New Zealand AK class carriage#Support vehicles

Two AK cars, one AKC car, one AKL car and an AKV car entered service on the Coastal Pacific on 2 November 2011.{{cite news |title=New carriages debut on South-Island's rails |first=Kloe |last=Palmer |url=http://www.3news.co.nz/New-carriages-debut-on-South-Islands-rails/tabid/420/articleID/231623/Default.aspx |publisher=3 News |location=Christchurch |date=3 November 2011 |access-date=3 November 2011 }}

The class is used on the Coastal Pacific, the Northern Explorer and the TranzAlpine, replacing panorama 56-foot carriages. Funding of $NZ39.9 million was announced by the fifth National government in March 2009.

The class features a new white livery with the KiwiRail logo.{{cite web|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/tranzscenicpics/5560787724/in/photostream/|title=AK1 External|publisher=Flickr user 'Wekapass' |access-date=27 March 2011}}

Due to passenger loadings falling on both South Island trains as a result of the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, three AK, one AKC, one AKL and one AKV were transferred to the North Island for the new three-times-a-week Auckland-Wellington Northern Explorer. In late 2018, the redistributed Coastal Pacific carriages were returned for the re-opening of the service in December 2018.

As part of the re-opening of the Coastal Pacific, the Government and KiwiRail announced new NZ$40 million carriage investment including new premium carriages.{{cite web|url=https://www.kiwirail.co.nz/news/549/78/Coastal-Pacific-to-start-premium-service/d,news.html|title=AK1 External|publisher=KiwiRail Press Release|access-date=21 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190121020855/https://www.kiwirail.co.nz/news/549/78/Coastal-Pacific-to-start-premium-service/d,news.html|archive-date=21 January 2019|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1811/S00748/coastal-pacific-to-start-premium-service.htm|title=Coastal Pacific to start premium service |publisher=Scoop Media|access-date=25 July 2019}} KiwiRail is considering converting some of the existing AK carriages to Premium Carriages.{{cite web|url=https://fyi.org.nz/request/9185/response/32386/attach/4/DOIA%201819%200887%20Information%20Request%20Response.pdf|title=AK1 External|publisher=Provincial Development Unit KiwiRail, Better Business Case Tourism Provincial Rail Growth October 2018 |access-date=22 July 2019}}

The class was designed by KiwiRail's mechanical design staff in Wellington. It has GPS-triggered announcements, with displays on ceiling-mounted screens and commentary at each seat in five languages: English, French, German, Japanese and Mandarin.{{cite web|url=http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/106481/hillside-engineering-unveils-work-progress|title=Hillside Engineering unveils work in progress|date=18 May 2010|work=Otago Daily Times}} It runs on newly designed air-cushioned P11 bogies.{{cite web|url=http://business.scoop.co.nz/2010/10/29/kiwirail-chooses-motovated-for-new-bogie//|title=KiwiRail chooses motovated for new bogie|publisher=Scoop News |access-date=29 March 2011}} Seating was supplied by a Wellington-based manufacturer.{{cite news |title=Rail contract boom for Lower Hutt firm |first=HAMISH |last=RUTHERFORD |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/5334152/Rail-contract-boom-for-Lower-Hutt-firm |newspaper=The Dominion Post |location=Fairfax New Zealand |date=25 July 2011 |access-date=25 July 2011 }}

With large panoramic windows and quarter lights in the roof, the area of glass per AK car is {{convert|52|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}. To one side of each seat is a jack for headphones for the on-board commentary, and in front of each seat is a flip-down tray table. Seats facing each other in groups of four are positioned around a fixed table. Power points are provided at each seat area. Carry-on baggage can be stored overhead.

File:Arthur's Pass Station (cropped).jpg|AK carriages on a TranzAlpine service

In March 2018 it was reported that two SA carriages were being overhauled and converted into luggage vans for KiwiRail Scenic Journeys.{{cite news |title=Railfan|publisher=Triple M Publications|volume=24|number=2|ISSN=1173-2229|date=March 2018}} This was later revised to three SA carriage conversions into AKS luggage vans of six SA carriages moved to Hutt Workshops. The new AKS vans are fitted with a crew compartment, luggage and bicycle racks, recycling and catering storage.{{cite news |title=Railfan|publisher=Triple M Publications|volume=24|number=3|ISSN=1173-2229|date=June 2018}}{{cite news |title=Railfan|publisher=Triple M Publications|volume=24|number=4|ISSN=1173-2229|date=September 2018}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.maoritelevision.com/news/regional/old-nz-trains-brought-back-life|title= Old NZ trains brought back to life |date=19 October 2018 |publisher=Maori Television|access-date=6 November 2018}}

===AKF===

In 2023, a kitchen carriage, AKF6112 on the Tranz Alpine using SA carriages overhauled and converted into kitchen carriages by KiwiRail's Hutt Workshops for their "Scenic Plus" dining experience.{{Cite web |url=https://www.greatjourneysnz.com/travel-experience/scenic-plus/|title=Scenic Plus |date=6 March 2023 |publisher=Scenic Journeys of New Zealand|access-date=6 March 2023}} Two other SA carriages are being overhauled as AKF kitchen carriages for the Northern Explorer and Coastal Pacific services.

Four AKV open-air viewing/generator vans have been converted from AG vans, which in turn were converted from FM guards vans dating from the late 1970s and early 1980s.

{{Reflist}}

{{refbegin}}

• {{cite book |title=KiwiRail Locomotive and Rolling Stock Register - 2011 | year= 2011 | publisher= Triple M Productions| location=Mosgiel, New Zealand| isbn =978-0-9582072-2-5|ref=CITEREFKiwiRail2011}}

{{refend}}

• [http://www.mediafire.com/?gjoy1ziddnn KiwiRail Express 19 May 2010]
• [http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/106181/hillside039s-40m-contract Hillside's $40m contract 15 May 2010 Otago Daily Times]
• [http://www.kiwirail.co.nz KiwiRail website]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20131203050537/http://www.kiwirailscenic.co.nz/ KiwiRail Scenic website]
• [https://www.motovated.co.nz/p11-bogie-design-analysis-kiwirail/ P11 Bogie Design Case Study]

{{Rail vehicles of New Zealand}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nzr Ak Class Carriage}}

Category:Railway coaches of New Zealand