OVER-WORKED.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 84, 10 April 1929, Page 10

OVER-WORKED.

RAILWAY TO FRANKTON.

RELIEF SCHEMES IN HAND.

EFFORT TO AVERT DELAYS. IMPROVEMENTS AND ALTERATIONS (By Telegraph.—Special to " Star.") HAMILTON, this day. As far tack as 1924 it was recognised that the railway linking the Waikato with Auckland was inadequate to carry the traffic, and at that time schemes were evolved by which a certain amount of relief would be forthcoming. In l his report to Parliament the chief engineer of the railways said that the capacity of the single line of track between Ngaruawahia and Frankton had been reached, and in order to avoid delays, which were of frequent oecur- • ence, and to enable the movement of traffic to be carried on efficiently and satisfactorily, the duplication between the stations named was necessary. Under the 1914 Railways Improvement Authorisation Act, arrangements were made to have the line duplicated between Fenrose and Papakura, at a cost of £80,000 and £40,000 was assessed as the cost of duplicating the line between Frankton and Ngaruawahia. Within the last two years the railway out of Auckland southwards has been duplicated as far as Papatoetce, where work has stopped meantime. For some months past gangs of men have been employed duplicating the line to Horotiu. some seven miles north of Fiankton, and that work is rapidly nearing completion. So far advanced is it that it is expected to have trains running over the section towards the end of May this year. When this stretch has been completed it is contended by railway officials that delays to trains between Frankton and Auckland will be decreased. In addition the single line automatic signalling installation between Auckland and frankton should be an accomplished e °' May. This *b»>ill help the running of train* to Wieduli considerably,, ' ,

General Manager Takes a Hand. Of late there has been much inconvenience caused to the travelling public by the late running of the Main Trunk and other express trains. Many and varied have been the excuses, chief of which were that the expresses—particularly the Limited —had been held up by having to wait to cross other trains at wayside stations. It is understood that the general manager (Mr. H. H. Sterling) has taken the matter in hand, and is having inquiries made with a view to having express, and other main passenger trains, run to schedule, or as an alternative recasting some of the timetables.

It has been recognised for some time that the Auckland-Frankton line is quite incapable of carrying the everincreasing traffic. More trains are being run to-day than ever before, and it is a fact that passenger traffic—despite motor competition—is also increasing. Express train running has been hampered to a great extent by the weight and length of goods trains, and many unnecessary waits have been occasioned to all classes of crossing trains. In order to facilitate train running there are some big schemes on hand between Mercer and Frankton. About halfway between the former station and Whangamarino a loop line is bein» constructed, which will be fully a quarter of a mile long, and capable of holding a train of 72 wagons. Similarly about halfway between Ohinewai and Huntly, at Kimihia. another loop has been made of the same length. The one between Mercer and Whan<xamanno will be an unattended loop, it being controlled by the electric automatic signalling outfit through the train control officer at Auckland. The loop at Kimihia has been similarly con-stmct-ed, and both have telephones installed at the side of the track. Bv this means the guard, or engine driver of a train at either loop can ring train control and let the whereabouts of his train be known. These two line up-to-date loops in themselves will save many valuable minutes to crossing trains between Mercer and Horotiu. The first main line loop eliminates a run of seven miles, and the one at Kimihia one of at least five miles. These two with the seven miles of duplcation track between Frankton and Horotiu make practically a saving of twenty miles of track for crossing purposes. ° 1

Work Proceeding Apace. *i^ t iS£ at for tJ ? e P resen t is known as , **™ n & ai narino loop some 10.000 JMOB w «*rthworka were and]

about one-third of a mile of the main line will have to be rebuilt. At one time there were sidings at Kimihia. but these were removed. The work there was easy in comparison, as all the formation was ready, and it was just a case of laying the track. A considerable amount of work is also being carried out at r-mpiri. Here the stockyards are being shifted to another a id more convenient site; much vacant ground is being Tilled in and new railway sidings are being laid to cope with increased traffic.

Tests on the new railway bridge site crossing the Waikato River at Ngaruawahia have proved satisfactory, and preparations are in hand for the structures Greet ion. It is understood thai tenders for this work will be called shortly. The question of what will be done with the old bridge !;fis not been settled. A new river crossing is needed to carry the extra heavy trains and engines which increased traffic warrants. In the seven miles' duplication work from Frankton to Horotiu some 2.5,000 yards of earthworks were involved, and as railway construction work goes the job has been an easy one.

Frankton railway yards Ilftve been improved and much enlarged;• Tnit even now the amount of traffic of all kinds to be handled causes heavy congestion at times. Schemes are being gone into to give further facilities for handling traffic.

At the present time railway engineers and officials are going into the matter of improving the Huntly station and yards. This is another big problem in the general reorganisation of traffic control between Frankton and Auckland. It is also understood that even bigger problems are exercising the minds of those officials at head office in the direction of duplicating the whole line, easing grades and curves, and constructing the Pokeno-Paeroa line across the Hauraki Plains.