DFM 7145 approaches Huapai with train 125 from Whangarei. The scenic and rustic line passes through 13 tunnels over the 200 Km. It currently loses around $2 million annually due to light traffic and has been under threat of closure for years.
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.