THE NORTHERN MAIN TRUNK RAILWAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 270, 11 November 1908, Page 6

THE NORTHERN MAIN TRUNK RAILWAY.

This line, which was opened for traffic on Monday last, has occupied twentythree years in construction, the first sod having been turned in 18S5, by Sir Robert Stout, at that time Premier. The delay was not due to engineering difficulties, although these, in some places, were formidable. Con.sidera.ble opposition was offered from the outset to the route selected, and this lack of unanimity produced an indifference to the srheme in Parliament, which was taken advantage of by successive Government* to restrict the appropriations to inadequate amounts. The total cos.t he-_ tween Te Awajnutu and Marton, has been £2,650,000, which is nearly double _tke original estimate. The cost of the whole line from Auckland to Welling-. tan is estimated at £5,000.000. The most noteworthy engineering works on the line are the Makohine viaductstated to be the largest in the world, and the Makatorn Viaduct, nearly as large. The spiral, by which the track rises 400 feet in one mile, stands preeminent among works of this kind. T?etween Taumarumii and Waimarino, the railway rises 2060 feet. At Raurimu the line is 1920 feet above sea-level, and at Waimarino it attains an altitude of 2ti3« feet. An ascent ol 700 feet is effected within a distance of four miles, in which fhe spiral contributes 400 feet. Between Te Awamutu and >larton. there are 20 tunnels, and the total number between Auckland and Wellington is 36.