Железнодорожная сеть Новой Зеландии

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The railway network in New Zealand consists of four main lines, six secondary lines and numerous short branch lines in almost every region. It links all major urban centres except Nelson, Taupō, Queenstown, Whakatane and (since 2012) Gisborne. The network is owned and managed by KiwiRail. The network was constructed starting in 1863, mostly by government bodies, initially provincial governments and later the central government (usually by the Public Works Department) under the New Zealand Railways Department (NZR or NZGR). In 1981 NZR was corporatised as the New Zealand Railways Corporation, and in 1991 New Zealand Rail Limited was split from the corporation. New Zealand Rail was privatised in 1993 (and later renamed Tranz Rail), with the New Zealand Railways Corporation retaining the land (due to Treaty of Waitangi claims on land taken for railway construction). In 2003 the government renationalised the network. KiwiRail operates all freight lines and a small number of passenger services primarily for tourists on certain routes in both islands; Auckland One Rail operates Auckland Transport "AT Metro" suburban passenger trains in Auckland and Transdev operates Metlink passenger trains in the Wellington region; Dunedin Railways (formerly Taieri Gorge Railway) operates tourist passenger trains in Dunedin.

Name Route Length Usage Marton New Plymouth Line Marton – Whanganui – Hāwera – Stratford – New Plymouth Freight only North Auckland Line Westfield Junction – Newmarket – Swanson – Waitakere – Helensville – Wellsford – Whangārei – Otiria Freight and Passengers south of Swanson Freight only Swanson to Otiria Palmerston North–Gisborne Line Palmerston North – Woodville – Waipukurau – Hastings – Napier – Muriwai – Gisborne Freight & Passenger(charter/cruise). Mothballed: Napier to Muriwai 2012. Open: Muriwai to Gisborne, leased by Gisborne Vintage Railway from June 2013 Stillwater–Ngakawau Line Stillwater – Reefton – Westport – Ngakawau Freight only Stratford–Okahukura Line Stratford – Whangamōmona – Okahukura Passenger: leased to a private operator June 2012. Wairarapa Line Wellington – Upper Hutt – Masterton – Woodville Freight & Passenger Wellington to Masterton Freight only Masterton to Woodville

Name Route Usage East Coast Main Trunk Original sections from Paeroa Frankton – Morrinsville – Paeroa – Waihi – Tauranga – Tāneatua Closed Paeroa to Apata, September 1978. Waikino to Waihi reopened 8 November 1980 by Goldfields Railway. Hawkens Junction to Tāneatua became Taneatua Branch. Cambridge Branch Ruakura – Hautapu – Cambridge Freight only. Closed Hautapu – Cambridge 1999 Glen Afton Branch Closed, partially remains as the Bush Tramway Club's Pukemiro Line. Remainder became Rotowaro BranchKimihia Branch Coal only. Closed 2015. Rotowaro Branch Coal only Thames Branch/Waitoa Branch Morrinsville – Waitoa – Paeroa – Thames Morrinsville to Paeroa part of East Coast Main Trunk, 1928 to 1978. Freight only. Closed Waitoa – Thames 1991. Mothballed Morrinsville to Waitoa, reopened 2004 as Waitoa Branch. Wilton Collieries LineNgāruawāhia Closed, 1958 (Line owned by NZ Mines Dept, operated by NZR after 1940)

Name Route Usage Napier Port Branch/Ahuriri Branch Freight only Moutohora Branch Gisborne – Makaraka – Moutohora Freight only. Closed Makaraka – Moutohora 1959, Makaraka – Gisborne mothballed 2012. Ngatapa Branch Gisborne – Ngatapa Closed 1931

Name Route Usage Castlecliff Branch Whanganui – Castlecliff Freight only. Opunake Branch/Kapuni Branch Eltham – Kapuni – Opunake Freight only. Closed Kapuni – Opunake Mount Egmont Branch Closed Waitara Branch Lepperton – Waitara Closed 1999. Leased to private operator. Waitara Railway Preservation Society Whanganui Branch Aramoho – Whanganui Freight only

