Toll disputes claim of smoke on train

Toll is disputing a report that passengers were kept inside a smoke-filled train for an hour.

Scott McAuley, 33, said he and his partner were travelling on a Paraparaumu-to-Wellington service early on Saturday morning when it broke down at McKay's Crossing.

The train began to fill with smoke, but staff wouldn't let the five passengers out of the carriage until police arrived to evacuate them.

But Toll spokeswoman Sue Foley said today police were not called to evacuate passengers, but to deal with an abusive passenger.

"There's no evidence of any smoke. They may have smelt something but there was no fire, and certainly no safety issue," Ms Foley said.

She said the train had broken down due to an engine issue, and it had been unsafe for passengers to exit the carriage at McKay's Crossing, which had no platform or lighting.

Another train was called, and train staff helped passengers out of the carriage and on to the new train when it arrived.

"They weren't evacuated because there was no fire," Ms Foley said.

"Police were called purely because of the passenger becoming abusive."

- NZPA