Kiwirail Dargaville Shunt. DC4029

The DC4029 headed Dargaville Shunt recorded at several locations.
1st scene, Waiotira after the locomotive has changed ends and heads away up the branch.
2nd scene, arriving at Dargaville.
3rd and 4th scenes, shunting at Dargaville.
5th scene, arriving at Portland.
Remaining scenes, shunting at Portland.
www.flickr.com/photos/84624351...
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[@madpetrolhead]

The Dargaville line brings back a lot of memories, my Mum was born in Dargaville on a farm and my Uncle new a few of the railway guys, I used to go for rides on the small diesel shunter up and down the yard as a kid, great fun. In those days the rail mainly carried diary products from the milk treatment factory, I din't recognise the station area at all, sure has changed a lot, good to see the branch still being used.

[@HotForgeChaos]

I was up Dargaville ways last weekend. The property I was at had the line running right past it, and it hasn't seen a train of any sort in a very long time judging by the state of the rails

[@anthony851]

Lots has changed since this video was shot during Rusty Rails 2013. The DC loco was withdrawn Feb 2014 and was scrapped 14/11/2018. The Dargaville Branch now runs rail carts and the Otiria Branch is mothballed past Kauri. The Drewry loco seen in this video near the end is at Kawakawa along with it's sibling at the BOIVR. Thanks for watching and commenting, Anthony.

[@andyrh9]

Thanks so much for capturing such rare scenes. Never knew what those yards looked like at Dargaville and Portland. The lines look so run down but they are still there and still being used :) Cheers

[@tkshelford]

excellent !!!

[@tkshelford]

excellent top class vid be good to get some more shots on the branch itself job well done

[@anthony851]

Also a couple photos on my flickr. Link for set is in video description. Thanks for watching.

[@beaka50]

cool! hopefully someone will capture them in action at some stage.didn't realise there was a mill there.

[@Dapper_the_slapper]

I don't think I've ever seen trains in Dargaville :O

[@charlienorton2337]

What engine do the dc’s have?

[@anthony851]

EMD 12-645C. The locos were rebuilt from DA class which had EMD 12-567. Thanks for watching and commenting, Anthony.

[@beaka50]

great stuff! does the shunter at 3:07 still get any use? nice to see the DC running hood forward. would be challenging for visibility in unpleasent weather.

[@HotForgeChaos]

That's the Portland Cement TR class switcher I think, but I don't think it runs anymore

[@Emmanuel4334]

Its a shame no more trains are running down the line anymore.. Would anybody know if passengers ran down that way in the old days.

[@anthony851]

+Emmanuel Habtegabre According to Quail the Dargaville Branch closed to passengers in 1974. I was on an excursion in 2001 from Dargaville to Whangarei. Maybe it was the last time passengers were on the line. Anthony

[@Emmanuel4334]

*****​ thanks Anthony man do you think passengers will ever return to Dargaville revisit the old station. looking at Aucklands population is growing.

[@89.8kiwifm9]

The Dargaville branch line opened in 1940. Until March 1967, mixed trains carrying both passengers and freight ran to connect with passenger services on the North Auckland Line - the Northland Express (Auckland-Opua and return) until November 1956, and then the 88 seater railcars (Auckland-Okaihau and return). After March 1967, the line carried freight only. The line was closed to passengers in 1974 due to the poor state of the tracks, which remains to this day. For the line to ever re-open it would need significant upgrading and repair (as most branch lines in NZ do).

[@anthony851]

The tracksets were recycled from the troublesome section north of Okaihau. This section is believed to never have had a revenue service although the PWD were carrying passengers and freight. Thanks for watching and commenting, Anthony.