North Island Main Trunk

The North Island Main Trunk connects the two big cities of Wellington and Auckland. It is particularly the central section between Hamilton and Palmerston North through the rugged heart of the North Island that has given rise to the folklore of the Main Trunk. In the early 20th century when the railway line was driven through the rugged hills, the central North Island was still largely covered by dense bush. Working conditions for the construction workers were atrocious. The Trunk was completed in 1908. In 1987 the central section was electrified. The northern and southern end are still operated by diesel locomotives.

We'll start off by showing some pictures of current standard operations on the main trunk. The Ef class entered service in 1987 when the electrification of the North Island Main Trunk was completed. They were delivered by Brush Electrical Machines from Britain. For many years, the locomotives handled most of the traffic on the central section of the Trunk, though at times diesels were used.
Here two Ef's haul a freight train with milk and refrigerated wagons near Mangaweka. [Oct 2008]

Just north of Mangaweka the railway line used to run high on the hillside. In 1983 a deviation was opened along the valley. This new line crosses the Rangitikei River twice in addition to the Mangapae Stream. Three tall viaducts were required to cross the rivers that cut deep into the landscape here.
Two Ef locomotives haul a freight train across the impressive South Rangitikei Viaduct. [Oct 2008]
The electric locos then head their long train around a curve past Kawhatau. [Oct 2008].
In driving rain two Ef locos haul a train southward near Kawhatau. This section is also part of the Mangaweka deviation. [Oct 2008]
Two EF engines haul train 390 to Tauranga through the Piriaka curve. The early morning sun lights the native bush and hillsides in the centre of the North Island. [Mar 2018].
Two DL engines haul a train southwards through the Piriaka curve. By now the volcano Ngauruhoe can be seen in the background. At the end of summer it did not have a snowy top. [Mar 2018].
Two EF engines haul a train with a spare DL diesel in tow near Manunui, just south of Taumarunui. The DL may have been there just in case something went wrong with one of the EFs, or a reposition move. [Jan 2020].
Two EF locomotives haul their train across the Whanganui River into Taumarunui. They'll hurry through this once important town on their way north. [Mar 2018].
Passenger trains no longer stop in Taumarunui. But the station is still a regular toilet stop for train drivers, as was the case for this southbound freight train. Passenger carriages that were formerly used on the Auckland network are now stored in the yard at Taumarunui. They can be seen in the background. [Jan 2020].
Two EF locomotives haul their train around a curve just north of Taumarunui. [Jan 2020].
Track maintenance on the North Island Main Trunk. A tamper is busy at Te Koura, just north of Taumarunui. [Mar 2018].
The tamper is followed by the ballast regulator to shape the track bed. [Mar 2018].
After the introduction of the DL diesel-electric locomotives in 2011, these engines began to be used more and more on the North Island Main Trunk, so that for many years both electrics and diesel-electrics operated here. Two DL locomotives pass an old farm house at Te Koura. [Mar 2018].
Two EF locomotives with a DL in tow at the head of a train head across a bridge over the Ongarue River. A few hundred metres north of this bridge is the former logging town of Ongarue. [Jan 2020].
Two DL locomotives haul a train a northbound train across the same bridge early on a summer morning. The Ongarue River is still in the shadows. A shunting locomotive is among the freight waggons of this train. [Jan 2020].
Two DL locomotives travel through the Ongarue Valley. In the past this was an important bush logging area. Now pines are grown and logged in the hills nearby. [Mar 2018].
These DL locomotives haul their train past the cemetry of Porootarao, between Te Kuiti and Taumarunui. The urupā, as it is known in Māori, is the centre of a dispersed Māori community, and has many memorable graves. [Mar 2017]. [Mar 2017]
Even though they were boxy, the Ef class locomotives were more handsome than any of the diesel-electrics they worked alongside. Here a pair hauls its train near Mangapehi. [Mar 2017]
This is a view of the same train as it makes its way up the bank at Kopaki, south of Te Kuiti. [Mar 2017].
The electric locos are better environmentally than diesel locos, cheaper to maintain and have lower fuel costs. Nevertheless, in 2016 a decision was made to phase out electric locomotives by 2018 and operate only a diesel fleet. A train at Puketutu near Te Kuiti. [Mar 2017].
More and more the diesel DL class was used on the North Island Main Trunk to haul trains. DL locomotives with a train at Waiteti near Te Kuiti. [Mar 2018].
Despite maintenance problems some of the EF class electrics soldiered on. A pair of EFs is hauling train 390 near Hangatiki. [Jun 2018].
This train was hauled by class DL and Dx diesel locomotives. It heads through Hangatiki, just to the north of Te Kuiti. [Apr 2018].
