Thread: Cook Strait Ferry

Originally Posted by whanahuia

Ive been using either service about once every 3 weeks for the last 6 months. Its incredible how Bluebridge have improved and the inter islander has degraded since I last used the services 4 years ago.

Was talking with some Picton locals a few months back and they were fairly dismissive of the kiwi rail Plan. They said it was well know that the new ferries would need bigger trains, and that those trains couldn't form up on the existing flat ground, but also that they couldn't get up the incline out of picton.
They thought it was a major stuff up back then.

Kiwirails plan does make sense, avoid the extra work and land requirements to re marshal the trains to get them on and off the ferry at either end by getting proper rail-enabled vessels. Huge efficiency gains if it can be done in terms of freight that can be moved in the same space but the main problem is in the cost to do it. We've never had a modern freight capacity across the islands and without dedicated seafreight it's going to be a problem forever until someone sorts it. Ships are one thing, but relying on 1950's tech at both ends is going to end in a mess and that's what we have now. The teams operating the gear are doing the best they can in often shitty weather conditions and properly designed kit would increase the safety factor 50 fold. But - do we need the electric infrastructure as that is one of the huge expenses as I understand it - the electricity supply needs to be fully reworked to get the go juice to the boats and if that aspect is removed then probably the cost wouldn't be so eye-watering.