PORT-CITY.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18777, 23 August 1926, Page 5

PORT-CITY.

OVERHEAD ELECTRIC- OR DIESEL ELECTRIC ? TO TH2 EDITOB 07 THJ PEESS. Sir, —Xow that we have had tho opportunity of reading in full the Electrification report by Messrs Merz and McClelland, on the Christchureh-Lyttel-ton Section, which appears in the recently issued 1026 Railway Statement, we would like to put before your readers further facts. In Appendix 8.-A, we see this report, and in Annesures A and B wc see the reports and reviews of the Government officers. In view of the claim of the Progress League that it has unified Canterbury in the united demand for electrification, we would like now to inform unified (?) Canterbury exactly what they arc getting for the money to be spent. It has been said in certain quarters that our advocacy of the Diesel Electric System will again split Canterbury opinion into factions, and that the Government will eagerly seizo tho opportunity to withdraw their promise, and that tho Diesel is in the experimental stage. As you pointed out, Sir, in your leading articlo on May 6th, the Lcaguo's case, if it is demonstrably tho best one, will be strengthenod by tho discussion of other cases, and not weakened; and if it is not tho best, the more winds that blow upon it the better—before tho money is spent and not after. Messrs Merz and McClelland have given their able advice on what is to be done, and the methods to be employed in a most complete report. However this report was framed before any work was started at Middleton, and before tho question of the substitution of Diesel engines came up. They were not asked to consider Diesels at all and moreover at that timo these revolutionary machines had not been tested out. To-day, however, tho position is entirely difforent, Messrs Kissel and Sims in thoir later review dated January 25th, 1926, iii regard to the Diesel locomotives which we advocate reported as follows.

"Tho chief disadvantages of electric operation are the number of units which may be immobilised by a failure of energy supply. In a mixed aystem of olectrio and steam traction such as would bo tho case under reviow, a further disadvantage is the necessity for changing from steam to electric traction, or vico versa, at tho connecting points of the two systems. . . .In view of tho fact, howovcr, that it has boen decided to proceed with tho marshalling yards at Middleton, wo aro emphatically of the opinion that tho' electrification should bo extended Middleton, so that tho goods traffic could proceed direct from Lyttelton to Middleton and vice versa without the necessity of changing a,t Cliristchurcli.'' .... ire would suggest that it would be advisable to investigate fully the possibilities of this type of loco» motive (that is, tho Diesel Eleotrio) before deciding on electrification or ,duplication

"Wo advocator those locomotives first on April 30th last, yet ,we find that as far back as January, the highest technical officers of the Govornment emphatically supported thorn also, and advised a full ■ investigation. What wo wank to know is, has this been done, and if not, why not? We fool strongly that wo ought not to allow Cantorbury to bo hoodwinked' by talk about carbon monoxide, disunity,and the like, when we have data to show that thoro is an enormous saving in capital cost, running costs, and that thero is no danger whatever from tho exhaust of Diesel locomotives operating in tunnels. This data has nover been disputed, and in fact, it cannot be. Moroover, the only criticism is tho lamentable cry that by giving our information to tho public we aro causing disunion, and that the Govornment will back out of their tsolemn promise. Tiddlostickst In regard to tho equipment of tho tunnel l'or overhoad transmission," we would like to inform tho public that owing to the groator part of the tunnel being unlincd, this work will bo unnecessarily difficult and expensive, and moroover, tho work must bo f]ono amidst tho smoko and fumes, mostly out of ordinary working hours. Mossrs Kissel and Sims say: "The problem is complicated, as a considerable portion of tho tunnel is unlincd, and has a verynregular section, tho smoko conditions aro bad, and with a normal time-tablei only fivo or six hours in tho twentyfour aro clear of traffic." _ The approximate estimato is as 101lows: . g Electric Locomotives • • 61,200 Substation at Woolston 30,000 Overhead equipment, miles of single track • • bU ' Alterations to engine-shed at Lyttelton, etc. • • 10 > oou Contingencies, etc., at 20 per cent. • • ' ' . £193,440

