THE RAKAIA RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 10886, 1 July 1899, Page 8

THE RAKAIA RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

ROYAt.;'COMMISSION OP INQUIRY.- ------; SECOND .DAY./" , \, r* > f THE, EVIDENCE , : The. Royal 'CommissionVresumed at the Provincial Council ».nV yesterday. Messrs A. L. Beattie, locomotive engineer, and W. H. Gaw, dHricVtramc manager, were present, in addition toJfehose who were present at the opening of the Commission. V\ , J. T. Parsons, stationmaster at Ashburton, was (the first witness called, ana/said there were no exceptional dreumstapces connected with the arrival of the trahis. The first train was *nade up of thirty carriages and-a brake van. The delay in get\ ting the second train away »t evening was caused by a van being off the line, wihich' had nothing to do with, the excursion train. Witness gave the order to start, and the guard started the train by blowing : a whistle and holding up his hand. The engine was on /the main line, about four carriages from -the north end of the station, where the guard stood, and .there were about fifteen carriages on the train. Having related how Guard Climpson missed the train, he said 'that the train would be going about fifteen miles an hour as the van passed out of the station. He had no knowledge of the running of a train late.to Rakaia. If trains were late, one station advdsed the other, but he would noi be. advised of the train in question being late, as he was too far away. Rakaia would, be the first place advised. George William Atmore, at Chertsey, deposed that he saw the trains returning, and the second train was going faster than the first. He gave the usual signals—at night time the steady green lamp. His attention was not called by any signals from either of the trains. When he received a message from Ashburton that the guard had been left behind, he asked if there was a guard on the train, and was told there was an assistant. When a train approached it whistled a long whistle if a signal was not shown. " That was the custom ; he did not think there was a rule. The' Chairman quoted regulation 354, which instructed the driver to whistle on approaching a station. . Witness said he knew an engine whistled on approaching a station, but understood the question to be whether there was a rule that drivers should whistle for a signal. The Chairman said that was what he did ask.' and the "rule he had read, distinctly said he should. Witness .said he misunderstood the question. . John May, statioMnaster at Rakaia, deposed' to receiving the telegram from Ashburton of the guard being left behind. The Chairman: You got it ten miuutes, then, after it was received? . Witness: I got it as the train whistled its signal. The Chairman: Don't you think it was important enough for the cadet to nave closed the office and delivered it in the Nation to you? Witness: He would not do so unless he ' was told expressly. The Ohoifman: Did you have any advice of 21 going South being late? Witness: No official advice. What time did it arrive? It reached the bridge about four minutes past seven. . What steps did you take to protect the train standing at the platform, wnich was an exceptionally long one? I gave a signal lamp properly lighted to a competent man, and instructed him to go well back, so that no train should pass. He continued, that the second excursion train came from the rise at apparently full steam, and it came fast into the station limits without any signal from the station that it should do so. When he saw the rear train approaching he did not move the standing train until he saw there must be a collision. Never before, while at Rakaia, had the irregularity occurred of a.driver coming within the station limits without being signalled to do so. J. O'Neill, clerk at Rakaia station, who carried out the danger signal, gave evidence that he held up the light about level with his shoulder. He did not take shelter on the Methven- engine from the rain. In giving the signal he "stood square"; he did not stand edgewise.' He saw the head light of the train about a mile off. The driver would not see the danger light so soon. Just before it reached him the driver whistled, and then whistled for brakes. The train went exceptionally fast past him. The Chairman: I don't know if you have been correctly reported, but in your evidence before the Court you seem to have confused the distances of 300 yards and three-quarters - of a mile. You stood 300 yards out, and when asked how far a light should be taken,' you said three-quarters of a mile? I did not say that; I was incorrectly reported. Michael Gardner, driver