Less than 15 minutes later a freight train hauled by two EF class electric locomotives passes through Hangatiki. The combined operation of electrics and diesel locomotives is well illustrated by these two photos. [Apr 2018].
Two DL locomotives slowly start a northbound train from the loop in Hangatiki, after crossing a southbound train. [Jan 2020].
That's the southbound train that hurried past the DLs in Hangatiki. It is hauled by EF class electric locomotives. Their reliability had already decreased markedly, but overhauls should remedy that situation. [Jan 2020].
Two DL locomotives haul a train through the countryside near Otorohanga. [Jun 2018].
The management of KiwiRail wanted to standardize its locomotive fleet. The Ef Class was getting old and needed major upgrades or replacement. As KiwiRail did not have sufficient Ef class locomotives to cover operational requirements on the North Island Main Trunk, KiwiRail opted to standardize operations to the diesel-electric DL class. Two Ef locos arrive in Otorohanga. [Mar 2017].
KiwiRail decided to keep the catenary and electric equipment on the North Island Main Trunk operational for several years, so that it could be put in use again, if government policy changes. The train enters Otorohanga (taken with a different exposure, and changed editing settings). [Mar 2017].
An Ef class loco passes through Otorohanga. [Oct 2003].
On 30 October 2018, the new Labour-NZ First coalation government announced that it had allocated funding to refurbish the electric locomotives and KiwiRail had decided to follow through with this. So the electrics should be around for some time to come. A freight train with three EF class locomotives heads south through Otorohanga. [Aug 2019].
The train passes the traditional Otorohanga Railway Station. With the future of the EF class assured, they continued to haul trains along the North Island Main Trunk. [Aug 2019].
Dxb 5051 rounds the curve from the north into Otorohanga with a freight train. The driver must have left the front door open. Maybe he wanted some fresh air. [Mar 2019].
Two class DL locomotives haul a train northwards near Te Kawa. [Apr 2019].
Two Ef locos haul a train southward though the rain, just south of Te Awamutu. This picture was taken from the slopes of Kakepuku Mountain. [Mar 2017].
They then head the train past the hill of Te Kawa. This was not yet my farewell from electric locomotives on the North Island Main Trunk. I hope that in the future some electric locomotives will still haul trains here. [Mar 2017].
The usurpers. Twin DLs head a train through Te Awamutu. [Mar 2017].
DFB 7049 heads a freight train together with DL 9325 near Nga Roto, just north of Te Awamutu. The photo was taken from Yarndleys Bush, an area of surviving native forest with stands of tall Kahikatea and Pukatea trees. [Mar 2019].
The Ohaupo playground is right beside the North Island Main Trunk. Two EF locomotives head south with train 225. [Jan 2019].
A little later two EFs haul train 228 northwards past the playground. The electrics are and hopefully will long be important on this line. [Jan 2019].
But the diesels are still around. A little later two DLs hauled train 390 northwards through Ohaupo. [Jan 2019].
The electrics also hauled passenger trains. The "Overlander Express" ran between Auckland and Wellington three times per week in winter and daily in summer. The total train journey took 12 hours, not much faster than in steam days.
Here an Ef hauls a train near Utiku just north of the Mangaweka deviation, where the new line joins the old alignment again. [Oct 2008]
Another view of the train near Utiku. [Oct 2008].
The EF with her southbound passenger train was so quiet that I didn't hear the The Overlander Express approach. I got this rear view as the train rounded a curve at Kawhatau. [Oct 2008].
Another picture of the "Overlander", this time further north near Horopito, just south of National Park. [Oct 2003]
The Raurimu Spiral allows the railway line to overcome the altitude drop between the central plateau and the King Country through a series of horseshoe curves and spirals. It was built in the early 20th century and is still considered a good engineering solution in this difficult landscape. The original bush has grown back again around the Spiral. A passenger train descends the Raurimu Spiral on its journey towards Auckland. [Mar 2018].
In June 2012, the Overlander was replaced by the Northern Explorer. The Northern Explorer runs only three times a week in each direction and is hauled by a diesel locomotive all the way between Wellington and Auckland, without changing locomotives in Palmerston North and Hamilton. A class DFT locomotive leads a Northern Explorer train through the Piriaka curve. [Mar 2018].
The Northern Explorer was clearly aimed at up-market tourists, with new modern carriages, fewer stops, a faster timetable, and higher prices. Initially this resulted in lower passenger numbers, but by now there is so much demand for travel in New Zealand that most trains are full. The Northern Explorer train at Te Koura, north of Taumarunui. [Mar 2018].
DFB 7199 is now in the North Island and hauls the Northern Explorer across the Mangaokewa Viaduct near Te Kuiti. [Aug 2019].
