RAIL CARS MAY BE USED ON BAY OF PLENTY LINE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 32, 31 August 1949, Page 5

RAIL CARS MAY BE USED ON BAY OF PLENTY LINE

There is a possibility that railcars may be introduced to the Bay of Plenty railway line according to unofficial information, which has been received by the Opotiki Chamber of Commerce. At present the indications are that they will be used between Taneatua and Tauranga although it is possible that the service may be extended further.

It is understood that the Railways Department intends to take railcars at present in use on the GisborneNapier line for use in the Bay of Plenty. This is being made possible by the arrival of new railcars in the country _ and some of these are to be put into commission on the Gisborne route. . Since railcars were introduced to the Gisborne-Napier line the volume of passenger traffic has increased considerably, and the same is expected to happen on the Bay of Plenty route. At present passenger trains from Taneatua to Auckland are not paying, and passenger traffic has continually fallen off because of the slowness of the service. Railcars would change this however, and would provide a fast comfortable system.

With the completion of the Pae-roa-Pokeno line further time would be saved because the present route would be shortened by 63 miles to Auckland.

At present railcars are operating on the Wellington-Gisborne line, Wellington-Wairarapa line and the Wellington-New Plymouth line. They are also in use in the South Island between Greymouth and Christchurch. If railcars are introduced to the Bay of Plenty they will be the first to be used for a passenger service in the Auckland province.