Taumarunui has celebrated its return as a scheduled stop ‘on the main trunk line’ with a station-side party.
Ruapehu Mayor Weston Kirton said the hundreds of people who came out to welcome the Northern Explorer stopping yesterday highlighted the degree to which the township identifies with its rail heritage.
The council ran a competition asking people to say why they wanted to be on the first train under the new timetable, and the 60 winners travelled from National Park up the iconic Raurimu Spiral before being welcomed into Taumarunui by a cheering crowd.
He says the timetable will be huge boost to the township and the area’s visitor industry.
