KEY POINTS:
Auckland passenger rail services faced widespread disruption last night after a freight train broke down and blocked the southern line's northbound tracks for two hours.
The breakdown just south of the Otahuhu junction of the southern and eastern lines at about 4.30pm left several passenger trains stranded behind the disabled Toll Holdings locomotive, unable to reach evening commuters waiting at Britomart.
Passenger operator Veolia Transport said it had to use rolling stock that was available north of the blockage, including the train usually used for shuttle services to and from New Lynn on the western line.
Spokeswoman Tessa Marjoram said the company had to cancel up to 10 services, but managed to get most passengers home, even if trains were more crowded than usual and ran 20 to 25 minutes late.
Taxis were used to ferry passengers from stranded northbound trains.
She said a passenger train following the stricken freight service was available to shunt it to nearby Otahuhu railway workshops, but a fitter had to be found to lift its brakes before it could be moved.
Trains had already been running about 15 minutes late because of an earlier hour-long points failure at Newmarket junction, which disrupted services on both the southern and western line.
Ms Marjoram said yesterday's double-trouble followed a fortnight of relative stability, earning Veolia a thank-you note from Waitakere City Council, after weeks of frustration from delays caused by track duplication work on the western line.
Rail agency Ontrack made a big push at Easter towards completing the $55 million, 7.3km section between Henderson and Titirangi Rd in New Lynn, as part of a $600 million Government funding package to upgrade Auckland's tracks and signals network.
Ms Marjoram was optimistic that the worst was over.
