Today
The only sign of rail activity in Nelson is a short heritage operation run by the Nelson Railway Society from Founders Historical Park using their own line between Wakefield Quay Station and Grove Station. The society has proposed future extensions of their line, possibly into or near the city centre. The old Nelson station yards are now completely developed over.
Since the aborted 1960 Labour government proposal to construct a line between Nelson and Blenheim, there have been no serious further proposals to provide Nelson with a rail connection to the South Island network. In 2008 as oil prices soared and the global economic crisis began to take hold, the then Labour government briefly mentioned resurrecting the Nelson to Blenheim 3rd option proposal. However a change of government and the global depression began to take hold in 2009. The idea was placed low on the National government's priorities to use public works projects to keep the economy stimulated. Today, Nelson remains as one of three major urban areas in New Zealand without a rail connection - the others being Queenstown and Taupo.
Read more about this topic: Nelson Railway Proposals
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