Rolling Stock
Metlink's rolling stock consists of electric multiple units and diesel or electric locomotive-hauled carriages.
Electric locomotive-hauled trains were withdrawn in 1988 on the retirement of the EW class electric locomotives, displaced by the EM/ET class electric multiple units introduced in 1982. DM/D class EMUs have been withdrawn over the years as they became uneconomical to operate. Several DM/D units were kept for peak services and the Johnsonville Line, where the loading gauge prevented the EM/ET units operating.
New carriages were introduced to the Capital Connection in 1998, and the Wairarapa Connection in 2007. They are British Rail Mark 2 carriages, imported from the UK, which were re-gauged and refurbished. They replaced the NZR 56-foot carriages built between 1937 and 1943.
In 2008, several DM/D class units were reintroduced to assist on peak services. Six BR Mark 2 were partially refurbished and introduced for express peak services, top-and-tailed by two refurbished EO class electric locomotives. The locomotives, built in 1968, were used in the Otira Tunnel until its de-electrification in 1997. An additional locomotive has been refurbished for backup. Due to mechanical issues and the availability of new rolling stock, the EOs were withdrawn from service in 2011. On the Johnsonville line in 2012, from 7 February until the introduction of the Matangi trains from 19 March, some peak period trains were replaced by buses because of a shortage of English Electric trains.
Three or four diesel-electric locomotives are used to haul the Wairarapa Connection trains, allocated weekly from KiwiRail's locomotive pool. Most of the trains have been hauled by a single member of the DC class, although two DC class locomotives in multiple or more powerful DFT or DX class locomotives may also be used, especially on peak and weekend trains.
In 2011-2012, 48 new FP "Matangi" class EMUs will be introduced to increase capacity and replace the remainder of the DM/D class EMUs. The Johnsonville Line was upgraded in 2008 and 2009 to accommodate the EM/ET and the Matangi units.
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