#4476
New Zealand EM class electric multiple unit
🇳🇿 New Zealand ·built by MÁVAG· from 1982· train formerly used in New Zealand
1 photo from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. EM 1367 leading a southbound 4 car set as the morning sun breaks through the clouds, near Epuni - 17 May 2003: J.christianson· CC0
what is it?
The New Zealand EM/ET class (also known as Ganz-Mavag) electric multiple units were used on suburban services in Wellington, New Zealand, from 1982 to 2016. They were owned initially by the New Zealand Railways Corporation and finally by the Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) and operated by Tranz Metro, part of national railway operator KiwiRail. The 44 two-car units of an EM motor car and an ET trailer car were introduced between 14 June 1982 – 11 February 1983 on the 1500 V DC electrified Kapiti, Hutt Valley and Melling lines.
who runs it
base stats
Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.
fun facts
- First built 44 years ago, in 1982.
- 400 kW is about 5 family cars (~85 kW each) flat out.
- Weighs about as much as 6 African elephants (~6 t each).
- 43.1 m long: about 10 cars parked nose to tail.
- Seats 148: 3 full city buses (~50 seats each).
- Served for 34 years (1982–2016).
multiple unit: A self-propelled train: motors are spread under the passenger cars, so no separate locomotive.
spec sheet
- built
- 1982
- in service from
- 1982
- retired
- 2016
- status
- retired
- number built
- 44
- kind
- multiple unit
- traction
- electric
- origin
- 🇳🇿 New Zealand
- builders
- MÁVAG, Ganz Works
- operators
- Tranz Metro
- top speed
- 110 km/h
- power
- 400 kW
- gauge
- 1,067 mm Cape gauge
- electric system
- overhead
- wheel arrangement
- Bo′Bo′+2′2′
- formation
- EM–ET
- length
- 43.1 m
- weight
- 37.6 t
- capacity
- 148 passengers
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q7015339, Wikipedia: New Zealand EM class electric multiple unit (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.