It is estimated that the work can bo completed in two years. Summarising therefore on the Gov eminent information exclusive)} . (1) The proposed electrification wi only be carried out between + Chn» church and Lyttelton and no - - dleton (contrary to tUo advice ct Messrs Kissel and Sims); (2) el f ct " fica tion has been decided upon a full investigation ot the Diesel «' ec v"f_ locomotive (again contrary to tho a 4 vice of Messrs Kissel and Dims); \ < the- overhead work in the tunnel 1 complicated and expensive, tho total cost (approximate) is £193,440 ; ni jd O the result is—no real commercial benefit whatever, but merely the removal of the smoke—pretty expcnsivo smoke, we fancy. The ' substitution of tha Uiescl electric locomotive, recommended after trial by the highest technical officers of tlio Government, will cnalble us to deduct the four last items from the above estimate and thereby save a capital oost of £132,240. There will be no smoke, 1 there is un danger from the exhaust | gases, there will be complete and universal service on all and every line I in tho South Island, whereas the oyorI head electric will bo solitarily confined to the main tracks between Christchurch and Lyttelton. There will be no contingencies—first cost is the last cost. In every respect it is as powerful and efficient and as cheap to run j as the overhead electric locomotive. Horse-power for horse-power it costs approximately twice as much as the steam locomotive, has five times the efficiency, nnd runs at a quarter the cost. During the month of November last ten of these Diesel locomotives were placed on the main railroads of America, ranging from 60 ton to 125 ton Thus it will be seen that both the Progress League and ourselves supportthe Government and Canterbury's united demand for electrification, but we differ from the Progress League in common with the technical officers of the Government as to the system, and thus differing, how indeed are we spreading disunion, especially as the Progress League are not technical authorities at all? Again, the . adoption of the Diesel would mean the electrification of every line in New Zealand; because they can go anywhere that steam locomotives | can go and at from a third to a quarter the cost and without any capital expenditure beyond the provision of the

tractive unit 3 themselves. To do this by overhead or the transmission, would run into millions, whereas the Diesel engine would electrify any an<l every section with no other equipment whatever beyond a few oil tanks ana depots, and as they only use from four to sis gallons of oil per hour, or engine operation, this latter 15 no very expensive matter. In the last few years the development of the Diesel oil engine has revolutionised marine engine practice, and in fact all types of power units. \\ itness the construction and successful trials last month of a 15,000 h.p. doubleacting two-stroke motor for installation in the Hamburg Electricity Works, Germany. This is the largest internal combustion engine of any type that has yet been constructed. The latest British motor liner is the Carnarvon Castle of 20,000 tons, equipped ■with two double-acting foux-strok# motor engines of 6500 h.p. each, and completed last June. This is the age ! of oil. During 1935 over a million tons of motor ships were competed, and during the period January-June, 1926, 606,000 tons were completed, or 58 pelcent, of the amount for a similar period in 1925. In the locomotive field progress ha» also been very marked. Trials of Diesel locomotives have been carried out during the past 12 years. In America these have been finalised in their adoption by the leading railroads. In Canada there have been successful trials of a Diesel engined passenger car In England the locomotive builders are busy also and are on the evo of perfecting as an alternative to the electric drive a revolutionary type of hydraulic drive which will enable the Diesel engine in the locomotive to drive direct on to the axles in similar fashion to auy electric vehicle. Finally'—the electrification of the Christchurch-Lyttelton' line will take at least two yoars before the smoke is removed and we derive the benefit. Oil the other hand in six months from today a trial Diesel locomotive could be on the road, and in a further sis months a sufficient number to run the whole service. On the above grounds therefore we support the Government officers in demanding a full investigation, and our advice to Canterbury is to h s3ten slowly and look before you leap.— Yours, etc., THE PORT AND CITY COMMITTEE.