Government officials will learn next month if the nation's rail tracks are up to scratch or have been left to run down.
The Land Transport Safety Authority is due to receive the second part of a consultants' report investigating the state of the rail network.
In July the authority released details of
the first part of the study by rail safety experts Halliburton KBR, which endorsed the contracting-out of track maintenance to Australian firm Transfield.
But Halliburton did say the authority should have wider powers to monitor Tranz Rail's safety records.
Speculation about the amount of money needed to maintain the network to its present standard, or to significantly improve it, vary widely.
Some of Tranz Rail's big customers say the network cannot be valued at anything more than what it was 10 years ago, as the tracks do not go to any new places.
Many sidings have been pulled up as an attempt to rationalise the freight business of Tranz Rail, which wants to concentrate on moving only those goods that earn it an adequate rate of return.
