SOUTH ISLAND GOODS TRAINS

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28047, 15 August 1956, Page 4

SOUTH ISLAND GOODS TRAINS

New Dunedin-Oamaru Time-Table I INTRODUCTION OF DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES (New Zealand Press Association) | WELLINGTON, August 14. All nine of the new diesel-electric j locomotives allocated to the South Island are expected to be in service by the end of September, when a \ new goods train time-table will be j introduced on the Dunedin-Oamaru . section. The new time-table will ’ ' bring big improvements in the movement of goods traffic over this hilly line. Announcing this today, the Minister • of Railways (Mr J. K. McAlpine) said that five through goods trains; each way daily would be sufficient to; convey traffic that at present required eight trains each way. With ! diesel traction, each train would have a capacity of about 330 tons of goods (excluding the weight of the vehicles) compared with the average of about 170* tons that couid; be conveyed on each of the present services. Diesel traction would also considerably speed the rate of movement of traffic. continued the Minister. Goods trains which now required five to five and a half hours to cover the 78 miles would be able to complete the run in three and a half to four hours when hauled by the ' new diesel locomotives. This had made possible a rearrangement .of the services so that the overnight through goods tram from Christchurch would be due to reach Dunedin at 9.15 a.m. instead ol 1.30 p.m. The introduction of diesel locomotives at Dunedin would release a number of powerful modefrn steam locomotives for service over other sections of the South Island railway system. This would in turn enable several obsolete and worn-out locomotives to be withdrawn from service.