Rimutaka Incline Rimutaka Incline The Rimutaka Incline was a , gauge railway line on an average grade of 1-in-15 using the Fell system between Summit and Cross Creek stations on the original Wairarapa Line in the Wairarapa district of New Zealand. The term "Rimutaka Incline" is sometimes used incorrectly to refer to other parts or all of the closed and deviated section of the Wairarapa Line between Upper Hutt and Speedy’s Crossing, near Featherston. The incline formation is now part of the Remutaka Rail Trail. The construction of a railway from Wellington to Masterton was authorised in the Railways Act passed on
Rimutaka Tunnel five-span 91 metres (300 ft) bridge across the Mangaroa River and two underpasses near Maoribank. There is a tunnel of 539 metres (1767 ft) near Maoribank, but on the eastern side where two short tunnels (220 metres (11 chain) and 180 metres (9 chain)) had been proposed through a spur it was cheaper to lengthen the line by 140 metres (7 chain) and have open cuttings. The construction of the Rimutaka Tunnel consumed: The first locomotives to work through the tunnel were the 560 kW DG class - the tunnel was too long for steam locomotives, making the Wairarapa Line