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)

While the eastern rail approach to the Southern Alps is more rugged and dramatic, the West Coast (which has unfairly garnered a reputation as having a permanent pall of miserable weather) has a ch... (more)

The sole pair of South Island based KiwiRail painted DXs at the time were paired up for a few days in March 2009 after we arranged to have them on a passenger train for some aerial photography and... (more)

A mixed up mess of colour leads a loaded coal train through the scrub covered Waimakariri River floodplain towards Cora Lynn. 5258 is a KiwiRail patched Toll green snotbonnet while 5327 wears the ... (more)

Although there are still a few locos running around in fruit salad colours 25 years since the last loco was officially painted, I was pleasantly surprised to catch a pair of them coming into Greym... (more)

KiwiRail attired DX 5460 and DC 4513 bring a short off-season TranzAlpine train toward Moana, with the swampy edge of Lake Brunner and the foothills of the Southern Alps in the background.

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

DXs 5431 and 5039 work east across the Slovens Creek Viaduct and through tunnel 16 with export coal bound for the Port of Lyttleton, near Christchurch.

5258 and 5327 work eastwards past the Mt White Bridge across the Waimakariri River

Apologies for disturbing this bovine trio grazing in damp farmland near Kotuku while the Tranz scuttles past in the background.

After traversing the Waimakariri gorge, Staircase and Broken River, the TranzAlpine passenger train reaches relatively flat land for a brief period as it heads toward the Southern Alps on a lovely... (more)

Way back in 1989, Ken Devlin and I waited at the Bushey Bridge for ages awaiting the return of this excursion train. Two Southerner expresses passed by under cloud cover before the sun magically a... (more)

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.

A DX+DC combo head up the Cass Bank in the Tranz Rail blue days

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