Name Route Usage Gracefield Branch Woburn – Hutt Workshops – Gracefield Freight only. Hutt Workshops – Gracefield mothballed 2002 Johnsonville Line Wellington – Johnsonville Passenger only. Former North Island Main Trunk Line Melling Branch Petone – Melling Passenger only. Former Wairarapa Line Te Aro Branch Lambton – Te Aro Closed 1917

Name Route Usage Nelson Section Nelson – Kawatiri Isolated from South Island network. Closed 1955

Name Route Usage Blackball Branch Closed 1966 Cape Foulwind Railway Westport, New Zealand – Cape Foulwind Closed 1930 Conns Creek Branch Waimangaroa – Denniston, New Zealand Closed 1967 Hokitika Branch/Ross Branch Greymouth – Hokitika – Ross Freight only. Closed Hokitika – Ross 1980 Ngakawau Branch/Seddonville Branch Westport – Ngakawau – Seddonville – Mokihinui Mine Freight only. Closed Seddonville – Mokihinui Mine 1974, Ngakawau – Seddonville 1981 Rapahoe Branch Greymouth – Rapahoe Freight only Rewanui Branch Greymouth – Rewanui Closed 1985

Name Route Usage Eyreton Branch Kaiapoi – Wetheral – Horrelville – Bennetts Junction Closed Horrelville – Bennetts Junction 1931, Wetheral – Horrelville 1954, Kaiapoi – Wetheral 1965 Fairlie Branch Washdyke – Eversley Closed 1968 Pleasant Point section operatred by Pleasant Point Museum and Railway Proposed Fairlie Rail Trail Ferrymead Branch Christchurch – Ferrymead Closed 1868 Now Ferrymead Railway Hornby Industrial Line/Southbridge Branch Hornby – Prebbleton – Lincoln – Southbridge Freight only. Closed Lincoln – Southbridge 1962, Prebbleton – Lincoln 1967, mothballed 2012. Little River Branch Lincoln – Little River Closed 1962 Now Little River Rail Trail Methven Branch Rakaia – Methven Closed 1976 Mount Somers Branch/Springburn Branch Tinwald – Mount Somers – Springburn Closed Mount Somers – Springburn 1957, Tinwald – Mount Somers 1968 Tinwald – Frasers Road section operated by Plains Vintage Railway Oxford Branch Rangiora – Oxford – Sheffield Closed Oxford – Sheffield 1930, Rangiora – Oxford 1959 Waiau Branch Waipara – Waiau Closed 1978 Waipara – Waikari section operated by Weka Pass Railway Waimate Branch/Waimate Gorge Branch Studholme – Waimate – Waihao Downs Closed Waimate – Waihao Downs 1953, Studholme – Waimate 1966 Whitecliffs Branch Darfield – Whitecliffs Closed 1962

