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Nelson section

The Nelson section was an isolated government-owned railway line between Nelson and Glenhope in the Tasman district of New Zealand's South Island. While part of the New Zealand Government Railways, the section was never connected to the national railway network, although there were plans to do so. The line operated for years between 1876 and 1955. Unusually for an isolated line, there were passenger and freight services for most of its existence, with freight outlasting passenger services by just a year. This line is noteworthy for several reasons, including being the last completely isolated section of the government-owned railway network; gaining a reprieve after being closed for the first time until being closed for a second – and final – time; and, its route was chosen to serve existing communities in Nelson's hinterland rather than being constructed to open up new areas for development or serve specific industries.

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Article summary

The Nelson section was an isolated government-owned railway line between Nelson and Glenhope in the Tasman district of New Zealand's South Island. While part of the New Zealand Government Railways, the section was never connected to the national railway network, although there were plans to do so. The line operated for years between 1876 and 1955. Unusually for an isolated line, there were passenger and freight services for most of its existence, with freight outlasting passenger services by just a year. This line is noteworthy for several reasons, including being the last completely isolated section of the government-owned railway network; gaining a reprieve after being closed for the first time until being closed for a second – and final – time; and, its route was chosen to serve existing communities in Nelson's hinterland rather than being constructed to open up new areas for development or serve specific industries.

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  1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
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  3. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

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