The North Island Main Trunk train line will likely be shut until Thursday after a train derailed near Hunterville last night

One locomotive and 12 wagons left the tracks - leaving the second locomotive and other wagons behind.

Heavy rain washed out three sections south of Hunterville - one about five metres wide, and two smaller breaches.

Traction poles were damaged and the line's unlikely to open before Thursday.

Kiwirail lower north island operations general manager Paul Ashton says the driver is shaken but uninjured.

He says at 11pm visibility was only through the locomotive headlights and the driver didn't see anything untoward.