Turangarere railway station
Turangarere was a flag station on the North Island Main Trunk line, in the Ruapehu District of New Zealand, in the Hautapu River valley. Turangarere is part way up a 1 in 70 gradient from Mataroa to Hīhītahi, so that it is above Ngaurukehu and below Hīhītahi. The station was on a horseshoe curve, formed to avoid an even steeper gradient, by adding about to the route. Only a single track now remains through the former station site. Name In 1909 it was proposed to name the crossing siding Hautapu. However, it became Gardner & Son's Siding, usually abbreviated to Gardners Siding, which was changed to Turangaarere on 25 October 1928. The Geographical Board recognised a change from Tarangarere to Turangaarere in 1929. Hīhītahi, the next settlement up the line, had its name changed from Turangaarere in 1910. History The line from Mataroa to Turangarere was completed and equipped with a telegraph line by the Public Works Department in 1906. The line to the tunnel entrance to the south was in place by August 1906. It was transferred to NZR on 1 July 1908. Railway houses were added in 1920. Bridge Turangarere Bridge has five spans to cross the Hautapu.