ELECTRIFICATION OF RAILWAYS

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25736, 23 February 1949, Page 4

ELECTRIFICATION OF RAILWAYS

Alternative Schemes Being Considered INVESTIGATIONS BY DEPARTMENT <P.A.) WELLINGTON, February 22. The Railway Department is now investigating the merits of direct current and alternating current in railway electrification schemes, and is unlikely to electrify any further section of its long-distance routes until a decision has been made on the type of current to be used. The General Manager of Railways (Mr F. W. Aickin) said to-day that to equip one more section with the direct current at present in Use would be to tie the department’s hands for future electrification. As much standardisation as possible was necessary because vehicles equipped for one system could not use the overhead gear of the other.

Direct' current at 15.000 volts, lie said, was in use on the WellingtonJohnsonville. Lyttelton-Christchurch and Otira tunnel lines, and would be used for the proposed Hutt Valley scheme.

However, there had recently been considerable improvements in alternating current electrification. A good deal of research was still necessary before a decision could be made whether to use direct current as at present, direct current at a higher voltage, or alternating current. Use of Rail-cars Asked about a report that a through i ail-car service between Wellington and Paraparaumu would be introduced soon, Mr Aickin said he did not know what had occasioned the hope, as there were no rail-cars to spare. Twentyfive rail-cars were on order, but it would be two years before they would begin to arrive. ” In any case, railcars were principally intended to cater for long-distance traffic. When the new cars arrived, there would be a redistribution of the present cars, so that the fleet would be used to the best advantage, but it was too early to say yet where the need for them would be greatest. The 25 rail-cars on order, said Mr Aickin. would each seat 80 passengers. compared with the 48 to 60 accommodated by the various types-now in use.

The first rail-car in New Zealand had been an experimental one on the West Coast. It had been run in conjunction with deliveries of morning newspapers. Because of this rail-car’s popularity, improved types had been built, and the fleet was increased to 21 rail-cars. In 1936 six cars of the Wairarapa class were introduced, and in 1939 six of the Standard type were put into operation. They were followed in 1940-41 by nine of the Vulcan type. The main advantages of rail-cars lay in their one-man control, speed, better passenger comfort and suitability for handling traffic where it would be uneconomical to run a steam engine, added Mr Aickin.