Name Route Usage Catlins River Branch Balclutha – Finegand – Tahakopa Freight only, Closed 1971 beyond Finegand Dunback and Makareao Branches Palmerston – Inch Valley – Dunback/Makareao Closed Inch Valley – Dunback 1968, Palmerston – Makareao 1989 Fernhill Branch Abbotsford – Fernhill Closed 2003 Kingston Branch Kingston – Fairlight Passenger only – Kingston Flyer Ltd. Kurow Branch/Hakataramea Branch Pukeuri – Kurow – Hakataramea Closed Kurow – Hakataramea 1930, Pukeuri – Kurow 1983 Moeraki Branch Hillgrove – Moeraki Closed 1879 Ngapara and Tokarahi Branches Waiareka Junction – Windsor Junction – Ngapara/Tokarahi Closed Windsor Junction – Tokarahi 1930, Taylor's Siding – Ngapara 1959, Waiareka Junction – Taylor's Siding 1997 Ocean Beach Railway Dunedin – Forbury Park Closed beyond Gas works and Andersons Bay Rd warehousing 1942. Closed as far as Strathallan Road level crossing 1990. One rail shared with DCC Tramways and electrified 1908 along Royal Crescent. Otago Central Railway Wingatui – Middlemarch – Clyde – Cromwell Passenger only beyond Taieri. Closed Clyde – Cromwell 1980, Middlemarch – Clyde 1990 Taieri – Middlemarch operated by Dunedin Railways, Middlemarch – Clyde now Otago Central Rail Trail Outram Branch Mosgiel – Outram Closed 1953 beyond Woollen Mills private siding, remainder closed 1990 Port Chalmers Branch Sawyers Bay – Port Chalmers Freight only Roxburgh Branch Milton – Lawrence – Roxburgh Closed 1968 Shag Point Branch Shag Point – Shag Point Coal Mine Closed 1934 Tapanui Branch Waipahi – Tapanui – Heriot – Edievale Closed Heriot – Edievale 1968, Waipahi – Heriot 1978 Walton Park Branch Burnside – Walton Park Closed 1957

Name Route Usage Balfour Branch/Waimea Plains Railway Gore – Balfour – Lumsden Closed Gore – Balfour 1971, Lumsden – Balfour 1978 Bluff Branch Invercargill – Bluff Standard gauge 1435mm, 1866 to 1875. Freight only Browns Branch/Hedgehope Branch Winton – Browns – Hedgehope Closed Browns – Hedgehope 1953, Winton – Browns 1968 Kingston Branch Invercargill – Makarewa – Fairlight – Kingston Closed completely 1982 except: Kingston – Fairlight (Otago) operated by Kingston Flyer Ltd, Invercargill – Makarewa part of Wairio Branch Mokomoko Harbour Branch Awarua – Mokomoko Harbour Closed 1875, Standard gauge 1435mm from 1866, connected to Bluff Branch Mossburn Branch Lumsden – Mossburn Closed 1982 Riverton Branch/Tuatapere Branch/Orawia Branch Makarewa – Thornbury – Riverton – Tuatapere – Orawia Closed Tuatapere – Orawia 1970, Riverton – Tuatapere 1976, Thornbury – Riverton 1978 Makarewa – Thornbury part of Wairio Branch Tokanui (or Seaward Bush) Branch Invercargill – Tokanui Closed 1966 Waikaia Branch Riversdale – Waikaia Closed 1959 Waikaka Branch McNab – Waikaka Closed 1962 Wairio Branch/Ohai Industrial Line Invercargill – Makarewa – Thornbury – Wairio – Nightcaps – Ohai Freight only, mothballed beyond Nightcaps Wyndham Branch Edendale – Wyndham – Glenham Closed Wyndham – Glenham 1930, Edendale – Wyndham 1962

The Nelson Blenheim notional railway was created in November 1957 to help manage the political backlash from the 1955 closure of the isolated Nelson Section. between Nelson and Blenheim was deemed by law to be an NZR railway for the purposes of calculating passenger and freight rates between railway stations in the South Island and Nelson or other places on the notional railway. Passengers and freight travelled by road, with the difference between the road carrier's rates and railway rates subsidised by the government. Rail rates were significantly cheaper than road rates, so the scheme provided significant benefits to its users, while imposing significant costs on the government. The scheme lasted for 22 years, being withdrawn in October 1977.

Major street tramway networks were constructed in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin, with smaller operations in Gisborne, Napier, New Plymouth, Wanganui, Nelson and Invercargill. Employing horse, steam or electric power, they operated in most cases until the 1950s when improved buses saw most of the tracks scrapped. Urban tram operations, built from scratch as tourist attractions, have more recently been restarted in Christchurch (1995) Auckland (2011), and Wanganui (2013). See Trams in New Zealand.

A large number of societies operate working heritage railway lines and museums. Most of these are run largely or wholly by volunteer labour, except commercially operated private trust owned Dunedin Railways in Dunedin, which employs paid staff.