of the' first engine, stated that he whistled a quarter of a mile from the station limit for the signal, and had he not received it, he could have pulled lip in the quarter, as he had shut off steam between a quarter and a half mile, and'the driver of the second engine shut off steam c about the same time. Witness 'Toroke ,in'\ the train himself, first applying the tender brake, and then the air brake. He used no sand. v He found no difficulty in "braking" the train. A question was handed to the Commission 1 by Driver Dawson, which the Commissioner read:—Did you, on a Baldwin engine, run past two stations in consequence of your air brake failing to act —Styx and Sefton? Witness: Yes. Mr D.vwson drew attention to the fact that the witness had been stopped by an officer of the Department. Mr Rotherham: I touched the witness and told him not to answer it. It referred to matters outside the accident. The Chairman: Yes, but it may have some bearing on the alleged inefficiency of the br.ke power. Mr Rotherham: In that case there is no objection to the question being answejed. Dr. Giles: If any officer of the Department thinks any- question should not be put or answered, he should mention the matter to the Commission. The Chairman pointed out that the question had been answered, but he repeated it, and witness explained that the brake ,was not in Droper order. He knew of rule 317 as to the rates of speed, and always acted on it. Wm. Hyland, driver of the second engine on the first train, gave evidence. Driver Dawson handed up a question. The Chairman: I was under the impression that you were the driver of the second - train. Dr. Giles suggests as you are not the driver that you should state your position here. I am, as I said yesterday, quite willing to take suggestions, but I would like to know what position you occupy. Mr Dawson: Mr Carter asked mc if I would assist him, as he did not feel able. The Chairman: I should have thought the driver Carter could have done that himself. Are you in the service? Yes"; an engine-driver. Are these questions put at the request of driver Carter? Yes. The Chairman: Here is one question. Carter asks if a semaphore would be of advantage at the Rakaia Station. Witness: That is a matter for an expert. Witness in answer to a question i?aid he had known time being made up by overrunning the timetable speed. The Cfaairman: Notwithstanding rule 317, if your train was kept at a station by traffic or other purposes, until after departure time, you would exceed your timetable speed so long as you did not exceed the allowed maximum? Yes. Chas. Henry Carter, driver of the second tTain, stated that there was a "rule-.which related to the driver, or fireman, seeing that the train properly bleared the platform. The Chairman: Did you or your fireman, just after starting from Ashburton, look back to see if there was a signal or if anything extraordinary occurred. Yes; my* fireman looked back until the train was clear. • We both looked back. We did not see any signal. - It has been stated that the train left at twelve or fifteen tmiles an hour? By the time we had cleared the platform we would be running aocut eight or nine j miles an hoar. We jgot a signal to go I

ttOTugh-ChettSey; l l Whistled for -Jl passed > through' at about '|§t hour. - Going to Rakada the maximum «p&d;. '"M reached was thirty-five; miles., We shut'off; l \\m steam'about half a mile or more south »r/./'.J| Rakaia.. We.wuistled for a signal, but got 'V <J| none.' - '„•.■■. '"■--' "-iM / What did you do then?-- "O-JtS 4 , The tender, brake was .put on, and J applied the" air*--brake. I, found it was'.\ not holding at all i it never' did,'and jl told „ • ;*V •the fireman tor "cut in" the airV>n the tender, . out it had no' more -effect than the hand brake. ~ ' ' •- '.*'-' > -}'M What was the result of your brake power ?| failing! ' - - /. ,';-Ji I. overran the station limits. , c3f If you jhad been'sufficiently on the alert • -/jf* —for the sake of argument—even without ;l3 the air brake on the engine, could you ihave -M brought your, train, to a stand before otun- , ning into the station limits ?.,<. ■ ' -ji|| -. Not under the same circumstances. Had - l£| I, been running before time*—we all do it 1 -:0 jaore or less—or were we killing .time going;' •?