RAILWAY EXCURSIONS.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12683, 22 December 1906, Page 5

RAILWAY EXCURSIONS.

TO THI EDITOR OF "TBI PRESS." Sir.—We have heard so much of late from headquarters of the smartness and efficiency of present-day railway officials, that in tho interests of the* travelling public it seems absolutely necessary to point out what, to the layman, appeared to be a case of gross mismanagement at Springfield to-day, of thc excursion train to fkaircase. The train, a very long and heavily laden one, drawn by two engines, had several extra carriages put on at Springfield, not next the engine, as one would have expected, but towards the end, so that all the open trucks wero next the engines. Now, imagine tho awful suffering of the unfortunate men, women, and children, in the first open truck (I was one of them) going through the tunnels, especially the one in which the grade is said to be 1 in 50, thus taxing both engines to the utmost. The heat and smoke were awful, and a few seconds longer would have "done for" some of usj in fact.

ono lady waa in ft very dangerous condition for somo time afterwards. Ordinary foresight would havo placed the open trucks in the rear, one would think, thus minimising of suffocation, had any mishap occurred; as it was, we c-»rne very near it. - Jliere were eighteen carriages and trucks, and if the train had been divided at Springfield, and the idle ciiuine thero used to take on a small part, both could have got through th« tunnel in half the time. Caterers for the public amusement now.-xdiys are compelled to look after the safety of their patrons, anel the Government ■should do the same. The recent tunnel accident in the North Island should have been some warning, but it is to be honed the Department will learn from this excursion, the finst t-o Staircase, that long trains must be avoided ni> these grades. Evidently someone blundered.—Yours, etc.. NEVER AGAIN.