THE TRUNK LINE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9308, 7 August 1908, Page 1

THE TRUNK LINE.

— -—♦——— • . WELLINGTON TO AUCKLAND, AN: HISTORIC JOURNEY. [From Oub Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, August 6. , The special train that will leave Wellington to-morrow night on its way to Auckland will be making an historic journey. The two northern cities will be in direct communication for the first .time; and the passengers , will be traversing the 426 miles that separate the cities in shorter time than has hitherto been possible. The distance will be covered, if the time-table is observed, in a little under twenty hours, despite the 'slow speed that will be necessary on the central sections where the ballasting is not yet completed.; The long stretch of line between Waiouru and Taumarunui is not yet officially open. The Public Works Department will take charge of the train upon arrival at Waiouru, and it is probable that two engines will be attached to it for the journey over the central portion, in order to avoid the big concentratioh of weight which is unavoidable with the larger locomoj tives. Thus the new track will be respected On the well-consolidated portions of the unopened line, such as that between Makatoto and Taumarunui, a speed of twenty-fivo miles an hour will be observed, but where the platelayer has only just finished wo.rk six miles an hour will be the schedule time. Five of the new express passenger coaches designed for the through service will be included in the train. Ip™Jh are -Ii my lehicKI chic K fifty feet in £?A Wl^i°^ f ortablo seats, which can be adjusted at either the "sitting" or. the "lounge" arigfe Two me^^wlf n £ a " .? ar W1 " be reserved for ladies a^d three, of the new cars and a & emokuig-car for men, while the Govfe not s car and ministerial car axe to be ' at the disposal of members of the Administration. The refreshment cS fnd the luggage van will make up this pfo- \ neer through tram of eleven vehicles weighing 21S tons, and carrying two hundre^ passengers. The sleeping cars : that will be used on the line wlTen it has been opened are not yet ready fo T » J? h< A n i n i c hat °° nn6ct s Wellington ' and Auckland presents features that 5 are familiar to people who have read ; the newspapers during the last decade. < it l B^ h€ > greatest engineering work « that the New Zealand Government has i undertaken, and it includes some engineering achievements that have , drawn attention to the dominion in the engineering circles of the world. There is the great Makohine Viaduct, ] with its three central spams of 247 ft } 176 ft and 247 ft respectively, and Jon- f taming 12,000 tons of concrete and : 1252 tons of steel and iron. Later 1 1 comes the Makatote Viaduct, the hi'erh- '. est and longest in New Zealand, *otft ; high and 891 ft long. The line attains an elevation of 2600 ft at Waimarino, where the train traverses a plain commanded by the active volcanoes of Tongariro and Ruapehu, and a little further on is the Raurimu spiral, a remarkable piece of work. The line abounds in points of interest.