Rimutaka Tunnel
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Line | Wairarapa Line |
| Location | Rimutaka Ranges, Wellington, New Zealand |
| Coordinates | West portal: 41°6′28.36″S 175°8′22.18″E / 41.1078778°S 175.1394944°E East portal: 41°7′57.8″S 175°14′23.31″E / 41.132722°S 175.2398083°E |
| Status | Open |
| Start | Maymorn, Upper Hutt |
| End | Rimutaka Loop |
| Operation | |
| Opened | 3 November 1955 |
| Owner | New Zealand Railways Corporation |
| Operator | KiwiRail (freight), Transdev Wellington (passenger) |
| Character | Passenger/freight |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 8.798 kilometres (5.5 mi) |
| No. of tracks | Single |
| Track gauge | 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) |
| Electrified | Provided for 1500vDC but not installed |
| Operating speed | 100 km/h (62 mph) |
The Rimutaka Tunnel (officially Tunnel 2, Wairarapa Line) is a railway tunnel through New Zealand's Rimutaka Ranges, between Maymorn, near Upper Hutt, and Featherston, on the Wairarapa Line.
The tunnel, which was opened to traffic on 3 November 1955, is 8.798 kilometres (5.467 mi) long. It was the longest tunnel in New Zealand, superseding the Otira Tunnel in the South Island until the completion of the Kaimai Tunnel (8.88 km, 5.55 miles) near Tauranga in 1978. Rimutaka remains the longest tunnel in New Zealand with scheduled passenger trains.
The tunnel was built as part of a deviation to replace the costly Rimutaka Incline and its Fell engines.
The original route between Upper Hutt and Featherston was often the subject of criticism, even before it was built. In 1898 J. H. Dobson completed several surveys on behalf of the Public Works Department into possible alternatives. Conclusions reached in 1899 as a result of these surveys did little more than confirm previous opinions. One promising possibility was a 5-mile (8.0 km) tunnel between Mangaroa and Cross Creek, which received so much attention that it nearly became the much-sought deviation. By 1900, however, it was realised that the cost of constructing such a tunnel could not be contemplated at that time.
It was not until the 1920s that significant campaigning for a replacement again prevailed on the government. In 1921-22 a feasibility study was conducted, including distances and estimated costs. Several routes were considered, including variations on previous ideas, but nothing more was done at the time.
The new Labour government of 1936 announced its intention to proceed with the Mangaroa to Cross Creek tunnel. Detailed surveys were completed in 1938/1939, but the project was again postponed due to World War II.
After World War II it became a matter of urgency to consider a replacement. The H class locomotives were showing their age, the Incline was in bad shape, and maintenance costs were increasing. Between September 1945 and July 1947 four options were considered. It was accepted that no contour line could be the solution and that a tunnel under the Rimutaka Ranges was the only satisfactory answer. The adopted route was the shortest route, a tunnel between Mangaroa and Lucena’s Creek gully.
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