Pahiatua Railcar Society facts for kids
The Pahiatua Railcar Society (often called PRS) is a group in Pahiatua, New Zealand. They work hard to bring old railcars and other train engines and wagons back to life. These trains used to be run by the New Zealand Railways Department. The society is special because it has the only remaining examples of two rare types of railcars: the 88-seater and the Wairarapa railcars.
The society has successfully restored a 'Standard' class railcar, Rm 31. It can now run on the main railway lines. They even started offering rides to the public on the Wairarapa Line on February 12, 2012.
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Their Home Base: Pahiatua Station
The PRS is based at the Pahiatua railway station. This station is on the Wairarapa Line. The society has taken care of the station building, the old goods shed, and the area around them. The station building is made of wood and was built in 1971. It replaced an older building from 1897. It's one of the last wooden stations built by the New Zealand Railways Department.
The goods shed is even older, dating back to 1897. It's one of the biggest old rural goods sheds still left in New Zealand. The PRS has also built some new structures at the station. They have a shed to store and work on railcars. Another shed helps protect their other trains and wagons from the weather.
Amazing Trains: What They Restore
The Pahiatua Railcar Society has a cool collection of old trains. They work to fix them up so they can be used again or displayed. Here's a look at some of the different types of trains they care for:
| Key: | In service, Mainline Certified | In service | Under overhaul/restoration | Stored | Static display | Scrapped |
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Railcars: Special Passenger Trains
Railcars are like buses on train tracks. They are self-propelled, meaning they don't need a separate engine to pull them. The PRS has several interesting railcars.
The society's main working railcar is Rm 31, a 'Standard' class railcar. It's one of only four 'Standard' railcars still around. The PRS is also busy restoring Rm 5, a 'Wairarapa' railcar. This one needed a lot of work because its wooden frame was very old and damaged.
They are also working on Rm 121, an '88-seater' railcar. It was once thought that no '88-seater' railcars would survive. But the PRS and another group found Rm 133 at Auckland International Airport. It had been used for rescue training. Since both ends of Rm 133 were damaged by fire, they decided to focus all their efforts on restoring Rm 121. They've even used parts from Rm 133 and Rm 119 to help fix Rm 121. The society hopes to make Rm 121 fully operational again.
In September 2020, the society announced they bought three 'Silver Fern' railcars. These had just been retired by KiwiRail.
Diesel Locomotives: Powerful Shunters
The society also has some diesel locomotives. These are powerful engines used to move trains around the yard or for shorter trips.
They have two small shunting locomotives called TR class. They also have a PWD D class shunting locomotive. This particular engine was only used by the Public Works Department for construction projects. It was never owned by the main Railways Department.
Wagons: Carrying All Sorts!
Besides railcars and locomotives, the PRS has a collection of different wagons. These are the cars that carry goods or animals.
Their collection includes both four-wheel and bogie wagons. Bogie wagons have special turning wheel sets that help them go around curves better. They have many types, from a guard's van (where the train crew used to ride) to wagons designed for carrying cement or sheep.
The society also has three jiggers. These are small trolleys used by railway workers to inspect tracks. Two are motorised, and one is hand-powered. They also have the old turntable from Thames. A turntable is a rotating platform used to turn locomotives around.
