North and Southbound Milk Trains are seen on the Westmere Bank on the Marton - New Plymouth Line in New Zealand.
Northbound 544 was loaded with milk in Longburn and is being hauled by DL9423 & DL9498 to the Fonterra Dairy Factory at Whareoa. Southbound 545 is hauling the empty wagons back on the opposite working headed by DL9291 & DL9377.
The railway corridor is next the Matipo Park Reserve which is popular with mountain-bikers. A 'paper road' nearby is overgrown and negleted leading to the bikers to tresspass right upon the mainline.
The Milk Trains were started in the 1997/1998 dairy season, and used Class 'OM' tank wagons specifically constructed for this work. The frame was taken from former 1980's log wagons and the tanks were new at the time. In 2023, these distinctive wagons had reached the end of their economic lives and were replaced by more stock-standard 20ft insulated container tanks on conventional container wagons. These 'pods' have given a new look for this seasonal traffic.
The Westmere Bank is one of New Zealands steepest railway gradients. The gradient averages at about 1/35 (2.86%) but has sections as steep as 1/33 (3.03%). It was opened on 28 June 1879 and is the ruling gradient of the Marton - New Plymouth Line.
The KiwiRail DL class was manufactured by CRRC Dalian 中车大连机车车辆有限公司 with engines from MTU. Introduced from 2010 onwards, they are the most powerful diesel-electric locos in service in New Zealand. The class represents the first order for a Chinese-built locomotive from a western country. The 9000 series allocation was chosen for this class of locomotive as the number 9 represents longevity and good luck in Chinese culture. On the Day of the is video, Sunday 29th October, there are 73 of the class in existence, with the two earliest class members now laid up at Hutt Workshops
27 окт 2023
