The potential for extending the Otago Central Rail Trail past Middlemarch towards Dunedin is to be looked into and not all of the proposed trail corridor would be available for both cyclists and trains.
Responding to news funding had been obtained to explore cycle trail possibilities, Otago Excursion Train Trust deputy chairman Grant Craig defended the value of the Taieri Gorge railway line.
What made Dunedin unique was not cycleways but its history, "and part of that is its railway between Wingatui and Middlemarch, commenced in 1879 and completed in 1891", Mr Craig said.
"The Dunedin ratepayers want their railway retained - as they saved it by raising the funds in the early 1990s to save it from closing ... Few other cities in New Zealand have such a historic and spectacular railway at their doorstep.
"Don’t we have enough cycleways? And what we have has come at great cost when only a fraction of that cost would fund Dunedin Railways for years and allow for some investment."
However, Otago Central Rail Trail Trust chairwoman Kate Wilson suggested holistic thinking and some compromise might yield the best overall solution for train enthusiasts, cyclists, trampers and their communities.
Hindon has been floated as a possible connection point between cyclists and trains - something that used to happen at Middlemarch for thousands of people.
The Otago Central Rail Trail, from Clyde to Middlemarch, started in 2000, a decade after the rail line on that stretch closed.
Since the trail’s beginning, it "was a key experience and a great finale to the ride," Mrs Wilson said.
"However, with fewer services connecting Dunedin to Middlemarch, the railway experience became less reliable," Mrs Wilson said.
Lately, train services for passengers from cruise ships have run only as far as Hindon before returning to Dunedin.
Mrs Wilson said the cycle trail trust considered opportunities to maximise tourism benefits in Middlemarch and to connect with the railway.
It had worked with Project Steam to ensure the heritage line between Middlemarch and Sutton, and perhaps to Pukerangi, could be available.
"But having assessed the line between Pukerangi and Hindon, there is no opportunity to have both a train and safe cycle service that could operate together."
A Mosgiel-Taieri Community Board agenda for a meeting tomorrow included comment from its chairman Andrew Simms that two possible trail routes would be considered in the studies.
One was from Middlemarch to North Taieri, which would effectively amount to the closure of the Taieri Gorge railway.
The other would make use of a disused walking trail between Hindon and Outram, and Mrs Wilson signalled this was preferred.
Mr Simms said the purpose of the work was to help the Dunedin City Council and ratepayers consider options when "deciding about what future use of this incredible resource will best serve the community and the city".
The council has endorsed the work getting done.
Taieri Gorge train services have historically battled to break even at the same time as staying on top of track maintenance.
However, in January, the council decided a gorge train service should be retained.
The structure of such a service has yet to be determined.
