Kaimai Tunnel
The Kaimai Tunnel is a railway tunnel through the Kaimai Range in the North Island of New Zealand. Since it was opened in 1978, it has held the title of longest tunnel, at 8.879 kilometres (5.517 mi), in New Zealand, assuming this distinction from the previous title holder, the Rimutaka Tunnel. It is part of the Kaimai Deviation, which was constructed to bypass the old route of the East Coast Main Trunk Railway through the Karangahake Gorge (part of which has been preserved as the Goldfields Railway).
Kaimai Tunnel eastern portal and the Whatakao Stream bridges in the 1970s | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Line | East Coast Main Trunk Railway |
| Location | Waikato / Bay of Plenty, New Zealand |
| Coordinates | West (Waikato) portal: 37.6991°S 175.8462°E East (Bay of Plenty) portal: 37.6596°S 175.9335°E |
| Status | Open |
| System | New Zealand Railways Corporation |
| Start | Hemopo |
| End | Whatakao Stream |
| No. of stations | None |
| Operation | |
| Opened | 12 September 1978 |
| Operator | KiwiRail |
| Character | Passenger/freight |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 8.879 kilometres (5.517 mi) |
| No. of tracks | Single |
| Track gauge | 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) |
| Highest elevation | 80 metres (260 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 40 metres (130 ft) |
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