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
Otira Tunnel tunnel in the world and the longest in the British Empire. The Midland Railway Company investigated options to a long tunnel; but a line over the pass with gradients of 1 in 50 on both sides was not practical. Other options for a line over the pass were a cable-hauled system or a line of 1 in 15 gradient using either the Fell system or a rack railway using the Abt system (or even a S-shaped tunnel under Mount Rolleston). However the government did not favour the Fell system as used on the Rimutaka Incline which was expensive to operate.