coolian2
Blue Crack Supplier
The Sad Punk said:I gotta do stuff, see you guys later.
Stuff.....and junk?
Seeya later Bonnie
The Sad Punk said:I gotta do stuff, see you guys later.
coolian2 said:
I have a list a mile long of flights i want to do here, and it's right at the top.
Turboprop flights =
And more environmentally friendly too.
coolian2 said:
Why not? I'm expecting Elton John to pop up tonight. He's (well, you know what i mean) been featured in all of the bus stop advertising and wasn't on last week although Freddie Mercury, who has featured as well appeared last week.
So, Elton John at the very least. I can't say i expected Shakira though, so we may be in for an interesting night.
coolian2 said:
Stuff.....and junk?
Axver said:
I imagine flights to any West Coast destination would be pretty fucking awesome too. Wellington to Westport would go over the Marlborough Sounds, right?
I expect the point about environmental friendliness is what will save the Overlander in the long term, in that it's more environmentally friendly to go by train than plane on that route. They just need to, you know, raise the Overlander out of third world standards. It boggles my mind how that train is timetabled to take any more than about 8.5 hours.
Incidentally, what kind of planes are used for Christchurch to Dunedin?
Axver said:
I wonder if somebody will do a Beatle, say Paul McCartney?
Or maybe Mick Jagger? That's another very mundane mainstream choice.
Varitek said:how i met your mother sucked tonight, i can't remember when i've felt that way
Axver said:
Stuff and nonsense. Get into Split Enz.
coolian2 said:
We'll know in about 20 minutes.
It's wrong how excited i am about this unintentional humour.
coolian2 said:
I'll do my best. I know i'm missing out on goodness but every time i have the right intentions i forget to bring my iPod with me, or some other flimsy reason.
Axver said:
It's wrong how I wish I could watch ...
coolian2 said:I'm so down with flying even Christchurch to Hokitika or something similar.
I can't believe the Overlander takes 12 hours. There is no way that anybody needing to commute will ever consider that vs flying. Where the fuck does the 12 hours come from? Do they go via Norfolk Island?
Planes on Christchurch to Dunedin...it looks as though Air New Zealand use ATR-72 turboprops (which, they use on Wellington to Christchurch to compliment their 737 services), and Pacific Blue will soon be on the route using 737s, which i suspect may see Air New Zealand bring back the 737s to that route in small numbers.
coolian2 said:
Axver said:
Flying over the Southern Alps would be fucking amazing on a clear day.
I can give you a whole list of reasons why the Overdue is timetabled to take 12 hours! It's absolutely obscene, because its current timetable is about 2-2.5 hours SLOWER than services in the 1960s. I believe that the record is roughly 7.5 hours, when the General Manager of the Railways took his personal railcar for a spin.
But basically:
1. Freight is the priority these days, so the Overdue gets shunted around it.
2. The locomotives running it are old and underpowered.
3. The track is absolute dogshit in places.
4. There's a half hour lunch stop in National Park because apparently it's impossible to order ahead and have the food meet the train.
5. The rollingstock dates from the fucking 1940s and has been renovated to within an inch of its life (same goes for the TranzAlpine carriages too).
With decent track upgrades, new rolling stock, and better locomotives, you could do the run in 8.5 hours EASILY. It's still not that competitive for the business traveller, but hundreds of people drive or bus that route daily and a train running that schedule would be very competitive. Who wants to sit on a cramped bus when you can ride a train, walk around when you like, eat in the dining car, etc.?
Ah, righto. Just because, with increasing environmental awareness, there might be a chance to bring back the Christchurch - Dunners train, and I don't see any way a 737 would be more environmentally friendly per km on that route. I'm still aghast that route got canned in 2002. It was the flagship of the network until the early 1990s.
Axver said:Also, Ian, would you agree that some of the air routes in New Zealand are spectacularly pointless? I am thinking specifically of Wellington to Napier, which has been a source of numerous rants from me over the years. IT WOULD BE QUICKER TO DRIVE. Or catch the bus (or, pre-2001, the train). Who the hell wants to fly Wellington to Napier? That just never made any sense to me.
coolian2 said:Another nine weeks of Stars in their Eyes. Oh hell yeah.
Axver said:
Most exciting news you've heard all day?
And where's Kim?
coolian2 said:That's fair enough, i guess. As the Rail Manager or whatever the job title is said, the TranzAlpine was kept alive by the coal trains when it was facing the axe, and it's probably not too different for the Overlander. The guy made mention of the carriages being nearly as old as the hills, it's fucking crazy. Although they're internally in great shape.
Get it down to 8.5 hours and you've got yourself a viable service.
And yeah, it's a shame that train was shitcanned, especially because more and more it proves to be a poor decision with all of the environmental hype now. Then again, there would be some idiot complaining about the trains running the route and polluting the atmosphere or some shit like that.
coolian2 said:His costume and acting are appalling but the musical performance isn't bad.
Axver said:
Is he white?