The Northern Explorer train ride is an iconic rail trip. This is the second time I have taken this trip, just loving riding the train.
A great little 2 minute video by the Kiwi Rail people really helps get the idea across.
www.kiwirailscenic.co.nz/northern-explorer
The train leaves Wellington at 7:55 in the morning. As this was an early start for my sister and myself, my brother in law drove us both to the station and saw us off. Sad to say goodbye to him. He is a wonderful person.
Interiors were really nice and comfortable. Glass doors whooshed open when you neared.
The screen would show places of interest or historical facts. We were all supplied with headphones to take this all in.
It started out as a grey day but quickly burnt off to a lovely sunny day with clouds here and there.
The light came up as we moved out of the city, up through the suburbs, up the coast highway before swinging inland. A lot of the train line goes where there are no highways, making it more interesting than just following the road.
Mainly it is all in pictures. Some are better than others. It IS a moving train. Window reflections, shake all contribute to the quality. There was an open car at the end of the train where I was able to get a few shots without windows.
We got a little introductory talk from the conductor who enjoyed his own joke of "no wifi cause we have windows live!"
The train had a cafe car that served very good food produced by a Kiwi company called "Wishbone". They made wonderfully fresh raw or cooked food that really impressed me.
This ride is about 11 hours long. There are quite a few stops along the way. Some for towns, some for Narional Parks, some to way for a freight train to pass going south.
Dried rain drops on window, reflections and a river carving it's way under a small mountain.
Coming up on National Park, a hop off point for a lot of hikers.
The train goes north every second day and south on the other days. Longer in number of cars in high season, it uses two engines, or like our train that day, only 6 or 7 cars, one engine.
The views at different points are spectacular. Gorges, bridge crossings, wide rivers, wild forest area, farmland and small hamlets and villages.
In the middle of this trip is the Raurimu Spiral, a "marvel of engineering" allowing the train to make a 200 metre rise. Something like six miles to cover what is really 2 miles.
A little to the right...
A little to the left...
"It is the stretch between Raurimu and National Park, where the land rises too steeply for a direct rail route. A direct line between these two points would rise 200 metres (660 ft) in a distance of some 5 kms, a gradient of 1 in 24.
Problem solved with a line that looped back upon itself and then spiralled around with the aid of tunnels and bridges, rising at a gradient of 1 in 52. Trip possible!
According to the literature.
I'm sure this is a well frequented "bottle shop"
Well, we settled in for the ride and got to Auckland only 1 hour late (as per the last time I rode the train) . The train station is still the interior of a spaceship. I only seem to have seen it at night when I am tired. I blows me away with the amount of stainless steel and glass.
A short walk to our hotel, with living wall seen on the way and we tucked ourselves in to a perfect room, a perfect view, a perfect day.
Our view that night. Right in the core, with the marina and waterside a five minute walk away.
Auckland, we are here!
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