Taumarunui’s abandoned train carriages make final journey to scrap heap

Ruapehu mayor Weston Kirton beside the train carriages that are being scrapped. Photo / Ruapehu District Council

The removal of more than half of the 53 worn-down train carriages in Taumarunui’s railyard is finally underway.

A KiwiRail spokesman said work to scrap 27 rail carriages stored at Taumarunui had begun.

Ruapehu mayor Weston Kirton said the carriages, which had been there since 2016, had become increasingly unpopular with residents.

The condition of the carriages had got “worse and worse” after money for KiwiRail’s security ran out.

“Obviously graffiti’s been a big issue; they’ve been damaged, smashed up.

“They’ve been sitting in the yard there, creating havoc with the locals.”

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All other avenues for use of the derelict carriages had been exhausted, Kirton said.

“There’s been people asking ‘why can’t we use them for emergency housing?’ But the reality is KiwiRail doesn’t want to get involved with trying to hawk them off and sell them.”

The costs associated with renovating the carriages for a housing provider would be too great, he said.

The process of demolition takes two hours per carriage. Photo / Ruapehu District Council

The carriages being dumped in Taumarunui had created a “bad image for the town”, he said.

“Visitors go right through the main street and all they can see is these ugly carriages.”

A KiwiRail spokesman said the carriages being scrapped were equipped with older, coil spring suspension ‘bogies’ that were less suitable for conversion projects.

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There would be 11 KiwiRail carriages left that were suitable for spare parts or future conversion projects.

Kirton said it was good that KiwiRail was finally getting rid of the carriages.

“There’s no point trying to work on them to get them on the rail because it simply won’t work.”

He hoped the marshalling yard could be turned into a rail hub.

There are 15 other carriages, of which 13 are owned by Glenbrook Vintage Rail and two by Steam Incorporated.

Kirton said there would be pressure on Glenbrook to move their carriages now.

KiwiRail’s demolition of the carriages was due to begin in January but preparation work took longer than expected.

Eva de Jong is a reporter for the Whanganui Chronicle covering health stories and general news. She began as a reporter in 2023.