RAIL GRINDER.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18147, 9 August 1924, Page 4

RAIL GRINDER.

THE NOISE PROBLEM. The general manager of the tramways, Mr Frank Thompson, has received complaints respecting the noise in Colombo street North at night-time consequent on the operations of the tramway rail "grinder." "It is admitted" said Mr Thompson yesterday, "that the residents have justification for their irritation, but it is hoped that they will accept the situation as philosophically as possible in view of the circumstances. Tramway engineers tho world over have wrested unsuccessfully -with the "corrugated" rail problem. After some vears of service, steel tramway rails dWelop ripples or corrugations, different opinions having been expressed as to the cause. If these are allowed to continue they increase with great rapidity. The result is that a continuous jar is imparted to the car very much to the inconvenience of the passengers and with bad effects on the car structure itself. The vibration which is set up between car and rail causes tho road material nest the rail to loosen, and ugly and dangerous ruts develop quickly. If corrugations are allowed to remain tho passing of every car is so noisy as to become- a nuisance to the residents on the route, who therefore are wise if they suffer as calmly as possible the acute noise of the grinder for a few nights only, in crder that more prolonged daily annoyance may be obviated. Tho objectionable noise is the action of the carborundum blocks grinding tho rail surface, and no alteration of the gearing of the mechanism can obviate this. To remove and scrap the rails would be an extravagance."