% into'.tfhe station, I could have done it. 3ho' Clmh-man t ;You must have a very ''.;S on the New Zealand railwaysX you can kill time in jfchat way. - Hay- ' ,-J ing regard to the train in front of you, and '4looking \» the serious consequences, you { s o- : _- -should have-taken every precaution, should ,3; you not? Slid you reverse your engine at' & once? \ . ' ■ . ' @ No ; I did not. I put on the brakes iwith- . i| out skidding >t_e wheels, and as a Hast re- "\* source reversed the engine, and the wheels -"fH did skid. . \ ,:| You 'have heard tjiih what absolute ease ■*$ Gardiner stopped hi*, engines and a tram '% of .thirty carriages; how, with a similar -fi engine and only seventeen vehicles, did you ':! find it so impossible? \ . I think you will finu he\ran into the sta- : % tion before time. \ > I The Chairman: But that had nothing to - do with ,it. s , .. '/ Witness: They got away in good time, and had plenty of time to run leasily into the station. * You surely won't give .that to mo as a ■} reason. Your first duty is safety of the ~-- public. Surely you dou't wish mc to be-' lieve that you ,were first swayed by a desire- ; to make up. time? \ I was in duty bound to make up time as much as possible, on account of No. 21, which we had to .cross at Rakaia. Punctuality is-a very necessary thing, ,-.; and I admire you for it, but surely certain risks should be avoided, even at the sacrifice of punctuality? I don't want you to leave the impression on the minds of Dr. Giles and myself that your first consideration was to get into Rakaia in time—to. . ~ make up lost time—hammering away re- = gardless of consequences. Witness: I have always carried my trains with safety. (He 'here repeated an account of tliß circumstances of the nighty. The Chairman: Did you see the signal before the collision? ■ ,;' .Yes; just a faint one. r - Did you see the'tail lights of the first ~;. excursion before that? Yes; and witness went on to explain that the- lights seemed to be so much farther away than tJhey were. V . The Chairman: It strikes mc as a rather peculiar thing that an* experienced driver like yourself cannot tell mc approximately ; : l the distance away of the tail lights of the first .train. - ," > ■ . Witness: About five hundred or six hun- . dred yards. ■ Did not that suggest to you the absolute necessity of doing something to prevent' your rushing into them? • '• Yes; I did everything,in my power. I 1 found my htake Was not going to act. ' Yes, but that was wTTen you were. half a mile away from the station? I actually gave my danger signals before I saw the danger ahead of mc. Dr.- Giles:, Who* were they for? ' To warn the - etationmaster that I was coming in and could not stop, as well - as to the guard to . put on the "brakes. The Chairman-: D.* you, after the accident, promptly attribute the collision to the failure of tho air-brake? - Witness: I don't know, if I spoke to thf stationrncster. ' . * ; . To anyone? '"M I cannot say now. ■; <1' { Did you attribute the accident to ans n } . other cause? , Not more than I'have said that had I been warned at Chertsey I should have found out the failure of the brake. Did you ever state to cny' person in the service, that the accident arose from mis-, taking the distance of the tail lights of* first excursion, and that when you Were - v f aware of your mistake'it was too late to' stop the train? Not in that way. • In what way? ' « ' Onlj whrA I have stated. Did you state that you attributed the' error in-judging your distance to wind and rain? . " " No. I do not attribute the error of the judgment of the distance to wind and rain. I am asking you on a telegram which was sent in <the name of Mr Gaw, by Mr ' Stringleman, and he alleges you made the statement to him? I don't know wihat statement I made then. I was in a flurried state; I had no time to . collect myself. The Chairman: There is another-telegram sent by Mr Gaw, on, I understand, the in- . formation received from Mr Beattie. It was - "Driver of second special, who at first stated ho had found 'his brake defective on approaching Rakaia now'admits that his brakes/ were all right and acting properly." - Witness: The brake acted all right before leaving Ashburton and after leaving Rakaia.,-' I never knew the brake to act like it before. Dr. Giles: Your answer is that you never admitted that your brake was right? j It was right before it was tried approaching Rakaia. Dr. Giles repeated has question, and witness answered that he did not iriake the statement attributed to <him. The "brake worked . well from Uhristchuroli to Rakaia. He was not well up with the interior working of the brake. v Was it through this want of knowledge that yqur brake went wrong? I cannot say. Walter Stringleman, traffic, clerk in Mr, Qaw's office, deposed that he was acting ou the 11th and 12th for Mr Gaw, and sent the telegram (read) to the General Manager- . He had heard Driver Carter state that he did not say to him or any one that he. made the statement as to the distance of