Canterbury's Coal Line

Welcome to Canterbury’s Coal Line – Lyttelton to Otira.

Moving export coal from the West Coast of the South Island to the Port of Lyttelton is a big task, and Toll Rail achieves this efficiently and impressively.

As well as the usual obstacles of tight curves and steep grades through the mountainous terrain of the Southern Alps, these heavy trains have to negotiate the huge 8.5 kilometre long Otira tunnel where two of their most powerful diesel electric locos, the DX class, just aren’t enough.

Bring on the DX helper locos: the Otira Bankers. These three locos have the job of assisting the coal trains from Otira to Arthurs Pass – the sight and sound of five DX’s straining out of the tunnel is tremendous.

Competing for track space with the ‘coalies’are the mixed freights and the daily Tranzalpine passenger express trains. The Tranzalpine has grown in length over the years, its popularity with local and overseas tourists ever increasing. Be it summer or winter – the scenery is exceptional.

The program concludes with an extended length coal train trial between Otira and Arthurs Pass where seven DX locomotives haul in excess of 40 coal wagons through the Otira tunnel.

Run-by shots of full length trains are included. No narration - the trains do all the talking.