Mountain Thunder

Ahead of Mountain Thunder, train 234S breaks the silence in its own way, as DL 9607 and DL 9164 cross the Hautapu River

6 August 2022

After a photo run on the Turangarere horseshoe, DBR 1254 leads the train north again through Hihitahi

6 August 2022

The three locomotives pass over a short road overpass just off State Highway 1 as the train nears Waiouru

6 August 2022

DBR 1254 and the pair of DAs roar into the distance as the long train heads north

6 August 2022

Train B04 crests the grade approaching Waiouru, the highest station on the New Zealand rail network

6 August 2022

With snow-covered Mt Ruapehu in the background, DBR 1254 approaches Waiouru for a passenger stop

6 August 2022

The train heads towards Mt Ruapehu just before stopping at Waiouru

6 August 2022

AG 19 brings up the rear of the train as it heads towards Mt Ruapehu and Waiouru

6 August 2022

After the last passenger stop, DBR 1254 leads the train up the grade towards the State Highway 49 level crossing at Tangiwai

6 August 2022

Pulling the train up the grade, DBR 1254 gleams as it leads the train through Tangiwai. DBR 1254's headstock got a fresh coat of paint for the excursion

6 August 2022

After passing through National Park, train B04 approaches the top of the Raurimu Spiral

6 August 2022

At the bottom of the Raurimu Spiral, train B04 takes the loop at Raurimu station. Here, the locomotives will run around the train and DA 1410 will lead all the way back to Paekakariki

6 August 2022

The trio pull into the loop at Raurimu, before running around the train

6 August 2022

Now at their final destination, DBR 1254, DA 1431 and DA 1410 enter the loop

6 August 2022

After running around and departing Raurimu, DA 1410 leads the train as it heads out of the lower runnel of the Raurimu Spiral

6 August 2022

DA 1410 and DA 1431 exit the lower tunnel of the Raurimu Spiral and into the upper tunnel. The NIMT was once the domain of the DA class, before the introduction of the DX and later the EF classes

6 August 2022

DA 1410, DA 1431 and DBR 1254 work hard to lift their train up the 1 in 50 grade of the Raurimu Spiral, with the DAs now heading back home to Paekakariki and DBR 1254 heading to Palmerston North

6 August 2022