Into this background of rail history:
Over plains, riverbeds, and tricky mountain terrain steps a lone railway enthusiast, a witness to the great steam engines thundering over tracks and scaring the daylights of sheep and cattle and being absolutely fascinated.
Even from childhood, days of walking past the hillside workshops of South Dunedin, after watching an international game of rugby at Carisbrook, high-skilled workers built the country's engines.
The days of train-spotting the continuous lengths of two engine steam locomotives from across the Otago harbour, pulling huge loads of freight northwards to Port Chalmers - an awesome sight.
The noonday Southerner, the passenger diesel from Invercargill to link up with the ferry in Lyttelton, you could almost set your watch for its accurate timetabling.
And, of course, the icon of stations, the all-impressive Dunedin Railway Station, boasting the longest platform in the country, was an experience to behold.
The inimitable sounds coming from the loud intercom speakers boomed out over the concourse of travellers:
"The express train from Invercargill is approaching, please stand well back on the platform till the train stops."
The noise was terrific, hissing and steam gushing out in great plumes.
It was hectic in the hustle and bustle of passengers getting off or getting on and porters pushing their red carts of baggage, bumping here and there on their metal wheels.
It was a rush as excited children flagged behind, carrying their teddy bears and personal bags, and boarded the train.
Then the call I was waiting for while standing with my family:
"On the southward bound platform stands the rail car for Otago Central which is due to leave in 10 minutes at 4.35."
Boy, that was part of the summer holiday, on Boxing Day, to leave with my family on the trip through the Taieri Gorge to Oturehua in Central Otago. (Before the Otago Rail Trail).
On that railway, I once saw a jigger, a motorised version, travelling at a snail's pace, checking the rail line for safe alignment and odd stock wandering on the line.
Back in Hastings, my second home in which I raised a family, I would take my son biking to certain places to do some train spotting.
He loved the flashing red lights, the sound of the train's horn, and the train driver's friendly wave.
He would remind me how he joined a train driver in his cab to help drive the train from Middlemarch to Pukerangi back on the Otago rail line.
Another favourite rail adventure was driving him and his sister to Waipukurau, putting them on the Bay Express diesel train travelling up from Wellington and stopping off at various spots where the rail ran close to Highway 2.
It was in those places I would wait and wave them on.
Then, getting back in my car, I would race off to pass the train, stop again at the right spot, and continue the wave from the side of the road - but not the track! What a hoot. That was more than 21 years ago when the passenger service came to a grinding halt.
As an advocate for reinstating the rail link from Napier to Wellington, it would be a dream come true to allow our Hawke's Bay children and grandchildren to travel to the capital by rail and perhaps visit the Te Papa museum.
As now a grandad, I've had the pleasure of sightseeing the Manawatū Gorge.
Although I have reminisced the delight of rail travel, I call upon others to share their rail stories to help stir people's minds.
Sign petitions and submit submissions to the Hawke's Bay Regional Council and local MPs so we can return to a viable reality: Bring back the rail!
