SAVING BY RAILWAYS DEPARTMENT

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25207, 11 June 1947, Page 8

SAVING BY RAILWAYS DEPARTMENT

RESTRICTED LIGHTING ON STATION A considerable saving in the use of electric power is to be made by the Railways Department at Christchurch. Officers' of the department have been holding two conferences a day to discuss means of economising, and the saving which will be made, while of a domestic riature, should be a useful one. An officer of the department stated yesterday that any alteration in traffic policy in order to save power would have to be made in Wellington. One of the more pronounced savings should be at the railway station. Lamps representing about 3100 watts have been dispensed with completely, and further economies in the use of the remaining lights will bring the saving to about 4000 watts. As these lights normally burn, on an average, for eight hours a day, the units saved will total approximately 32.000. Although many strong lights are used in the goods yards, an adequate light is most necessary, a railway officer yesterday stating that shunting was the most dangerous operation carried out by the department. However, all possible economies were to be made, and the floodlights would be switched off when there was a temporary cessation of shunting. A considerable saving would be made in the goods sheds by the elimination of the 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. call back in two shipping sheds.