MilkTrain 544L Attacking The Westmere Bank 

#WestmereBank #KiwiRail #MilkTrain Eight wagons of milk are included in the consist of this train, climbing New Zealand's second steepest mainline gradient. It is the final week of milk haulage for this service in 2020 as the peak of the dairy season passes.
This train runs from Palmerston North to the Fonterra Dairy factory at Whareroa. Included is eight 70 ton milk wagons from Longburn. The wagons carry peak season milk to Whareroa where the large factory has the capacity to handle the extra milk from the neighbouring region. The containers trailing behind are empty and will be loaded with finished product at Whareroa. The Train is hauled by a pair of DL Class locomotives.
This video was taken from Matipo Park on the outskirts of Aramoho on the Marton - New Plymouth Railway. The Westmere Bank is one of New Zealands steepest railway gradients. The gradient averages at about 1/35 (2.86%) but has sections as steep as 1/33 (3.03%). It was opened on 28 June 1879 and is the ruling gradient of the Marton - New Plymouth Railway.
The KiwiRail DL class was manufactured by CRRC Dalian 中车大连机车车辆有限公司 with engines from MTU. Introduced from 2010 onwards, they are the most powerful diesel-electric locos in service in New Zealand. The class represents the first order for a Chinese-built locomotive from a western country