MIDDLETON YARDS

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19862, 25 February 1930, Page 5

MIDDLETON YARDS

REOPENED YESTERDAY.

ALTERATIONS COMPLETED.

"They are really up-to-date yards, as modern as any in the world." This was the opinion expressed by an officer of the Railway Department to a representative of The Pbes3 concerning the Middleton marshalling yards, wnicn were reopened yesterday morning after having been closed for about threo months. During that period the yards have been extensively altered in order that they should be ready to handle the large amount of freight that has to be dealt with in'the busy season, which is just about to commence. Sidings have been rearranged and the grades on them improved. Previously there were threo arrival roads, but now there are six, these having been installed on a site previously occupied by the old departure roads. The new departure roads have been installed in a position opposite to that occupied by the new arrival roads. The old ones have not been abolished, but these are being kept in good order in case it should be necessary to use them in the event of a derailment or some other emergency. The alterations to the yards, did not involve any modification to the "hump, an artificial hillock up which trucks are pushed by an engine and run down the other side to the tracks where they are required, but it is probable that such will be the case later. As it is at present operated, the hump system has certain faults. Sometimes, for instance, if a rake of trucks should arrive from a long distance when there is a nor'-wester blowing, in consequence of which 'the oil in the boxes is, like the temperature, warm, the trucks would be able to run down the hump at a high rate of speed. If, on the other hand, however, a number of trucks should arrive from a station comparatively close to Middleton, and should bo kepr waiting for some considerable time before being shunted, they would travel downhill at a much slower rate. Again, when a nor'-wester is blowing it assists trucks in their descent, whereas a nor'easter, which blows directly in the face of the hump, holds'them back. The Department is at present making enquiries in the direction of ascertaining the value of rctarders on lines used in conjunction with the hump system. Eetarders are attached to the rails, and they act as brakes to a truck by pressing against the wheels. They are | operated by a man in an observation tower. In some cases retarders are applied sharply and in others lightly, according to circumstances. It is not unlikely that if, after it has received the information referred to, the Department approves of the retarder system, it will increase tho height of the hump. To do so in the present circumstances would, however, be dangerous. The alterations at Middleton were carried out during tho slack season, and while they were in progress marshalt ling work was done at the Christchurch I railway yards.