the lights. Driver Carter did make the statements used in the telegram about the error in judgment. The statements - were made in the presence of Mr Dickenson, running shed foreman. ~ Carter said, after several questions, that he did misjudge the A'stance, but that did not causß the accident. He did not misjudge the distance where he shut off steam. W. H. Gaw, District Traffic Manager, stated that he sent the, telegram 1 on the 13th -March to Wellington, in which it was stated that Carter admitted that the brak* had acted properly. "He got the information from Mr Beattie. A. L. Beattie, Locomotive Engineer fox ,' the Hurunui-Bluff section, stated that Carter first, said he thought his brakes did not hold'; that the brake blocks did "not grip as firmly as expected, owing to the weather. On the Monday following Carter made astatement which was taken down and read over carefully before he signed it. Witness read the statement,. wliioh was dated March 13th, and in which, after describing the run from Ashburton to Rakai* on the night of the accident, proceeded us follows: — "Just coming up the rise out of the dip my mate had his screw brake on, and before reaching the top of the rise I put on my ' air brake very gently. As I was coming up this rise, and nearly to top of it, I saw three re-Ilights ahead, and judged them to b? *.■ the tail lights of the preceding train, which) I knew bad also to cross No. 21 at Rakaia;" I judged that these lights were away beyond the north end of Rakaia platform," because they looked very dull, and; distant. I > thought I had a clear way up to tho plat-// ; form, and whistled for the platform signal, '* but did not get one. Then, finding >my. - train had not reduced in spcsd as much it should have done, I applied the air trak&/v full on in emergency position, called &kmviF Yto pull up the rod, which applies air/brak* '• to tender, and I whistled for guard's brakes, giving three separate calls of threjs short • whistles each. I opened the sand, and found train was not slowing down as much as ane . - ought to have- done, and • could not V feel any assistance from the van,/for I can.- ' tell at almost any time'when guard's brako,. ■ -

. I ia wit on, I we- not aware guard Climp'■i lyiad mis** tea P*Wtt*-nd was not on *-'■ Se«*in • *Vf**^/^„_l W -Vk* • ***** noon, and I could not understand how f - Hadthe . !tH3S-» properly *PPK*I directly I called for i* there would have been no trouble ; in stopping tbe train in time to avert the ■■ :»llisioi>. My engine wheels were not skid- ■■'■ iiWfc I looked over to see if they were. I ' ' have previously noticed that with a dashing rain a sediment washes up from the ballast on to the rail, and the brake has very little effect. I have known where a train could not be pulled up in its ordmary distance on this same account. I did not think the rails would bo so bad on this occasion, or would bare shut off earlier and made earlier preparation for stopping. It is a side rain that makes the rails slippery, usually, as described, . and on Saturday night the rain was behind mc, a heavy southerly gale blowing almost in line with the track. This gale would assist the train towards Rakaia, and help to nullify the brakea My engine brakes were right, and in good order, nothing wrong with them, engine in splendid fettle./ On March l*fch Carter stated, "On approaching Rakaia station, before applying WestUghouse ear brake, the air pressure gauge/was showing 1251b on the square inch./ My boiler pressure was 160 at the time, And as I began to apply'the Westinghouse brake I opened tho steam valve to Westinghouse pump, one additional full turn/" ft ■*«* previously opened about five ttyfts, or thereabout*. You have to open tares turns before enough steam passes to' work the air pump. I do not usually eitry more than 80 to 1001b of air pressure. I had 1261b this time. ' There was no speoial ns» for this. The pump had been freshly oiled leaving Ashburton, and was working Tory freely; 1001b is ample pressure, under sny circumstances it is quite enough. Directly I caw the red lights ahead I opened the sand, the box was full leaving 'Amburton, and I tried it there, finding it 'running freely on both-sides. I had not used it between Ashburton and Rakaia. -First I saw of the red light said to have been shown by O'Neill was just as I ran - past iW I am positive that this light had not been exhibited to us in such a way as to enable us to see it, before getting right up alongside' We were looking ahead for a signal from the time we came out of the ' dip. We caw no lights at the station until after topping the rise north of the dip. Then we taw the red tail-lights