New Zealand - Railcar - Four-Wheel Diesel Railcar - 1936 NZR RM class (Standard) - Since the 1912 experiments with a MacEwan-Pratt petrol railcar, the New Zealand Railways Department had been seeking an effective and successful railcar design. - Many routes simply did not have the demand to economically justify locomotive-hauled passenger express trains, so railcars were seen as a viable alternative. - New Zealand's difficult terrain posed problems to railcar design, but in 1936, the Wairarapa railcars were introduced and proved to be a great success on the Wairarapa Line from Wellington over the Rimutaka Incline to the Wairarapa, and following from this, the Standard railcars were designed to provide regional services in on regular lines in the North Island. - The Standard railcars were first used to operate a fast return service from Wellington to New Plymouth, and soon a Hawkes Bay service between Wairoa and Napier was added, along with a Sundays-only return service from Napier to Wellington. - In 1943, the Wairoa-Napier service was extended to serve Gisborne. (Reference: Wikipedia) New Zealand Railway - Rail transport in New Zealand is an integral part of New Zealand's transport network - With a nationwide network of 4,128 km of track linking most major cities in the North and South Islands - Connected by inter-island rail and road ferries - Has a particular focus on bulk freight exports and imports - 18 million net tonnes moved by rail annually (Reference: Wikipedia) -------------------- Image source: Four Wheel Diesel Railcar 1936 Archives Reference: ABIN W3337 Box 256 R19600398 Archives New Zealand https://www.flickr.com/photos/archivesnz/10467698344