[LCA2019 Chat] Stopping somewhere during the Tranzalpine Journey?

[Marc MERLIN]

On Mon, Jan 14, 2019 at 03:28:36PM +1300, Mike Beattie wrote:
> Are you going for the train trip, or to get to Arthurs Pass?
 
train, just felt a bit silly riding it all the way at the end just to
ride it back without really looking at anything, but it sounds like the
quick stop in greymouth may be the thing to do afterall.

> Honestly, I personally couldn't think of anything worse than being stuck at
> Arthurs Pass for 5.5 hours - take the train through to Greymouth and enjoy
> the scenery, I hear some of the best bits are on the western side of Arthurs

Ack.

> Basically, the train ride is a destination unto itself. the Carriages have
> very large viewing windows for that very reason.
 
That's what I read, yes.

On Mon, Jan 14, 2019 at 03:58:31PM +1300, Ewen McNeill wrote:
> The Milford Track, and the Routeburn are some of the top hiking tracks in
> New Zealand (and the Kepler is well up there too).  The Arthur's Pass area
> doesn't really come up in "top hiking tracks", except perhaps for snow/ice
> mountaineering, which isn't really something that's practical in a 4-5 hour
> stopover.
 
Just finished Kpler and I actually prefered it to Routeburn, it had a
lot more birds (and was lucky to get perfect weather and views).
Pointed noted that Arthur pass won't come close, so I should just stay
in the train :)

> Personally I'd be leaning towards staying on the train and relaxing. The
> West Coast geography is significantly different from the East Coast
> geography, so there'll be different things to see.   And it'll be a relaxing
> chill out day with panoramic windows.
 
My wife will love that idea, thanks :)
Thanks for the other links though.

On Mon, Jan 14, 2019 at 03:18:21AM +0000, Nick Edwards wrote:
> Hi Marc,
> 
> Opinion from a keen tramper (hiker). I probably wouldn't bother with a 5.5
> hour stop in Arthur's Pass. There isn't much to do in the village, and 5.5
> hours isn't really long enough to do any of the tramps that really give you

understood. Another vote saying the same thing :)

> If you do end up at a loose end in Greymouth and are a beer drinker,
> you could check out the Montheith's Brewery - I think you can just
> have a look around without booking a full tour, and they have a bar
> where you can do tastings and get food. I don't really rate most
> of Monteith's beer, but they do have some interesting small batch
> specials sometimes.
 
Cool, thank you.

On Mon, Jan 14, 2019 at 05:28:14PM +1300, Carl Klitscher wrote:
> Otira and Arthurs Pass are mandatory stops on the route to attach and
> detach the banking engines used to get through the Otira Tunnel... 8.5 km
> long running under the spine of the southern Alps... And they don't let you
> stand in the observation car going through it either!
> 
> Used to have its own power station to run the electric engines but the
> switch to diesel required the installation of a door at one end that closes
> after the train goes through... The vacuum created then forces air past the
> train so you don't all die from diesel fumes :-)
> 
> Last time I went through the local kea kept dive bombing the train staff as
> they attached the engines at Arthurs Pass... Common working hazard
> apparently!
 
Haha, too funny. Keas definitely have a mind of their own.
I just brought bird seeds and paid for peace. The ones on kepler track
have learned to have one attract a tourist and jump back to lure the
tourist away, while the other one attacks their pack left behind.
Some keas have also learned how to open back zippers and here the food
is usually hidden :)

Thanks all for the answers.
Marc
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