As the rain comes down, Mike Kilsby amps up the power on train 826 after stopping to attach three bankers (helper locos) for the 3% climb up through the 8km (5 mile) long Otira Tunnel.

The pointy end of loaded coal train 846 glides through the yard at Otira.

Loco Engineer Neil D. connects the MU cable and brake hoses between three banker locos and the road power of an eastbound coal train for a run up through the 3% Otira tunnel. 5304 is the lead lead... (more)

With the loaded ‘coalie’ stretched around Otira’s station the five big GE DXCs with 15.000 horsepower in total create ‘thunder in the mountains’ as they get Train number 844 under way on its clim... (more)

With five DXC’s on the front the three bankers and two train locomotives roll Train NO 844 over the Rolleston River bridge on the approach to the west portal of the Otira Tunnel on their way to ... (more)

The Otira bankers wait next to the re-fueling station high in the Otira yards as NO 829, a westbound freight train, descends the hill into Otira on its way to Refton.

As the last traces of dusk slip over the Southern Alps, five DXs lift a short 18 wagon coal train away from Otira's top yard with less drama than usual. Sitting in a deep valley, the megatropilopo... (more)

Nestled in a mountain valley in the middle of the South Island, Otira is lucky to see an hour of sunshine in the middle of winter, that’s if you can see the sky at all as this is an area often ass... (more)

Empty containers destined for the Hokitika dairy plant head west along the South Island's midland line

Bottoming out. A pair of DXs in the nasty "Toll Rail" livery bring empty coalie 849 off the grade and into the Otira yard. All very well for descending empties, but loaded trains travelin... (more)

DFT7117+DFT7104 hauling the TranzAlpine across the Taramakau River in the Southern Alps.

Ranked in top 10 most beautiful train rides in the world