Locals Urged To Take Care Around Railway Level Crossings Over Christmas

KiwiRail is reminding Wairarapa, Manawatu and Tararua residents to always take care around level crossings over the Christmas period due to an increase in the number of freight trains travelling through the region.

KiwiRail Project Manager Daniel Headifen said that from Boxing Day until 9 January 2011 the Wairarapa Line would become the North Island Main trunk with up to six freight trains a day travelling up as far as Woodville.

“People will not be used to this volume of rail traffic, and so we want to urge locals to take special care around the railway tracks and to always stop, look and listen for trains and make sure the line is clear before driving over level crossings,” he said

Trains would be travelling during the day and night and in both directions and would be moving faster than many locals were used to.

“There have been a couple of freight trains per day travelling up on the Wairarapa Line over the past few months, but these trains have been moving at reduced line speeds of around 10kms per hour.”

The trains travelling on the Wairarapa Line over the Christmas period will be moving at full speed, at between 70 and 90kms per hour.

Mr Headifen said the diversion through the Wairarapa would enable some essential work to be done on the section of track between Wellington and Waikanae resulting in parts of the North Island Main Trunk Line being completely closed to all rail traffic.