The Southland Express talked to Ms McKerrow as the train was passing through Milton yesterday.
Ms McKerrow rode the inaugural Mainlander train from Dunedin to Invercargill and planned to welcome passengers to the city in town crier style.
The train left Christchurch on Tuesday and passengers stayed in Dunedin overnight before continuing to Invercargill. It will start the journey in reverse today and arrive in Christchurch tomorrow.
Campaigners have been calling for the return of passenger rail since the Southerner finished running between Invercargill and Christchurch in 2002.
The ride was "absolutely amazing", Ms McKerrow said.
She had worked closely with Sir Tim Shadbolt when he was the Invercargill mayor and knew he would have been pleased to see the service return, Ms McKerrow said.
"I know that were he still the mayor, he would have travelled from Christchurch to Invercargill, welcoming that train in and I thought, I am not going to let the spirit of Sir Tim Shadbolt down."
She contacted operator Rail and Tourism Group and was offered a seat on the train.
While she could not step into Sir Tim’s shoes she would follow in his footsteps, she said.
"I would like to think that somewhere along the way, the town crier could be the person that does what Sir Tim used to do."
It was important to continue to promote Invercargill in every way possible, she said.
"Not saying that we don’t already do it, but for some reason, the sun dipped slightly when we laid Sir Tim to rest.
"I would like to pick that up, his wairua, and travel with it as best I can."
She loved Invercargill "with a passion and want to see colour brought back into it".
Invercargill Mayor Tom Campbell said unfortunately he had another meeting about the time the train was arriving but Ms McKerrow would represent the council.
He doubted whether it would be economic to restore the Mainlander as a passenger service.
"But it would be wonderful if it can come sometimes down to Invercargill and bring a whole lot of tourists with it."
The Southland Society of Model Engineers, incorporating the model railway club, runs the miniature train rides at Surrey Park.
President Greg Fordyce said he remembered about 40 years ago catching the former Southerner train from Invercargill to Christchurch.
It was a long journey for a 10-year-old on his own but he enjoyed it. "I loved looking into people’s backyards, into the backyards of industrial businesses, seeing scenery that you’ve never seen from the road."
He hoped people would support the new venture, he said.
"I’ve got my fingers crossed that communities up and down the South Island embrace it and encourage it and keep it going."
Rail and Tourism Group chief executive Paul Jackson said about 95% of the train passengers were domestic travellers which was expected as international visitors would need a longer lead time to book the service.
"International passengers will build over time as the schedule will soon be released well in advance."
The train comprised a generator luggage carriage, two salon carriages, a buffet carriage and 150 seats. The carriages are hauled by a diesel-electric locomotive.
Five hundred and twenty people rode the train during the four legs of the return trip between Invercargill and Christchurch.
The long-term plan which would be challenging to achieve is to increase the frequency of the service to weekly or even daily.
"This is a conversation that we are delighted to have with the various regional councils who see benefit."
