A freight train to Picton crosses lake Grassmere, which has an active salt industry. It produces about 30'000 tons of salt per year, which covers about half of New Zealands salt consumption.
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.
