The Northern Explorer from Auckland to Wellington crosses the Waikanae River along Kapiti Coast, just north of the capital. The 680Km/ 420 mile journey takes about 11 hours and is popular with tourists.
Trains on 3' 6" (1.067m) track from Whangarei to Bluff with virtually heritage rebuilt EMD and GE locomotives still the mainstay power. The network was privatized in 1990's and operated by Toll until 2008 when state owned KiwiRail was established.