Diesel and steam haul in 750 visitors

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 13, Issue 602, 5 September 1995, Page 5

Diesel and steam haul in 750 visitors

Vintage railway engines hauled special trains that delivered almost 800 visitors to southern Ruapehu on Sunday. One was a steam train from Auckland and the other a vintage diesel locomotive from Wellington. Steam engine Ka942 delivered 450 passengers on Sunday afternoon on the Tongariro Snow Excursion, who alighted to board buses to take them on various trips around the Waimarino. The trips were to Turoa Skifields; to Raetihi taking in the old branch line formations, railway station and W aimarino Museum and then to Rangataua; and to W aiouru to see the arrival of the diesel train and to visit the Waiouru Army Museum. The Wellington train, hauled by Dal431, was in commemoration of 40 years of diesel locomotion in New Zealand and to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II, hence the stop at the army museum. Both engines were turned on the Main Trunk Rail Ohakune turntable at the Junction and also serviced with the help of MTRO and the Ohakune Volunteer Fire Brigade. FOOTNOTE: MTRO advises that tickets are still available for the MTRO Twin Peak Explorer Train on 8 October, from Ohakune TV Electrical, Clyde Street Ohakune.