The trains here are narrow guage and the coaches seem to dangerously overhang the track. Book in for this service was almost airline style. Baggage was checked in and etickets checked at the desk. There were only three passanger carriages. One contained the dining area. Up front, behind the baggage car was an open observation platform and at the rear a closed one.
From the open area you easily get a feeling of speed.
Our journey took us through miles of open countryside, over gorges, with a stop in the National Park.
The train stops at the town of Ohakune. At this stop you can either buy food in the buffet car or at the station cafe. We chose to buy our food in the buffet car and eat it sitting at the picnic tables along side the track.At this spot the Tongariro volcanic peaks are visble. There is little snow near the summit.
From here its pretty much down hill with the engineering feature being the Raurimu Spiral. It was declared a 'wonder of the world' when it was completed in 1908. It has three horse shoe curves, a complete circle and two tunnels.
Sally and Zoe met as at Britomart, a little later than expected; our south of North Island complete.
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