Following reconditioning, three were used by KiwiRail's Tranz Metro in Wellington from 2008 to 2011 to top and tail Metlink suburban passenger trains as an interim measure before new rolling stock arrived.

[2] These hoppers were heavier than the dedicated LC high side coal wagons previously used, and this led to a reduction in the amount that three EOs could haul through the tunnel.

The decision was made to decommission the Otira electrification which was no longer capable of meeting modern requirements and was also largely worn out after 74 years of heavy use.

The trio at Linwood was stored outside, and became targets for local vandals, prompting Tranz Rail to move them to Ferrymead in November 1999.

[5] Ferrymead could not store the locomotives either - they were kept out in the open on the main line connection beside the electric depot at Moorhouse station.

With an eye to possibly restoring them for use in Wellington, Tranz Rail had EOs 45, 51 and 74 moved to the Picton locomotive depot for storage in 2004.

[5] In 2007 the three Picton locomotives were transferred north to the Hutt Workshops where they were refurbished for use by Tranz Metro on Wellington Metlink suburban trains as a short-term solution to increase capacity before the arrival of the Matangi EMUs.

On 25 October, after a test run, the train carried passengers from Wellington Station as far as opposite Thorndon locomotive sheds, where it failed.

One suggested use for the refurbished units was a return to banking duties replacing the two DBR locomotives primarily used for this on the North Island Main Trunk south of Paekakariki.

However, the electrification to the freight yard had been removed following the withdrawal of the EW locomotives in the late 1980s and the EOs general lack of reliability seemed to preclude their use.

On 21 May 1980, EOs 45, 51, and 74 were hauling a coal train from Otira to Arthur's Pass at around 4:00pm after the decision was made to suspend operations due to heavy rain earlier that day.

As the train approached the Goat Creek bridge, it derailed into the swollen Otira River which had washed away 50 metres of track.