North Main Trunk Railway.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 1, 26 September 1907, Page 5

North Main Trunk Railway.

A NEW STAGE REACHED,

A new stage has been,reached in the construction of tho North Island Main Trunk railway'.'.',The .rail-laying from Raurimu, at the:end of the northern section, which was disoontinucd cleven months ago pending the progress of very heavy wort at the "spiral," has just been resumed. The spinl; an engineering device,for maintaining the grade over very high ground, is-be-tween Raurimu'"and Waiinariiio, the latter place, which' is 2636' feet' in •altitude, being . nearly . tho . highest point between Wellington and Auckland on tho train route..

At tho southern.' ehd rails arS-already laid to Oliakuno, twenty-four miles from Raurimu. Work is now being 'concontratod on this length, which will necessitate the heaviest engineering work of tho rotito. ' There' are sis viaducts in this brief section, three of which aro under construction, by tbo Public Works. :Dopartmont, and three by Andersons,"" Limited, of Chrisfc- . church.

%As tho tmftmshcd portion of the lino diminishes,- Workmen hare to bo discharged, but thcro aro still 1750 men employed .on. tho difficult twentyfour miles that still await completion. Most of tho earthwork on this section is now finished. "It" is hoped that at tho south end of, the section, tho distance of nineteen' miles between Mataroa and Waiouru will bo entirely finished, and ready to' hand over . to tho Railway Department for. regular traffic by next" Christmas.' At present tho Public Works. Department is running its ballast" trains ever this portion, with a passenger car attached.

Waiouru is'situated.near the foot, of Ruapebu, and has an old-established accommodation ' - house:' -From this placo coaghea' leavo for Pipirikl; and Tokaanu. On- tho southern section trains do not yet go farther north than Rangitaua, so that to- make tho journey from "Wellington to' Auckland by tho main trunk line necessitates coach-travelling at present for twentyeight miles, which will be reduced to twenty-four when the trains go. to Ohakune. By that time tho motalled road which is being made to Ohakune township from the station will be finished. '

At present -it. takes three days to get from "Wellington;'.t6..Auckland: by tlio Main Trunk line. The first-day. takes tho traveller- to -\Vaiouru,--the second to Taamaranui, and tho third to Auckland. Passonger traffic- on tho lino has_ increased considerably, hnd tho Pubb'c Works Department'has had to apply to tho .Railway Department for another carriago 'for ' use on tho upper part of ■;the. southern section. Tho department; hopes to-bo : able", before next Christmas, to.issuo through tickets for ' .thp.. whole . journey, to Auckland. ' '

Though tunnels and' viaducts liuvostill to bo completed, station buildings constructed, i; wat-or-servico provided, and an immense amount- of ■ finishing work performed• it • is ' expected that the train will .run right' thrnnph' from I'.llington to Auckland by Christmas, 10!W, in accordance''.with tho Hon. V. Hiill-Joi.rVs promiso.