The Northern Explorer curves away from the Mangaokewa Viaduct towards Te Kuiti. The trains always include an open-air viewing carriage. In 2019 KiwiRail closed access to these carriages, while it modified the design, so that it's more difficult for passengers to lean outside the carriage. [Aug 2019].
A DFB locomotive rushes the Northern Explorer through Te Kuiti without stopping. Surely, there would be sufficient demand for some reasonably-priced regional rail service, for tourists as well as locals. [Mar 2018].
This train is stopping in Te Kuiti. It was an excursion train run by the Railway Enthusiasts' Society, or Glenbrook Vintage Railway Scenic, to the Great New Zealand Muster in Te Kuiti. [Mar 2019].
The Northern Explorer travels from Auckland to Wellington on a Saturday. Here, it has just passed Ohaupo. On the Sunday it will return from Wellington to Auckland. [Nov 2019].
The Northern Explorer makes its way southwards through the Waikato countryside. A DFB locomotive hauls the passenger train past Ohaupo. [Oct 2018].
The excursion train from Te Kuiti has stopped at Hamilton and let off passengers there. The Hamilton Station Master talks to the engine driver before DFB 7077 pulls out of Hamilton to Pukekohe, Glenbrook, and Waiuku. Passengers to Auckland were able to change to a suburban train in Pukekohe to complete the journey to their local station. [Mar 2019].
The Northern Explorer has left Hamilton Station at Frankton Junction and continues its journey towards Auckland. [Nov 2018].
To celebrate the centenary of the completion of the North Island Main Trunk, several events were held in 2008. During Labour Weekend 2008 a festival in Feilding celebrated the 100 years of railway history. Several excursions were run north along the Main Trunk from Feilding. Here Wab 794 hauls a train from Taihape over the South Rangitikei Viaduct near Mangaweka. The viaduct is 78m high and 315m long. [Oct 2008]
Two days later the tank engine headed another excursion to Taihape. Here it is being turned on the Taihape turntable. [Oct 2008]
The view from the train near Hunterville with the Wab tank engine at the head of the train. [Oct 2008].
Another special steam train ran to Taumarunui from Feilding. It was hauled by Ja 1271 and Ka 942. Unfortunately, the Ka later ran into difficulties and the train was seriously delayed so that some diesel engines had to come to the rescue.
Here the two steam engines were still in control and haul the long train across the Makohine viaduct. Most of the carriages in the consist are normally used on the "Capital Connection" between Palmerston North and Wellington, but older carriages were placed near the front of the train. [Oct 2008]
From 1972 onwards stainless steel diesel railcars were used for daylight passenger trains on the North Island Main Trunk. Named "Silver Ferns" they ran between Auckland and Wellington until the early 1990s. They then provided services to Rotorua and Tauranga from Auckland and are now used on suburban services in Auckland.
For the centenary celebrations they travelled from Auckland to Feilding. Here they cross the South Rangitikei Viaduct. [Oct 2008]
Excursions also ran along railway lines connecting to the Main Trunk. Here a Silver Fern railcar leaves Feilding on its way to Wanganui. [Oct 2008]
There was plenty of shunting at Feilding. Ka 942 and Wab 794 steam it up. [Oct 2008]
Ab 663 headed an excursion to Woodville through the Manawatu Gorge. This photo was taken on the return journey. [Oct 2008]
Once the train had left the gorge behind and reached the open plains, the driver opened the regulator and the train sped along. Just south of Ashurst the Ab hauls the Overlander carriages at speed. [Oct 2008]
By the time the engine had changed to the other end of the train in Palmerston North and hauled the train along the Main Trunk line to Feilding, the sun was setting. [Oct 2008]
During the Sunday afternoon a cavalcade was held in Feilding showcasing all the locomotives attending the All Aboard event. [Oct 2008] First up was F 163.
Then came the Ab.
Wab 794 followed her. The Wab is in fact the tank engine version of the Ab.
The streamlined J class brought a touch of class to the parade.
Also featuring the streamline trend was Ka 942.
Rain fell when Ja 1275 hauled Ew 1805 past the spectators. The Ew runs off DC electric traction in the Wellington region and cannot use the AC power of the North Island Main Trunk.
The sun was shining again when Ja 1271 passed.
Standard railcar Rm 31 introduced the diesel section.
The Da represented early generation diesel-electric power.
Ef 30140 is part of the current locomotive fleet. She was coupled with Kiwi Rail branded Dxb 5097.
Last but not least was Silver Fern railcar Rm 18, about to head off on the excursion to Wanganui.
At the end of the weekend a train returned back home to Paekakariki through the Manawatu along the southern section of the Main Trunk. Here Ja 1271 and J 1211 race through Koputaroa. [Oct 2008]