National Railway Museum of New Zealand facts for kids

The National Railway Museum of New Zealand (often called the NRM) is a museum being built in Christchurch, New Zealand. It will show the amazing history of trains in New Zealand. The museum is setting up at Ferrymead Heritage Park in Ferrymead, Christchurch. This spot is special because New Zealand's very first railway opened there way back in 1863.

How the Museum Works and Gets Money

The museum is run by a group called the National Railway Museum of New Zealand Incorporated. This group is a registered charity, which means it's a non-profit organization helping the community. Alan Spooner is currently in charge of the group.

To help pay for the museum, the NRM has its own bookshop. They mostly sell books and magazines about trains and railways in New Zealand. Buying something there helps the museum grow!

What You Can See at the Museum

The museum already owns some interesting trains. They have an electric locomotive from Wellington and an electric multiple unit, which is like a train with several connected carriages, also from Wellington. They also have three wagons and a diesel shunter, which is a small train used for moving other railway cars.

When the museum is finished, it will show even more cool trains. These include old trains from the NZR and special "bush locomotives" that were used in forests. You'll also see other railway items, like a large turntable from Auckland. A turntable is a spinning platform used to turn trains around. The museum is still under construction, but the turntable is already in place!

Types of Trains at the Museum

The National Railway Museum has a collection of different types of trains and railway vehicles. These include diesel locomotives, electric locomotives, electric multiple units, and wagons.

Diesel Locomotives

The museum has a DC4876. This train was originally built in 1966 and later rebuilt in 1979. They also have a T^R 190, which is a smaller shunting locomotive built in 1978. The T^R 190 is owned by the Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand.

Electric Locomotives

One of the electric trains at the museum is an E^A 2. This powerful electric locomotive was built in 1968.

Electric Multiple Units

The museum also has two electric multiple units. These are trains made up of several carriages that can run together. They have a D 162 and a D^M 16. Both of these units were built by English Electric in the 1940s and 1950s.

Wagons

Besides locomotives and passenger units, the museum has different types of wagons. They have an L^A 13817 wagon, built in 1922, and a T 199 wagon, built in 1966. They also have a Y^D 490 wagon, built in 1958. This Y^D 490 wagon is used by the Canterbury Railway Society for their work trains.