KiwiRail defends buying 15 diesel locomotives

KiwiRail is sticking by its decision to purchase 15 new diesel locomotives despite a Government call not to scrap its North Island electric rail fleet.

The diesel locomotives were acquired in October and are currently at KiwiRail’s Te Rapa depot in Hamilton.

KiwiRail refused to detail how much the new diesel locomotives cost but confirmed they would be used throughout the North Island. The new acquisition comes as the Government announced it will keep the electric trains running on the North Island Main Trunk Line – reversing a call by KiwiRail in 2016 to ditch the electric rail fleet.

Fifteen electric trains and the control system will be refurbished at a cost of $35 million over four years.

The trains operate between Palmerston North and Hamilton.

Acting Associate Transport Minister James Shaw said investing in electric transport was essential if New Zealand was to meet the challenge of climate change. The Government is investigating options for further electrification of the rail network, Shaw said.

Refurbishing the electric trains is expected to extend their useful life by 10 years.

KiwiRail rolling stock asset services general manager Adam Williams said the call to buy 15 new diesel trains was made before the 2016 decision on electrification, and was made independently of it.