of the van ahead of us rt/tf faintly. The rain was coming down then in sheets, and our smoke blew right ahead of us, making it $UH more difficult to see ahead. I judged that O'Neill's red light was showing wont two chains south of the first train s van; it was only just flashed to us as we passed. Something was sung out to ns as we (passed, but I could not hear what was said; storm too heavy. After we struck the van O'Neill came up to mc and said, . '. "Ob, /God, I am in for this." I promptly felt my engine brake blocks, finding them fairly cool—tender blocks pretty warm. I examined my engine at front end, and seeing that there was already a big crowd of people around the cars of Jront train, and that I could not apparently do any good, I walked back to my brake van ,and felt the blocks. They were quite cold, and, by . shaking the brake pull-rods I found .that the brake was not fin. I tried both sides of van, (■. hut -either side was on." The brake blocks '•-' were just up to the wheels and no more. . . ■ Y\}:\Vj Westinghouse brake worked perfectly aU the way from Rakaia to Christchurch, :.Y! end was all right on arrival. My opinion ..ill that tbe first special had made bad brak->-',lng (ground for us at Rakaia; that is, the ; ; ejedunent and slime off their wheels made the .";■ tail much worse for us. I had expected a ;•'■' bad braking ground, and shut off earlier in consequence." -Carter further stated posi- --/ lively that one glass of beer which he had at -' Ashburton was all he had to drink that day. : He did not think the other special engine ] V.;.. men left the shed at all There was not die '..■■:. slightest sign Of intoxication about any of )\-<'. the locomotive or traffic-train men,, and his . mate was at the shed all the time. ' 'Y -.■'<■ Mr Beattie, continuing, said Carter disUy; cussed with im the question of the blocks /..-. on the engine. {A 'The Chairman asked Carter what further ; he toad .to say. "- ' "-' i '' V m> Witness said that as he was placed he did |- f not give every information to Mr Beattie, as v ~; v v .ie v WB_ charged with manslaughter. ; >.': The Cbuirman: The Railway Deportment jfo r did not accuse you, and yon were in no difKtfyi ferent position from any engine-driver under .V'/. similar ciroumstances'. The excuse, ' be- ;■;. cause you were in this peculiar position you .-:.'-. did not think it right to give your superior 'uyr officer all informa—on you'had, was not a A. handsome or creditable one. ;!£; Witness said he did not know what might V , be done elsewhere, whether a driver was, or I",' '•H'concerned were, suspended. (>.. The Chairman: But tbafb is beside the question. Even supposing you did not give :;■ all information you are perfectly clear and •;;. explicit in your statement that your engine £,' and brakes ware all right, and now referring %'"' to this telegram you say you never authors . ised anyone to say, "You admitted the l\ brakes were all right" What am I to think? %y Carter repeated his statement as to the YY brake working well before and after the fx\' accident. PA Mr Beattie, to the Cfoairman, said |~f' that the air brake on the tender must act r" immediately or not. If the chamber had to A, be recharged it would be a minute and a half Kfr before the brake could work. It was a mcA ' cbanical impossibility for the brake on the Y. tender .to act as Carter had it—acting soon F but not immediately. *' * Afte f luncb ' "~ w *"* *» understood, from the report just read, that Carter attributed the accident to the guard's brake not being put on and the rails being greasy? Witness answtred that that was sa His % vm * *kat something went wrong wddenly-with the interior of the .air-brake, / and he believed that from that reason the pwwire of the brake did not reach the wheels. Wm, Climpson, guard of the second train, . «pIM-ed how he came to be left behind. The Chairman remarked that witness, in jot keeping close to the front of the plat- -; °5?.' » Oo,Wie d an error of judgment , ■i-'A _ Witness said he tried to get the driver and i vJ*. fireman alter the itrain got away, but did not' '..