Aaron Taane and Dawn Trompetter (both 6), of Waihola, get
ready for their trip to Mosgiel. Photo by Gregor
Richardson.
Passengers have been turned away from trains running a
suburban rail revival in Dunedin today with organisers
struggling to cope with the demand for the excursions.
"The response has been a lot stronger than we expected,"
Taieri Gorge Railway chief executive Murray Bond told the
ODT. "It is fair to say we have been overwhelmed at
times."
So far today two trains have run - one between Dunedin and
Mosgiel at 9.30am and the other between Dunedin and Port
Chalmers at 11am.
Mr Bond said some disappointed passengers had been turned
away but organisers had endeavoured to accommodate everyone
through offering standing places.
The train had 364 seats but had ended up carrying up to 600
passengers.
"People are telling us they like the novelty value but that
would really like to see it [a suburban train service]
continue," he said.
Waihola mum Justine Anderson told the ODT she had
brought her three children into Dunedin for the trip for two
reasons: they had never been on a train before and because
high petrol prices meant transport alternatives had to be
investigated.
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