What is Railcruising?
RailCruising
is the new tourist activity that allows people just like you the ability to travel
along railway lines in your own powered self-drive, 4-seat railway vehicle
called the RailCruiser.
How does RailCruising work?
Groups of
RailCruisers spaced about 300 metres apart, travel together like a virtual
train in one direction from Mamaku Railway Station to Tarukenga. They are then turned to head back to Mamaku.
Cruising along at 20km/hr, you can listen to the audio tour and discover a unique piece of New Zealand railway history. This is the ultimate way to experience a railway.
The RailCruiser
The
RailCruiser V3000 is the world’s first fully automated, state of the art
petrol-electric four seat self-drive hybrid rail vehicle. The RailCruiser has
comfortable seats with unobstructed views, is fitted with clear drop down
waterproof sides and comes with onboard heating.
The RailCruising experience
Not many
people are lucky enough to have ridden in the cab of a locomotive, but its this the kind of unique experience that inspired RailCruising, it’s the freedom of being
in your own RailCruiser with nothing ahead but the unobstructed curve of the
rail stretching out into the distance and the clickety clack of the rail beneath
you.
Safety
RailCruising
is very safe; an onboard computer controls the speed of the RailCruiser. At certain
places along the track the RailCruisers automatically reduce or increase in
speed.
Each
RailCruiser is equipped with a system that ensures that should a RailCruiser
ahead on the track stop then the following RailCruisers will automatically stop
5 metres apart.
Prior
to the start of each excursion a Rail Guide undertakes with all customers a
trip safety briefing. In the briefing the customers have explained important
safety requirements and given a brief overview of how the RailCruiser excursion
will operate.
Each RailCruiser group of passengers is required to elect of
one of their group to act as the RailCruiser Pilot. It is the RailCruiser
Pilot’s job to if required communicate with the Rail Guide on the
radiotelephone, apply the brake in an emergency and activate the horn if
needed.
Every aspect of the operation is covered by the company’s Safety System,
which is approved by the railway regulating body in New Zealand, the New
Zealand Transport Agency.