-;$ succeed. - J. J. Burrows, assistant to gutfrd Olunp-, son, also gave evidence. He was of opinion that there was no reduction of speed from , Ch«tapy to the place where CNeil held the sea tight. Samuel Hughes, driver of the Methven pain, and W. J. Fit-patrick, a passenger b 7*he «»otod tr_ui, gajve evidence. Arthur J. Watkins, «ngine fitter, gave evidence of the Westinghouse brake bang, on March 12th, found in good order. Had f«7 011 * heen made to the brake since j. «•' Uth March he would nave known. No had been made to the engine, . Wuich had been ruwung since, and no com;pUunta were made. . ; Henry Curson, guard in the first train, :g*ve evidence of what was done to avoid col«aon. He gave the signal for his train to «wv« because he -jought the second train , was coming in too fast. > -hos. Danks deposed that he had been ' •',;, to *tow years driving on the Victorian railA wagoed Sk 1878 to come to New .;.; Zealand to start buainesa From his expe- ; ; -««ace the second excumon train started al- ; wgether too quickly from the Ashburton *««>-. It waa into a speed of 30 to 35 ■* "vtL "* nwir » a- 1 ® °* having, ?i uT w * B too fast considering ', toe gauge and conditions. The quick re- ,- curring noise of the wheels over the jolnts ,; of (he rails was what he formed his idea* on •Mo'the rato of speed. The whistles . mc the guard's brake appeared to be halfwwr between the time the engine brake was »| to be applied and the collision. , , . At three o'clock the Chairman said the I CTO-tisskm. would be pleased to hear the I of any one who could throw light >» »c accident, or its cause. 'J|£&Kt» asked that Francis T. Mather wwwd be called. Witness said he saw the , .' Jaw Jghts and CNeil's light about the Sf** « V* hcaka <» *• s 6 He b * d n<> boowiedge that the engme brakedid not work. When the driver •nut off steam the train would be going at "A SP 1 * 8 * epeed—about 35 or 36 miles an hour. "<•' sported when he said he uPd i?^ 5080 "wa I* like to ask V * *7f heriuH » or Mr Beattie if there was ;. M 'hkakhood of the Westinghouse brake ~:, Whng m the manner suggested, and as V 2JW««ord» "«*-_» were known in the £, j «!»ooonng world ot how -b« Westa-ghouse

n „ „M, -■ -i,. -.. HI "I mil .| ■ ... 111-11 l ■ "' * • brake did its work, and what were the i failures. That was the only point on which . he would like some further evidence re^ ■ corded. > t Mr Beattie put In an article in the "Rail- ; way Times" of November, I^B. The Chairman: We canndt admit paper i articles themselves as evidence. What is . the article based upon? /, . Mr Beattie said it based upon the • Board of Trade figure*. . ', The CJommission aimifcted the article, from , which it appeared- that in 90,000,000 of mile* the brake,had only failed lour tones when .called upon under ordinary circum- '. stances. The Chauman: Was it probable that the brake wopM be right when the train left AahburW at 6.31, and go wrong at 7 o'clock, oe right again to Christchurch, and continue running ever since' without some. j. thing/being done to it? • WAneas: I think at highly improbable.. \ Sura a possibility was very remote. I know I reason why this brake -should not have { ' The Chairman: Driver Carter seems to have-formed an opinion that there is a difference somewhat against him between the | English Westinghouse brake and the Ameri- . can. Is there anything in that conten- , tion? Witness said it was purely sentimental. , There was no difference in applying them. The essential difference was that one had an equalising arrangement and the other a graduating, which was the latest, and ■ prevented the train being roughly handled. There was no difference between 'the applying of these brakes, any more than there was between the winding, up of two watches. The Chairman said that Tor the information of all present he would mention, so > far as the Commission could see, tliere was no more evidence except that of Mr Dickenson, Locomotive Foreman, who was too ill to attend, and would be examined at his , house. Any who wished to be present would be admitted, so far as the accommodation of the house would allow. That would , be all the business as far as the taking of evidence was concerned. John Dickenson, Running-shed Foreman i at Christchurch, stated that he had been in , the service since 1863. Since the Westing- • house brake had been introduced here they i had been practising it. He examined that on Carter's engine at midnight on the 11th , March and found it in first-class order. Did Driver Carter then, or subsequently, • complain that the brake failing was really - the cause of the accident? ; No. Did he say to you that it was* in any-way . due to the brake? ; No. Witness, in further examination, i corroborated the statement of Mr Stringle- , man as to the words Carter used at the intori view and which were included in the. tele- ; gram. Dr. Giles: Did he give you any reason, at > the first interview, for misjudging his disi tance? No. He is a man who ought not to misi judge, because he ought to know every inch | and every movement of the road. This closed the inquiry. The Commis- ' sionera leave for Wellington to-night, and , expect to have their report in the hands . of £he Government during the next week.