also the name of the suburban railway network in Auckland. In 2004, however, the company Veolia has taken over the operation and the name is no longer used.

Route network

It will be operated five lines that connect the region to Wellington in the north and northeast. It is used here not a separate track system, but uses route network over which even the remote traffic is handled. This is essentially the North Island Main Line North Iceland Main Trunk Railway, which connects Wellington and Auckland and is used by Tranz Metro to Waikanae. Furthermore, it is used the Wairarapa route to Masterton. All lines begin at the Wellington Railway Station.

The following five lines there:

• Johnsonville: the line leads to the district of Johnsonville. The single-track line used originally belonged to the main line of the North Island. Since 1937, this curvy section is bypassed by a path with two tunnels.
• Kapiti: about Porirua executes this line to Waikanae. The trains here on the main line of the North Island.
• Hutt Valley: this line via Petone and Waterloo ( to Lower Hutt ) to Upper Hutt. It is used the Wairarapa line.
• Melling: This line uses to Petone also the Wairarapa line, then branches off and leads to Melling ( to Lower Hutt ). By 1955, this section was part of the Wairarapa line until it was then passed through the eastern side of the valley.
• Wairarapa: the line serves to Upper Hutt also the Wairarapa distance as the Hutt Valley Line, holds up to that point but only in Petone and Waterloo. From the Upper Hutt line continues to Masterton. The line is being marketed as " Wairarapa Connection".

Overview of the technical data of the lines:

The two branches according to Johnsonville and Melling are expanded single track. The North Island main line is until shortly before Waikanae and with the exception of an approximately 3 km long section between Muri and Paekakariki expanded to double track. The Wairarapa - haul to Trentham (3 kilometers from Upper Hutt ) on two tracks. The entire route network covers 161 km. With the exception of the section between Upper Hutt and Masterton, the network is electrified (102 km) and is operated at 1,500 volts DC.

It is a narrow-gauge railway network, since the gauge is, as with all New Zealand stretches 1,067 millimeters ( Cape gauge ).

In 2006, was examined by the regional administration, such as public transport can be improved by Johnsonville in the north of the city. In the deliberations and the Johnsonville line is included. There is the scenario to modernize the course or expand to a city train and lead in the course of which over the station Wellington out into the city center to the Courtney Place. Other scenarios provide for the setting up and dismantling of the track to operate on the corridor track buses or remodel it to a track.

Between 2008 and 2011, the network has undergone improvements. So the Paraparaumu line was extended by about 7 km and a station. Since 20 February 2011, the trains run on Paraparauma out to Waikanae and the line has since been Kapiti line. The new section has been expanded to double track and electrified. Also on this line of section between Mackays Crossing and Paraparaumu was expanded to double track. There new vehicles of FP series were purchased. To be able to use them on the Johnsonville line, some stations and tunnels had to be rebuilt.

Rolling stock

All lines except the Wairarapa Line are operated by electric railcars. Please refer to the driving current from an overhead line with 1,500 volts DC. The Tranz Metro network thus forms an exception in New Zealand where otherwise operate in passenger traffic only with diesel locomotive hauled trains and diesel railcars.

The largest part of the vehicle fleet form electric railcars of EM series that were produced in the 1980s by Ganz MÁVAG in Hungary. They consist of two parts, a car with drive and a sidecar. They usually form trains with two to eight cars. A total of 88 cars of this type exist (44 motor cars and 44 sidecar ). The vehicles will be modernized as part of a renovation program in order to use them longer can.

Furthermore the series DM counts for inventory that was built from 1948 to 1953 by English Electric. The vehicles were renewed in order to be used until 2010 can. This guy is on the Johnsonville and the Melling Line in use. There are 14 motor cars and 19 sidecar.

As part of a renovation program, the new series FP was developed. 48 locomotives, consisting of a motor cycle and sidecar are produced by the consortium and Hyundai Rotem Mitsui Group. On 23 December 2010 the first vehicle was handed over. The series is officially referred to by the name of Matangi, Maori for wind or breeze. The name was determined as part of a competition, and refers to the windy weather conditions often prevailing in Wellington. In order for the vehicles of English Electric to be shut down.

Since the Wairarapa line is electrified between Wellington and Upper Hutt, take the Wairarapa Line trains, which are covered with a diesel locomotive. Usually locomotives of DC or DX series occur wagons SW series are used. The cars resulting from conversion by Mark 2 coaches of the former British Rail, which were already acquired in 1996. Some of these cars were in a variant as SE series also express traffic on the Hutt Valley Line or Paraparaumu line to meet increased demand. These two parked electric locomotives EO series were reactivated. These were parked up in 1997 to an electrified section of the Midland Line in use and after the changeover to diesel operation.