NZ railfans roll into Dunedin for annual industry conference

Thursday, June 1, 2017

New Zealand’s railfans roll into Dunedin for annual industry conference

More than 100 people from across the country are flying into Dunedin for the annual conference of the Federation of Rail Organisations of New Zealand this weekend, starting Friday and running through ‘til Monday.

Dunedin is a fitting home for the gathering – the city was the home of the largest cable car system in New Zealand, and one of its engineers was responsible for the creation of a nifty device to help the cars grip the cable on Dunedin’s notoriously tight curves.

The conference is a networking opportunity for member groups, who all help keep the country’s railway history alive. Many groups in the organisation – which was formed in the 1970s - have earned international recognition for their efforts.

This year’s conference takes in tours of Ocean Beach Railway, the world-renowned Taieri Gorge Railway, the city’s Gasworks Museum, Toitu Settlers Museum, and caps the weekend off with a Silver Fern Railcar trip to Oamaru on Monday.

It also gives Fronz members a chance to discuss legislation affecting their operations, including new Health and Safety laws, which see the membership operating under some of the strictest legislation the country has seen. It gives them an important opportunity to discuss, in frank terms, issues that affect them, and solutions to issues they may be facing.

Opened by Dunedin City councillor Kate Wilson, the conference also features speakers from NZTA – the governing body for rail and tramways in New Zealand, TrackSafe, and Museums Aotearoa. Cr Wilson has been active in many community organisations, including the Singles Dance, the Middlemarch Swimming Club, and Middlemarch Railway Precinct developments and is a Trustee of the Otago Central Rail Trail. She also established the popular Kissing Gate Cafe.

The majority of the Fronz membership is made up of volunteers – people who take time out of their lives to help preserve New Zealand’s railway history and who ensure Kiwis of all ages will be able to enjoy it for years to come. Also represented are Mainline heritage operators – the people who take relics of our railway past – steam and diesel engines – on tours around the country. Other commercial operators are also members of the organisation.

The majority of the Fronz committee is made up of volunteers of all different backgrounds and ages, brought together

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Representing the Heritage and Tourist Rail Industry of New Zealand

The first Dunedin cable car line opened in 1881, the engineer responsible being George Smith Duncan . For this system he introduced the pull curve and the slot brake; the former was a way to pull cars through a curve, since Dunedin's curves were too steep to allow coasting, while the latter forced a wedge down into the cable slot to stop the tram, which was deemed necessary after the line had a runaway tram some two months after it opened.

The last line closed on 2 March 1957.

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