The PNGL is a line that was not actually completed until the 1940s and which in particular between Napier and Gisborne has struggled to stay open in the last two decades. Right now it is under review again and may yet close. The line was to be extended via Moutohora and Waioeka through to Taneatua to meet up with the East Coast Main Trunk but in part due to the fact that a spiral would have been required, the works were never completed and the Moutohora Branch closed in 1959 while the Taneatua end has been closed since the late 1990s although the track remains in place.
The maps below break down significant features of the route.
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| Starting at Milson an early feature is a proposed never-built deviation (yellow). There are a couple of sidings nearby. | Ashhurst at the entrance to the Manawatu Gorge, with the the first two tunnels (triangles). |
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| Deeper into the Gorge with a number of bridges (green arrows) and the remaining three tunnels which have been daylighted. | Oringi and the freezing works siding. |
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| Tapuata with a siding which may have loaded fertiliser. | These curves at Makotuku may have been part of the railway in the past. |
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| The former (aqua) and present (red) Ormondville Viaduct routes. A tunnel was apparently planned along the yellow route but has never been built. | The site of Takapau station which also had a freezing works siding nearby of which no apparent trace remains. |
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| Just east of Takapau is the present crossing loop and another freezing works siding. | At Marakeke are the works and sidings of the Hatuma Lime Co. |
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| Waipukurau has a freezing works siding just to the south. | Just north of Waipukurau an overbridge was rebuilt in 2009. |
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| Tomoana has several sidings including the freezing works. | Whakatu also has sidings with a freezing works. |
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| Clive for many years had rolling stock belonging to the NZ Railway and Locomotive Society. | Awatoto has a fertiliser works siding and a ballast pit somewhere nearby (? symbol speculated). Other sidings existed north of the station. |
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| Napier station was formerly adjacent to the vanished locomotive depot and workshops. The station used to be a little north of its present location. | Napier's port is served by the Ahuriri Branch. The junction with the main line was moved a little to the west in 1941. |
