Rimutaka Tunnel Rimutaka Tunnel The Rimutaka Tunnel (officially Tunnel 2, Wairarapa Line) is a railway tunnel through New Zealand's Remutaka Range, between Maymorn, near Upper Hutt, and Featherston, on the Wairarapa Line. The tunnel, which was opened to traffic on 3 November 1955, is long. It was the longest tunnel in New Zealand, superseding the Otira Tunnel in the South Island until the completion of the Kaimai Tunnel (8.88 km, 5.55 miles) near Tauranga in 1978. Rimutaka remains the longest tunnel in New Zealand with scheduled passenger trains. The tunnel was built as part of a deviation to replace the costly Rimutaka
Rimutaka Incline railway accident Pigeon Bush, just before a large wooden breakwind. Rimutaka Incline railway accident The Rimutaka Incline railway accident occurred on 11 September 1880 when the leading three carriages on a Greytown to Wellington train were blown off the track in strong winds near the Siberia tunnel; killing four passengers. The Rimutaka Incline section of the line over the Rimutaka Ranges between Wellington and the Wairarapa used the Fell system on the steep 1 in 15 section which was long. A small train left Greytown at 8.30am bound for Wellington. At Cross Creek, at the foot of the Rimutaka Ranges, a Fell