Railway milk tankers may ply 'old' line

A fleet of railway milk tankers running milk from Waingawa to Hawera via the Manawatu Gorge could be the saviour of the threatened Masterton-Woodville rail link.
Although KiwiRail Group is remaining rather coy about the idea, the company has confirmed it is looking at the milk train proposal along with several other "bulk milk opportunities" throughout the country.
Public Affairs manager Kevin Ramshaw said yesterday no decisions have yet been made regarding the infrastructure that would be needed to support the Waingawa-Palmerston North-Hawera venture.
The working details of the venture have not been disclosed but it is believed, by sources who spoke to the newspaper, the milk train could involve at least 20 new tank wagons and operate daily, similar to a run already under way between Oringi and Hawera.
The Masterton to Woodville line has become virtually redundant since narrow, low-ceiling tunnels in the Manawatu Gorge have been done away with.
This has allowed containers to be railed from Wellington through the gorge to Napier.
In recent times the Waingawa rail yards have been tidied up and new track laid.
Further along the Masterton-Woodville rail link work has also been done with new culverts installed at Opaki and further north at Jackson's Line, Mauriceville.
The milk train would be expected to have some impact on Fonterra's arrangements for Wairarapa.
Milk collection by road tanker extends throughout Wairarapa with milk from vats on dairy farms being trucked daily to Pahiatua, where it is manufactured into milk products and milk powder for consumption in New Zealand and also exported.
Manager of Fonterra Pahiatua Bill Boakes yesterday referred comments on the likely introduction of new rail milk tankers to the company's media relations staff but no responses had been received by the time this edition went to press.
It is not known what impact, if any, the rail milk proposal would have on Fonterra's present collection system, or staffing.