success of electric multiple units to Waikanae has impacted on the Capital Connection

The Capital Connection is seen passing Porirua Harbour between Paremata and Porirua, Wellington bound, on 19 January 2012. (Alan Wickens)

As mentioned in the earlier post, over 120,000 rides were made on the EMU sets to and from Waikanae over the first 12 months of operation.  This in turn has taken passengers from the Palmerston North to Wellington and back 'Capital Connection', something that was expected, however, the CC is still running.  It makes little sense for Waikanae people to use the CC now, as although the intermediate stops are fewer, the fares are higher and there is only one choice of time, rather than the half-hourly EMU services, but it is apparent that some people from further up the line - Otaki and Levin- now drive to Waikanae and leave their cars there.

The question that many will ponder is will the electric catenary be extended the remaining 85 km to Palmerston North?  Of course, there is no chance under the present government, but double tracking and electrifying the rest is the obvious thing to do, not only for passenger services but for freight trains (locomotives would need to be dual voltage to continue up the NIMT).  In Australia the equivalent run would be Sydney to Newcastle (185 km) of which the Gosford to Newcastle stage was electrified in the 1980s (see the book Railway Electrification in Australia and New Zealand).