THE RAILWAY SERVICE—CAN IT BE CARRIED ON?
When trouble was threatened in August of last year (says a recent issue of the Melbourne "Argus"), Mr Bent several times stated that all arrangements were made for carrying on the service of the Department, though, of course, on a limited scale. On April 30th v tlie heads 'of brandies had a conference, and it was subsequently stated by a pronunent official that a limited train service had been arranged for in the event of a strike. Practically the scheme prepared last year had been adopted. Only the barest facilities will be afforded. There would, for instance, be only about four trains per day each way on the Brighton line, ■where "ordinarily there are thirty-eight. Lines where tlie traffio were less heavy would naturally faro worse. These reductions would necessitate a number of the signal-boxes being thrown into disuse. There would be only one train on a line at a time, and, in order to circumvent any attempt to 'run a train into a siding, the points would be spiked. On the main country lines there would only be one train a day each way, while the branches might have to be stripped entirely of ►trains. Goods traffio would be at a standstill. These are not cheerful prospects, but is & position which would have to be faced if the necessity arose. Railway men genea'ally hold that if tlie enginemen went out .there would be small chance of anything like an efficient train service being conemeted. First, it is contended there would be the almost insuperable difficulty in obtaining men- Drivers who have been pensioned off could be called in, but many of t-ese, even if willing to work in such circumstances, are said to be ignorant of the use of the Westinghouse brake, which had not bee_ adopted tn their time. Further, it is asserted that if the enginemen struck they would have the support of the engineers and boilermakers. The question _ asked: "How, then, would the en[fines be kept in a proper state of safety and (repairs V'
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume LX, Issue 11580, 11 May 1903, Page 9
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346
THE RAILWAY SERVICE—CAN IT BE CARRIED ON?
Press, Volume LX, Issue 11580, 11 May 1903, Page 9
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