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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 3, Issue 9 (January 1, 1929)

[section]

One of the most difficult tasks with which railway engineers have ever been confronted (and one of their greatest triumphs) was the construction of the railway across the Rimutaka Ranges. The story of this remarkable railway is told in the following article.

In the mountain regions between the capital city of New Zealand and the Wairarapa Plains, is a short connecting link of railway which is unique in the railway world. It has the distinction of being the only section of railway in the two hemispheres which is operated on the “Fell” centre rail system, with steam locomotives. This link in New Zealand's railway system is known as the “Rimutaka Incline,” and, because of the special locomotives and vans used to work trains over it, and the interesting features of the permanent way, it presents many points of interest to both the railway engineer and the ordinary traveller.

Scene of the accident of 1880, when a train was blown over the Incline. Massive breakwinds now render a similar accident most unlikely.

Scene of the accident of 1880, when a train was blown over the Incline. Massive breakwinds now render a similar accident most unlikely.

The length of the Incline is three miles. In that distance, the line rises from Cross Creek (the station at the foot of the Incline), no less than 971 feet to the station at the top, appropriately named the Summit. Curves of five chains radius are a predominating feature. The longest piece of straight track, about a quarter of a mile in length, has been facetiously dubbed “The Long Straight.” Three tunnels have been pierced, the length of the longest (situated at the end of the Summit yard) being 649 yards. The average grade is 1 in 15 (which can also be expressed as a 6½% grade, or 353 feet to the mile), and one or two short stretches have a grade of 1 in 11.