KiwiRail’s billion dollar click and collect spending spree

KiwiRail chief executive Greg Miller said negotiating when you can’t travel to meet people face to face made things interesting. (Image: Supplied)

Brent Melville

Fri, 15 Oct 2021

It’s not often you buy a new vehicle without at least having the benefit of a test drive, particularly if it has a $1 billion sticker price.Yet, that’s what KiwiRail has done, substantively upgrading both its train and ferry fleet from the comfort of a computer screen. This week it confirmed it will replace its South Island fleet of 65 ageing General Electric diesel-electric locomotives with 57 Spanish engines built by Stadler Rail Valencia.Each will cost €4 million (NZ$6.6m), just under $400m for the new fleet. ...

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