Recommendations and actions
1. Customer Communications
These delays will continue throughout winter so we recommend proactively communicating with the
Johnsonville line customers to outline we are aware of the inconvenience, what causes the issues
and what is being done to find a solution.
Key Messages
We are aware of the regular delays on the Johnsonville Line and the frustration it is causing
for customers.
The Johnsonville timetable is very tight with little opportunity to regain time when a train
runs late.
Winter weather conditions such as ice, frost and leaves on the tracks all contribute to
slippery track conditions which are causing the moist recent delays on the Johnsonville Line.
Any issues experienced on the Johnsonville line have an impact on delays to subsequent
services because it’s a short line with a large number of stops and a tight turn-around time.
There are seven stops between Wellington and Johnsonville and peak services can run ten or
15 minutes apart.
Geographically the Johnsonville line is our most challenging in terms of curves and gradient,
this means there is little opportunity for a train to make up time on a journey.
There are also a limited number of places where a northbound train can pass a southbound,
so a late train can cause the next train to wait at one of the crossing points which in turn
delays that train and any following.
There are a number of factors that need to be considered with any timetable change such as
connecting buses, access to platforms at Wellington Station and passenger demand.
Timetable options have been reviewed and a new timetable was tested in October 2014 as
part of a trial aimed at making peak hour services more reliable by running them every 15
minutes.
KiwiRail Ltd |
www.kiwirail.co.nz | Level, Building, Street, City Postcode
PO Box or Private Bag, City Postcode, New Zealand | Phone
0800 801 070, Fax +64-0-000 0000
This trial was successful and a new peak hour timetable for Johnsonville will be introduced
once more Matangi are in service, which will be in late 2015.
We apologise for the inconvenience that our customers are experiencing.
Appendix 1 – Website Posting
Johnsonville Line update: June 2015
We are aware of the regular delays on the Johnsonville Line and the frustration it is causing for
customers. The Johnsonville timetable is very tight with little opportunity to regain time when a
train runs late. Winter weather conditions such as ice, frost and leaves on the tracks all contribute to
slippery track conditions which are causing delays on the Johnsonville Line.
Any issues experienced on the Johnsonville line have a big impact on delays to subsequent services
because it’s a short line with a large number of stops and a tight turn-around time. There are seven
stops between Wellington and Johnsonville and peak services can run ten or 15 minutes apart.
Geographically the Johnsonville line is our most challenging in terms of curves and gradient, this
means there is little opportunity for a train to make up time on a journey. There are also a limited
number of places where a northbound train can pass a southbound, so a late train can cause the next
train to wait at one of the crossing points which in turn delays that train and any following.
There are a number of factors that need to be considered with any timetable change such as
connecting buses, access to platforms at Wellington Station and passenger demand. Timetable
options have been reviewed by Kiwirail and the Greater Wellington Regional Council and a new
timetable was tested in October 2014 as part of a trial aimed at making peak hour services more
reliable by running them every 15 minutes.
This trial was successful and a new peak hour timetable for Johnsonville will be introduced once
more Matangi are in service, which will be in late 2015.
Winter Conditions
Ice or severe frost on the overheard lines can cause electrical arcs which result in a surge of power to
the pantograph (the device on an electric train that collects the electric current from the overhead
lines to power the trains).
KiwiRail Ltd |
www.kiwirail.co.nz | Level, Building, Street, City Postcode
PO Box or Private Bag, City Postcode, New Zealand | Phone
0800 801 070, Fax +64-0-000 0000
This sudden surge in electrical current can affect the power going to the train and cause technical
issues. The Matangi trains are programmed to be more susceptible to this than the Ganz Mavags and
the English Electrics, because of their more sophisticated software which protects the trains from
severe fluctuations in power by temporarily blocking power to the unit with an electrical trip.
Matangi engineers are looking into the issues caused by the icy conditions, with a view to making
some software adjustments. It's a matter of balancing the need to minimise service disruption with
the need to prevent any damage caused by the icy overhead wires.
Any material on the top surface of the rail can reduce the friction between the train wheels and the
track. The train then has to travel at a slower speed to accommodate the lack of traction. This is a
common issue on railway networks around the world.
On the Wellington Network we experience heavy rain, dew, sea spray, wet leaves, and frost; all of
these have the potential to cause delays particularly on the morning peak services. While sea spray is
not an issue on the Johnsonville line some of the other causes occur regularly and when delays are
experienced on the Johnsonville line they are difficult to recover from and have a flow on effect on
subsequent services.
We believe that as we progress with further network and fleet improvements, our customers will
experience a more reliable and effective service.
KiwiRail Ltd |
www.kiwirail.co.nz | Level, Building, Street, City Postcode
PO Box or Private Bag, City Postcode, New Zealand | Phone
0800 801 070, Fax +64-0-000 0000
Appendix 2
MEDIA RELEASE
XX June 2015
Slippery track conditions on the Johnsonville Line
The recent spate of winter weather is a significant contributor to the delays being experienced on
the Johnsonville line.
General Manager Metro, David Shepherd acknowledges the frustration currently being experienced
due to an increase in slippery track conditions, causing services to be delayed.
Mr Shepherd says that heavy rain, dew, wet leaves and frost on the rail can reduce the friction
between the train wheels and the track. The train then has to travel at a slower speed to
accommodate the lack of traction. He says this is a common issue on railway networks around the
world.
“The Johnsonville Line is also a short line, challenging in terms of curves and gradient, and with
seven stops along the route. This makes for a tight turn-around time for service, and peak services
can run ten or 15 minutes apart, so there is little opportunity to regain time when a train runs late.
“Timetable options have been reviewed and a timetable trial was carried out in October 2014 aimed
at making peak hour services more reliable by running them every 15 minutes.
“The trial was successful and a new peak hour timetable for the Johnsonville Line will be introduced
in late 2015 once more Matangi are in service.
“We apologise for the inconvenience that our customers are experiencing and assure them that
achieving on-time performance is very important to us along with providing a first-class rail
passenger service,” says Mr Shepherd.
More Information is available at www.tranzmetro.co.nz
Media Contact: 04 498 2038
KiwiRail Ltd |
www.kiwirail.co.nz | Level, Building, Street, City Postcode
PO Box or Private Bag, City Postcode, New Zealand | Phone
0800 801 070, Fax +64-0-000 0000
